Home » Water Quality/Wetlands
How to effectively capture waste plastic debris (cigarettes, syringes, bags. etc.) prior to discharge from inlets, ditches/curbs, and culvert outfalls to receiving waters that retains designed hydraulic flow characteristics. What
Background DOTs routinely receive requests to add new products and materials to their lists of approved products, including culvert repair products and materials used for road and bridge repair. Many
FY2022 NCHRP PROBLEM STATEMENT OUTLINE 1. Problem Title Concrete Curing pH Level Impacts for Minimization of Harm to Aquatic Species 2. Background Construction and maintenance actions regularly require state Department
Recent research findings identified 6PPD-quinone as the major agent responsible for exceptionally high levels of rapid mortality of adult Coho salmon in some urban streams. Lethal effects occurred in Coho
The ultimate fate of some treated transportation stormwater runoff from BMPs is groundwater. Groundwater is a precious resource. If groundwater quality has become degraded from transportation BMP stormwater runoff, the
Those conducting the proposed research will 1. Identify opportunities for a change in regulatory system approach at the national, state, and local levels. 2. Develop a set of model regulations/ordinances,
TERI Administrator Note (2007): Funded as NCHRP Project 25-31 Hydraulic Modifications to Existing Drainage Infrastructure in Ultra-Urban Areas to Achieve Watershed Total Maximum Daily Loads The transportation community is faced
Major and visible effects-such as shoreline alteration, reduced connection to adjacent upland, sediment filling-in, eutrophication, reduced oxygen levels, and altered fish populations-are attributable to roads altering coastal, lake, reservoir, pond,
Algal blooms and excessive plant growth commonly plague lacustrine systems due to the buildup of phosphorus. While phosphorus is not a principal component in highway runoff, there may be areas
Because hydrologic conditions around corridors are the result of transportation-system design processes, the major patterns of road hydrology are well documented. It is generally clear, for example, how highway hydrology
Issue: Tests have shown that aquatic organisms have different tolerance thresholds to snow and ice control materials that are applied to roads, highways, and bridges. A major factor in terms of selecting
Issue Environmental agencies in the Pacific Northwest are concerned about dissolved copper in stormwater. Extremely low concentrations of dissolved copper (1 to 5 parts per billion) have been shown to
TERI Administrator Note (Feb 2009) – Related Research – Linking Environmental Resource and Transportation Planning–The Current State of Practice (NCHRP 25-25: Task 32) FHWA’s Vital Few Environmental Goal, in part,
Background/Need for this Research: "Green" or "Low Impact Development" design features and management practices, such as rain gardens, vegetated swales, and permeable paving systems, can be important elements of
Since the mid 1990s, the concept of watershed evaluation and assessment has come to the forefront of land use planning and related decision making. Faced by these issues, the DOTs
The study would evaluate the effectiveness of current practices in road design, construction, maintenance and closure.
TERI Administrator Note (Feb 2009) – Related Research: Investigation of Water Runoff and Leaching Impacts from Dust Suppressants, Fred Hall, US Environmental Protection Agency, 2008 The majority of research on
Recent study findings where tire shreds were used for lightweight fill in road base construction in a wetland suggest that wrapping the tire shreds with a geotextile fabric could trap
Problem Statement: Naturally occurring wetlands are characterized by a broad diversity of species. When replacement wetlands need to be created to offset transportation project impacts they often fail to achieve
I. Research Problem Statement Due to automobile braking, roadside sediments in heavily trafficked regions have high levels of copper and zinc compared to sediment quality. Recent use of bio-retention filters
TERI Administrator Note (January 2009): Funded under NCHRP 25-25 (53). Background: The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has recently been issued a number of Water Quality Certifications by the NH
TERI Administrator Note (January 2009): Funded as NCHRP Project 25-25 (52). Background: Under the Clean Water Act, the Corps is delegated the authority to permit the discharge of dredged or
I. Research Problem Statement: Erosion (runoff) and sedimentation of and from low-volume roads can adversely impact the environment. Many low-volume roads are soil or aggregate surfaced, have steeper grades than
I. Problem Statement: There is increasing evidence that nutrients are major constituents in highway runoff. This varies with the area of ROW as well as the vegetation types and adjacent
TERI Administrator Note (January 2009): Idea selected for implementation with NHCRP 25-25 (Task 56) funding in 2009. The cost of complying with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) continues
Storm water, or constructed, wetlands represent one of several best managements practices commonly used to treat runoff water. They may have a strong impact on the quality of receiving waters,
Integrate low impact development and other transportation related BMPs into the Interantional Stormwater BMP Database (www.bmpdatabase.org). The major subcategories of this task are itemized below. a. Working with a panel
Selected for NCHRP 25-25 funding as Task 75. May 2013 Update: Completed August 2012. Background To satisfy regulatory requirements of no net loss of wetlands, state transportation agencies develop mitigation
Use Laser ablation/mass spectrometry (LA/MS) to detect historic metal and PAH pollution incorporated in calcareous skeleton of Coral & Mollusks with a precision of days to months. Coral samples from
