Stormwater Runoff at the White Township Recreation Complex in Indiana County, Pennsylvania : a look into a Government - Academic Partnership for Undergraduate Education

Stormwater runoff is generated from a storm event when rain falls on an impervious surface or exceeds infiltration capacity of soils. Runoff directed through stormwater systems often enters nearby streams with shortened lag times.

Marsh Run is a small watershed ( 2 square mile) in Indiana, Pennsylvania which has experienced repeated flooding due to rapid delivery of stormwater during intense rainfall events. The White Township Recreation Complex, located within the headwaters of the watershed, has two large parking lots, multiple paved and semi-paved driveways, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a 1.6 acre arena roof on the property. The complex is located right above a small neighborhood, through which a small headwater tributary of Marsh Run flows. Residents in the neighborhood have complained of both increased frequency and magnitude of flooding due to the runoff from the complex.

The IUP Geoscience Department partnered with the White Township government to investigate stormwater issues related to the WTRC. This project provided opportunities for an applied undergraduate research project focused on a local hazard. The project started as a summer research experience focused on learning ArcGIS, field mapping, and modeling runoff contributions to Marsh Run based on soil properties. Runoff volumes were modeled for common rainfall. Dataloggers were installed in the stream and one of the outflow pipes during the Fall of 2018 to compare the runoff models and evaluate the effectiveness of current stormwater retention and the impact of the WTRC on flooding downstream. Additional plans include working with the township to include green infrastructure retention strategies on-site. Progress updates to the Indiana County Stormwater Education Partnership and White Township supervisors provided experiences on communicating science to a broad audience that could not be truly achieved in a classroom.