Stormwater Management

Stormwater management facilities include detention basins, retention basins, water quality devices, infiltration facilities and other structural and non-structural Best Management Practices (BMPs). Drainage systems and treatment devices are not developed to be stand-alone, maintenance free systems. Storm water quality devices such as those produced by Cultec, Vortechnics, and Stormceptor that are currently incorporated into many stormwater management systems require periodic maintenance to function properly. The regular inspection and maintenance of these facilities is essential to their proper operation to reduce flooding and prevent the pollution of surface and ground water. Inspections will identify structural and functional problems as well as satisfy the DEP Dam Safety requirements for certain of these structures. Routine maintenance includes debris and vegetation removal, trash rack cleaning and channel cleaning.

It is a good general practice to identify the entire drainage infrastructure on a map and corresponding report or plan, describing the general function of each component. Each component should have a maintenance and inspection schedule. This plan should be simple and easily understood for the property owner, manager and maintenance personal. This asset management plan should transfer in the eventual sale of the property. Simple steps like this can maintain the integrity of the designed system, increase the aesthetics of the site and comply with local and state regulations for stormwater maintenance. Compliance with stormwater management is both a requirement and an act of good environmental stewardship.