Longer University Stormwater Presentation · OPP Stormwater Management Stormwater Presentation Training and Education Series. The University has a holistic approach to stormwater

University Park CampusStormwater Presentation

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The University has a holistic approach to stormwater and wastewater management, as well as potable source water protection

The following presentation will focus on the University's water resource efforts of continual improvement for a sustainable strategy

OPP Stormwater Management Training and Education Series

From a stormwater management perspective, the Universitypromotes foremost the use of conservation design practices that preserve and

use natural critical hydrologic areas, but it does have structural BMPs too


The University holds dozens of water quality permitsfor each of its systems in 5 of the major state basins, including 11 small

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permits

CAMPUS LOCATIONS WITH PSU OWNED WATER SUPPLIESCAMPUS LOCATIONSCAMPUS LOCATIONS WITH MS4 PERMITSCAMPUS LOCATIONS WITH PSU OWNED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTSCHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED


The University Park stormwater collection systemincludes over 73 miles of storm drains ranging in size from 6” to

72” in diameter


At University Park, the University has about 460 acresof imperviousness in the main campus area


However, not all imperviousness creates surface runoff. For example, Old Main, and several other buildings have always drained directly to

drywells and or cisterns.


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At University Park, the University has its own wastewatertreatment plant that was first constructed in 1913


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The wastewater treatment plant includes a land treatment area (606 acres), which has discharged no effluent to surface waters

for the last three decades, known as the living filter


At University Park, the University is its own potable waterpurveyor, supplying over one billion gallons annually to its customers


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The University is committed to the wise stewardship of our water resources

Since 2004, OPP has instituted a program to further reduce energy and potable water consumptive use on campus. For example, in fiscal year 2007/08, the program saw an annual reduction of 33.4 million gallons


The University has identified potential reuse customers and installs reuse pipe (purple pipe) at new projects for future use

as another way to conserve its potable water


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The University Park Campus is divided between the Big Hollow and Thompson Run/Slab Cabin watersheds, which are

significantly different from a hydrologic perspective

Big Hollow(an under drained valley

with no perennial or intermittent surface streams)


The University Park Campus is divided between the Big Hollow and Thompson Run/Slab Cabin watersheds, which are

significantly different from a hydrologic perspective

Spring CreekSlab Cabin

Thompson RunWalnut Run

(artesian spring fed perennial streams that

are perched abovethe groundwater)


The University uses these hydrologic characteristics for the control and treatment of the entire water resources system

On this side runoff rates and volumes almost always decrease

going down stream



On this side runoff rates and volumes almost always increase

going down stream



The University pumps ground water from its two well fields

Houserville Well Field(harder water)

Big Hollow Well Field(softer water)



Wastewater is sent to the University’s treatment plant where it is properly treated

Wastewater Treatment Plant



After treatment, the secondary effluent is sprayed at the living

filter sites in the Big Hollow where 90% is recharged


Most of the University’s developed land areas are within four major drainage basins, which are managed differently based on

the local soils, geology, and stream classification

QpVolWQ

Mostly treated at Duck Pond and

Millbrook Marsh

QpWQ

QpVolWQ

Qp = Regional Peak Runoff ControlVol = Regional Runoff Volume ControlWQ = Regional Water Quality Control


These four watersheds have a combined area of 1,265 acres, of which approximately 871 acres (69%) are controlled by a

stormwater management facility (not even including the Duck Pond or Millbrook Marsh)


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OPP has also instituted an extensive surface water monitoring project with over 50 permanent gages, which collect continuous

data at 5 to 15 minute intervals


Data and studies can be found on the University’s website at:http://www.opp.psu.edu/services/stormwater/presentations-publications


The University has established a Water Resources Preservation land use classification (blue shaded areas below) for

approximately 455 acres of its land at University Park


Recharge areas are aggressively protected . The Mitchell Tract recharge area, now located within the Arboretum, fully infiltrates a 100-year runoff event and consists of two closed depressions, one natural and one artificial.


