Summary: Researchers look at stormwater runoff landscaping with urban grassy, shrubby groundcover and tree canopy cover during summer and winter storms in Oregon.
|
Stormwater runoff landscaping incorporates ground and tree canopy covers to control stormwater runoff through ground infiltration; ground cover in rain garden designed to capture stormwater runoff in 7-SIGMA's parking lot, South Minneapolis, Minnesota; Monday, Oct. 15, 2007: BrianAsh at English Wikipedia, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Groundcover acts against acceleration and accumulation of surface runoff in urban watersheds more during summer than winter storms, according to an article for the September 2016 issue of Arboriculture & Urban Forestry.
The article Statistical Analysis of Vegetation and Stormwater Runoff in an Urban Watershed During Summer and Winter Storms in Portland, Oregon, U.S., broaches stormwater runoff landscaping. Corresponding author Geoffrey Donovan and co-authors David Butry and Megan Mao consider random-effects regression model consequences of vegetation for summer and winter peak and total runoff. Previous research in the forms of small-scale experiments and of wildland studies does not describe the interactions of built, impervious-surfaced components with vegetation in urban watersheds.
The study examines grassy, shrubby groundcover, green infrastructure and tree canopy cover, at 34 sewer-monitoring sites June 15 and 16 and Dec. 18 and 19, 2010.
The same combined-sewer system pipes fill with sanitary flow from 70 percent of Portland's homes and storm runoff from the city's mean annual 42.91-inch (109-centimeter) precipitation.
The Columbia Slough gets untreated flows four times during winter and once every third summer and the Willamette River once every fifth winter and tenth summer. Untreated flows no longer happen 50-plus times a year because of the Northwest Environmental Advocates' suit against the City in 1991 for Clean Water Act violations. Portland's experience with back-up sewage in residences and untreated flows from insufficient, undersized pipes is possible for 40 million combined-sewer system users in 772 U.S. communities.
Portland juggles gray infrastructure through three big-pipe project storage tunnels and green infrastructure through stormwater runoff landscaping of bioswales, grassy, shrubby groundcover and tree canopy cover.
Canopies and groundcovers kindle stormwater runoff landscaping by infiltration from roots into soil pores, interception by shoots for evaporation and transpiration from tissues for water vapor. Stormwater runoff peaks, rates and totals link to canopy and groundcover density, storm duration, intensity and seasonality, tree age and type and wild and urban interfaces.
Previous research in wildland settings matches more stormwater runoff with forest structures of meager over denser canopies and with trees 200-plus years old over 25-year-old Douglas-firs. Previous research in urban rain interception notes less stormwater runoff with low-intensity short-duration over high-intensity long-duration storms and with open-growth coniferous over open-growth deciduous tree species.
Previous research offers for the study the conclusions that stormwater runoff vegetation obstructs surface runoff rates and totals in urban and wildland settings during summer storms.
The study presents low-lying grassy and shrubby ground cover and tree canopy cover as respectively significant and insignificant in change-in-flow models for June stormwater runoff measurements. Grasses, shrubs and trees queue into insignificance, perhaps from leaf loss, in change-in-flow and flow models of peak and total runoff for December stormwater runoff measurements. The results remain indefinitive in terms of relationships between stormwater runoff management and tree canopy cover even though they reveal peak flow reductions through low-lying vegetation. They suggest the continued significance of grassy, shrubby groundcover and of low-lying vegetation in the green infrastructure of bioswales and the need for further tree-related research.
The co-authors talk of research beyond the study's two seasonal storms since light-, moisture-, noise-, pollution-mitigating trees never take space from impervious and vegetation rain-interactive surfaces.
|
The 2010 study of stormwater runoff landscaping in Portland, Oregon, considers ground and tree canopy cover for effectively controlling urban runoff as impervious surfaces of urban built environments allow for excessive runoff; diagram illustrates relationships of ground cover, impervious surfaces and surface runoff; diagram illustrates relationships of ground cover, impervious surfaces and surface runoff (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Protecting Water Quality from Urban Runoff," Document No. EPA 841-F-03-003; Washington DC: February 2003): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Acknowledgment
My special thanks to:
talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet;
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for superior on-campus and on-line resources.
Image credits:
Stormwater runoff landscaping incorporates ground and tree canopy covers to control stormwater runoff; ground cover in rain garden designed to capture stormwater runoff in 7-SIGMA's parking lot, South Minneapolis, Minnesota; Monday, Oct. 15, 2007: BrianAsh at English Wikipedia, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:7sigma_RainGarden_66.JPG
The 2010 study of stormwater runoff landscaping in Portland, Oregon, considers ground and tree canopy cover for effectively controlling urban runoff as impervious surfaces of urban built environments allow for excessive runoff; diagram illustrates relationships of ground cover, impervious surfaces and surface runoff (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Protecting Water Quality from Urban Runoff," Document No. EPA 841-F-03-003; Washington DC: February 2003): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_&_impervious_cover_diagrams_EPA.jpg
For further information:
Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Butry, David T.; and Mao, Megan Y. September 2016. "Statistical Analysis of Vegetation and Stormwater Runoff in an Urban Watershed During Summer and Winter Storms in Portland, Oregon, U.S." Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 42(5): 318-328.
