Applicability of BMPs for cold climate use

Applicability of BMPs for cold climate use

BMP Family	BMP	Classification	Notes
Temporary Construction Sediment Control	Preconstruction planning	Yes	Focus on sequencing to avoid open soils during winter and on limited grading prior to freeze-up
	Resource protection	Yes	Buffers reduce runoff by providing infiltration potential
	Runoff control	Yes	Stable drainageways and sediment basins assure erosion control and provide storage opportunities for spring meltwater
	Perimeter control	Yes	These practices are especially effective during winter construction
	Slope stabilization	Yes	These must be installed prior to freeze-up to be effective; they must be checked often and maintained all winter
	Stabilized soil	Marginal	Seeding, blankets and sprayed stabilizers must all be in place and working before freeze-up; if necessary, blankets can be laid and held in place with sandbags or rock logs
	Inspection and maintenance	Yes	Essential for proper operation all winter
Bioretention	Rain garden	Marginal	By definition, these are growing season practices, but they do provide a sump area for storage and some infiltration during a melt
	Depressed parking islands	Yes	These can provide needed storage during the cold season and for spring runoff events; vegetation will not be a factor during winter
Filtration	Media filter	Yes-to marginal	Surface systems need to be fully dry before freezeup for these to work properly; sub-grade systems can be very effective for meltwater treatment
	Surface vegetative filter	Marginal	Vegetative filtering is reduced once vegetation dies back in the fall; some physical filtering will occur if vegetation density and depth are sufficient
	Combination filter	Yes-to marginal	See comments above
Infiltration	Trench	Yes with caution	Effective when designed, installed and maintained properly; caution applies to limitations on source area to avoid high concentrations of Cl and toxics
	Basin	Yes with caution	See above comment
Stormwater Ponds	Forebay	Yes	Effective if designed with enough available volume to accommodate meltwater in the spring