MPCA stormwater research projects

The Stormwater Program is involved in several research projects that look at pollutant removal by stormwater BMPs and other stormwater management questions. The projects include: Iron-enhanced filtration — In partnerships with two cities and a watershed district, we’re examining the effectiveness of five iron-enhanced stormwater treatment systems: two sand filters, a biofiltration system, and two detention ponds retrofits. Infiltration monitoring — The MPCA is partering on two projects that monitor infiltration systems at four sites to assess pollutant transport and removal within the BMP and in the unsaturated soil zone underneath. The sites include surface and underground infiltration practices. Daphnia ecotoxicogenomics method development and calibration — Researchers are investigating the viability and value of using a daphnia-based transcriptomics tool as part of MPCA's water quality monitoring efforts.   Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in stormwater — MPCA and several partners are investigating CECs and associated toxicology in stormwater conveyances and iron-enhanced sand filters in the Twin Cities area. Researchers are measuring more than 300 commercial/industrial chemicals and the effectiveness of full-scale iron-enhanced sand filters at mitigating their impact. Infiltration in roadside swales: Long-term field testing prototype — MPCA and MnDOT are prototyping a method to assess the long-term infiltration performance of swales in natural conditions at various scales. Stormwater research priorities and pond maintenance — The MPCA, serving as the state’s technical liaison, is assisting the University of Minnesota in looking for ways to improve stormwater pond maintenance and performance. This project will also produce a ten-year framework of stormwater research needs, and provide for education and training to disseminate the results. When appropriate, data from these projects will be aggregated for analysis with Twin Cities area data available from other sources to achieve broader representation. These projects are possible through much-appreciated partnerships and Clean Water Funds and, for one project, an EPA grant. As each is completed, MPCA will provide summaries in this newsletter, with full reports available through the Stormwater Program web site and manual. For more detailed information on these projects, visit the Minnesota Stormwater Manual.