Urban Catchments

The research of the "Urban Catchment"-Group aims at combining theory and practice of modern urban hydrology and urban mass flow analysis to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment to aquatic systems. While traditional planning and construction focus on optimizing the individual elements of the urban water systems, we develop holistic approaches based on innovative monitoring and mathematical modeling.

Based on an established track record in the field of storm water management and urban water engineering, our current research in modern urban hydrology is focused on:

• Characterization and mass flow analysis of pollutants (organic and inorganic) in storm water runoff of urban areas to receiving waters
• Development of mathematical models for understanding system behavior and prediction of expected effects as a result of measures (e.g., source control) or changing external factors (e.g., climate change, building practice)
• Research on novel methods of monitoring and sensing to better understand relevant processes in urban hydrology, including procedures for comprehensive data analysis and assessment of uncertainty in the obtained results
• Identification of uncertainty, variability and risk, and characterize their effect concerning design and operation of water infrastructure systems in the built environment

Current Projects:

• Assessing drug loads in sewers

• Managing Uncertainty in the Design of Urban Water Infrastructure

• Urban Rainfall Monitoring
• COMCORDE - Reducing Uncertainties in Urban Drainage Simulations
  

Completed projects:

• Diffuse pollution of Micropollutants from sewer systems (Dimes)
• Enhancing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Urban Water Management with Process Reengineering
  
• The main sewer as reactor
  
• Automatic processing of orthophotos to determine the imperviousness of catchments
• Stakeholders analysis in water supply systems 
• Assessment of the Performance of Urban Sewer Systems - APUSS
• Identifying and Formulating Uncertainties in Urban Water Management
• Conceptual basis of planning wet weather water protection measures - STORM
• Strategic Information Management in Urban Hydrology
  
• Stochastic Forecasting of Specific Substances in Sewer Systems
• FOEN-Project "Strategy MicroPoll"
• Planning the Flexibility of Wastewater Treatment Plants by means of Scenario Analyses
• Storm Water Management
  
• Water protection and SBB [pdf, 1.9 MB, only in German]
  
• Additives used in construction materials and their occurrence in storm water runoff (URBIC)