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The UNH Stormwater Center designed, constructed, and runs a facility that provides the controlled testing of stormwater management designs and devices. The primary mission of the Center is the protection of water resources through effective stormwater management. Currently the Center is acting as a unique technical resource for stormwater practitioners by studying a range of issues for specific stormwater management strategies including design, water quality and quantity, cost, maintenance, and operations. The field research facility serves as a site for testing stormwater treatment processes, for technology demonstrations and workshops. The testing results and technology demonstrations are meant to assist in the planning, design, and implementation of effective stormwater management strategies for resource managers.

The UNH Stormwater Center studies stormwater-related water quality and quantity issues. A unique facet of the program is the field facilities that are used to evaluate the performance of stormwater management technologies. Over 20 different management systems have been or are currently undergoing side-by-side comparison testing under strictly controlled conditions. The close proximity of the field testing facility to UNH enables the Center to offer technology demonstrations and workshops, as well as specialized training opportunities.

Under the Clean Water Act Phase II rules, the Environmental Protection Agency requires local governments to develop stormwater programs. In response, many organizations have or are now developing plans and actions to achieve desirable water quality and storm volume reduction. Although many of the stormwater management strategies are based on sound theory, there is no requirement that they undergo independent, third-party scientific testing. A three-year study of nine seacoast sites in New Hampshire clearly showed that traditional stormwater technologies failed in reducing at least one water quality parameter two-thirds of the time.

Mission

The UNH Stormwater Center is dedicated to the protection of water resources through effective stormwater management. The primary functions of the center are twofold: (i) Research and development of stormwater treatment systems, (ii) To provide resources to the stormwater management community currently facing the design and implementation of Phase II requirements.

Outreach, Education & Partnering

Field Facility & Stormwater Control Technologies

The Center is comprised of various sites on the UNH Durham campus: the Primary Field Facility, a pervious concrete parking lot, and a porous asphalt parking lot. Future testing sites include a green roof and pervious pavers. Stormwater controls that have been or are currently being tested include: 6 Conventional BMPs (a stone-lined swale, vegetated swale, filter berm swale, retention pond, a detention basin, and a deep sump catch basin), 8 Low Impact Development Devices (a surface sand filter, 3 bioretention systems, a subsurface gravel wetland, a street tree, porous asphalt, and pervious concrete), and 11 Manufactured Devices (5 Hydrodynamic separators (AquaSwirl, VortSentry, V2B1, CDS, Downstream Defender), 4 filter systems (AquaFilter, AquaFilter Pathex, Stormtech Isolator Row, UpFlo Filter), 1 large volume infiltration device (ADS subsurface infiltration/ filtration system), 1 sedimentation device (ADS Water Quality Unit)).

Project Timeline

Full site operation began in August 2004. Low Impact Development Technologies are continuously studied to understand maintenance concerns. Interested vendors should submit a letter indicating Request for Proposal for Product Testing. Testing rounds begin in September with installations in the preceding summer. Letters for RFP or for more information regarding product testing contact the Center Director.

Funding

Basic, continuing funding is provided by the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Other specific funding has been provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Maine Department of Transportation, the New Hampshire Estuaries Project, New Hampshire Sea Grant, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and industry associations (Northern New England Concrete Promotion Association, North East Cement Shippers Association). Funding has also been provided for testing from manufacturers of the various systems tested.

Dr. Thomas P. Ballestero, P.E.
238 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-862-1405
tom.ballestero@unh.edu

Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at UNH
Member of the Environmental Research Group
Water Resource Engineering and Hydrology
UNH Stormwater Center Principal Investigator and Senior Scientist

Tom Ballestero is a water resources engineer and hydrologist. His role in the Center is Principal Investigator and Lead Scientist. He is an Associate Professor in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of New Hampshire and is a founding member of the Environmental Research Group. His experience with surface water runoff extends back to 1976 when he co-taught short courses on modeling techniques. His current research projects include the Stormwater Center, the use of contaminated sediments in coastal wetlands, and the land application of biosolids. Dr. Ballestero teaches advanced courses on: stormwater systems, sediment transport, open channel flow, engineering hydrology, and hydrologic monitoring. Consulting work in which he is presently involved includes: rainfall-runoff calculations, design of stormwater control facilities, monitoring water quality consequences of stormwater, forensic studies of flood-related stormwater system failures, expert witness testimony, and review of development proposals.

Dr. Robert Roseen, P.E.
242 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-862-4024
robert.roseen@unh.edu

Assistant Research Professor of Civil Engineering at UNH
UNH Stormwater Center Director

Rob Roseen has been the Director of the UNH Stormwater Center since 2004 and has been involved in the development of the Center since its beginning in 2002. He is a licensed professional engineer and Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of New Hampshire. Dr Roseen’s area of expertise is broadly in water resources engineering, stormwater management, and Low Impact Development design. Additional expertise in water resource engineering includes hydrology and hydraulics evaluations, stream restoration and enhancement alternatives, dam removal assessment, groundwater investigations, nutrient and TMDL studies, remote sensing, and GIS applications. Dr Roseen teaches classes on Stormwater Management and Design, Fluids Mechanics, and Hydrologic Monitoring. Current activities include participation in the ASCE Task Committee on Guidelines for Certification of Manufactured Stormwater BMPs of the Urban Water Resources Research Council (UWRRC), ASCE EWRI Permeable Pavement Technical Committee, and the Hydrology, Hydraulics, and Water Quality Committee of the Transportation Research Board.

Dr. Roseen consults both in review and design of development projects, specializing in LID stormwater treatment systems, and water resources investigations.

