Stormwater runoff is rainfall, that flows across the land. Stormwater may infiltrate into soil, and run directly into water sources, such as streams, lakes, rivers or drain inlets. When this happens, different types of waste, debris and contaminates get caught within the water from storm water runoffs. Originally these systems were used to prevent floods and didn’t focus on the quality of water that would be produced. Because there is pollution in the storm water, the quality of water will be studied to understand what contaminates are most common in these systems. Identifying if there was injustice in the demographic based on cause and effects of stormwater runoff in different environments and living areas was a focal point in this project. Identifying what pollutants are in the Nashville area’s water and understanding its quality was also important. After many contaminants; metals, oils, bacteria, and organic materials to name a few, were identified in the water of Davidson County in Nashville Tennessee, there was a focus on narrowing down contaminates, as well as comparing Davidson county’s results to other areas. Through research and comparison, the contaminates that were chosen as a focus were a few heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Fe); Nitrates (NaNO₃, KNO₃) , Phosphates (Ca₃(PO₄)₂, (NH₄)₃PO₄), as they give a range of different sources and how they end up in the stormwater runoff. Nitrate at higher levels, can affect how blood carries oxygen. Phosphate can also affect oxygen delivery in cells, but mainly contribute to aquatic animals and plants. Cadmium naturally occurs in fossil fuels, and at high levels can cause severe illnesses. Based on stormwater pollution and location, the Nashville, TN area is compared to areas in San Diego CA, as they have larger risks considering their large populated urban areas.

Sujata Guha

Appearances