Rapid Assessment and Long-Term Monitoring of Green Stormwater Infrastructure with Citizen Scientists

Thomas Meixner, Alan R. Berkowitz, Alisen E. Downey, Jose Pillich, Reese LeVea, Brianne K. Smith, Mark Chandler, Neha Gupta, Stan Rullman, Anna Woodroof and Jennifer Cherrier
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Thomas Meixner: Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Alan R. Berkowitz: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
Alisen E. Downey: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University, New York, NY 11210, USA
Jose Pillich: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University, New York, NY 11210, USA
Reese LeVea: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University, New York, NY 11210, USA
Brianne K. Smith: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University, New York, NY 11210, USA
Mark Chandler: Citizen Science and Planetary Health, Boston College, Boston, MA 02467, USA
Neha Gupta: Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Stan Rullman: Earthwatch Institute, Boston, MA 02135, USA
Anna Woodroof: Earthwatch Institute, Boston, MA 02135, USA
Jennifer Cherrier: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, City University, New York, NY 11210, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-21

Abstract: Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has emerged as a promising decentralized management approach to urban stormwater challenges. A lack of data about GSI performance interferes with widespread adoption of GSI. A citizen science program that benefits researchers, lay scientists, and municipalities offers a way to provide these lacking data. We have developed an open-source, transferable green infrastructure rapid assessment (GIRA) protocol for studying the performance of GSI with citizen scientists. This protocol has been tested in six North American cities (New York City, Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago, San Francisco, and Buffalo). In this research we define the performance of GSI in varying geographic, climatic, and maintenance conditions with the intent to create technological, institutional, and management solutions to urban stormwater problems. The GIRA protocol was used by citizen scientists to assess the physical properties and capabilities of bioswales, while small, affordable Green Infrastructure Sensors Boxes (GIBoxes) were used to determine longer-term function across several rain events. Our results indicate that teams of citizen scientists can be effective for collecting and archiving widespread information on the post-installation function of GSI. The effort also showed that citizen scientists had changes in understanding of urban stormwater challenges and the role that GSI can play in solving these problems. We explore the multiple benefits to knowledge, participants, and municipal partners as a result of this research.

Keywords: green stormwater infrastructure; urban; citizen science; stormwater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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