The performance of SUDS ponds in Eastern Scotland
type: CreativeWork
description: The study reported in this thesis furthers knowledge on the performance of SUDS ponds in Scotland and provides an enhanced method for analysing and reporting SUDS water quality performance. The research is based on information gained from intensive flows and water quality studies at two SUDS ponds, and additional water quality data obtained at a third pond, over a period of three years. The ponds are located in a new development area, Duloch Park, in Dunfermline in eastern Scotland, commonly known as DEX. Hydraulic monitoring of two ponds clearly showed that both performed well in attenuating flow rates and it was also evident that one of the two ponds, in a catchment with soil class 4, significantly reduced runoff volumes. This demonstrated that even in soil class 4, SUDS can reduce runoff volumes under certain conditions. The other pond was subject to groundwater inflow and did not achieve reduction in runoff volumes. Monitoring results also suggested that detention basins can significantly reduce peak flows of runoff events that have flow rates below the activation level of the outflow control. Catchment runoff results suggested that the standard method used by Scottish Water for calculating greenfield runoff, the IH 124 method, may not be best suited for determining outflow rates from SUDS. For two adjacent catchments at Duloch Park, this method under estimated all but one of the predicted outflow rates for one of catchment, and over estimated all but one of the predicted outflow rates for the other. It was found that the ponds performed well in removing certain pollutants from urban runoff and in attenuating peak concentrations of others. One of the three ponds performed consistently better in attenuating pollutants than the others, most likely due to calmer flow conditions and water seepage that often resulted in partial or total containment of runoff events. Results from sediment data suggest that a SUDS pond’s required sediment removal cycle is strongly depe…
abstract: The study reported in this thesis furthers knowledge on the performance of SUDS ponds in Scotland and provides an enhanced method for analysing and reporting SUDS water quality performance. The research is based on information gained from intensive flows and water quality studies at two SUDS ponds, and additional water quality data obtained at a third pond, over a period of three years. The ponds are located in a new development area, Duloch Park, in Dunfermline in eastern Scotland, commonly known as DEX. Hydraulic monitoring of two ponds clearly showed that both performed well in attenuating flow rates and it was also evident that one of the two ponds, in a catchment with soil class 4, significantly reduced runoff volumes. This demonstrated that even in soil class 4, SUDS can reduce runoff volumes under certain conditions. The other pond was subject to groundwater inflow and did not achieve reduction in runoff volumes. Monitoring results also suggested that detention basins can significantly reduce peak flows of runoff events that have flow rates below the activation level of the outflow control. Catchment runoff results suggested that the standard method used by Scottish Water for calculating greenfield runoff, the IH 124 method, may not be best suited for determining outflow rates from SUDS. For two adjacent catchments at Duloch Park, this method under estimated all but one of the predicted outflow rates for one of catchment, and over estimated all but one of the predicted outflow rates for the other. It was found that the ponds performed well in removing certain pollutants from urban runoff and in attenuating peak concentrations of others. One of the three ponds performed consistently better in attenuating pollutants than the others, most likely due to calmer flow conditions and water seepage that often resulted in partial or total containment of runoff events. Results from sediment data suggest that a SUDS pond’s required sediment removal cycle is strongly depe…
author: Spitzer, Adolf
language: eng
date published: 2007-3
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:50:10Z
provider: Abertay University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Abertay Dundee