University of Oklahoma to lead one of four national stormwater centers of excellence
The University of Oklahoma, led by principal investigator Jason Vogel, Ph.D., P.E., director of the Oklahoma Water Survey and a professor in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, has been selected to lead one of four new Stormwater Centers of Excellence funded by a two-year federal grant.
The center, called the Great Plains Center for Green Advanced Stormwater Solutions, comprises a consortium of organizations working together to improve stormwater management in the region.
According to Vogel, the use of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions for stormwater management is less common in the Great Plains region compared to other parts of the country.
Traditionally, stormwater management has been done through “grey infrastructure” like pipes and concrete channels.
According to a press release, Vogel says that over the past 30 years, there has been an increasing transition into “green infrastructure,” such as rain gardens, pervious payment, rainwater harvesting and constructed wetlands in the region.
Four education institutions, in addition to the University of Oklahoma, form the consortium: Pawnee Nation College, Langston University, Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University.
The team will operate in collaboration with a stakeholder advisory group that represents a range of regional stakeholders, including federal, state, Tribal and local governments, non-profits, consulting firms, regional colleges and minority-serving institutions.
The center will conduct forensic analysis of green infrastructure stormwater practices in the region to address knowledge gaps related to performance, construction, longevity and maintenance, led by Jaime Schussler, Ph.D., at Oklahoma State University and Trisha Moore, Ph.D., at Kansas State University, to gain deeper understanding of where current infrastructure stands. Ning Wang, Ph.D. from OSU will lead an effort to monitor green infrastructure in the region using “smart” sensors to optimize performance in these dynamic systems.
The forensic analysis will discover whether existing infrastructure was installed correctly and if it continues to function as intended.
When it comes to stormwater in the Great Plains, climate change creates extremes on both ends of the spectrum: drought and flooding.
Adjusting to a changing climate and its extremes means considering different approaches to green infrastructure; for example, rain gardens that experience increased dry periods require plants with different water needs than those that receive regular rain.
The center will also examine innovative funding sources related to stormwater under the lead of Jason Bergtold, Ph.D., from Kansas State University.
According to the country’s 2021 Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, “funding for stormwater infrastructure across the country is limited and comes from multiple sources – local revenue, state and/or federal grants and financing, and non-traditional funding streams”
U.S. stormwater systems received a D on the report, as did other water-related infrastructure, including dams and levees.
The Great Plains Center for Green Advanced Stormwater Solutions is funded by an expected $1.5 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
The larger $5 million initiative established four Center of Excellence for Stormwater Control Infrastructure Technologies and a national clearinghouse for new and emerging stormwater control technologies.
