Smart Stormwater Management at the Ford Campus in Dearborn, Michigan

Introduction:
Evolving stormwater regulations, increasing urban development, and the accelerating impacts of climate change have led to a pressing need for innovative stormwater management solutions. The Ford Motor Company, addressing these challenges, incorporated a state-of-the-art 'smart' stormwater management system as part of its transformation of the Research & Engineering Center in Dearborn, Michigan. This project integrates advanced technologies, community partnerships, and sustainable design principles to improve stormwater management efficiency and environmental outcomes. This paper details the challenges, solutions, and results associated with implementing the smart stormwater management system within this complex redevelopment project.

Project Overview:
The redevelopment of Ford's 320-acre campus aimed to create a centralized and sustainable environment for its employees and customers. A cornerstone of the redevelopment is the innovative stormwater management system designed to address regional issues of stormwater capacity and quality while protecting critical facilities from storm events. This system provides over 2 million cubic feet of storage through a network of interconnected components, including detention ponds, storage chambers, repurposed combined sewers, and green infrastructure. The pipes include over a half mile of storage via repurposed City of Dearborn combined sewers, which historically served the Ford campus and the community. Through the system, stormwater is detained and conveyed to a pump station that diverts flow to a wet detention pond, called P-1 (Figure 1), for treatment and storage. These features, combined with the integration of a type of stormwater real-time control called continuous monitoring and adaptive control (CMAC), optimize stormwater storage and reduce downstream impacts.

CMAC System Implementation:
Ford's CMAC system, operational since December 2023, represents Michigan's first private-sector deployment of adaptive stormwater management technology. The system utilizes real-time water level data, weather forecasts, and an automated valve to dynamically manage water levels in the P-1 Pond. By preemptively drawing down to create storage capacity ahead of storm events, the CMAC system minimizes discharge and maximizes retention, reducing strain on downstream combined sewer systems and enhancing flood resilience (Thomasson & Marchese, 2022; Johnson, 2023).

Performance Analysis and Results:
The performance of the P-1 Pond system was analyzed over a one-year period, from December 1, 2023, to December 1, 2024 (Table 1). Key metrics include retention efficiency, peak discharge reduction, and system reliability. Observed results were compared with a modeled passive system to highlight the benefits of the adaptive control approach.
> Retention Efficiency: The CMAC system retained 111 acre-feet of inflow (82%), compared to 57 acre-feet (42%) for the passive model, effectively doubling retention capacity.
> Peak Discharge Reduction: CMAC significantly reduced peak discharges across varying storm sizes. For example, during a 1.5-inch storm event on April 11, 2024, the system demonstrated dynamic modulation, as shown in the operational dashboard (Figure 2). The system created pre-event storage capacity, managed inflow during the storm, and retained remaining water below the passive weir threshold.
> Operational Reliability: The system achieved 99% connectivity and operated in automatic mode 95.4% of the time, ensuring consistent performance and minimal manual intervention.

Conclusions: The project's success underscores the transformative potential of integrating smart technologies into stormwater management. By leveraging innovative design and adaptive controls, Ford's P-1 Pond system not only enhances campus resilience but also benefits the surrounding community. The repurposing of City of Dearborn combined sewers demonstrates effective public-private collaboration, advancing municipal goals while protecting local water resources. By sharing these results, this project provides a scalable model for other organizations to optimize stormwater management, enhance environmental stewardship, and foster community resilience.