Water quality performance assessment of two stormwater detention basins located in the recharge zone of a karst aquifer

Sina V Moghadam; Arash Jafarzadeh; Akanksha Matta; Samer Dessouky; Jeffrey Hutchinson; Vikram Kapoor

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139772

Water quality performance assessment of two stormwater detention basins located in the recharge zone of a karst aquifer

Chemosphere. 2023 Oct:339:139772. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139772. Epub 2023 Aug 10.

Authors

Sina V Moghadam¹, Arash Jafarzadeh¹, Akanksha Matta², Samer Dessouky¹, Jeffrey Hutchinson³, Vikram Kapoor⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
² School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
³ Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA.
⁴ School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA. Electronic address: vikram.kapoor@utsa.edu.

PMID: 37572713
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139772

Abstract

Stormwater detention basins are used to minimize peak discharges and improve water quality mainly through sedimentation; however, limited studies have evaluated the water quality performance of detention basins located over karst aquifers. Karst aquifers are vital sources of drinking water for many regions of the world and their recharge areas are susceptible to contamination from surface water resources. In this study, an analysis of two stormwater detention basins (namely, Kyle and TPC) located in the recharge zone of one of the most prolific karst aquifers in the world (Edwards Aquifer, San Antonio, Texas), were conducted over a period of one year to quantify the water quality and hydrologic performance of the basins. Automated samples were collected during the storm events and analyzed for nitrate (NO₃^--N), nitrite (NO₂^--N), ammonia (NH₃-N), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), phosphorus (PO₄^3-), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Both basins reduced NH₃-N, TSS and COD concentrations significantly while NO₃^--N and PO₄^3- concentrations exhibited a net export. Furthermore, TPC showed greater reductions in NO₂^--N, TOC and TC concentrations compared to Kyle. Higher TSS removal was observed at TPC due to differences in retention time. A volume reduction of 44% and 64% was observed in TPC and Kyle, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that stormwater detention basins located over the Edwards Aquifer effectively remove particulate pollutants while also being a potential source of dissolved pollutants such as nitrate. Overall, the results presented here have important implications for operation and maintenance of stormwater basins constructed over recharge zones of Edwards Aquifer.

Keywords: Detention basins; Edwards aquifer; Nitrate; Stormwater; Water quality.

MeSH terms

Carbon / analysis
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Environmental Pollutants* / analysis
Groundwater*
Nitrates / analysis
Nitrogen Dioxide / analysis
Rain
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Quality

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Nitrates
Nitrogen Dioxide
Environmental Pollutants
Carbon