Rural Stormwater Management Model

Rural Stormwater Management Model

EOR created a customized subwatershed-based water quality model for the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) in Ontario, Canada. Located on the southeastern shore, this largely agricultural area drains to Lake Huron.

The model builds upon the US Environmental Protection Agency's Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) and PCSWMM modeling software. The new model combines urban modeling features with rural features such as agricultural BMPs, seasonal changes and inter-seasonal variations (crop coverage), the modeling of roads, ditches, and culverts, slope and terrain types, dynamic travel of water running over land, tracking of key pollutants (sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen), and other features.

The model aids in making decisions about projects that have the greatest water quality benefit, the priority areas for those projects, and the size the projects need to be to have a demonstrated water quality improvement.

Part of the Healthy Lake Huron Initiative, the ABCA Rural Stormwater Management Model will provide new tools and "... give us more precise and detailed information to better manage stormwater impact in rural areas."
- Project Manager Alec Scott, ABCA