Articles Tagged: Municipal Operations

A Look at the English Brook Delta in Lake George, New York Sediment is a natural part of any water system, but when it accumulates faster than a system can handle, it begins to change the waterbody in ways that are both visible and subtle. Excess sediment alters water clarity, transports nutrients, …

Culverts are often out of sight and, as a result, out of mind, until they fail. When they do fail, the consequences can range from nuisance flooding to full roadway washouts. One of the most overlooked factors in culvert performance is vegetation management. Too little control can obstruct flow and …

Municipal road crews are on the front lines of stormwater management whether they realize it or not. Every ditch they shape, every culvert they install, and every roadside repair they complete has a direct impact on how water moves across the landscape. Yet in many public works departments, stormwat…

Municipal governments are often viewed as stewards of water quality, yet many of their routine, necessary operations can unintentionally contribute pollutants to the stormwater system. Unlike wastewater, which is treated before discharge, stormwater typically flows untreated into nearby streams, riv…

Housing density is often discussed in terms of zoning, neighborhood character, or affordability, but it has a direct and measurable impact on stormwater runoff. In Using Smart Growth Techniques as Stormwater Best Management Practices, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency makes a compelling case …

Municipal leaders and highway departments are under constant pressure to maintain aging infrastructure with limited local budgets. Culverts fail, roads deteriorate, and drainage systems quietly reach the end of their useful life, often without the funding needed to address them. Yet, while many muni…

Training field crews to support asset management goals is one of the most overlooked, yet most impactful, steps a municipality can take when trying to build a reliable stormwater or roadway asset program. You can invest in the best software, develop detailed capital improvement plans, and establish …

Building a stormwater asset inventory often begins in a very familiar place, a spreadsheet opened by someone who knows the system well enough to start writing things down. There is nothing wrong with that starting point. In fact, many successful asset management programs begin with a simple table of…

Stormwater asset management is one of those concepts that sounds technical and abstract, yet at its core it is simply about knowing what you own, understanding its condition, and making informed decisions before problems turn into emergencies. For municipalities responsible for miles of pipe, hundre…

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…

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, …