Stormwater Diversion and Management

Stormwater Diversion and Management

Stormwater Module Overview

Essential Question:

How might you manage stormwater runoff?

  • How might you reduce stormwater runoff from driveways/parking lots or rooftops?

Overview:

Students will follow a Fermi Problem process to investigate stormwater diversion and management.  Students will investigate the following research questions:

  • How much water falls on our campus each year?
  • How much water goes into storm drains on our campus?
  • How much water could potentially be diverted on our campus?

Students work in groups to:

  • Estimate amounts that answer the research questions
  • Brainstorm what information is needed to solve the problem
  • Research online to gather information
  • Collect data from certain parts of campus
  • Research possible solutions
  • Develop a plan to manage stormwater run-off
  • Present plan to the class.

Day 1:  Introduction and Pre-Test (Stormwater Lesson 1 outline)

Warm-Up: Stormwater Pre_Post Assessment

Watch videos on effects of run off in storm drains;  where does run off go

Complex reading with annotation

  • Purpose:
    • To understand what stormwater runoff is, its effects, and ways to reduce it
  • Annotation: http://www.cwp.org/2013-04-05-16-15-03/stormwater-management
    • Circle the information that might help you manage stormwater runoff
    • Underline definitions and effects of stormwater
    • Put a “?” next to things that are confusing, that you disagree with, or that you question the validity of.
    • Annotate first two paragraphs together. Continue to revisit purpose as we annotate, looking for definition, effects, and management
  • Summarize reading by adding to graphic organizer

Make a prediction (no calculators, no research)

(Option available on Google Forms)

  • How much water falls on our campus each year?
  • How much water goes into storm drains on our campus?
  • How much water could potentially be diverted on our campus?

Day 2:  Brainstorming (Storm water Lesson 2 outline)

Warm Up:  Share notes from reading and discuss article (whiparound)

Research and pose question:

  • How might you manage stormwater runoff?
    • How might you reduce stormwater runoff from driveways/parking lots or rooftops?

Brainstorm Solutions:

  • Provide Post-its: All students write ideas, regardless of feasibility and whether correct or incorrect.  Put on central white-board/large paper.
  • Read and organize into subtopics on whiteboard/paper and label categoriesd

Brainstorm all the elements that will be going into this:

  • Average total rainfall on campus (volume in cubic meters)
  • Surface area of campus
  • Surface area of driveways/paved regions
  • Surface area of rooftops

Day 3:  Research

Work day:  Research Lab

  • Research Questions (have handout): Gather one sentence of explaining process as a group before giving them access to chromebooks for data collection.
    • How might one determine the volume of water that falls on campus?
    • How might one determine the volume of water that falls on rooftops?
    • How might one determine the volume of water that falls on driveways/parkinglots?
  • Research annual rainfall:
    • Eureka: 45 inches/year (≈ 1.00203 meters/year) from Eureka WFO Woodley Island National Weather Service
    • Arcata: 39 inches/year (≈ 0.9906 meters/year) from Sperling’s Best Places (google response #1)
  • Provide aerial map of campus
    • Determine area of campus
      • Choose units
      • Show dissected figures and label on
      • Determine the volume of water that would fall on this scale figure
    • Determine areas of rooftops
      • Choose units
      • Show dissected figures and label on map
      • Determine the volume of water that would fall on this scale figure
    • Determine area of driveways/parking lots
      • Choose units
      • Show dissected figures and label on map
      • Determine the volume of water that would fall on this scale figure
  • Find a figure to measure to create scale
    • Determine the linear scale factor (1cm = 10.5m)
    • Determine the actual surface area
    • Determine the actual volume of water that falls on that area.

Day 4:  Google Earth

  • Lesson Overview: HISI_Lesson4_outline
  • Google earth tutorial on chromebooks:
    • Go to Google Maps and click on Earth View
    • Zoom in to AHS
    • Double click mouse pad and use “measure distance” to determine the area of composite figures.
    • The closer you are zoomed in, the more accurate the figures.

Day 5:  Solution Development

Reading:

  • The 4 different elements of LID (focus on rooftops and driveways)
  • Each Group Reads and Annotates as a group one article
    • Circle Information that is useful
    • Cross out extraneous info
    • Write any questions you have as you read.
    • Comment on sections with your thoughts: link to definition, benefits, drawbacks
  • Shareout three aspects from your reading.
    • Definition
    • Benefits
    • Drawbacks
  • Post Test

Pre/Post Test: Stormwater Pre_Post Assessment

  1. Describe the process you would take to develop a stormwater management plan.
  2. Would it be more beneficial to decrease stormwater runoff from rooftops or driveways/parking lots? Why? Justify your response with specific data.

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