Many local rural roads were designed to provide land access, with little thought given to high traffic or heavy loadings. In some areas this includes higher classified “farm to market”
Organisms pick up some heavy metals in proportion to their exposure in aquatic systems, they then deposit these elements along with calcium into their calcareous shells or skeleton. Many of
Copper toxicity to salmonids is currently referenced to a series of Laboratory tests that were conducted using well water and copper that was deliberately kept ionic, uncomplexed. Toxicity in these
TERI Database Administrator Notes. Not recommended at present time by 2009 Natural Systems Subcommittee. Storm water BMP’s are alternatives options to the traditional gutter/culvert approach to treat runoff water. BMP’s
Install Compost berms, Compost Wattles in several traffic corridors and test their filtering capacities. At the end of six month intervals, analyze the compost filters/berms for concentrations of heavy metals.
Document hydrologic and hydraulic impacts of existing highway systems on nearby streams. Using 10 impacted streams in geographically diverse ecosystems, evaluate the runoff generated from a highway system and the
The Permeable Friction Course (PFC also known as Open Graded Friction Course)is a two inch thick overlay applied to existing pavement to reduce splash and spray behind vehicles, and to
Porous pavements can provide the same level of service with much less salt/de-icing. Project will identify study sites and nearby control sites, then study the sites over 2 winter seasons.
Porous pavements have been identified as a potential strategy for minimizing the use of deicing chemicals for winter maintenance. The use of porous pavements for parking lots is on the
TERI Administrator Note: Selected for FY12 NCHRP funding as NCHRP 25-37 RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT This problem statement was identified by the Natural Systems and Ecological Communities Subcommittee of AASHTO’s Standing
Subsurface gravel wetlands(SGW) have proven successful as a nitrogen control strategies however costly to construct. SGW have been shown to remove >95% of NO3-N and >55% removal of TP and
Background On December 1, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released their final rule on the effluent limitation guidelines for stormwater discharges from construction sites. Effluent guidelines
Cost of this vs. ditch and basin treatments, maintenance.
Select several of these small bridges that are being let and re-design, install and monitor the discharge from the standard skimmer basin (x2) vs. a solid dam with a weir
Research should include an analysis of current sodium chloride concentrations existing in reservoirs which support a water supply for the general public. Impact of runoff to these reservoirs and the
What would be the more effective landscape-scale water quality solution given limited financial resources; a relatively small aerial coverage with high efficiency BMPs (e.g. large ponds and sand filters) or
The compost blanket is a low impact development (LID) approach to flow control. Compost blankets could be used for stormwater hydraulic detention Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the size requirements
The extraordinary number of people and automobiles in metropolitan Los Angeles presents unique opportunities to assess anthropogenic contaminant loadings to the near-shore. Platinum group elements (PGEs: platinum, palladium, and rhodium)
Porous pavement usage and design has improved dramatically since 2002 (Kandhal and Mallick, 2002) with published guidelines on mix designs (NAPA 2003) with continued refinements (UNHSC 2009) and others. The
Need for the Research Stormwater runoff from transportation Rights-of-Way (ROW) may contain nutrients (particularly phosphorus and nitrogen) and may contain pathogens (though it is unclear if DOTs are a source that would
This project would look at the use of permeable pavements along shoulders. It would primarily look at the suitability of such pavements from a design, constructability, maintenance, and longevity standpoint. However, it would
New construction and replaced impervious surfaces will trigger the new LID standard in the future. In implementing the new LID standard, DOTs need a factual basis to assess the feasibility of applying
Need for the Research Highways can contribute to hydrologic changes with subsequent degradation of streams. Permits and regulations are beginning to require management of stormwater to minimize adverse hydromodification. Traditional methods of stormwater
Need for the Research Highways can contribute to hydrologic changes with subsequent degradation of streams. Permits and regulations are beginning to require management of stormwater to minimize adverse hydromodification, but there are no
TERI Administrator Note: Selected as FY12 NCHRP Project 25-40; estimated completion is April 2014 Background As the surface transportation systems of the nation expand and transportation agencies continue to meet the
Highway stormwater runoff is a source of copper to receiving streams. Trace levels of copper have been shown to have detrimental effects on threatened and endangered salmonid species. However, little is known
Porous pavement usage and design has improved dramatically since 2003 when the National Asphalt Paving Association published guidelines on mix designs with continued refinements by the UNHSC and others. The use
Subsurface gravel wetlands have proven successful as a nitrogen control strategies however costly to construct. Studies show that these systems show a unique ability to remove bioavailable nitrogen in excess
Construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure changes land surface permeability and runoff rates. Roadside ditches carry invisible chemicals such as zinc and cadmium, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, herbicides, and road salt.
