Maintenance of Stormwater BMPs, Stream Restoration, Riparian Buffers, and Templates for Rain Garden Designs
Stormwater BMP Maintenance Practices
Regular maintenance of stormwater facilities is necessary to save time and expense in the long term, and to ensure that the facilities are working as designed. Maintenance programs for various stormwater management facilities and products are discussed in this article by William Atkinson in the current issue of the Stormwater Journal. Products that are discussed include: StormFilter; Stormceptor; HydroKleen; Drain Guard; and cleaning equipment. Read the full article here
Refer also to Chapter 6 of the Stormwater BMP Manual for maintenance considerations for Structural BMPs. You can download a pdf of the complete text of Chapter 6 here.
Challenges of Stream Restoration as a Stormwater Management Tool
The first article of this series dealt with stream restoration as a valuable watershed management practice. The second article discussed construction issues. This final article combines these perspectives and ties them together through a lessons-learned perspective. Read the full article here
Riparian and Wetland Buffers for Water Quality Protection
A compelling review of 137 published scientific papers written over the last 40 years on riparian and wetland buffer widths, and on the subject of providing “ecosystem services” such as: temperature control; streambank stability and sediment control; minimization of direct human impact; removal of total suspended solids; maintaining surface water supply and quality; nitrogen removal; phosphorus removal; removal of pesticides; removal of bacteria; and removal of metals. The authors conclude that vegetated buffers “provide substantial benefits for protecting and enhancing water quality. For streambank stability, temperature control, minimizing degradation from direct impacts, and pollutant removal capacities, substantial benefits are achieved within the first 50 feet of vegetated buffer width. Marginal increases in benefits may accrue when buffer widths are increased beyond 50 feet”. Read the full article here
The PA Stormwater BMP Manual also provides data on ecosystem services. Appendix A for Pollutant Event Mean Concentrations by Land Cover and BMP Pollutant Removal Efficiencies. Download a pdf of Appendix A here.
Rain Garden Design Templates from the Low Impact Development Center
Looking for planting plans for rain gardens in the Piedmont or Mountain regions of Pennsylvania? The Low Impact Development Center provides dozens of Rain Garden Design Templates for a range of conditions that can be used “as is”, or modified to suit specific needs. The designs are colorfully illustrated and can be found here.
Homeowners and others can also find a step-by-step guide to design, build, plant and maintain a rain garden. Download a pdf How-To Manual for Homeowners here .
Also, see also Appendix B of the PA Stormwater BMP Manual for a list of plant species native to Pennsylvania that are suitable for use in any number of BMPs.
