Abstract
Climate change can alter rainfall runoff regimes in urban areas by changing rainfall patterns and consequently increasing runoff peaks and volumes. Low impact developments (LIDs) and green infrastructure techniques are strategies that can be employed to control and decrease stormwater runoff in urban areas. In this study the potential for green infrastructure implementation to mitigate future climate change impacts on wet weather flow in the case study of the Bronx River watershed in New York City, USA, is analyzed. For this aim, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Storm Water Management Model (EPA SWMM) is created for the study watershed and driven by precipitation data from the IPCC CMIP5, which are temporally disaggregated using a new change factor methodology. In the following, the SWMM low-impact development (LID) controls component is used to investigate the effect of LIDs on runoff change. Flow-duration curves for historical and projected runoff by climate change are then compared. A scenario of rainwater harvesting and bioretention is found to provide a reduction in flow volume and peak. In conclusion, the climate change impacts are expected to produce more runoff and increase runoff peak in the region, and green infrastructure will provide mitigation benefits.