Recent toxicity data obtained through studies conducted by the State of Iowa and EPA Region 5 in 2009 showed that chloride was less toxic to aquatic organisms when accounting for
The requirements outlined in TMDL reports and drafts are applied broadly to a number of land uses and are often based on assumptions. Quite often, the impacts related to transportation
We propose to test existing live cell and whole organisms using physiological techniques, in particular fluorescent tags combined with confocal microscopy to image changes in physiology, growth and development caused
In concert with UC Davis, take samples from the calcareous skeletons/shells of invertebrates, cross section them through annual growth rings, burn samples from within the growth ring, analyze the vaporized
Zinc is an important targeted constituent for Departments of Transportation (DOTs). The average concentration in highway runoff exceeds water quality objectives. For individual storms, the measured concentrations of total zinc in highway discharge
Lead tire weights used to balance wheels may be a substantial source of lead in the highway environment. These weights are sometimes released from wheels and then abraded by traffic,releasing lead into
The objective of this study is to determine the optimum timing and application rates of various deicing materials. A variety of standard tests can be conducted to determine the effectiveness of various chemicals, including:
EPA has reported recently that the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution entering our waters has escalated dramatically over the last 50 years, and that this trend will continue with US population
Standard practice in the U.S. within hydrology is to assume a Log-Pearson III probability distribution for predicting flood flows. This practice came about due to the computational resources that were
The objective would be to identify new BMP that would adjust water quality of acid precipitation conveyed along dirt and gravel roads for use by transprotation practioners.
Efficient and effective water-quality monitoring is key to understanding and setting water-quality objectives and meeting local, state, and federal stormwater regulations. Inaccurate representation of contaminants in urban runoff can lead
As a major source of non-point source pollution, highway runoff has adverse effects on the adjacent aquatic resources if no measures are taken to remove the excessive contaminants accumulated from
The proposed research provides an innovative multi-disciplinary approach to cost-effective management of storm water. DOTs needs effective tools to meet recently enacted federal (EPA) regulations for reducing the amount of
This project will develop, install and field test the effectiveness of new structural BMPs specifically designed to manage runoff near one or two highway bridge decks, e.g., filters and biofiltration
Background: Many Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are being required to retrofit existing highways to comply with Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to improve the quality of runoff discharged from highways.