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 August 2016. “Changing Places: Tree Nutrient Movement Down, Tree Water Movement Up.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/08/changing-places-tree-nutrient-movement.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 16 July 2016. “Treated or Untreated Oriental Bittersweet Vine Management Cut-Stumping.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/07/treated-or-untreated-oriental.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 18 June 2016. “Tree Injection Site Procedures: Manufacturer's Instructions and Labels.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/06/tree-injection-site-procedures.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 22 May 2016. “Electrical Utility Area Temperate Urban Street Trees: Pruned Regrowth.” Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/05/electrical-utility-area-temperate-urban.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 16 April 2016. “Tree Injection Methods: Treatment Option in Integrated Pest Management.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/04/tree-injection-methods-treatment-option.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 6 March 2016. “Bare-Rooted Ornamental Urban Transplants: Amendments Against Mortality.” Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/03/bare-rooted-ornamental-urban.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 28 February 2016. “Bark Protective Survival Mechanisms Foil Deprivation, Injury, Invasion.” Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/02/bark-protective-survival-mechanisms.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 19 December 2015. “Tree Lightning Protection Systems: Site, Soil, Species True Designs.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/12/tree-lightning-protection-systems-site.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 24 October 2015. “Tree Lightning Protection Systems Tailored to Sites, Soils, Species.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/10/tree-lightning-protection-systems.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 15 August 2015. “Tree Friendly Urban Soil Management: Amend, Fertilize, Mulch, Till!” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/08/tree-friendly-urban-soil-management.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 June 2015. “Tree Friendly Urban Soil Management: Assemble, Assess, Assist, Astound.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/06/tree-friendly-urban-soil-management.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 18 April 2015. “Tree Wound Responses: Healthy Wound Closures by Callus and Woundwood.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/04/tree-wound-responses-healthy-wound.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 15 February 2015. “Urban Forest Maintenance and Non-Maintenance Costs and Benefits.” Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/02/urban-forest-maintenance-and-non.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 December 2014. “Tree Dwelling Symbionts: Dodder, Lichen, Mistletoe, Moss and Woe-Vine.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2014/12/tree-dwelling-symbionts-dodder-lichen.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 18 October 2014. “Tree Cable Installation Systems Lessen Target Impact From Tree Failure.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2014/10/tree-cable-installation-systems-lessen.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 16 August 2014. “Flood Tolerant Trees in Worst-Case Floodplain and Urbanized Scenarios.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2014/08/flood-tolerant-trees-in-worst-case.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 14 June 2014. “Integrated Vegetation Management of Plants in Utility Rights-of-Way.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2014/06/integrated-vegetation-management-of.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 12 April 2014. “Tree Twig Identification: Buds, Bundle Scars, Leaf Drops, Leaf Scars.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2014/04/tree-twig-identification-buds-bundle.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 15 February 2014. “Tree Twig Anatomy: Ecosystem Stress, Growth Rates, Winter Identification.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2014/02/tree-twig-anatomy-ecosystem-stress.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 14 December 2013. “Community and Tree Safety Awareness During Line- and Road-Clearances.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/12/community-and-tree-safety-awareness.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 October 2013. “Chain-Saw Gear and Tree Work Related Personal Protective Equipment.” Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/10/chain-saw-gear-and-tree-work-related.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 12 October 2013. “Storm Damaged Tree Clearances: Matched Teamwork of People to Equipment.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/10/storm-damaged-tree-clearances-matched.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 17 August 2013. “Storm Induced Tree Damage Assessments: Pre-Storm Planned Preparedness.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/08/storm-induced-tree-damage-assessments.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 15 June 2013. “Storm Induced Tree Failures From Heavy Tree Weights and Weather Loads.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/06/storm-induced-tree-failures-from-heavy.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 April 2013. “Urban Tree Root Management Concerns: Defects, Digs, Dirt, Disturbance.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/04/urban-tree-root-management-concerns.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 16 February 2013. “Tree Friendly Beneficial Soil Microbes: Inoculations and Occurrences.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/02/tree-friendly-beneficial-soil-microbes.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 15 December 2012. “Healthy Urban Tree Root Crown Balances: Soil Properties, Soil Volumes.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/12/healthy-urban-tree-root-crown-balances.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 October 2012. “Tree Adaptive Growth: Tree Risk Assessment of Tree Failure, Tree Strength.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/10/tree-adaptive-growth-tree-risk.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 11 August 2012. “Tree Risk Assessment Mitigation Reports: Tree Removal, Tree Retention?” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/08/tree-risk-assessment-mitigation-reports.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 16 June 2012. “Internally Stressed, Response Growing, Wind Loaded Tree Strength.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/06/internally-stressed-response-growing.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 14 April 2012. “Three Tree Risk Assessment Levels: Limited Visual, Basic and Advanced.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/04/three-tree-risk-assessment-levels.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 19 February 2012. “Qualitative Tree Risk Assessment: Risk Ratings for Targets and Trees.” Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/02/qualitative-tree-risk-assessment-risk.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 18 February 2012. “Qualitative Tree Risk Assessment: Falling Trees Impacting Targets.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2012/02/qualitative-tree-risk-assessment.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 10 December 2011. “Tree Risk Assessment: Tree Failures From Defects and From Wind Loads.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/12/tree-risk-assessment-tree-failures-from.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 15 October 2011. “Five Tree Felling Plan Steps for Successful Removals and Worker Safety.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/10/five-tree-felling-plan-steps-for.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 13 August 2011. “Natives and Non-Natives as Successfully Urbanized Plant Species.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/08/natives-and-non-natives-as-successfully.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 11 June 2011. “Tree Ring Patterns for Ecosystem Ages, Dates, Health and Stress.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/06/tree-ring-patterns-for-ecosystem-ages.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 9 April 2011. “Benignly Ugly Tree Disorders: Oak Galls, Powdery Mildew, Sooty Mold, Tar Spot.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/04/benignly-ugly-tree-disorders-oak-galls.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 12 February 2011. “Tree Load Can Turn Tree Health Into Tree Failure or Tree Fatigue.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/02/tree-load-can-turn-tree-health-into.html
Marriner, Derdriu. 11 December 2010. “Tree Electrical Safety Knowledge, Precautions, Risks and Standards.” Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2010/12/tree-electrical-safety-knowledge.html