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Performance of Low-Head Weirs for Enhancing Infiltration
Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org
Citation: Paper number 062065, 2006 ASAE Annual Meeting . @2006
Authors: James M. Hamlett, Larry A. Fennessey, Mark A. Ralston, Guoshun Zhang
Keywords: Stormwater runoff, low-head weirs, infiltration, recharge, karst, urbanization, LID
Efforts are underway at Penn State University to explore stormwater runoff in an urbanizing
watershed underlain by karst bedrock. This study focuses on the installation and performance of two
experimental low-head weirs and infiltration areas located in the 183 ha Fox Hollow Watershed. Site analyses
based on soil and rock corings and infiltration tests prior to installation indicated the site was suitable for
development as an infiltration field. In 2002, low-head weirs were constructed to promote infiltration and
groundwater recharge. A monitoring program was initiated to record the performance of the weirs and to allow
mass balance calculations. Performance of the low-head weirs for various storm events are herein reported.
During 2003 through 2005, which included two of the wettest years on record, few events resulted in significant
runoff outflow from the low-head weirs and associated infiltration areas. For smaller runoff events, in most
cases all of the runoff infiltrated, whereas for the larger events, over 50 % of the runoff volume entering the
area infiltrated, and the peak rates and runoff volumes were substantially reduced in all cases. These data
support the hypothesis that, in karst-underlain watersheds undergoing substantial development, it is critical to
identify and preserve critical recharge areas, and that simple low-head weirs designed to enhance infiltration
improve or sustain recharge and thereby reduce potential stormwater runoff.
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