International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

Abstract—This study evaluates the impacts of land use on storm water quality. Storm water samples were collected from three main land use areas; residential, commercial and industrial lands around the Town of Victoria Park in Western Australia. Each sample was tested to measure important water quality parameters. Time variation of storm water flow, rainfall intensity and storm water quality clearly showed that the highest concentration of pollutants in storm water occurs during the first flush event. Further analysis shows that the commercial storm water demonstrated the cleanest appearing storm water with lowest amounts of suspended solids whereas the industrial storm water had the dirtiest appearing storm water quality. Nutrients in the residential storm water have the lowest nitrate, ammonia and phosphate concentrations. Overall, the industrial land use site recorded the worst storm water quality. Study further provides recommendations for water quality improvement and management controls.

Index Terms—Storm water, land use, water quality, pollutants, water quality management.

Ranjan Sarukkalige is with Department of Civil Engineering, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia (e-mail: P.Sarukkalige@curtin.edu.au).
Shane Priddle is with Infrastructure Design Branch, Water Corporation, 629, Newcastle Street, Leederville WA 6007 Australia (e-mail: S.Priddle@watercorporation.com.au.)
Dinushi Gamage is with Tactical Asset Management, Water Corporation, 629, Newcastle Street, Leederville WA 6007 Australia (e-mail: D.Gamage@watercorporation.com.au.)

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Cite: Ranjan Sarukkalige, Shane Priddle, and Dinushi Gamage, "Evaluation of the Impacts of Land Use on Storm Water Quality: Case Study from Western Australia," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 20-26, 2012.