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theses

As global urbanization continues to expand cities, the systems that operate in the background to allow cities to function are being stressed. Water management systems in particular are a growing concern in the United States. Water quality and quantity are becoming increasingly significant issues as global climate change is producing unprecedented drought and flood periods across the world. The nation’s traditional combined sewer overflow (CSO) systems for storm and wastewater are aging, outdated, and overburdened due to rapid urbanization and vast impervious surface coverage. The alternative to traditional “hard, gray” infrastructure systems engineered by humans are known as “soft” or “green” infrastructure, which instead integrates plants and landscapes into built environments for a variety of structural, aesthetic, and community services and benefits. Studies continue to prove that using green infrastructure systems to help manage stormwater runoff is a viable, long-term, cost-effective solution for communities that suffer from frequent flood, rainfall, or combined sewer overflow events. The following research focuses on New Brunswick, New Jersey, a colonial-era city that experiences frequent flooding as a result of the nearby Raritan River. Target sites for green infrastructure intervention are determined through geographic information system (GIS) analyses, historical data, and direct observation of water-related problems. A variety of best management practices (BMPs) are proposed for each target site, followed by conceptual designs and estimated evaluations of the proposed best management practice’s impact. This document will serve as a book and model for similar cities to help address their stormwater management issues in a sustainable, efficient manner.

ETD_6336

M.L.A.

Includes bibliographical references

by Justin Nicholas Hyde

doi:10.7282/T3MK6FR2

ETD graduate

The author owns the copyright to this work.