Assessing the Potential of Low-Impact Development Techniques on Runoff and Streamflow in the Templeton Gap Watershed, Colorado

This study examines how the impact of impervious surface in the Templeton Gap watershed (Colorado) could be reduced through the use of low-impact development (LID) strategies. LID is a sustainable stormwater approach to land management that retains runoff close to the source by preserving natural landscape features and limiting imperviousness. Our research indicates that LID techniques could reduce peak flows generated by stormwater runoff, allow city engineers to restore the stream channel to a more natural state, and improve the safety of residents and the security of property below the levee. This study developed a model of the Templeton Gap watershed and its associated stormwater infrastructure using the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Specifically designed for small urban watersheds, SWMM allows users to accurately represent stormwater runoff dynamics and project the impact of hypothetical LID features such as porous pavement, rain gardens, and infiltration trenches on runoff and streamflow.