IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i10p4631-d1658667.html

Effectiveness of Rain Gardens for Managing Non-Point Source Pollution from Urban Surface Storm Water Runoff in Eastern Texas, USA

Author

Listed:
  • Shradhda Suman Jnawali

    (Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA)

  • Matthew McBroom

    (Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA)

  • Yanli Zhang

    (Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA)

  • Kevin Stafford

    (Department of Geology, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA)

  • Zhengyi Wang

    (Perennial Environmental Services, Houston, TX 77040, USA)

  • David Creech

    (Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA)

  • Zhongqian Cheng

    (Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA)

Abstract

Extreme precipitation events are one of the common hazards in eastern Texas, generating a large amount of storm water. Water running off urban areas may carry non-point source (NPS) pollution to natural resources such as rivers and lakes. Urbanization exacerbates this issue by increasing impervious surfaces that prevent natural infiltration. This study evaluated the efficacy of rain gardens, a nature-based best management practice (BMP), in mitigating NPS pollution from urban stormwater runoff. Stormwater samples were collected at inflow and outflow points of three rain gardens and analyzed for various water quality parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity, fluoride, chloride, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, sulfate, salts, carbonates, bicarbonates, sodium, potassium, aluminum, boron, calcium, mercury, arsenic, copper iron lead magnesium, manganese and zinc. Removal efficiencies for nitrate, phosphate, and zinc exceeded 70%, while heavy metals such as lead achieved reductions up to 80%. However, certain parameters, such as calcium, magnesium and conductivity, showed increased outflow concentrations, attributed to substrate leaching. These increases resulted in a higher outflow pH. Overall, the pollutants were removed with an efficiency exceeding 50%. These findings demonstrate that rain gardens are an effective and sustainable solution for managing urban stormwater runoff and mitigating NPS pollution in eastern Texas, particularly in regions vulnerable to extreme precipitation events.

