Urban Stormwater Characterization, Control, and Treatment

Abstract

The following review presents a synthesis of 181 journal articles published during 2015 that represent progress toward better characterizing, controlling, and treating urban stormwater runoff. The review is structured by general topical areas related to (1) stormwater quality and quantity characterization; (2) engineered stormwater control and treatment practices, including erosion and sediment control, stormwater ponds, constructed stormwater wetlands, bioretention, permeable pavement, greenroofs, and rainwater harvesting systems; and (3) watershed‐scale modeling and optimization of stormwater control and treatment practices. Common research themes emerging from this collection of studies include potential to enhance hydrologic and pollutant treatment performance of stormwater practices via media amendments and the use of innovative outlet control structures, as well as development of a more mechanistic understanding of hydrologic and water‐quality functions to inform modeling and performance predictions. These studies serve to expand the field's knowledge base and will inform future efforts to further improve stormwater control and treatment at various spatial and temporal scales.