Harnessing Nature - Are Natural Materials the New Paradigm in Stormwater Biofiltration?

Trends toward natural, biologically-based materials can be seen in every industry and across society all over North America today. Federal, state, and local government agencies, land owners, and industry engineers, architects, and consultants increasingly demand best management practices (BMPs) improve performance, minimize environmental impact, and even be compatible with natural landscapes and watersheds. Utilizing principles in biomimicry - innovation inspired by nature, and relying only on natural materials, this presentation will review how and why specific compost media can be a powerful stormwater biofiltration tool in stormwater permit compliance and green infrastructure applications. Supporting research from the United States Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) on compost-based biofiltration practices and technologies will demonstrate how these systems are not only removing sediment (total solids and total suspended solids) from construction and post-construction stormwater, but when designed correctly, can remove metals, including aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn); hydrocarbons (motor oil and diesel fuel), nutrients (nitrogen species and phosphorus), and buffer pH (low and high) in stormwater. Additionally, new follow up research evaluated the effectiveness of these stormwater biofiltration systems over multiple storm events, and designed in series - using a treatment train approach, to further minimize pollutant discharge concentrations. Finally, case studies showing how these natural biofiltration systems helped a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) meet stormwater permit compliance requirements, and a LEED green building project attain Platinum status in a major metropolitan area will be reviewed.