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2017 Spring | Education & Outreach, Natural Science & Restoration

The Value of Identifying Stormwater Pollutants at Individual Catch Basins

Student(s):

Annalee Cappellano

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Aaron Clark

Partner(s):

  • Stewardship Partners

Faculty advisor(s):

Tim Nyerges Professor, Department of Geography, University of Washington

There remains to be gaps of knowledge of where stormwater pollutants originate and where they enter a drainage area. While interning with Stewardship Partners, I sampled water out of stormwater catch basins on the University of Washing- ton Campus. I surveyed for known damaging contaminants and researched literature on the impacts of urban stormwater to ecosystem habitats. In my study, I identified contaminants in areas, such as roadways and parking lots; my findings were then organized into a map that was made publicly accessible. Providing tools like this to the public can narrow the source of contaminants and increase local stormwater knowledge.