Maximizing Stormwater Treatment Effectiveness in Best Management Practices

The purpose of this study is to explore methodology for maintaining the long-term effectiveness of a Best Management Practices. Best Management Practices are methods devised by engineers to address hydrology and water quality concerns caused by stormwater pollution. This study will explore many factors to determine the long-term effectiveness of a Best Management Practice such as the maintenance performed on the structure, the health of the plant-life, the age of the structure, climate conditions, and public knowledge on the purpose of Best Management Practices. Over the lifetime of a Best Management Practice the plant-life in the structure will eventually die off, weeds and other invasive plant species will propagate and crowd out the native plants in the structure, sediment and refuse will clog physical structures, and the BMP will take structural damage. Part of the study is to determine how these and other factors impact performance and determine the critical threshold for addressing these problems. To establish a Best Management Practice performance index, it is necessary to first determine a benchmark for performance. With a performance index the study will determine the relationship between the health of a Best Management Practice and the effectiveness to remediate stormwater.