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Several hundred million gallons annually of off-site surface runoff drain into the University’s protected area of the Big

Hollow where its recharged

From a stormwater management perspective, the University promotes foremost the use of conservation design practices that

preserve and use natural critical hydrologic areas

However, the University still has numerous structural BMPs


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Because the entire University Park Campus is underlain by carbonate geology, sinkholes are an operational way of life; however, the

University is sensitive to practices that make them occur more often.


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Sinkholes cause significant risk to the health and safety of the University’s population, such as this one located directly outside the

doors to the Forum Educational Building.


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Therefore, at University Park, the artificial injection of surface runoff into subsoil is not used or promoted by the University and recharge

areas are kept away from infrastructure due to the carbonate geology


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At University Park, most of the storm system is very good; however, there are a few problem areas that will be very difficult to fix


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The University uses hydrologic models calibrated with gage data in order to protect and improve the watersheds


Several older stormwater facilities, such as the Foods Pond below, have been retrofit to significantly improve their performance


Watershed = 87 acres

Original ModifiedElevation Discharge Discharge

(ft) (cfs) (cfs)1126 0.5 0.11127 6.9 0.21128 18.5 0.51129 38.5 0.61130 97.0 10.81131 179.2 55.81132 279.0 119.0

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Many stormwater facilities have duel uses and are very complex from a hydraulic perspective


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The University likes simple BMPs with a low risk of failure, or if they do fail, that they don’t imperial other infrastructure


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The University owns six regulatory dams located in three different counties of the Commonwealth


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Lake Perez, at Shavers Creek, is the largest University owned damand is currently undergoing improvements


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Four of the dams were specifically constructed for stormwater management purposes


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The duck pond, located near the Centre furnace, is actually a Class C-3 Dam permitted in 1927 that was designed by Dr. Sackett


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The University currently has 24 surface stormwater management pondsthat actually have other positive effects such as acting like infiltration ponds

even though they weren’t specifically designed as such


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The University owns 32 subsurface detention facilities to reduce peak runoff rates and filter trash


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The largest subsurface detention facility has a storage capacity of 3.2 ac-ft and was built in conjunction with the Pegula Ice Rink


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The University has numerous facilities (structural and nonstructural) to protect surface water quality such as this

15,000 gallon oil/water separator


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The University also has numerous hydrodynamic type structures such as these two CDS units shown being installed


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These types of facilities require a lot of maintenance and regular inspections


The University has numerous bioswales throughout campus, some are lined like this one, which was built

inside the foundation of an old building basement


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And some are unlined like this one. Unlined facilities are constructed where the University believes there is a low

risk associated with their construction.


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The University has major controls, but still uses small site control facilities with each new project


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Numerous recharge facilities are being designed on the low head weir concept, a method pioneered at the University,

which mimics natural closed depression functions


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The University has almost three (3) acres of green roofs on its buildings. One of the more interesting (and sloped)

roofs can be seen on the Katz Building.


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The University has several rainwater harvesting systems, two of which are used to flush toilets, but the operational

challenges are extensive


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The University has large areas of “porous” parking areas such as this area, which has sustained over three inches of

rainfall during use with no rutting


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Porous “asphalt” pavement is prohibited at the University Park Campus due to two parking lot failures; however, its use is still permitted at Commonwealth Campus locations


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The University owns Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, operated by Centre Region Parks & Recreation. The 50-acre wetland area also hosts a Conservation Easement with ClearWater Conservancy of Central PA.


Millbrook Marsh, 2005Millbrook Marsh, 1938

The University fosters an environment where demonstration type projects can prove their worth, such as

the Slab Cabin cross vane project


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The University installed a floating trash rack above the Duck Pond to take floating debris out of the stream


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The University fosters practical research so students can be close to facilities, such as the student designed vegetable

cellar research green roof


The University also conducts research on its own property to make sure it makes the best decisions regarding proper

stormwater management


"It is likely that water quality in Spring Creekis better now than it has been since 1900“



We all need to do our part

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Thanks for taking the time to view this presentation

If you would like additional information or have questions, comments, or suggestions, contact Larry Fennessey, the University’s stormwater

operations engineer, at (814) 863-8743, or email: [email protected]

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Longer University Stormwater Presentation · OPP Stormwater Management Stormwater Presentation Training and Education Series. The University has a holistic approach to stormwater