Solving Environmental Problems through Engineering

Learning Objectives

I am currently exploring the topic of land use for a local seminar through the Delaware Teachers Institute. The environmental impacts of land use change vary in nature and degree and include increased stormwater runoff from more developed areas, enhanced urban heat island effects from replacing natural materials with concrete and asphalt, habitat loss for bird, reptile, and small mammal species, and increases in noise and light pollution from human activity.⁴ Another aspect of land use change in Delaware is the increase in impervious surfaces as land is developed. Problems associated with impervious surfaces include urban flooding, increased storm water runoff (which increases nonpoint source pollution), higher peak flood events, and decreased infiltration.⁵ That connection between land use and stormwater is the driving force for linking this unit with my local one.

This unit first focuses on land use and impervious surfaces and surveys the traditional gray infrastructure that most of the country employs in stormwater management. I then turn to an investigation of the green infrastructure techniques being deployed to more effectively manage stormwater in urban areas. Much emphasis is given to the science and engineering of constructed wetlands, swales and bioretention basins, green roofs, rain gardens, and permeable pavements. I discuss the flooding specific to the Southbridge neighborhood and the River Road area and present a simple stormwater runoff model for studying the impact of different management plans of runoff flow.

The central objective of the unit is based around students using their knowledge of stormwater management and basic engineering design principles to propose an effective plan for managing stormwater in Southbridge and along the Route 9 corridor south of New Castle. To that end, students learn the basics of stormwater and its connection to land use and impervious surfaces, how green infrastructure is improving stormwater management, use rudimentary hydraulic stormwater models to investigate how different geographic conditions and constraints impact effective stormwater management, and learn about how urban and suburban areas can plan to alleviate the problems of stormwater runoff. Students also complete a modified Free Response Question (FRQ) on the topic to demonstrate mastery of the unit.