Urban Water Quality Management - Domenico D'Alessandro Nov 2010

1. URBAN WATER QUALITY
MANAGEMENT
improving the geochemical cycle through the
creation of vertical watersheds in the
urban core
by
Domenico D’Alessandro
©
2010
PowerPoint presentation at the WAFSCM conference – Wisconsin Dells, WI, Nov. 4, 2010

4. Chicago-Milwaukee area - Chicago has been using
groundwater since at least 1864 and groundwater has
been the sole source of drinking water for about 8.2
million people in the Great Lakes watershed. This long-
term pumping has lowered groundwater levels by as much
as 900 feet.
This map shows contours of water-level declines, in feet,
in the Chicago-Milwaukee area from 1864 to 1980.
AQUIFER DECLINE MAP IN THE UNITED STATES
source:The Water Campws

5. ELEVATED MERCURY ORGANIC TOXINS ELEVATED NUTRIENTS
PESTICIDES
COMBINED WATER PROBLEMS MAP
ACID RAIN

6. carbon dioxide
nitrogen oxide
sulfur dioxide
CHICAGO
2005 Data
heat

7. We must define the
ecology of the urban
core area and treat it
accordingly.

13. We must be able to
create bio-diverse
environments in the
urban context where
traditional methods of
restoration ecology
cannot be employed.

14. Chicago River looking west - 2004
Appending eco-panels to building facades
that don’t have significant architectural Future site
value of Trump
building
Direct architectural
eco-link to the river
Appending eco-structures to Floating platform ecosystem
the seawall anchored to seawall

15. Chicago River Fish Hotel

16. VIEW
STATION
KIOSK
ANCHORING
UNITS
FLOATING
SUPPORT
FRAME
ISLAND FRAME
FISH
CRIB

17. 2005
2006
Installation as envisioned by Domenico D’Alessandro

18. B
A PLACE FOR ALL I
R
D
S I
N
S
BIRDS AND E
INSECTS R C
REPTILES E T
P S
AND T
AMPHIBIANS I
L
E A
S M
P
H
I
FISH B
I
A
N
S
F
I
S
H M
O
L
L
MOLLUSKS U
S
K
S

19. Vertical habitat creation along river
walls will change the overall
experience for boaters and
paddlers.

21. Book and artisans fairs along river walk. The
summer booths may be rented for periods at
a time. The area above the booths
demarcated by the gratings is open to allow
airflow for Lower Wacker Drive.

26. A living wall system based on the use of
tubular structures by cheremserrano
arquitectos.
Living wall system at Vancouver’s Aquarium,
BC, Canada

27. Roof runoff is collected into four
water storage tanks with a
combined capacity of 12,000
gallons.

28. Ms
•Bulk Density (ρb) ρb =
Vb
Ms
•Particle Density (ρp) ρp =
Vs
•Porosity (φ)  ρb 
φ = 1 − 100%
φ =
volume of pores
volume of soil
 ρp 
Mw
–Soil water content θm =
Ms
•Volumetric water Vw
content (θv) θv =
Vb
soil water potential ψt = ψg + ψm + ψo
Fraction available  θfc − θv 
fd =  
water depleted (fd)
 θfc − θwp 
 θv − θwp 
Fraction available fr =  
water remaining (fr)  θfc − θwp 

29. The sequence of destinations of rainwater (Shaxson, 2001 after FAO, 1995b)
1. Direct evaporation from wetted leaf surfaces.
2. Surface runoff/stormflow.
3. Direct evaporation from the soil surface.
4, 5, 6. Plant-available soil moisture within root-range of existing weeds, crops, trees.
7. Soil moisture within root-range of existing plants but held at tensions unavailable to them.
8. Soil moistures held at all tensions, but below root-depth of existing plants.
9. Water not captured by roots and small pores, moving to groundwater and streamflow.
10. Leakage to deep groundwater beneath catchment floor

32. Bio- Shaft Concept Green roof is pitched so the access
water will flow into the bio-shaft.
The bio-shaft comprises of
a column of soil that allows
for the establishment of a
viable geochemical cycle. It
may be designed to have a Bio-panels on façade
variety of soil stratification of building provide
and include perched water food and shelter for
tables if desired. migratory birds.
Interior green walls are
fed by the bio-shaft. The Biofiltration of air
roots of the plants
provide a suitable
environment for Ledge drains collect
microbiological activity. the access water from
The plants help purify the the eco-panels and the
air and create a healthier water that slides down
working environment. the façade during rain
events and channel it
into the bio-shaft.
The interior walls may The filtered water is
be a combination of captured in a cistern an
plants, sculpture and recycled throughout the
light shafts. building where needed.

33. •engineered vertical recharge system
•above ground geochemical cycle
•a variety of levels of saturation, and a healthy
capillary action
•zero runoff and a healthy live water resource
•percolation process will not be compromised
when infrastructure repair or update work is
needed at ground level and will not succumb to
all the various debris and chemical pollution of
street runoff, in particular salinity from winter
road maintenance.
•help prevent overflows in already taxed water
reclamation systems by extending the flow
period
•self-cleaning, CO2 absorbing cement
•walls fitted with sensors that monitor
environmental conditions and makes appropriate
adjustments
•plumbing system control climate and moisture
regimes within the shaft
•smaller interconnected components or be a
stand alone structure that provides treatment of
runoff from surrounding existing buildings.
• extend green roof potential for creating habitat
niches

34. HIGH ELEVATION
NATURALIZED POND
BUILDING
ENVELOPE
BIOSHAFT
GREEN ROOF
BIOSHAFT
BUILDING
ENVELOPE
UTILITIES
TUNNEL
CONNECTION UNMDERGROUND
PARKING
DEBRIS
HAZARDOUS
HIGHLY PLUMES
COMPACTED
SUBSTRATE SUBWAY

35. GREEN ROOF AS A COHESIVE SUSTAINABLE HABITAT DESIGN
FROM THE SKETCHBOOK OF DOMENICO D’ALESSANDRO

36. Filtration Tower
Desalination stage of
runoff water- inner core
Filtration of leachate
in middle core
Planted areas in
double-helix wings
Tower composed
of prefabricated
units.

37. Plant material selected
to handle the leachate
from the core and
further neutralize the
water before it is
released into the
adjoining landscape.

42. MILWAUKEE