The effectiveness of stormwater ponds in water quality management

Stormwater ponds are widely used across urban areas to improve water quality, yet their actual long-term performance under different design standards remains poorly quantified. This project will evaluate how efficiently these ponds remove sediment and associated pollutants by applying a mass-balance approach and tracking deposition rates through time. Although the technology is assumed to work, the lack of empirical data on how quickly ponds fill, how their treatment capacity changes as they accumulate sediment, and whether different designs perform consistently leaves major gaps in stormwater planning. By comparing multiple ponds built to varying standards, the project will determine whether they function similarly or diverge in performance, and how these differences influence maintenance needs, lifespan, and water-quality outcomes. The results will provide municipalities with a clearer understanding of stormwater pond efficiency, sediment accumulation dynamics, and design-driven performance variability, supporting more informed decisions about future infrastructure and long-term watershed protection.

Faculty Supervisor:

Robert Summers

Student:

Partner:

EPCOR Utilities Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Utilities

University:

University of Alberta

Program: