Journal article
Water Quality Impacts of Green Roofs Compared with Other Vegetated Sites
Journal of sustainable water in the built environment, v 3(3)
01 Aug 2017
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Green roofs are a convenient stormwater management strategy in highly developed, urbanized areas. Research has demonstrated that green roofs are effective at mitigating stormwater runoff volume, in addition to providing a range of other environmental benefits. Previous studies on the overflow from extensive green roofs have indicated that the overflow from these roofs, particularly those maintained with fertilizer, may contribute nutrients to nearby streams, storm sewers, and adjacent waterways. Whereas many studies have compared green roof nutrient concentrations with that of conventional roofs and urban streams, few studies have compared green roof effluent with other vegetated systems' effluent. In this study, located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, green roof effluent was evaluated and compared with vegetated land uses (e.g., woods and grass) and other stormwater control measures (e.g., bioinfiltration rain garden and constructed stormwater wetland) typically found in urban watersheds. Effluent samples from all sites were tested and analyzed for concentration and mass loading of nitrogen (nitrate, nitrite, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total nitrogen) and phosphorus (orthophosphate and phosphorus). Overall, the green roof effluent concentrations for nitrogen and phosphorus species were statistically different than the other land uses, and often with higher concentrations. The green roof effluent was most statistically similar to the wooded land use. From a mass loading perspective, in terms of unit area of the contributing watershed, the green roof had a higher loading than the other land uses. However, the fertilized green roof exported less than 15 percent of the total input mass of nitrogen and phosphorus, demonstrating that volume reduction aids in managing the effluent. (C) 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Details
- Title
- Water Quality Impacts of Green Roofs Compared with Other Vegetated Sites
- Creators
- Catherine M. Barr - AECOMPatricia M. Gallagher - Drexel UniversityBridget M. Wadzuk - Villanova UniversityAndrea L. Welker - Villanova University
- Publication Details
- Journal of sustainable water in the built environment, v 3(3)
- Publisher
- Asce-Amer Soc Civil Engineers
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership (VUSP) USEPA 319 program William Penn Foundation Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener program
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000408499900002
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85048982150
- Other Identifier
- 991019167948904721
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Water Resources