Project overview
We are missing the phosphorus in stormwater. Traditional stormwater samples will often miss or intentionally discard large organic solids, also known as gross solids. These gross solids, consisting of eroded soil, tree leaves, tree seeds, grass clippings and other organic or inorganic material, are a major problem for stormwater management and are often discarded in sample processing due to the size and water content, or when small and granular they are mistaken for mineral sediments. Large solids clog stormwater conveyances and quickly fill stormwater ponds requiring expensive clean out. These solids also convey large amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which may mean that true nutrient loadings to surface waters may be considerably larger than measured by conventional monitoring programs.
What does this mean for Minnesota?
This project will help stormwater management practitioners and designers better understand the effects that gross solids have on stormwater infrastructure. This will help practitioners better manage gross solids, which will keep them out of stormwater structures and increase accuracy in research.
Reports and Presentations
- Final report 2024
- Project update 2021