Fuss and O’Neill Team: Dakota Law, Helena Grilliot, Hadeel Shwwa, Rhiannon Bryk
2023-2024: In collaboration with Fuss & O’Neill, this student team designed stormwater infrastructure to reduce the phosphorus content of runoff entering Rubber Thread Pond (RTP) in Easthampton, MA. The pond has been experiencing significant water quality problems for the past decade; the goal of this project was to help reduce the frequency and severity of algal blooms in the pond using green infrastructure (GI) solutions.
The team conducted a pollutant loading analysis across the RTP watershed. Using that information and the other project requirements, the team conducted a multi-phase process to select their target site of the Easthampton Fire Department, which has a large area and is publicly visible. The team then designed four different green infrastructure retrofits on the lawn and parking lot of the Fire Department: two rain gardens, a curb inlet planter, and a biofiltration basin. The team also sized a sediment forebay and several deep sump catch basins for pretreatment purposes. The team’s deliverables included GI design documentation, a benefit-cost analysis, and future recommendations.