Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modeling for Green Stormwater Practices
Authors:
- Jim Garin, P.E., and Dana Gumb - New York City Department of Environmental Protection
- Brian Henn and Sandeep Mehrotra, P.E. - Hazen and Sawyer
The Staten Island Bluebelt Program focuses on addressing flood problems that are a result of natural landscape, tidal factors and a lack of drainage infrastructure. Using Best Management Practices (BMPs), New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) seeks to mitigate stormwater flooding and improve water quality in a cost-effective manner by employing natural hydrologic features in a gravity-driven system. To quantify the potential benefits of BMPs in Staten Island’s New Creek watershed, a robust one-dimensional model was developed using United States Army Corps of Engineers HEC software. The model was calibrated to historical rainfall and tidal data and supplied with watershed information from a GIS land use database. It was then possible to test a variety of improvements, and the model showed that incorporating BMPs could result in a significant decrease in storm event peak water surface.
