Articles Tagged: Best Management Practices

Open channel outfalls occupy a unique space in stormwater infrastructure. They are simple in appearance, often nothing more than a vegetated swale or gently graded channel, yet when properly designed they function as treatment systems, flow control measures, and in northern climates even snow manage…

Dry weather outfall screening is one of the most effective and defensible tools available to municipal stormwater programs for identifying illicit discharges. Under MS4 permit requirements associated with the Clean Water Act and the NPDES stormwater program, municipalities are required to implement …

Lake George in upstate New York is often called the “Queen of American Lakes” because of its exceptional clarity and scenic setting in the Adirondack Mountains. For generations, residents and visitors have prized its transparent waters, vibrant fisheries, and tourism economy. Yet in rece…

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…

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…

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…

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…

*The screenshots used in this article are from Roadwurx, an asset management software created for road maintenance departments. Managing a town’s stormwater system can quickly become overwhelming when maintenance and inspection records are scattered across clipboards, spreadsheets, or dusty fi…

Culverts are among the most overlooked pieces of municipal infrastructure, yet they play a critical role in keeping roads passable and communities safe from flooding. When a culvert fails, the results can be immediate and costly: road washouts, property damage, and emergency closures. That is why re…

Culverts are enclosed conduits that carry surface water beneath roads, railways, trails, and embankments, allowing drainage and traffic to coexist safely. They form one of the most common, and often most overlooked, structures in municipal stormwater networks. When sized, installed, and maintained c…

Natural streams, creeks, and drainage swales evolved to carry rainfall runoff long before culverts and pipes existed, and they remain one of the most efficient, resilient, and cost-effective elements in any municipal stormwater network. When a community plans for development or retrofit, treating th…

Stormwater management succeeds when the landscape itself is considered the first line of defense. Certain parts of that landscape offer outsized benefits or face outsized risks, and thoughtful planning around them is essential. Special Value Features are areas that deliver exceptional stormwater ben…