Dr. Alison Watts
222 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-862-
alison.watts@unh.edu

Affiliate Faculty

Alison Watts holds an Affiliate Faculty position with the Stormwater Center. Her research includes a study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) transport in storm water runoff, research on the movement and transformation of PAHs, focusing on transport in wetland plants, and wetland systems; nutrient removal mechanisms; statistical analysis of hydrologic data; ecological assessment of stormwater wetlands, and the use of stormwater wetlands to treat deicing runoff from airports. Dr. Watts has experience in groundwater studies, and wetlands mapping, as well as course work in hydrology, wetlands ecology, environmental microbiology, and geostatistics. She is involved in natural resource and wetlands conservation in her local community, and is chair of the Newfields Conservation Commission. Dr. Watts is a NH Professional Geologist, and has over ten years of experience as a consultant in contaminant investigations, site assessment and remediation. She has an MS in Geology, and a PhD in Civil Engineering/Water Resources.

James Houle
346 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-767-7091
james.houle@unh.edu

Outreach Coordinator/Program Manager

James Houle is the Outreach Coordinator and Program Manager for the Stormwater Center. His responsibilities include development of outreach and education products, and supervising the Stormwater Center's growing body of research projects.

Mr. Houle holds an M.A. in Sustainable Development a B.S. in Molecular Biology and is currently enrolled in the Natural Resources & Earth Systems Science Ph.D. Program at UNH. He has over ten years of experience with water quality related issues in New Hampshire and is a certified professional in storm water quality (C.P.S.W.Q.).

Timothy A. Puls
Phone: 603-343-6672
tpuls@unh.edu

Site Facility Manager

Timothy Puls rejoined the UNH Stormwater team in the spring of 2008 as the Site Facility Manager. His responsibilities include management of day-to-day field operations, maintenance of the field facilities, and assisting in the management and development of ongoing research projects. Tim worked as an engineering consultant in the private sector focusing on municipal infrastructure projects throughout southern New Hampshire from 2006-2008. Tim initially joined the UNH Stormwater Center while attending the UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. He worked as an undergraduate research assistant from 2005 through 2007.  During his time at UNH Tim was a member of Students Without Borders, a student chapter of Engineers Without Border – USA.  Through SWB Tim became involved in the development of sustainable agricultural systems and practices at the UNH Organic Garden.  He also worked with the YE Water Foundation in Jakarta, Indonesia developing a rainwater collection prototype as an alternative water supply for the cities poorest communities.  Tim graduated from UNH with a BS in Environmental Engineering: Municipal Processes in 2006.  

Iulia A. Barbu
230 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-862-1172
iaj4@unh.edu

Ph.D. Student

Iulia Barbu is pursuing a doctorate in Water Resources at the University of New Hampshire. She joined the Stormwater project in the Fall of 2007 as a research assistant. She received her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering (2005) from the University of Technical Engineering in Bucharest, Romania, with an equivalent in United States of a Master Degree in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Hydraulics.

Her research focus is on Sustainable Engineering and she is currently looking at the connection of Low Impact Development Stormwater Management to sustainable practices along with maintenance of the water cycle in context of climate change for mitigating impacts of urban hydrology.

During her time as an undergraduate, she completed the design of a waste water plant which incorporated the sludge management and minimization of its impact on the environment. Before coming to UNH, she worked for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation as a Civil Engineer where she received specialized training and gained experience in preparing preliminary layouts for roadways and bridges, signs and pavement markings; final design for roadways and required drainage; conducting traffic analysis; reviewing design work performed by private consultants including design criteria, drainage design and stormwater management for compliance with NH Standard Specification; inspecting roadway and railroad construction; and inspecting airports for safety and runway approach surface for clearance.

Nicholas P. DiGennaro
230 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-862-1172
njt5@unh.edu

Masters Student
Graduate Research Assistant

Nicholas DiGennaro is a Master's degree student in Water Resources Engineering at the University of New Hampshire.  He joined the Stormwater Center in August 2008 as a research assistant and has been involved in a number of field projects.  He is currently involved in the examination of thermal impacts and stormwater BMPs.  He is also assisting with the flow calibration study of the Stormwater Center’s flow monitoring equipment. 

Nicholas received a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology in May 2008, in which his main area of study was water resources. During his undergraduate work, Nicholas designed a rain garden for the City of Rochester (NY) at Turning Point Park, and also designed several preliminary wastewater treatment options for Fox Run Vineyards (Penn Yan, NY).

Ann Scholz
230 Gregg Hall
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-862-1172
ann.scholz@unh.edu

Masters Student
Graduate Research Assistant

Ann Scholz is a professional engineer and certified professional in stormwater quality. She is taking a break from employment in private consulting to pursue a Master’s in Water Resources at the University of New Hampshire. Ann is a graduate research assistant for the UNH Stormwater Center and additionally will be getting involved with a team of professionals on assessing the risk of 100-year freshwater floods in the Lamprey River Watershed of New Hampshire resulting from changes in climate and land use.

Ann’s professional experience is in site design, infrastructure, hydrology and hydraulics. This includes numerous floodplain and floodway hydrologic and hydraulic analysis for encroachments, mitigation and bridge construction. Her site design techniques and best management practices for stormwater treatment included some of the low-impact design methods being tested at the UNHSC.

UNH Stormwater Center
Gregg Hall
35 Colovos Road
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824

Robert M. Roseen, Ph.D.
Director, The UNH Stormwater Center
Environmental Research Group

Phone: (603) 862-4024
robert.roseen@unh.edu

Thomas P. Ballestero, P.E., Ph.D., P.H., C.G.W.P., P.G.
Principal Investigator, Senior Scientist
Department of Civil Engineering

Phone: (603) 862-1405
tom.ballestero@unh.edu

(603) 862-3957 fax