Assistant Professor University of Florida, Florida, United States
Abstract Submission: Stormwater ponds are a common stormwater control measure and are found in urbanized areas worldwide. They collect stormwater runoff and help mitigate flooding impacts, and are often hydrologically connected to downstream waters. They are also often expected to perform some measure of contaminant removal and to protect downstream waters from potential contaminants in urban runoff. However, a growing body of research indicates that stormwater ponds have low to moderate effectiveness for contaminant removal, especially for nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus). This presentation goes over resent research on the internal pond processes that control nutrient removal in urban stormwater ponds. Monitoring and sampling efforts of stormwater pond water, sediments, and vegetation provide insights on biogeochemical processes that take place in the ponds and explains why nutrient removal is often limited. Results will be placed in context with policy and research needs, in order to improve the effectiveness of stormwater ponds as a stormwater control measure.
