Stormwater quality associated with a silt trap (empty and full) discharging into an urban watercourse in Scotland

Scholz, M

Abstract

The aim was to assess the influence of a full silt trap at the end of a stormwater drainage pipe on the water quality of stormwater discharged into a semi‐natural urban watercourse. For approximately eleven weeks, the water qualities of the preliminarily treated stormwater and of the receiving watercourse (Braid Burn) were studied. The mean outflow concentrations of suspended solids were 2.0 mg/l and 34.1 mg/l during dry and wet weather conditions, respectively. Suspended solids concentrations of up to 141.6 mg/l were recorded during storm events. Suspended solids values for treated stormwater were often too high compared to international secondary wastewater treatment standards of around 30 mg/l. Pollutants including heavy metals (e.g., zinc, copper and nickel) accumulated in the silt trap. However, high outflow velocities during heavy rainfall events did not result in clearly defined sediment layers due to sediment re‐suspension. Metals did not accumulate in the receiving watercourse.

Citation

Scholz, M. (2004). Stormwater quality associated with a silt trap (empty and full) discharging into an urban watercourse in Scotland. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 61(4), 471-483. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020723042000212681

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2004
• Deposit Date: Jun 27, 2011
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Studies
• Print ISSN: 0020-7233
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 61
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 471-483
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0020723042000212681
• Keywords: Silt trap, Stormwater management, Surface water run‐off,; Suspended solids, Urban watercourse, Wet weather flow
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0020723042000212681
• Related Public URLs: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0020723042000212681