Evaluating the performance of on-site stormwater detention based on the technical guidelines for developing stormwater projects in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil)

Dias, Mirelle Lopes; Silva, Talita Fernanda das Graças; Drumond, Pedro de Paula; Rosa, Deyvid Wavel Barreto; Moura, Priscilla

doi:10.1590/2318-0331.302520250042

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Scientific/Technical Article • RBRH 30 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2318-0331.302520250042 linkcopy

Evaluating the performance of on-site stormwater detention based on the technical guidelines for developing stormwater projects in Belo Horizonte (MG, Brazil)

Avaliação do desempenho de microrreservatórios dimensionados segundo a instrução técnica para projetos de drenagem urbana em Belo Horizonte (MG, Brasil)

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Standardized design criteria and performance assessment of parcel-level on-site stormwater detention (OSD) remain limited. This study evaluates the hydrological impact of OSD — designed per Belo Horizonte’s (Minas Gerais, Brazil) municipal guidelines — at both parcel and catchment scales using hydrological modeling in a highly impervious, flood-prone subcatchment. Results indicate that while existing guidelines are generally effective, volume sizing could be optimized. OSD implemented across 31.8% of the catchment significantly reduced peak flows, though effectiveness varied by spatial scale. At the parcel level, outflows decreased by 72.3% for 2-year and 50.7% for 100-year return period rainfalls, with delay in peak times of 41.7%. At the catchment level, peak flow reductions reached 24.6% (2-year) and 26.4% (100-year). Flow routing at the catchment outlet revealed reductions in channel overflow volumes and maximum water heights by 75.5%, 54%, and 49% for 2-, 10-, and 50-year events, respectively.

Keywords:
On-site stormwater detention systems; Low impact development; SWMM; Urban drainage assessment

Class	Adopted contributing area (m²)	Total volume (m³)	1^st chamber volume (m³)	2^nd chamber volume (m³)	Drain diameter (mm)
Up to 50 m²	22	0.66	0.528	0.132	6.5
From 50 to 150 m²	96	2.88	2.304	0.576	13.4
From 150 to 200 m²	180	5.4	4.320	1.080	18.4
From 200 to 250 m²	225	6.75	5.400	1.350	20.6
From 250 to 350 m²	298	8.94	7.152	1.788	23.7
From 350 to 600 m²	421	12.63	10.104	2.526	28.1
From 600 to 1000 m²	755	22.65	18.12	4.53	37.7
From 1000 to 3500 m²	1,657	49.71	39.768	9.942	55.9
From 3500 to 9000 m²	8,252	247.56	198.048	49.512	124.7

Scenario	Assessment target	Rainfall return period (years)	Rainfall duration (minutes)	On-site stormwater detention?
Sub2-NoSD	Subcatchment runoff	2	120	No
Sub2-YesSD	Subcatchment runoff	2	120	Yes
Sub100-NoSD	Subcatchment runoff	100	120	No
Sub100-YesSD	Subcatchment runoff	100	120	Yes
Chan2-NoSD	Channel flow routing	2	Critical	No
Chan2-YesSD	Channel flow routing	2	Critical	Yes
Chan10-NoSD	Channel flow routing	10	Critical	No
Chan10-YesSD	Channel flow routing	10	Critical	Yes
Chan50-NoSD	Channel flow routing	50	Critical	No
Chan50-YesSD	Channel flow routing	50	Critical	Yes

Class	Adopted contributing area (m²)	1^st chamber volume (m³)	Increase in 1^st chamber volume	2^nd chamber volume (m³)	Increase in 2^nd chamber volume	Drain diameter in 2^nd chamber (mm)	Increase in Drain diameter in 2^nd chamber
Up to 50 m²	22	0.55	4.2%	0.132	0%	6.5	0%
From 50 to 150 m²	96	2.43	5.5%	1.35	57.3%	21.0	36.3%
From 150 to 200 m²	180	4.60	6.5%	2.60	58.5%	28.0	34.2%
From 200 to 250 m²	225	5.75	6.5%	3.25	58.5%	30.0	31.4%
From 250 to 350 m²	298	7.63	6.7%	4.40	59.4%	33.0	28.2%
From 350 to 600 m²	421	10.74	6.3%	5.60	54.9%	42.0	33.0%
From 600 to 1000 m²	755	19.20	6.0%	10.20	55.6%	55.0	31.4%
From 1000 to 3500 m²	1,657	42.03	5.7%	21.20	53.1%	85.0	34.3%
From 3500 to 9000 m²	8,252	207.03	4.5%	77.00	35.7%	124.0	0%

