David Sample, P.E.

Program Focus

My research program focuses upon improving the management of urban stormwater at its source, advancing the design of stormwater control measures (SCMs), also known as best management practices (BMPs), to improve resulting water quality. Outputs include improved mathematical models and monitoring techniques for assessing SCM performance. These outputs support improved design. Better designed SCMs are more predictable, and more effective, achieving  greater pollution reduction at lower costs, which will lead to improved surface water quality publications, and reports.

Extension Program Focus

The goal of my extension program is to improve the understanding of practices used in managing urban stormwater.  My extension activities are intended to extend proven LID research to stormwater managers and designers as they adapt designs to improve water quality performance.  Another goal is to provide appropriate information to the public that will build capacity and knowledge on improving quality of urban runoff and other nonpoint source issues.  As part of meeting these objectives, my extension program develops education programs targeted at groups with the greatest need in the most current issues in stormwater management.  These include developing a watershed-based educational series; providing technical and educational guidance on stormwater BMPs; and working collaboratively with local/state/federal agencies, consultants, and other academics in developing an evaluation protocol for BMPs that incorporate proprietary technologies, verifying performance without hindering innovation.  I have developed a series of self-sustaining Extension workshops focused on educating BMP designers and reviewers about the newest and most cost-effective urban stormwater treatments available. The objective of these workshops will be to increase the capacity of my audiences so they are able to use leading edge engineering practices to address water quality issues.

Current Projects

1. Developing a self-sustaining workshop series on urban watershed management
2. Exploring the implementation of an evaluation program for proprietary BMPs in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, a U.S. EPA Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) funded workshop
   
3. Urban Nutrient Management Certification/Training program with VDCR - My contribution is a primer on urban runoff management. A modified version of this chapter was later used as a text for the Chesapeake Bay Certified Landscape Professionals program.
   

Towsif Khan, S. Wynn‐Thompson, T.M., Sample, D., Al‐Smadi, M., Shahed Behrouz, M.,..., 2024. Effectiveness of stormwater control measures in protecting stream channel stability, Hydrological Processes, 38 (6), e151784.

Shahed Behrouz M., Sample D.J., Kisila, O.B., Harrison M., Nayeb Yazdi M., Garna R.K., 2024. Parameterization of nutrients and sediment build-up/wash-off processes for simulating stormwater quality from specific land uses. J Environ Manage. 2024 Apr 9;358:120768, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120768

Shahed Behrouz, M., Sample, D., and Nayeb Yazdi, M., 2023. Robustness of Storm Water Management Model, J Clean Prod., doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137328

Zhu, D., Cheng, X., Sample, D., Qiao, Q., and Liu, Z., 2023. Effect of water temperature on internal nitrogen release from sediments in the Pearl River Delta region, China. Hydrol Res.,  doi: 10.2166/nh.2023.056 

Shahed Behrouz, M.S., Yazdi, M.N., Sample, D.J., 2022. Using Random Forest, a machine learning approach to predict nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment event mean concentrations in urban runoff. J. Environ. Manage., 317, 115412. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115412

Shahed Behrouz, M. S., Yazdi, M. N., Sample, D. J., Scott, D., and Owen, J. S., 2022. What are the relevant sources and factors affecting event mean concentrations (EMCs) of nutrients and sediment in stormwater. Sci Total Environ., 828, 154368. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154368

Wang, Q., Li, F., Zhao, X., Zhao, W., Zhang, D., Zhou, X., Sample, D.J., Wang, X., Liu, Q., Li, X., Li, G., Wang, H., Zhang, K., Chen, J., 2022. Runoff and nutrient losses in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) production with tied-ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting on sloping land. Int. Soil Water Conserv. Res., 10, 308–323. doi:10.1016/j.iswcr.2021.09.005

Alamdari, N., Claggett, P., Sample, D., Easton, Z., and Nayeb Yazdi, M., 2022. Evaluating the joint effects of climate and land use change on runoff and pollutant loading. to J Clean Prod., 330, 129953, doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129953 

Sridhar, V., Ali, S. A., & Sample, D. J., 2021. Systems analysis of coupled natural and human processes in the Mekong River Basin. Hydrology, 8(3). doi:10.3390/hydrology8030140 

Nayeb, M., Scott, D., Sample, D. J., and Wang, X., 2021. Efficacy of a retention pond in treating stormwater nutrients and sediment. J Clean Prod., 290, 125787. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125787

Nayeb Yazdi, M., Sample, D., Scott, D., Wang, X., and Ketabchy, M., 2021. The effects of land use characteristics on urban stormwater quality and watershed pollutant loads. Sci Total Environ., doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145358

Nayeb Yazdi M., Ketabchy M., Sample D.J., Scott D., Liao, H., 2019. An evaluation of HSPF and SWMM for simulating streamflow regimes in an urban watershed. Environ. Model. Softw., 118, 211–225. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2019.05.008 

Nayeb Yazdi, M., Sample, D.J., Scott, D., Owen, J.S., Ketabchy, M., and Alamdari, N., 2019. Water quality characterization of storm and irrigation runoff from a container nursery. Sci Total Environ., 166–178. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.326.

Alamdari, N., and Sample, D.J., 2019. A Multiobjective Simulation-Optimization Tool for Assisting in Urban Watershed Restoration Planning. J Clean Prod., 213, pp 251-261. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.108blicationsPresentations»