Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
J Environ Manage. 2018 Oct 1;223:478-488. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.059. Epub 2018 Jun 26.
The effectiveness of urban stormwater management practices (SMPs) on local water quality is dependent on adoption rates reaching a critical mass. While numerous studies have measured the effectiveness of practices on controlling water quantity and improving water quality, few have focused on the perspective of the public. The purpose of this study was to identify individuals' perceptions of urban SMPs implementation in the public and private realms, and how longitudinal perceptions about the local river could inform future water resource management. Through the lens of environmental behavior theories, we performed statistical analyses on four surveys - 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2016 - administered to urban residents in the Wabash River watershed in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Our findings show that residents' water quality awareness and sense of personal responsibility increase over the ten years studied. In particular, rain garden adopters have higher appreciation of the Wabash River and care about how the river functions than other SMP adopters and non-adopters. In terms of urban SMP adoption, results indicate that residents are supportive of integrating rain barrels and rain gardens into public spaces. Perceptions of SMP benefits related to functional benefits, rather than environmental benefits, are prevalent when considering implementing SMPs on personal property. In addition, respondents support reducing stormwater charges for adopters of such practices on private property. Although cognitive barriers exist in those who have yet to adopt the practices, including concerns about SMP effectiveness, maintenance, aesthetics, and risk of bugs and insects, adopters are less likely to perceive such barriers. This research suggests that making resources (i.e., skills, knowledge, equipment, funding) more accessible to the public is essential, but not sufficient to encourage pro-environmental behaviors. Promoting public involvement in watershed activities, increasing their awareness about how urban SMPs function, and emphasizing the functional benefits of practices can be effective in motivating adoption.
城市雨水管理实践（SMPs）对当地水质的有效性取决于采用率达到临界质量。虽然许多研究已经测量了实践在控制水量和改善水质方面的有效性，但很少关注公众的观点。本研究旨在确定公众和私营领域对城市 SMP 实施的看法，以及对当地河流的长期看法如何为未来的水资源管理提供信息。通过环境行为理论的视角，我们对印第安纳州蒂珀卡努县沃巴什河流域的城市居民进行的四次调查——2006 年、2009 年、2014 年和 2016 年——进行了统计分析。我们的研究结果表明，居民的水质意识和个人责任感在十年的研究中有所提高。特别是，雨水花园的采用者比其他 SMP 的采用者和非采用者对沃巴什河有更高的欣赏度，并且关心河流的功能。就城市 SMP 的采用而言，结果表明居民支持将雨水桶和雨水花园纳入公共空间。在考虑在个人财产上实施 SMP 时，与环境效益相比，与功能效益相关的 SMP 效益的感知更为普遍。此外，受访者支持减少私人财产上采用这些实践的雨水收集费。尽管尚未采用这些实践的人存在认知障碍，包括对 SMP 有效性、维护、美学和昆虫风险的担忧，但采用者不太可能感知到这些障碍。这项研究表明，使资源（即技能、知识、设备、资金）更容易为公众获取至关重要，但不足以鼓励有利于环境的行为。促进公众参与流域活动，提高他们对城市 SMP 功能的认识，并强调实践的功能效益，可以有效地激励采用。
