The Grand Impact of Green Infrastructure
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How does green infrastructure impact the water quality of
How does green infrastructure impact the water quality of
the Grand River in Grand Rapids Michigan?
the Grand River in Grand Rapids Michigan?
Introduction
Introduction
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How does Green infrastructure impact the Grand River, and why is it important?
The Grand River is vital to Grand Rapids, yet urban stormwater runoff threatens its water quality. Green infrastructure—like rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavement—offers a natural solution by reducing runoff and filtering pollutants. However, its effectiveness in Grand Rapids remains understudied. By evaluating the impact of green infrastructure on water quality, we can provide valuable insights for policymakers environmental organizations, and urban planners, ensuring that future investments in sustainable stormwater management are both effective and sustainable— creating a cleaner, healthier river for generations to come.
By examining pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and bacteria, this study will assess whether green infrastructure effectively reduces contamination levels in the river.
By examining pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and bacteria, this study will assess whether green infrastructure effectively reduces contamination levels in the river.
Literature Review
Literature Review
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What the current research shows
🔹Pollution Reduction: Case studies indicate that GI can reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended solids in stormwater runoff by up to 30% (Chen et al., 2019).
🔹 Runoff Control: GI stormwater management techniques mimic natural hydrologic processes like infiltration and evapotranspiration in order to help decrease the volume of water entering sewers and streams and improve water quality (Great Lakes Commission, 2018).
🔹Need for Data: Despite its benefits, GI adoption remains limited due to uncertainty in performance data, funding challenges, and lack of policy incentives (Baker, 2022). With limited ability to quantify GI’s benefits, municipalities have often favored single-purpose grey infrastructure projects (CNT, 2010).
Theory: Cooperative Game Theory
Theory: Cooperative Game Theory
The basis behind the phenomina
Cooperative game theory helps explain how different stakeholders (governments, property owners, and environmental groups) can work together to implement GI effectively. Since each group has its own interests, this theory models how collaboration can maximize shared benefits, such as cost savings, flood reduction, and improved water quality (Myerson, 2013; William et al., 2017). Game theory provides a useful approach to realistically approximating interactions between water resources technology, human behavior, and the natural environment: a crucial component of the socio-hydrological framework (Sivapalan et al., 2014).
Cooperative game theory helps explain how different stakeholders (governments, property owners, and environmental groups) can work together to implement GI effectively. Since each group has its own interests, this theory models how collaboration can maximize shared benefits, such as cost savings, flood reduction, and improved water quality (Myerson, 2013; William et al., 2017). Game theory provides a useful approach to realistically approximating interactions between water resources technology, human behavior, and the natural environment: a crucial component of the socio-hydrological framework (Sivapalan et al., 2014).
⬆️ current proposal model incorporating key methods and constructs. It also includes stakeholder influence, part of cooperative game theory.
Constructs:
Constructs:
🔹Green Infrastructure Implementation in Grand Rapids
🔹Green Infrastructure Implementation in Grand Rapids
🔹Water Quality
🔹Water Quality
🔹Future GI Adoption Potential
🔹Future GI Adoption Potential
Methods
Methods
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designing implementation
This study evaluates green infrastructure (GI) effectiveness in Grand Rapids through
field data collection, comparative analysis, and hydrologic modeling.
Site Selection and Comparative Analysis
GI sites—including bioswales, rain gardens, tree trenches, and permeable pavements—were selected based on:
> Proximity to the Grand River to assess direct water quality impacts.
> Land Use Variation across urban, residential, commercial, and industrial areas.
> Control Sites to compare GI-treated and untreated runoff.
Control Sites
For each GI location, a nearby non-GI site with similar land use characteristics
will be selected.
Water Quality Monitoring
Over 12 months, samples are collected:
> Before & after rainfall to assess runoff changes.
> Monthly to track long-term trends.
> At multiple depths to capture pollutant distribution.
Pollutant Analysis
Water samples are tested for:
> Nutrients (N, P) – linked to algal blooms.
> Heavy Metals (Pb, Cu, Zn) – from urban runoff.
> Microbial Contaminants (E. coli) – indicating public health risks.
> Sediment & Turbidity (TSS) – measuring GI filtration efficiency.
Hydrologic Modeling: L-THIA-LID
The L-THIA-LID model simulates:
> Runoff & pollutant transport under various land-use scenarios.
> GI impact over time, complementing field data.
> Comparisons with other studies, like Peoria’s Darst Sewer shed project (Chen et al., 2019).
References ⬇️
Baker, N. T. (2022, August 25). Green infrastructure in the Great Lakes—Assessment of performance, barriers, and unintended consequences. USGS Publications Warehouse. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1496/full
Chen, J., Liu, Y., Gitau, M. W., Engel, B. A., Flanagan, D. C., & Harbor, J. M. (2019, May 15). Evaluation of the effectiveness of green infrastructure on hydrology and water quality in a combined sewer overflow community. Science of the Total Environment, 655, 69-79.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969719304632
City of Grand Rapids. (2016, December). Green Infrastructure Guidence. https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/departments/environmental-services/files/stormwater/soc/gi-guidance-final.pdf
CNT. (2010). The Value of Green Infrastructure. https://cnt.org/sites/default/files/publications/CNT_Value-of-Green-Infrastructure.pdf?utm
EPA. (2017, August). National Water Quality Inventory: Report to Congress. 7. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-12/documents/305brtc_finalowow_08302017.pdf
Great Lakes Commission & Credit Valley Conservation. (2018, September). Great Lakes Regional Green Infrastructure Policy Analysis: Addressing Barriers to Implementation.
https://www.glc.org/wp-content/uploads/GI-policy-analysis.pdf
Green Grand Rapids. (2012, March). Green Grand Rapids Plan. https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Sustainability/Climate-Change/Green-Grand-Rapids-Plan
Myerson, R. B. (2013). Game Theory: Analysis of Conflict. Harvard University Press.
Nordman, E. E., Isely, E., Isely, P., & Denning, R. (2018). Benefit-cost analysis of stormwater green infrastructure practices for Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Journal of Cleaner Production, 200, 501-510 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652618321413
Sivapalan, Konar, Srinivasan, Wutich, Scott, Chhatre, Rodríguez-Iturbe, & Wescoat. (2014, Febuary 4). Socio-hydrology: Use-inspired water sustainability science for the Anthropocene. Earth’s Future, 2(4), 225-230.
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2013EF000164
UWFP. (n.d.). Grand River/Grand Rapids Urban Waters Federal Partnership 2020 - 2023 Work Plan. UWFP Workplan.
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-01/grgr_uwfp-2020-23-workplan.pdf?utm
William, R., Garg, J., & Stillwell, A. (2017, September 6). A game theory analysis of green infrastructure stormwater management policies. Water Resources Research, 53(9), 8003-8019.
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2017WR021024?utm
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