A Multi-Scale Modeling Approach for Green Stormwater Management Planning

Green infrastructure is increasingly considered as a component of combined sewer system facility planning to help achieve system performance goals. Effective planning for green infrastructure implementation requires hydrologic and hydraulic modeling at a range of scales to ensure that local, site specific factors are considered within the context of system hydraulics. The City of Chicago has combined modeling at a range of scales with intensive GIS analysis to help ensure that green infrastructure investments are as functional and cost effective as a possible. A green calculator database tool has been developed to integrate hydraulic modeling results with detailed, subcatchment level land-use and ownership information to help link. The user is guided to select feasible, real-world constrained quantities of specific green infrastructure technologies required to meet performance targets simulated in the hydraulic model.