Urban and Highway Stormwater Pollution - Practical SUD Guidance

In this review of Urban and Highway Stormwater Pollution, the reviewer finds a focused, practical resource for engineers and planners dealing with sustainable urban drainage challenges. The book is aimed at professionals and advanced students who need a comprehensive overview of wet weather pollution from urban drainage and road runoff, and the single biggest reason to consider it is its integration of hydrology, hydraulics and transport phenomena into a broader engineering perspective that supports real-world SUD decision making.

Key Features

• Comprehensive coverage: The text brings together hydrology, hydraulics and transport phenomena to form a unified view of urban drainage and stormwater pollution.
• Practical engineering focus: Concepts are presented with an eye toward engineering solutions that can be applied to urban and highway runoff problems.
• Interdisciplinary approach: The authors emphasize that effective SUD requires more than isolated hydrologic analysis and include contextual discussion relevant to planning and management.
• Road runoff attention: Specific treatment of highway stormwater pollution makes the book useful for transportation and civil engineers faced with roadway drainage issues.
• Policy and quality implications: Coverage links drainage problems to public health and economic development, supporting decisions that affect water quality and urban services.

Who It's For

This book is best suited to civil and environmental engineers, water quality specialists, and graduate students who need a readable, engineering-oriented reference on sustainable urban drainage and pollutant transport in runoff. Its value is strongest for professionals responsible for designing or assessing drainage systems where both urban and highway runoff contribute to wet weather pollution.

It is less appropriate for a casual reader seeking an introductory overview of urban planning or for those who need a step-by-step design manual with detailed construction drawings; readers seeking textbook-level problem sets or standards-based design procedures may need supplementary materials.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Addresses both urban and highway runoff, giving a broader view than texts that focus solely on one area.
• Integrates hydrology, hydraulics and transport phenomena to support engineering decisions.
• Links drainage issues to public health and economic outcomes, useful for cross-disciplinary discussions.

Cons

• Not a substitute for detailed design standards or construction-level guidance; readers may need additional technical references.

Specifications

Title	Urban and Highway Stormwater Pollution
Authors	Thorkild Hvitved-Jacobsen, Jes Vollertsen, Asbjorn Haaning Nielsen
Focus	Wet weather pollution from urban drainage and road runoff
Scope	Hydrology, hydraulics and transport phenomena with broader SUD context
Use case	Engineering and planning for sustainable urban drainage
Primary audience	Civil and environmental engineers, advanced students

Our Verdict

Urban and Highway Stormwater Pollution is a solid, application-oriented reference for practitioners who need to understand pollutant transport in urban and roadway runoff and how those processes fit into sustainable drainage planning. While not a design code, its integrated treatment of hydrology, hydraulics and transport makes it good value for engineers and policy-makers seeking a deeper, practical conceptual foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book cover highway runoff specifically?
Yes, it addresses stormwater pollution from both urban areas and highways, making it relevant for transportation drainage issues.

Is it suitable for learning detailed design procedures?
No, the book emphasizes concepts and engineering context rather than step-by-step construction specifications or standards.

Who wrote the book?
The authors are Thorkild Hvitved-Jacobsen, Jes Vollertsen, and Asbjorn Haaning Nielsen, who bring engineering perspectives to stormwater pollution and SUD topics.