View source for Nationwide Urban Runoff Program

{{Short description|US pollution research program}}
[[Image:NURP_project_map.jpg|thumb|right|Map showing locations of 28 NURP projects]]

The '''Nationwide Urban Runoff Program''' ('''NURP''') was a research project conducted by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) between 1979 and 1983. It was the first comprehensive study of [[urban areas|urban]] [[stormwater]] [[water pollution|pollution]] across the [[United States]].<ref name="NURP final">{{cite report |publisher=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |location=Washington, DC |url=https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/sw_nurp_vol_1_finalreport.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094629/http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/sw_nurp_vol_1_finalreport.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |title=Results of the Nationwide Urban Runoff Program: Volume 1 – Final Report |id=Water Planning Division |date=December 1983}}</ref>

==Study objectives==
The principal focus areas of the study consisted of:
* Examine the [[water quality]] aspects of [[urban runoff]], and a comparison of results across various urban sites
* Assess the impact of urban runoff on overall water quality
* Implement stormwater [[Best management practice for water pollution|management best practices]].<ref name="NURP final"/>{{rp|iii}}

A major component of the project was an [[chemical analysis|analysis]] of water samples collected during 2,300 storms in 28 major metropolitan areas.<ref name="NURP final"/>{{rp|6-1}}

==Findings==
Among the conclusions of the report are the following:
* "[[Heavy metals]] (especially [[copper]], [[lead]] and [[zinc]]) are by far the most prevalent priority pollutant constituents found in urban runoff...Copper is suggested to be the most significant <nowiki>[threat]</nowiki> of the three."
* "[[Coliform bacteria]] are present at high levels in urban runoff."
* "Nutrients are generally present in urban runoff, but... <nowiki>[generally]</nowiki> concentrations do not appear to be high in comparison with other possible discharges."
* "[[Biochemical oxygen demand|Oxygen demanding substances]] are present in urban runoff at concentrations approximating those in [[secondary treatment]] plant discharges."
* "The physical aspects of urban runoff, e.g. [[erosion]] and scour, can be a significant cause of [[habitat destruction|habitat disruption]] and can affect the type of fishery present."
* "[[Detention basin]]s... <nowiki>[and]</nowiki> recharge devices are capable of providing very effective removal of pollutants in urban runoff."
* "[[retention basin|Wet basins]] (designs which maintain a permanent water pool) have the greatest performance capabilities."
* "[[constructed wetland|Wetlands]] are considered to be a promising technique for control of urban runoff quality."<ref name="NURP exec">{{cite report |publisher=EPA |url=http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/sw_nurp_exec_summary.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094626/http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/sw_nurp_exec_summary.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |title=Results of the Nationwide Urban Runoff Program: Executive Summary |date=December 1983}}</ref>{{rp|4-14}}

An interesting finding of the NURP was that [[Street sweeper|street sweeping]] was considered to be, "ineffective as a technique for improving the quality of urban runoff".<ref name="NURP exec"/>{{rp|15}}

===Impact of the report===
In 1987, the results of the report were used as the basis of an amendment to the [[Clean Water Act]] requiring [[Local government in the United States|local governments]] and industry to address the pollution sources indicated by the report. The amendment requires all industrial stormwater dischargers (including many construction sites) and municipal [[storm sewer]] systems, affecting virtually all cities and towns in the country, to obtain [[Clean Water Act#NPDES permits for point sources|discharge permits]].<ref>United States. Water Quality Act of 1987. {{uspl|100|4}}, February 4, 1987. Added CWA section 402(p), {{USCSub|33|1342|p}}, "Municipal and Industrial Stormwater Discharges."</ref> EPA published national stormwater regulations in 1990 and 1999.<ref>EPA (1990-11-16). [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-10/documents/stormwater_phase1_rule.pdf "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Application Regulations for Storm Water Discharges"]. ("Phase I" stormwater rule.) ''Federal Register,'' 44 FR 47990.</ref><ref>EPA (1999-12-08). [https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-stormwater-rules-and-notices "Regulations for Revision of the Water Pollution Control Program Addressing Stormwater Discharges; Final Rule."] ("Phase II" stormwater rule.) ''Federal Register,'' 64 FR 68722.</ref> EPA and state agencies began issuing stormwater permits in 1991. ''See'' [[United States regulation of point source water pollution#Stormwater management permits|Stormwater management permits]].

==About "NURP ponds"==
The term "NURP ponds" refers to [[retention basin]]s (also called "wet ponds") that capture [[sediment]] from [[stormwater runoff]] as it is detained, and that are designed to perform to the level of the more effective ponds observed in the NURP studies.<ref>For example, see this fact sheet on Wet Ponds published by the Metropolitan Council, St. Paul, MN. [http://www.metrocouncil.org/environment/watershed/BMP/CH3_STRetenWetPond.pdf "Urban Small Sites Best Management Practice Manual: Wet Ponds."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071003200833/http://www.metrocouncil.org/environment/watershed/bmp/CH3_STRetenWetPond.pdf |date=2007-10-03 }}</ref> Some practitioners may assume that a "NURP pond" design conforms to some particular standard issued by EPA, but in fact EPA has issued no regulations or other requirements regarding the design of stormwater ponds. (However, some states and municipalities have issued stormwater design manuals, and these publications may include a reference to a "NURP pond".)

==See also==
* [[Green infrastructure]]
* [[Stormwater management]]
* [[Water pollution in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-stormwater-program EPA Stormwater Permit Program]
*[https://www.epa.gov/nps EPA Nonpoint Source Management Program]

[[Category:Stormwater management]]
[[Category:Water pollution in the United States]]
[[Category:United States Environmental Protection Agency]]