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Stormwater Management

UVa Stormmwater Related Projects

 

Project Images

 

Biofiltration at the John Paul Jones Arena

 


Biofiltration at the John Paul Jones Arena.

 

The Pond at the Dell

 


The Dell Pond.

The pond at the Dell is not only just a peaceful place to study or relax, the pond actually serves a purpose. The pond was installed to improve the water quality and flow characteristics of Meadow Creek, which is a severely impacted stream. Meadow Creek suffers from degraded water quality and flashy flow conditions. The water quality has been degraded by nutrients, iron, and coliform bacteria, which includes fecal coliform found in human and animal waste.

The restored stream channel upstream of the pond was recreated to provide the maximum possible oxygenation of the water in Meadow Creek. The recreated stream has all of the physical properties of natural streams, including meanders and floodplains, vegetative swales and riparian buffers. The swales and buffers prevent erosion and filter pollutants and particulate matter from the stream flow. The floodplains serve as an area for stormwater retention as well as cleansing of the water.

The pond serves two main purposes. First, it removes sediment by settling. Water flowing at a high velocity can carry much more sediment than a slowly moving water. By the time water entering the pond has made its way to the outfall, the water velocity has been greatly decreased and therefore most of the sediment that was carried by the stream has been settled out. The pond forebay is designed to remove the bulk of the sediment and will be cleaned out periodically. Secondly, the main pond provides sufficient detention to allow for the natural biological cleansing of the water and settling of the finer sediment.

People in both the University and local communty have responded positively to the stream daylighting and creation of the pond. Some people even offer suggestions for ways the University can take the pond a step further and create a wildlife sanctuary for geese and other aquatic birds. While occasional visits to the pond by migratory birds are acceptable, full time habitation by geese is discouraged. The recreated stream channel and pond cannot support geese. If geese were to take up residence in and around the pond, they would further degrade the quality of the water by adding fecal bacteria and nutrients to the water. The addition of geese to the pond would increase the very problems that the pond is intended to remediate.

 

Meadow Creek Daylighting Project Construction (Part 1)

 

 

Meadow Creek Daylighting Project Construction (Part 2)

 

 

Meadow Creek Daylighting Project Construction (Part 3)

 

 

Meadow Creek Daylighting Project POST Construction (Part 4)

 

 

Tributary Wetlands Project (Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage Wetlands)

 

 

Installation of the BaySaver (Oil Water Separator)

 


The installation of the BaySaver became necessary due to the oils that drip off of the UVA busses while they are not in operation. During rain events, the oil would be washed from the bus parking area into the storm sewer, which leads directly to Meadow Creek. Despite drip pans being used under the busses in an attempt to collect fluids for proper disposal, contaminants were still reaching the stream from the facility. The BaySaver treats the runoff from the bus parking area and filters out contaminants such as oil, sediment, and other pollutants.


The BaySaver is comprised of two manholes, a primary manhole and a storage manhole. The primary manhole, seen on the right, is attached to the storm drain and serves to collect large sediment. After passing through the primary manhole, the water flows over a weir plate, which regulates flow to the storage manhole. The storage manhole on the left is the secondary treatment device. Oil and floating debris float on the top of the water, while fine sediment settles to the bottom. Clean water is then discharged from the storage manhole to the outfall.


The two small pipes connecting the manholes are the inlet and outlet conneting pipes which convey water between the manholes. The large grooved pipe sticking out of the primary mahole is the actual BaySaver unit. The BaySaver controls the flow of water through the manholes.


This picture is looking down from the top of the storage manhole. The pipe on the right is the inlet, which brings water from the primary manhole. The pipe on the left takes water from the storage manhole to be discharged to the storm sewer network.


"Tee" Pipes in the primary manhole. The "Tee" pipes minimize turbulence during periods of high flow. These pipes also convey treated water from the primary manhole to the storm sewer system.


Construction workers hook the BaySaver up to the storm sewer system.


The completed BaySaver system is hooked up to the storm sewer network.


The completed BaySaver as it looks today.

BaySaver Separation System website.  

Best Management Practices in use at the Parking and Transportation facility

 


A cover has been placed over the bus fueling station. Berms have also been placed around the fueling station. Both of these features will help to contain fuel in the event of a spill. The berms will prevent the fuel from draining into the storm sewer, while the canopy prevents rain from washing the spill away in the event a spill happens during a storm event. Thanks to these features, any fueling spill can be cleaned up properly without any threat to local water quality.


Another view of the berms at the bus fueling station.


A canopy has also been placed over the vehicle fueling area to prevent rain from falling on the fuel in the event of a spill.


A bus washing station has been created on site to prevent dirty, soapy water from entering the storm sewer network. A valved drain located within the berms can be directed to the sanitary sewer while busses are being washed. When not in use, the drain empties to the storm sewer network to allow the proper drainage of rainfall.


Chemicals, such as antifreeze, are stored on site inside the building. While the building itself provides adequate containment in the event of a spill, P&T added an extra berm in the doorway to ensure that chemicals from their site cannot contminate local waterways.


Drums containing petroleum products, like this waste oil drum, have special containment to prevent catch any fluid in the event of a leak.

 

To report an illicit discharge, spill, or unusual water condition call 982-4911!
Contact EHS with stormwater related questions or comments at storm-water@virginia.edu.
EHS Stormwater website questions or comments should be directed to Jess Wenger at jsw6d@virginia.edu or 982-5540.