Graduate Exit Seminar - Andrew Bahrou

Plan to join Andrew Bahrou's graduate exit seminar on November 10, 2025, at 1:00 pm in Kottman Hall, Room 244 or via Zoom. Andrew will present, "Social dimensions of large-scale, municipal-led urban rain gardens: what shapes public support and neighborhood impacts"

Abstract: Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) promises to improve stormwater management while contributing to sustainable urban landscapes. Yet, GSI’s ability to achieve water quality goals and provide socioeconomic co-benefits, partly depends on public support. This dissertation (i) advances understanding of public perceptions of top-down, municipal-scale GSI by examining factors associated with public support, and (ii) evaluates the broader impacts of GSI by examining its provision of social and behavioral co-benefits. We collected survey data before (N=588) and after (N=639) rain garden installations in the first phase of a multi-year municipal GSI program in Columbus, OH. Using multivariate linear regression models informed by economics, landscape ecology, and stakeholder engagement literatures, we assessed predictors of public support for GSI. Support for GSI was positively associated with expectations of increased property values and neighborhood aesthetics, personal norms and conservation landscaping experience, and satisfaction with outreach programs. Using a before-after, control-impact design, we found that the GSI had no detectable impact on social interactions, physical activity, or pro-environmental behaviors. Post-installation, people were less likely to believe GSI increased property values or neighborhood aesthetics. While residents generally appreciated water quality goals, they disliked designs that impacted the roadway and street parking, had maintenance concerns, and were split on many features, such as drainage management efficacy, plantings, and design elements. These results suggest that planners should work with communities to identify GSI designs and locations that balance stormwater management functionality with aesthetic preferences to minimize potential negative socioeconomic effects. Proactive community engagement, attentive to local norms and appropriate maintenance plans, could improve GSI’s long-term effectiveness by increasing local support.

Advisor: Dr. Jeremy Brooks