Pedro de Paula Drumond

Standardized design criteria and performance assessment of parcel-level on-site stormwater detention (OSD) remain limited. This study evaluates the hydrological impact of OSD — designed per Belo Horizonte’s (Minas Gerais, Brazil) municipal guidelines — at both parcel and catchment scales using hydrological modeling in a highly impervious, flood-prone subcatchment. Results indicate that while existing guidelines are generally effective, volume sizing could be optimized. OSD implemented across 31.8% of the catchment significantly reduced peak flows, though effectiveness varied by spatial scale. At the parcel level, outflows decreased by 72.3% for 2-year and 50.7% for 100-year return period rainfalls, with delay in peak times of 41.7%. At the catchment level, peak flow reductions reached 24.6% (2-year) and 26.4% (100-year). Flow routing at the catchment outlet revealed reductions in channel overflow volumes and maximum water heights by 75.5%, 54%, and 49% for 2-, 10-, and 50-year events, respectively.

On-site Stormwater Detention has been used around the world to reduce stormwater peak flow at lot scale. However, few studies have evaluated its performance as well as its hydrological and hydraulic parameters on a real scale. To evaluate these variables, two OSDs were monitored in Belo Horizonte/Brazil. Based on the analysis of monitoring data, it was observed that: (i) the OSDs average efficiencies in peak flow damping were higher than 50%; (ii) the storage volume per catchment area was close to 25 L/m²; (iii) the short tubes discharge coefficients were approximately 0.90 and; (iv) the shape of inflow hydrographs were similar to hyetographs. The use of the Unit Hydrograph Modified Rational Method properly represented the rain-runoff transformation. The findings could be used in OSD design to determine the inlet hydrograph, to pre-sizing the storage volume based on contribution area and to use the proper discharge coefficient value for outlet device.

To mitigate urbanization impacts on the hydrological cycle, Low Impact Development techniques, especially On-site Stormwater Detention - OSD, are applied worldwide. Besides their frequent use, the public knowledge about these techniques and stormwater management is insufficient, particularly in Latin America. Public comprehension about stormwater management and LID techniques lead to more acceptance and engagement. In this sense, the aim of this article is to present the results of interviews about local’s perception on stormwater management in Belo Horizonte/Brazil. The results indicate that males and respondents older than 40 years old have more knowledge about stormwater management, as well as higher socioeconomic interviewees. Although the use of OSD is positively perceived, a greater knowledge on urban stormwater does not lead to a greater willingness to co-participate in the stormwater management. Our results provide an overview of city inhabitants’ perception of municipal stormwater management and have great potential to help managers.

In recent decades On-site Stormwater Detention (OSD) systems have been implemented in many cities around the world. However, a few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of OSD policies. Therefore, this paper compared the use of OSD in Australian and Brazilian cities, evaluating aspects of regulations, technical details and management matters. The results showed that Australian OSD design guidelines are a few steps ahead of Brazilian manuals. However, it is not possible to affirm that the catchment-based approach, adopted by most Australian councils, is better than the site-based approach, embraced by Brazilian cities, since neither is supported by monitoring data of real OSD performance. In general, all municipalities have the same management problems. There is no control over the number of OSDs built in the cities or even the conditions of the systems. Thus, the authors proposed some directions on how OSD policies could be improved.

On-site stormwater detention – OSD has been constructed in big Brazilian cities, as a way to reduce the impact of urbanization on the drainage system. However, there are a few studies about its efficiency in real scale. This article aims to compare the monitoring data of an OSD built in a hospital in Belo Horizonte and the results determined by theoretical methods, commonly used in the design of this structure. Inside the OSD was installed a level sensor to monitor water level during rain events. The data was recorded on a data logger every 30 seconds during the period April 2015 to March 2017. It was analyzed the OSD filling during the occurrence of 48 precipitation events. In the maximum heights of water level comparison, it was found that the monitored values were higher than theoretical values and the results using Rational Method were closer to monitoring data than the results with SCS-HU Method. It was also found that the peak and recession time calculated with Rational Method represented better the water levels monitored.