As evidenced by the recent January 2013 EPA Webinar entitled “Road Salt Pollution Prevention” in which over 1000 people participated, the concern for road salt, or rock salt, and water
Background: DOTs routinely complete BMP effectiveness studies as a part of their research to improve their stormwater program. Many of the effectiveness studies duplicate research in other parts of the
Background: Many NPDES Permits require DOTs to identify constituents of concern from highway and support facilities. Constituent of concern are known or emerging potential pollutants that are generated within the
Reducing runoff volumes using infiltration of stormwater has drawn increasing interest in recent years, given its ability to reduce stormwater volume, increase groundwater recharge, reduce peak flows, and lessen the
From USC forecast model, take high priority watersheds and create watershed management plans. The management plans will assess watershed condition, threats and opportunities. Develop improvements, restorations, and protections for water
Background: State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are being named as Designated Management Agencies in Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) management plans. This designation often brings with it the obligation for
Background: Many NPDES Permits require DOTs to monitor receiving waters to characterize runoff from DOT facilities, assess the effectiveness of BMPs, and for compliance with TMDLs. Monitoring programs require considerable
The use of porous asphalt pavement (PAP) can purify stormwater runoff and recharge the groundwater. PAP is one of the acceptable structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) that can be used
Research Idea Scope Background: Current municipal and transportation-related stormwater permits in western Washington require the use of low impact development (LID) as the preferred and commonly used approach to managing
Background: Natural and engineered dispersion are best management practices (BMPs) designed to receive highway runoff from sheet flow for the purposes of water quality treatment and flow control. These BMPs
Background: This research proposal seeks to study Portland Cement Pervious Concrete’s (PCPC) ability to remove pollutants, particularly heavy metals, and reduce surface volume flows from highway runoff. This study will
Road features have both positive and negative effects on their surroundings. While roads provide transportation for people and goods, there are a significant number of negative ecological impacts that can
With increasing numbers of species being considered and listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for protection under the Endangered Species Act, the need to integrate protection of species
Research Idea Scope: Background: Petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants are present in stormwater runoff at most transportation facilities, and reducing their levels is a common requirement in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Chloride-based deicers continue to be the primary deicing chemical of choice due to the huge cost differential with non-chloride deicers, which generally cost 15 to 20 times more than regular
Bridge maintenance along with traffic, weather, and other related activities are continuous sources of pollution for the water bodies under the bridge. In Virginia, where are more than 10,000 bridges,
Chloride-based deicers continue to be the primary deicing chemical of choice due to the huge cost differential with non-chloride deicers. Essentially there are no salt alternatives that are comparable in
The traditional technique for addressing hydrologic impacts of highway projects is to construct detention basins. While the basins are effective at reducing peak flows and flood issues, they are less
The US interstate highway system is essentially complete, and was constructed in large part without the benefit of stormwater quality features to improve highway runoff water quality or measures to
General Scope of Work: Task 1: Literature Review. Complete a literature review to determine the sources of zinc in highway runoff. The literature review should also attempt to determine if
Monitoring of stormwater runoff from highways is a required element of most DOT NPDES permits, and some DOTs are required to monitor receiving waters as well. Monitoring and sampling activities
The US interstate highway system is essentially complete, and was constructed in large part without the benefit of stormwater quality features to improve highway runoff water quality or measures to
For highways outside of cities, infiltration within a right of way (ROW) may be one of the few means of meeting the return to predevelopment hydrology requirement under the Energy
Stormwater treatment of bridge deck runoff has always been a tough design challenge. Traditional methods of treating bridge deck runoff suggest piping stormwater off the bridge and treating it on
This study will develop a compost blended with phosphorus sorption media mix (Mix), which will treat highways stormwater runoff while limiting phosphorus leaching. Compost effectively removes metals and other pollutants
Transportation agencies across the nation are charged with operating and maintaining stormwater infrastructure associated with roadways to ensure runoff is efficiently removed from impervious surfaces and discharged to nearby waterbodies
Post Construction Best Management Practices (BMPs) are required by DOT NPDES Permits and applicable Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to reduce pollutant loadings that are discharged into receiving waters from
State, county, and other departments of transportation are increasingly subjected to water quality requirements specifying reduction of stormwater flows and their associated pollutants from new and existing roads. Most water
Research is needed to consolidate NCHRP and other research results related to highway stormwater management, update NCHRP research, document the efforts of various DOTs to comply with stormwater requirements, and
Many DOTs across the country apply salt (estimated at 22 million tons annually in the US) during the winter to lower the freezing point and accelerating the melting process. Unfortunately,
This study will consist of a survey of DOTs to establish highway-specific requirements for bioretention implementation and assist in standardizing the terminology of the DOT sector. The ultimate product of
The University of Georgia, in cooperation with Georgia DOT, has developed a PROPOSED construction standard for use by DOT contractors to better restore the geotechnical properties and ecological functionality of
The most commonly used fully permeable pavements are porous asphalt (PA) (excluding open-graded friction courses), pervious concrete (PC), and permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP). Unlike impervious pavements, permeable pavements must
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey and Several National Cooperative Research Program studies use the USEPA definition of a synoptic storm event
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