Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2019AL013B

Cost Optimization of Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management

Institute: Alabama
Year Established: 2019 Start Date: 2019-03-01 End Date: 2020-02-29
Total Federal Funds: $25,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $51,644

Principal Investigators: Frances C. O'Donnell

Abstract: Green infrastructure (GI) has the potential to greatly increase the sustainability of stormwater management in Alabama by reducing disturbance to surface water quantity and quality (Major Water Problem 3A) from urban development. To be widely adopted, GI must be able to compete with conventional practices on both performance and cost. While GI can be a cost-effective approach, the wide range of available GI practices and design options means that there is a near infinite number of ways that a stormwater management system could be designed while still meeting its performance requirements. The cost will vary greatly across these potential designs, with some being less expensive and some more expensive than conventional infrastructure. Minimizing costs will promote the use of GI and maximize the environmental benefits received from investment in GI.