Articles Tagged: Stormwater Inspection

When stormwater professionals encounter an unexplained discharge, a suspicious pipe, or a drainage system that does not behave as expected, one of the most effective investigative tools available is dye testing. Used by municipalities, engineers, environmental consultants, utility operators, and reg…

The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program is one of the cornerstones of stormwater regulation in the United States. Established under the federal Clean Water Act and administered through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the MS4 program requires municipalitie…

Stormwater drainage systems are among the most critical yet overlooked components of rural infrastructure. Hidden beneath roads, driveways, fields, and stream crossings, culverts and drainage pipes quietly transport runoff away from roadways and developed areas. Many rural drainage systems were inst…

In stormwater management, some of the most serious failures begin as subtle warning signs that are easy to overlook unless someone is paying close attention. A cross culvert that appears nearly full on a dry day, with no recent rainfall to explain elevated water levels, is one of those warning signs…

Closed-circuit television, or CCTV, drainage inspection has become one of the most effective tools available to municipalities for understanding the true condition of their buried stormwater infrastructure. Unlike surface inspections, which can only reveal limited information, CCTV inspections provi…

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4, compliance is built on documentation. Whether you are demonstrating outfall inspections, tracking illicit discharge investigations, or verifying maintenance activities, a well-organized photo-log can be one of the most effective and defensible tools in …

Infiltration-based best management practices, or BMPs, are designed to capture, store, and gradually infiltrate stormwater into the ground. These systems, which include bioretention basins, infiltration trenches, dry wells, and porous pavement systems, are particularly vulnerable during and immediat…

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System programs, commonly referred to as MS4 programs, are often viewed as regulatory obligations, while stormwater asset management is treated as an operational necessity. In reality, these two efforts are deeply interconnected. When properly aligned, a strong asset m…

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 stormwater systems tend to operate quietly in the background, doing their job year after year with little attention. Pipes carry flows, culverts pass streams beneath roads, catch basins collect runoff, and ditches guide water away from infrastructure. Because these systems are largely out …

Managing outfalls as assets rather than afterthoughts represents a fundamental shift in how municipalities approach stormwater infrastructure. For many communities, outfalls are only addressed when something goes wrong, such as erosion, structural failure, or a visible discharge issue. By that point…

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 …