Hitchcock Woods is the first project to result from the City of Aiken’s Sand River Stormwater Management Plan and the first installation of its kind in South Carolina and the country. The project provides approximately 25 acre-feet of new stormwater storage within the Sand River watershed and a new passive park built on top of the innovative facility.

Hitchcock Woods has experienced damage to its health and integrity as a result of urban stormwater runoff, including massive erosion, sedimentation, and pollutants. The stormwater had carved sand canyons in some spots and toppled trees in others. With the absence of significant stormwater management, combined with the City of Aiken’s growth since 1950, the sheer volume and velocity of stormwater runoff being directed and discharged into the Woods grew to a devastating level. One rain event discharged 35 million gallons of stormwater runoff into the Woods through a 10-foot-diameter pipe in a nine-hour period, and at its peak, at a rate of 100,000 gallons per minute. An area once passable by foot had been eroded into a 70-foot high and 25-foot-wide canyon.

The design team recommended a solution that utilized forecast-based, real-time control technology, also called continuous monitoring and adaptive control (CMAC), to be installed on a set of underground vaults. These vaults were positioned at the downstream end of Aiken’s Sand River urban watershed, just upstream of major erosion in Hitchcock Woods. CMAC was estimated to increase the effectiveness of the vaults by 2-3x by retaining water during and after storms, increasing infiltration, and only discharging in preparation for forecasted storm events exceeding the capacity of the vaults.

In addition to the stormwater management BMPs, a passive park was built overtop these facilities as part of the site restoration. The area contains pervious rubber sidewalks, demonstration pollinator gardens, and a rain garden, as well as educational signage that depicts the history of Aiken and the Hitchcock Woods.

SPEAKER BIO: 

Mr. Hetrick, a graduate of University of Delaware Environmental Engineering program, has twenty-three years’ experience that has included design and management of projects involving flood and drainage 1D and 2D modeling, drainage and pond design; hydraulic, hydrologic, and water quality modeling; stormwater control measures (SCM) analysis, design, inspection, monitoring, and maintenance; sediment control design; and watershed analysis and planning. Mr. Hetrick’s specialty is providing client-focused stormwater program support to help a variety of municipal, county and state clients

Engineers:

This seminar does qualify for 1.0 Professional Development Hour (PDH). A Certificate of Attendance will be available for AWRA-PMAS members only. The meeting price for non-members who wish to receive a Certificate of Attendance for the PDH is $10.00 ($3.00 for meeting + $7.00 for certificate).  

Please note: 

• Presentation Zoom link will be provided in registration reminder email.
• Zoom link should only be used by those who register for the event through AWRA directly. 
• PDHs will be issued through PDFs.
• Please allow extra time to register through Zoom and get software set up.
• Presentation will start at noon.
• Early participants will be in a Waiting Room until noon. 
• Participants must email AWRA.PMAS@gmail.com to request PDH Certificate after the event.

Thank you!