Period covered by this report: October 1, 1998 - September 30, 1999

Date of the Report: November 30, 1999

EPA Agreement Number: R82-5759

Title: Risk Based Urban Watershed Management-Integration of Water Quality and Flood Control Objectives

Investigators: Primary Investigator Vladimir Novotny, PhD, P.E. 

Co-investigators: David Clark, PhD, Robert Griffin, PhD

Institution: Institute for Urban Environmental Risk Management, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881

Research Category: US EPA/NSF/USDA STAR Watershed Program

Project Period: October 1, 1997 to September 30, 2000 

EPA Project Officer: Barbara M. Levinson

Objective of Research:

(1) Develop statistical flow, loading and water quality models applicable to risk assessment; 

(2) Develop objective and quantitative risk assessment procedures for estimating ecological risks; 

(3) Resolve conflicts between flood control and ecological preservation-restoration objectives; 

(4) Develop benefits/cost models for urban watershed management;

(5) Research innovative financing of urban watershed management; and 

(6)Examine homeowners' risk/benefit perceptions and values in urban watershd management.
 
 

Progress Summary/Accomplishments:

Completed work

1. Literature reviews (Technical reports # 2 and 3)

2. Analysis of the effects of urbanization on the magnitude of high flows (Technical report #4).

3. An analysis of the effect of flood plain on property values was published (Technical report #1) and presented it at the EPA conference on Environmental Problem Solving with Geographical Information Systems: A National Conference, September 22-24, 1999 4. The socio-economic team and subcontractor conducted and completed focus group research and developed the survey questionnaires on the values and willingness to pay for flood control and ecological restoration of urban receiving waters ( Technical report #5).

Work in progress

Field work continued on the two pilot watersheds. Full survey of 1000 citizens residing in the watersheds.

Publications and Presentations:

Refereed Publications and Proceedings:

1. V. Novotny (1999) "Integrating diffuse/nonpoint pollution control and water body restoration into watershed management," Journal AWRA, 35(4):717-727

2. A. Bartošová, D.E. Clark, V. Novotny, K.S. Taylor (1999): "Using GIS to Evaluate the Effects of Flood Risk on Residential Property Values. Proc. Environmental Problem Solving with Geographical Information Systems: A National Conference, U.S. EPA, September 22-24, 1999, Cincinnati, Ohio. Also submitted to Journal of Environmental Management.

3. Griffin, R.J., D. Booth, D. Clark, J. Giese, and V. Novotny (1999) "Public perception of urban river flood risks and ecological quality: Focus group insights," Proc. Society for Risk Analysis Ann. Meeting, Atlanta, GA, December 5-8 

4. V. Novotny et al. (2000) "Reconciling Flood and diffuse pollution control objectives in urban watersheds," Proc. 5th International IWA Conference on Diffuse Pollution, Bangkok, Thailand, January 16-20,2000, also to be published in Water Science and Technology

Technical Reports:

All technical reports are deposited in the Marquette University Science Library from which they can be retrieved by the Interlibrary Loan services and/or downloaded from the research website.

1. A. Bartosova, D. E. Clark, K.S. Taylor, and V. Novotny (1999) Using GIS to Evaluate the Effects of Flood Risk on Residential Property Values

2. N. O'Reily and V. Novotny (1999) Water Quality, Ecological, and Flood Risks to Receiving Waters due to Urban Runoff and Urbanization

3. N. O'Reily and V. Novotny (1999) Water Quality, Ecological, and Flood Control Benefits of Urban Stormwater Management Practices

4. P. Hajda, A. Bartosova, and V. Novotny (1999) Estimating Effects of Urbanization on the Discharge-Frequency Relationship of the Menomonee River and Oak Creek

5. L. Guzman and J. Stevenson (1999) Menomonee River and Oak Creek Watershed Focus Group Report 

Future Activities

1. GIS representation of flood risks 

2. Development of watershed flow and pollutant loading GIS model

3. Distribution of flood control damage (benefit of flood control) within the flood plain

4. Benefit cost analysis

5. Separation of physical and chemical risks and their relation to biotic integrity 

6. Willingness to pay survey

Supplemental Keywords:

Urban economics, Hydrological modeling, Water quality modeling, Urban drainage, Property damages, Probabilistic models, Public opinion, Watershed, Risk assessment, Ecological effects, Chemicals, Toxics, PAHs, Heavy metals, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Restoration, Habitat, Integrated assessment, Decisionmaking, Cost benefit, Contingent valuation, Willingness to pay, Geographical information systems, Great Lakes, EPA Region 5. 

Relevant Web Site: www.marquette.edu/environment/Research.htm

This site contains the documents (technical reports) prepared by the research teams. The reports can be read and downloaded by Adobe Acrobat Reader.