Culvert Material Choices and Their Best Uses in Modern Stormwater Systems

Stormwater culverts come in a wide range of materials, and each type carries a unique combination of strength, lifespan, cost, and installation considerations. Choosing the right material is not a one size fits all choice, because every site presents different soil conditions, hydraulic needs, envir…continue

Stormwater Outfall Data Requirements, What Must Be Recorded and Why It Matters

A well managed stormwater program depends on accurate and complete information about every outfall in a community. Outfalls are the final discharge points where stormwater leaves the municipal system and enters a stream, lake, wetland, or other receiving water. Because these locations represent the …continue

Responding Safely to Contaminated Sediments and Protecting the Watershed

When crews encounter contaminated sediments during routine work, or when a concerned homeowner reports a suspicious odor or unusual discharge, the situation calls for immediate but steady action. Stormwater systems often collect materials from a wide range of sources, and although many sediments are…continue

Safe Entry Starts Before the Hatch, A Step by Step Guide to Confined Space Awareness and Structure Assessment

Opening and entering drainage structures requires a practiced, methodical approach that protects workers from unseen dangers and ensures that every step is guided by awareness, communication, and control. These environments can hold toxic gases, low oxygen levels, and unexpected structural weaknesse…continue

What Are Constructed Wetlands?

Constructed wetlands are engineered systems that mimic the natural processes of a real wetland in order to treat stormwater, wastewater, or other polluted runoff. They are intentionally designed and built rather than formed through natural hydrology, but they function in much the same way. Water flo…continue

What Every MS4 Must Map, and Why It Matters for Waterway Protection

A complete and accurate stormwater map is one of the most important responsibilities for any community that operates as a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4. These maps are not created merely to satisfy a regulatory checkbox. They protect waterways, support field crews, reduce liability, …continue

Free Mapping Tools for Communities with Limited Budgets

Several free or very low cost tools can help communities with limited budgets begin mapping or inventorying their stormwater infrastructure. These tools are not full replacements for a dedicated asset management system, but they can give small towns a head start and help them organize information be…continue

How Wetlands Act as the Kidneys of the Watershed

Wetlands are often described as the kidneys of the watershed because they filter, slow, and transform the water that passes through them in ways that protect downstream ecosystems. This comparison is more than a poetic metaphor. It captures the essential truth that wetlands perform quiet but powerfu…continue

The Fundamentals of Field Inspections for Catch Basins, Culverts, and Outfall.

Field inspections of catch basins, manholes, culverts, and outfalls form the foundation of responsible stormwater management. These routine checks give municipalities an ongoing view of the condition of their drainage network and allow crews to identify issues long before they become flooding hazard…continue

Recognizing Early Signs of Habitat Disruption Around Drainage Structures

Habitat disruption around drainage structures is often subtle at first, and many of the earliest signs tend to appear during ordinary field work rather than during formal environmental surveys. Because highway departments and public works crews encounter these locations regularly, they are in the be…continue

How Harmful Algal Blooms Form, and Why Road Salt Is Making the Problem Worse

Harmful algal blooms have become one of the most pressing water quality problems in many regions, and their rise has been linked to a complicated blend of ecological, climatic, and human factors. In freshwater systems, these blooms are most often caused by cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue green…continue

The Life and Death of the Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is one of California’s most unusual and tragic landscapes, a place shaped by accident, transformed by ambition, and ultimately pushed toward collapse by the very forces that sustained it for decades. Its story is a long arc of creation, prosperity, decline, and ongoing struggle,…continue