Model-Based Selection of Cost-Effective Low Impact Development Strategies to Control Water Balance

Johannes Leimgruber, Gerald Krebs, David Camhy, Dirk Muschalla

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Urbanization induces an increase of runoff volume and decrease of evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge. Low impact development (LID) strategies aim to mitigate these adverse impacts. Hydrologic simulation is a reasonable option to assess the LID performance with respect to the water balance and is applicable to planning purposes. Current LID design approaches are based on design storm events and focus on the runoff volume and peak, neglecting evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge. This contribution presents a model-based design approach for the selection of cost-effective LID strategies. The method is based on monitored precipitation time series and considers the complete water balance and life-cycle-costs, as well as the demand for land. The efficiency of LID strategies (ELID) is introduced as an evaluation measure which also accounts for emphasizing different goals. The results show that there exist several pareto-optimal LID strategies providing a reasonable basis for decision-making. Additionally, the application of LID treatment trains emerges as an option of high potential.
Original languageEnglish
Article number2440
JournalSustainability
Volume11
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Keywords

  • life cycle costs
  • stormwater management
  • storm water management model
  • Stormwater management
  • Storm water management model
  • Life cycle costs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

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