Modelling of green roofs' hydrologic performance using EPA's SWMM

Green roofs significantly affect the increase in water retention and thus the management of rain water in urban areas. In Poland, as in many other European countries, excess rainwater resulting from snowmelt and heavy rainfall contributes to the development of local flooding in urban areas. Opportun...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water science and technology 2013-01, Vol.68 (1), p.36-42
Main Authors: BURSZTA-ADAMIAK, E, MROWIEC, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Computer simulation
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental risk
Exact sciences and technology
Flooding
Flow rates
Green buildings
Green roofs
Hydrology
Models, Theoretical
Natural water pollution
Pollution
Rain
Rain water
Rainfall
Rainwaters, run off water and others
Risk reduction
Roofs
Runoff
Snowmelt
Stormwater
Stormwater management
Surface runoff
Urban areas
Vegetation cover
Water
Water management
Water Movements
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:Green roofs significantly affect the increase in water retention and thus the management of rain water in urban areas. In Poland, as in many other European countries, excess rainwater resulting from snowmelt and heavy rainfall contributes to the development of local flooding in urban areas. Opportunities to reduce surface runoff and reduce flood risks are among the reasons why green roofs are more likely to be used also in this country. However, there are relatively few data on their in situ performance. In this study the storm water performance was simulated for the green roofs experimental plots using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) with Low Impact Development (LID) Controls module (version 5.0.022). The model consists of many parameters for a particular layer of green roofs but simulation results were unsatisfactory considering the hydrologic response of the green roofs. For the majority of the tested rain events, the Nash coefficient had negative values. It indicates a weak fit between observed and measured flow-rates. Therefore complexity of the LID module does not affect the increase of its accuracy. Further research at a technical scale is needed to determine the role of the green roof slope, vegetation cover and drying process during the inter-event periods.
ISSN:0273-1223
1996-9732
DOI:10.2166/wst.2013.219