Linking stormwater control performance to stream ecosystem outcomes: Incorporating a performance metric into effective imperviousness

Abstract

Stormwater control measures, such as raingardens, tanks, or wetlands, are often employed to mitigate the deleterious effects of urban stormwater drainage on stream ecosystems. However, performance metrics for control measures, most commonly pollutant-load reduction, have not permitted prediction of how they will change stream ecosystems downstream. Stream ecosystem responses have more commonly been predicted by catchment-scale measures such as effective imperviousness (percentage of catchment with impervious cover draining to sealed drains). We adapt effective imperviousness, weighting it by a performance metric for stormwater control measures aimed at stream protection, the stream stormwate..