Quantification of stormwater runoff using a combined GIS and curve number approach: a case study for an urban watershed in the Ozark Highlands, USA

Abstract

Managing stormwater runoff is crucial to preserving water quality in rapidly developing urban watersheds. The objective of this study was to develop a methodology to test existing stormwater drainage infrastructure, identify potential areas of improvement, and estimate potentially contaminated runoff by combining two widely used stormwater runoff prediction models. A watershed containing much of the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville campus was targeted for this study because stormwater from this watershed drains into a local river designated as an impaired water body due to siltation. The curve number method was used to estimate runoff for various flood-return periods and antecedent moisture conditions, while a flow-direction model integrated topography, land use, and stormwater drainage infrastructure in a GIS. The methodology developed and results generated will help stormwater planners visualise localised runoff and potentially adapt existing drainage networks to accommodate runoff, prevent flooding and erosion, and improve the stormwater quality entering nearby surfacewater bodies.

Keywords:

• curve number method
• geographic information system (GIS)
• Ozark Highlands
• stormwater runoff
• urban watersheds
• water quality

Acknowledgement

Data contributions made by the University of Arkansas Facilities Management, the City of Fayetteville GIS Laboratory, and the Northwest Arkansas Planning Commission are greatly acknowledged. The Center of Advanced Spatial Technologies of the University of Arkansas is acknowledged for providing equipment, software, and technical support. Funding provided by the Arkansas State Undergraduate Research Fund and the University of Arkansas Dale Bumper's College Research Grant is also greatly acknowledged. The authors thank three anonymous reviewers who enhanced the quality of this manuscript.