Author(s): Stephen D. Thomas; George R. French; Jamie Bates; Joseph A. O’Meara; Matthew P. Dale; Bruno Casal
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Abstract: This paper describes a stormwater attenuation & enhanced infiltration system, specifically designed for a Rural Environment, comprising the construction of attenuation trenches, perforated pipes with gravel surround, integrated with large numbers of drilled vertical infiltrators installed through the base of the trenches. Combining the pressure head of the collected stormwater in the attenuation trenches, with the negative suction pressure within the unsaturated vadose zone, provides the differential pressure to force the water into the ground via these infiltrators. Furthermore, by installing vertical infiltrators, higher permeable ground strata are often encountered, particularly in anisotropic ground conditions where the horizontal permeability is much greater than the vertical permeability. Stormwater Attenuation & Enhanced Infiltration Systems (SAEIS) have been used regularly in the UK for many years, both to mitigate flooding, and to provide recharge to groundwater resources. With groundwater resources similarly in decline in Portugal, together with more frequent flooding conditions occurring during intense rainfall, such collection and enhanced infiltration systems would also be most beneficial to the hydrogeology and weather conditions of Portugal. Mathematical modelling is presented which simulates the water flow through the infiltrator system, and into the unsaturated soil strata. Combining the storage capacity of the attenuation trenches with a large number of infiltrators, produces a highly efficient attenuation and infiltration system that not only mitigates the impact of flooding but has no requirement for ongoing energy consumption. With stormwater collected, filtered, attenuated, and then infiltrated to the vadose zone, collected stormwater will eventually find its way down to the water table, and so mitigate drought conditions by supplementing the aquifer water resources. Stormwater attenuation & enhanced infiltration systems (SAEIS) exemplify true low-carbon sustainability, and contribute to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs for Sustainable Development - Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Year: 2024