Reactive solute transport in urban karst-like environments: Implications for the design and layout of stormwater infiltration systems

Abstract

Cities around the world make major investments to mitigate the impacts of urban stormwater, such as flash flooding and degradation of receiving waters. Stormwater infiltration systems are popular worldwide, particularly in suburban and peri-urban areas, given their potential to improve water quality and reduce peak flows, while at the same time recharge groundwater and stream baseflows. The benefit of this investment is, however, somewhat uncertain, because little is known about the fate of infiltrated water and associated solutes in an urban area, where the complex network of underground infrastructure and its surrounding permeable trenches provide preferential flow paths for the infiltrate..