3.2.3.5 - Urban Drainage + Case Study: SUD Olympic Park, London

Question 1

What is interception?

Answer 1

When precipitation lands on buildings, vegetation, concrete, etc before it reaches the soil. Storage is temporary, often quickly evaporated

Question 2

WHat is vegetation storage?

Answer 2

All the moisture in vegetation at one time

Question 3

What is surface storage?

Answer 3

Total volume of water held on earth’s surface in lakes, ponds and puddles

Question 4

WHat is groundwater storage?

Answer 4

Water in underground permeable rock strata

Question 5

WHat is channel storage?

Answer 5

Water held in a river or stream channel

Question 6

HOw can flooding be increased in urban areas?

Answer 6

If run off from roofs and paved areas is piped into waterways

Question 7

WHat are SUDS?

Answer 7

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems

Question 8

What do SUDS aim to do? (3)

Answer 8

• Control the quality and rate of runoff from a development
• Improve the quality of runoff
• Enhance the nature conservation, landscape, and value of the site and surroundings

Question 9

What are permeable pavements?

Answer 9

Pavements made of porous material such as concrete blocks, porous asphalt, and crushed stone

Question 10

Where does water go from a permable pavement?

Answer 10

It may infiltrate directly into the subsoil or be stored in an underground reservoir before soaking into the ground

Question 11

What are swales?

Answer 11

Shallow ditches with gently sloping sides that can be built into the landscape

Question 12

What are the advantages of swales? (4)

Answer 12

• They provide temporary storage for stormwater
• Reduce peak flows
• Facilitate filtration of pollutants
• Encourage microbial decomposition

Question 13

How can green roofs act as SUDS?

Answer 13

They reduce flow rates and improve water quality, as well as improving insulation

Question 14

WHat are infiltration trenches?

Answer 14

Stone filled resevoirs to which stormwater run off is redirected

Question 15

HOw are pollutants removed from infiltration trenches?

Answer 15

By absorption, filtering, and microbial decomposition in the surrounding soil

Question 16

WHat does the type of SUDS in place depend on? (4)

Answer 16

• The pollutants present in run-off
• The size of and drainage strategy for the catchment area
• The hydrology of the area and infiltration rate of soil
• The presence of Groundwater Source Protection Zones or contaminated land

Question 17

WHat do SUDS aim to do?

Answer 17

Drain surface water in a manner that will provide a more sustainable approach than what has been standard practice of re-routing run-off through a pipe to a watercourse

Question 18

Where is the Olympic development located?

Answer 18

Statford, east London

Question 19

WHat does the Olympic park house?

Answer 19

The velodrome, aquatics centre, Copper Box and Riverbank Area

Question 20

What was the site used for formerly?

Answer 20

An industrial/ commercial development as a depository for building rubble from properties demolished during WW2

Question 21

Why was infiltration previously reduced?

Answer 21

Due to high levels of contamination

Question 22

What was employed around pedestrianised areas?

Answer 22

Porous asphal stris to collect run off

Question 23

Where was water taken from the asphalt strips?

Answer 23

Into granular trenches below which contain perforarted pipes, then draining into catchpits and finally watercourses

Question 24

What was the main feature of the park in terms of SUDS?

Answer 24

The wetlands area

Question 25

What other strategies were employed?

Answer 25

Swales, filter strips and small volume balancing ponds

Question 26

Where was rainwater harvesting employed?

Answer 26

The velodrome and Copper Box

Question 27

What was intended for the wetlands?

Answer 27

To be a wildlife haven for plants and animal, with habitats crated for otters, herons and water voles

Question 28

What was taken into account when the SUDS were designed?

Answer 28

The potetial impacts of climate change

Question 29

What were given appropriate methods of treatment?

Answer 29

Sources of surface water contamination

Question 30

How could the SUDS system be improved?

Answer 30

BY considering eleements such as meltwater from snow or ice

Question 31

What was ensured during the construction of the system?

Answer 31

The safe operation and maintenance of the system