Suggested Citation

  • Shradhda Suman Jnawali & Matthew McBroom & Yanli Zhang & Kevin Stafford & Zhengyi Wang & David Creech & Zhongqian Cheng, 2025. "Effectiveness of Rain Gardens for Managing Non-Point Source Pollution from Urban Surface Storm Water Runoff in Eastern Texas, USA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-23, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4631-:d:1658667
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4631/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/10/4631/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mo Wang & Ji’an Zhuang & Chuanhao Sun & Lie Wang & Menghan Zhang & Chengliang Fan & Jianjun Li, 2024. "The Application of Rain Gardens in Urban Environments: A Bibliometric Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, October.
    2. Linying Zhang & Zehao Ye & Shozo Shibata, 2020. "Assessment of Rain Garden Effects for the Management of Urban Storm Runoff in Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Carlynn Fagnant & Avantika Gori & Antonia Sebastian & Philip B. Bedient & Katherine B. Ensor, 2020. "Characterizing spatiotemporal trends in extreme precipitation in Southeast Texas," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 104(2), pages 1597-1621, November.
    4. Vassilios Tsihrintzis & Rizwan Hamid, 1997. "Modeling and Management of Urban Stormwater Runoff Quality: A Review," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 11(2), pages 136-164, April.
    5. Jennifer Morash & Amy Wright & Charlene LeBleu & Amanda Meder & Raymond Kessler & Eve Brantley & Julie Howe, 2019. "Increasing Sustainability of Residential Areas Using Rain Gardens to Improve Pollutant Capture, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vassilios A. Tsihrintzis, 2017. "The use of Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands in Wastewater Treatment," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(10), pages 3245-3270, August.
    2. Azam Haidary & Bahman Amiri & Jan Adamowski & Nicola Fohrer & Kaneyuki Nakane, 2013. "Assessing the Impacts of Four Land Use Types on the Water Quality of Wetlands in Japan," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(7), pages 2217-2229, May.
    3. Vassilios Tsihrintzis & Hector Fuentes & Rao Gadipudi, 1997. "GIS-Aided Modeling of Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Surface and Ground Waters," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 11(3), pages 207-218, June.
    4. An Liu & Dunzhu Li & Liang Liu & Yuntao Guan, 2014. "Understanding the Role of Urban Road Surface Characteristics in influencing Stormwater Quality," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(14), pages 5217-5229, November.
    5. V. M. Jayasooriya & A. W. M. Ng & S. Muthukumaran & B. J. C. Perera, 2016. "Optimal Sizing of Green Infrastructure Treatment Trains for Stormwater Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(14), pages 5407-5420, November.
    6. Fei Li & Xu-Feng Yan & Huan-Feng Duan, 2019. "Sustainable Design of Urban Stormwater Drainage Systems by Implementing Detention Tank and LID Measures for Flooding Risk Control and Water Quality Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 33(9), pages 3271-3288, July.
    7. Feiwu Chen & Qian Zhang & Sheming Chen & Yingwei Yuan, 2023. "Research on Operation Efficiency Prediction and Optimization of Biological Retention System Based on GA-BP Neural Network Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Juan An & Fenli Zheng & Mathias Römkens & Guifang Li & Qingsen Yang & Leilei Wen & Bin Wang, 2013. "The role of soil surface water regimes and raindrop impact on hillslope soil erosion and nutrient losses," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 67(2), pages 411-430, June.
    9. Mariana Marchioni & Roberto Fedele & Anita Raimondi & John Sansalone & Gianfranco Becciu, 2022. "Permeable Asphalt Hydraulic Conductivity and Particulate Matter Separation With XRT," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(6), pages 1879-1895, April.
    10. Barah, Masoud & Khojandi, Anahita & Li, Xueping & Hathaway, Jon & Omitaomu, OluFemi, 2021. "Optimizing green infrastructure placement under precipitation uncertainty," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    11. Bikram Manandhar & Shenghui Cui & Lihong Wang & Sabita Shrestha, 2023. "Urban Flood Hazard Assessment and Management Practices in South Asia: A Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-29, March.
    12. Fatin Khalida Binti Abdul Khadir & Ng Cheng Yee & Husna Binti Takaijudin & Noor Amila Wan Abdullah Zawawi & Wesam Salah Alaloul & Muhammad Ali Musarat, 2023. "Evaluation of the Implementation of Sustainable Stormwater Management Practices for Landed Residential Areas: A Case Study in Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, July.
    13. Satyavati Shukla & Shirishkumar Gedam & M. V. Khire, 2020. "Implications of demographic changes and land transformations on surface water quality of rural and urban subbasins of Upper Bhima River basin, Maharashtra, India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 129-171, January.
    14. Mokhtar Karami & Rasoul Sarvestan & Manfred Kleidorfer, 2025. "Forecasting and Simulation of Urban Floods Based on the Integration of RegCM and Stormwater Management Models," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 39(8), pages 3837-3857, June.
    15. Rina Nuryati & Lies Sulistyowati & Trisna Insan Noor & Iwan Setiawan, 2024. "Innovation for development of sustainable integrated plantation polyculture on dry land: Using Structural Equation Modelling," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(6), pages 291-308.
    16. J. Hathaway & W. Hunt & D. McCarthy, 2015. "Variability of Intra-event Statistics for Multiple Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Urban Stormwater," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(10), pages 3635-3649, August.
    17. Mo Wang & Ji’an Zhuang & Chuanhao Sun & Lie Wang & Menghan Zhang & Chengliang Fan & Jianjun Li, 2024. "The Application of Rain Gardens in Urban Environments: A Bibliometric Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, October.
    18. Qingchang He & Andras Reith, 2022. "(Re)Defining Restorative and Regenerative Urban Design and Their Relation to UNSDGs—A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-29, December.
    19. Sang-Soo Han & Zhi Chen & Fa-Yi Zhou & Xiu-Qing Lu, 2014. "Assessment of Suspended Solid Removal in a Surface Flow Constructed Wetland Using a Three-Dimensional Numerical Model," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(10), pages 3111-3125, August.
    20. S. Tang & W. Luo & Z. Jia & W. Liu & S. Li & Y. Wu, 2016. "Evaluating Retention Capacity of Infiltration Rain Gardens and Their Potential Effect on Urban Stormwater Management in the Sub-Humid Loess Region of China," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(3), pages 983-1000, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:10:p:4631-:d:1658667. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.