Class	Adopted contributing area (m²)	Total volume (m³)	Storage rate (L. m^-2)	1^st chamber volume	2^nd chamber volume
Up to 50 m²	22	0.68	31.0	80.7%	19.3%
From 50 to 150 m²	96	3.78	39.4	64.3%	35.7%
From 150 to 200 m²	180	7.20	40.0	63.9%	36.1%
From 200 to 250 m²	225	9.00	40.0	63.9%	36.1%
From 250 to 350 m²	298	12.03	40.4	63.4%	36.6%
From 350 to 600 m²	421	16.34	38.8	65.7%	34.3%
From 600 to 1000 m²	755	29.40	38.9	65.3%	34.7%
From 1000 to 3500 m²	1,657	63.23	38.2	66.5%	33.5%
From 3500 to 9000 m²	8,252	284.03	34.4	72.9%	27.1%

Return period (years)	Rainfall duration (minutes)	Peak flow change	Peak time change	Base time change
2	10	-29.8%	0%	29.5%
	15	-29.3%		36.8%
	30	-29.3%		43.4%
	45	-29.3%		44.2%
	60	-28.0%		42.1%
	120	-24.6%		26.5%
	180	-26.0%		9.6%
100	10	-30.8%		81.5%
	15	-31.1%		84.4%
	30	-30.3%		81.2%
	45	-29.4%		73.7%
	60	-29.1%		78.4%
	120	-26.4%		74.7%
	180	-27.5%		30.9%

Scenarios	Peak flow (m³.s^-1)	Peak flow change	Peak time (minute)	Base time (minute)	Base time change
Sub2-NoSD	10.07	-24.6%	48	212	20.9%
Sub2-YesSD	7.59	-24.6%	48	268	20.9%
Sub100-NoSD	19.63	-26.4%	48	218	31.7%
Sub100-YesSD	14.45	-26.4%	48	319	31.7%

Scenarios	Peak flow (m³.s^-1)	Peak flow change	Peak time (minute)	Base time (minute)	Base time change
Chan2-NoSD	21.94	-29.8%	6	124	21.5%
Chan2-YesSD	15.41	-29.8%	6	158	21.5%
Chan10-NoSD	35.22	-30.8%	6	126	41.9%
Chan10-YesSD	24.46	-30.8%	6	192	41.9%
Chan50-NoSD	47.26	-30.6%	6	126	34.4%
Chan50-YesSD	32.72	-30.6%	6	217	34.4%

Junction	2-year return period		10-year return period		50-year return period
Junction	Overflow volume change	Maximum water overflow height change	Overflow volume change	Maximum water overflow height change	Overflow volume change	Maximum water overflow height change
1	-67%	-66%	-51%	-50%	-44%	-46%
2	-81%	-81%	-52%	-53%	-46%	-47%
3	-65%	-65%	-50%	-50%	-45%	-45%
4	-58%	-59%	-48%	-48%	-44%	-44%
5	-53%	-53%	-46%	-46%	-44%	-43%
6	-100%	-100%	-59%	-59%	-51%	-51%
7	-100%	-100%	-58%	-59%	-51%	-51%
8	-100%	-100%	-59%	-59%	-50%	-51%
9	-83%	-83%	-55%	-55%	-48%	-48%
10	-78%	-76%	-53%	-53%	-47%	-47%
11	-71%	-70%	-51%	-52%	-46%	-46%
12	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-68%	-68%
13	0%	0%	-58%	-59%	-52%	-51%
14	-99%	-99%	-59%	-59%	-51%	-51%
Average	-76%	-75%	-54%	-54%	-49%	-49%

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