United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
RESEARCH PROJECT
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
Urban Watershed Management Branch
FRAMEWORK FOR PLACEMENT OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN URBAN
WATERSHEDS TO PROTECT SOURCE WATERS AND MEET WATER QUALITY GOALS
IMPACT STATEMENT
This project will support program offices in
stormwater management evaluations and cost-
optimization for meeting municipal separate storm
sewer system (MS4) and total maximum daily load
(TMDL) requirements. The framework is designed
for application to TMDL watershed planning for
assessment and decision making of Eco
consequences of watershed activities and their
controls.
BACKGROUND:
Urban land area in the nation was increased by 330% and paved road mileage by 280% between 1945 and 1997.
Research indicates that when the percentage of impermeable cover exceeds 25 to 30 percent of the watershed, streams
tend to no longer support diverse fish and aquatic life and have poor water quality. Various structural and non-
structural stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) have become the national focus for the mitigation of
stormwater pollution. A place-based analysis system is essential to support government and local watershed planning
agencies as they coordinate efforts across the watershed to achieve the maximum improvement in water quality from a
given investment. There is no comprehensive modeling system currently available in the public domain to help them and
this framework fills the gap.
DESCRIPTION:
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of
Research and Development, has funded this research project in support of its Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research
Program. This project will assist program offices with stormwater management evaluations and cost-optimization for
meeting MS4 and TMDL requirements by supporting the EPA developed public-domain System for Urban Stormwater
Treatment and Analysis integration (SUSTAIN) Tool.
Since 2003, EPA has been developing a decision support system, SUSTAIN. This tool will help develop, evaluate, select,
and place BMP/Low Impact Development (LID) options. SUSTAIN, a generic public domain framework, will provide a
thorough, practical, and informative assessment of management alternatives considering the economic, environmental,
and engineering factors. The framework is designed for application to TMDL watershed planning for assessment and
decision making of consequences of watershed activities and their controls.
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
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This project will assist stormwater management professionals in planning for BMPs and LID implementation. SUSTAIN
supports the evaluation of BMP placement at multiple scales from a few city blocks to large watersheds. The Phase 2
work will be completed in the summer of 2009, and a working SUSTAIN will be released. Pending additional research
funding, ORD will maintain SUSTAIN and provide users support. Also, ORD will continue with the Phase 3 work in 2011,
which will enhance process modeling of wetlands/swales/buffers and porous and pervious pavements, BMP selection
and placement algorithms, cost database, multiple-scale applications, and visualization.
EPA GOAL: Goal #2 - Clean & Safe Water, Objective 2.1.1- Water Safe to Drink
ORD MULTI YEAR PLAN: Water Quality (WQ), Long Term Goal - WQ-3 Source Control
RESEARCH PARTNERS: EPA and Tetra Tech, Inc. are collaborating on this project which focuses implementing SUSTAIN, so that
stormwater management professionals can efficiently carry out BMPs and LID.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS:
SUSTAIN is designed to help develop, evaluate, select, and place BMP/LID options based on cost and effectiveness in
multiple-scale watersheds. It is expected that the adoption and application of the framework will increase acceptance of
new and innovative technologies by decision makers who regulate and design green infrastructure technologies. The
increased application of BMP/LID technologies will result in an overall reduction of cost and increased effectiveness of
design, operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of aging infrastructures.
OUTPUTS:
In addition to reports of framework development, process simulation details, and case study applications, the project
outputs will include an official version of the framework in open codes; user's manual; information and hands-on
training workshop handouts; conference proceedings; journal articles.
RESOURCES:
Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program: http://www.epa.gov/awi/
Urban Watershed Management Research: http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/
CONTACTS:
Dennis Lai, Principal Investigator - (732) 321- 6632 orlai.dennis@epa.gov
Steven Doub, Media Relations - (513) 569-7503 ordoub.steven@epa.gov
Michelle Latham, Communications - (513) 569-7601 or latham.michelle@epa.gov
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
www.epa.gov/nrmrl
EPA/600/F-09/043
October 2009
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