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Stormwater Management Planning
Stormwater management in Pennsylvania is, quite literally, all over the map. A wide array of factors go into developing stormwater management plans, and each can vary widely depending on location. Soil types, amount and kinds of vegetative cover, landscape gradients, underlying geology, hydrology are but a handful of the many natural features that must be carefully considered before developing a site. Similar variation exists on a “macro” level: some localities have adopted Act 167 watershed plans and have implemented ordinances to address water quality and quantity concerns while others have not. Effective stormwater management plays a crucial role in maintaining and maximizing the value of our water resources. In the past, stormwater management was considered a necessary afterthought and usually took place late in the development process, long after building and siting decisions had already been made. Today, stormwater management is taken into account at the earliest stages of the site planning process and plays an integral role.
MUNICIPALITIES
The responsibility for implementing Pennsylvania’s stormwater management program rests with local governments through the adoption of stormwater ordinances that comply with a watershed’s Act 167 Plan. The recommended Site Planning and Design Procedure found in the PA DEP Stormwater BMP Manual addresses site development in the context of a municipality’s zoning, stormwater ordinance, subdivision and land development ordinance, and other local requirements.
Site control guidelines are the foundation for local ordinances >>
DEVELOPERS
Planning stormwater programs was once perceived as time consuming and costly, but evidence shows that planning and prevention are far less expensive than remeditation and repair. Rather than incorporate stormwater management into a site after development occurs, today’s requirements call for a site assessment and planning approach that protects water quality, enhances water availability, and reduces flooding potential from the outset. The process begins with an assessment of the site and its natural systems before proceeding to integrating a suite of preventive (non-structural) and mitigative (structural) BMPs into a comprehensive stormwater management plan.
Stormwater planning is an iterative process unique to every site >>
ENGINEERS
To meet the Commonwealth’s anti-degradation requirements, construction projects should result in no-net-change in stormwater runoff volume, rate or quality from pre- to post-construction conditions. The PA DEP Stormwater BMP Manual acts as a guide to finding the most appropriate solution for stormwater challenges on a given site. It promotes a comprehensive Site Planning and Design Procedure to ensure that proposed stormwater management plans integrate both structural and non-structural BMPs to achieve the water quality standards—and offers detailed guidance on calculations and methodologies.
More on standards, calculations, and methodologies >>
