Stormwater Opportunity Mapping Using Weighted Spatial Benefit Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stormwater management planning is inefficient and potentially inaccurate, requiring manual review of spatial data to identify projects with maximum benefit potential, and lacks an automated process to prioritize stormwater management measures that align with community priorities.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using spatial analysis to gather, rasterize, and normalize data, generate benefit maps, and combine them with user-defined weights to create opportunity maps that prioritize stormwater management projects based on community-specific benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual review of spatial data is used to identify stormwater management projects, then accuracy of project selection can be maintained through expert judgment, but efficiency and productivity are significantly reduced due to time-consuming manual analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex spatial analysis process into multiple automated layers including benefit maps (runoff reduction, water quality improvement, flood protection) and constraint maps (land use restrictions, ownership constraints, infrastructure proximity). Each layer is independently generated and then integrated through weighted overlay analysis, replacing manual expert review with systematic automated segmentation of the decision-making process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated spatial analysis system as an intermediary between raw spatial data and project selection decisions. This intermediary process uses GIS-based rasterization, normalization, and weighted combination of multiple data layers to objectively identify suitable stormwater management projects, eliminating the need for manual expert review while maintaining or improving selection accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive spatial data analysis is performed to identify multiple benefit categories, then the ability to align with community priorities is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to multiple data layers and processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by allowing users to assign different weights to various benefit categories (runoff reduction, water quality improvement, flood protection, urban heat island reduction) and constraint factors. This dynamic weighting system enables the same automated spatial analysis framework to adapt to different community priorities and local conditions without requiring system redesign, managing complexity through flexible parameter adjustment rather than structural changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal spatial analysis platform that handles multiple benefit categories and constraint types through a single integrated system. The same GIS-based workflow processes diverse data types (precipitation data, soil infiltration capacity, land use data, infrastructure locations) using consistent methodologies, enabling the system to address various community priorities uniformly without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Productivity
If automated spatial analysis is implemented to prioritize stormwater management measures, then productivity and efficiency are significantly improved, but measurement precision may be reduced due to loss of expert judgment nuances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the automated spatial analysis system generates preliminary project priorities based on weighted benefit and constraint layers, which can then be reviewed and adjusted. The system allows for iterative refinement of weights and parameters based on expert input, combining automated efficiency with expert judgment precision through a feedback loop that maintains accuracy while preserving productivity gains.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary automated screening and ranking of potential stormwater management projects using spatial analysis before final selection. This preliminary action identifies high-priority areas based on objective criteria (benefit maps showing runoff reduction potential, water quality improvement opportunities, flood protection needs), allowing experts to focus their judgment on a reduced set of promising candidates rather than reviewing all possible locations, thus maintaining precision while improving efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for identifying stormwater management opportunities in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for identifying stormwater management opportunities comprises gathering spatial data for a region; rasterizing the spatial data into a set of raster data layers; forming a plurality of benefit maps using subsets of the set of raster data layers, wherein the plurality of benefit maps corresponds to a plurality of benefit categories; generating an opportunity map by combining a subset of the plurality of benefit maps using weights corresponding to the plurality of benefit categories; and displaying the opportunity map on a user interface.