Best Management Practices (BMPs) are approaches for mitigating stormwater impacts, from erosion control at the source to downstream stormwater treatment. Paradoxically, plastic materials dominate this sphere, serving to reduce some stormwater pollutants (e.g., total suspended solids, nutrients, pathogens) but while releasing others (i.e., microplastics). We seek to address this paradox by expanding the use of non-plastic alternatives. Additionally, the habitat provisioning capacity of stormwater controls (e.g., stormwater ponds) has been poorly quantified and generally ignored as design criteria. To address this, we work to reveal the current and potential ecological role these structures play in our ever-urbanizing environments.

Publications (*graduate student, undergraduate student, +postdoctoral author):

• Landaverde AC*, SA White, WHJ Strosnider (2025) Salinity and nutrient uptake potential of two plant species in constructed floating wetlands. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-025-08657-w 

• Awad J, Walker C, D Page, M Arslan, SA White, T Lucke, S Beecham, RJ Winston, WHJ Strosnider, P Nicodemus, C Streb, J van Leeuwen (2025) Assessing the costs of constructed floating wetlands (CFWs) for the treatment of surface waters and wastewater. ACS ES&T Water. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c00439 

• Escamilla C*, DR Tyrpak, WHJ Strosnider, SA White (2025) Basil and Swiss chard: edible crops for use in floating treatment wetlands improving agricultural runoff. Ecological Engineering 213:107546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107546

• McKercher L*, ME Kimball, A Scaroni, SA White, WHJ Strosnider (2024) Stormwater ponds serve as variable quality habitat for diverse taxa. Wetlands Ecology and Management 32:109-131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-023-09964-x 

• Landaverde AC*, WHJ Strosnider, SA White (2024) Plant suitability for floating treatment wetland applications in brackish waters. Ecological Engineering 200:107183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107183

• Dekle J*, WHJ Strosnider, SA White (2024) Phosphorus uptake and release patterns in overwintering constructed floating wetlands. Water Science and Technology 89(3):588. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.010 

• Strosnider WHJ, SE Schultz, KA Johnson Strosnider, RW Nairn (2017) Effects on the underlying water column by extensive floating treatment wetlands. Journal of Environmental Quality 46: 201-209. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2016.07.0257

• Stay tuned for papers regarding plastics release from BMP materials as well as better material options for stormwater management and erosion control!