Applicability of BMPs for cold climate use
Applicability of BMPs for cold climate use
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| BMP Family | BMP | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PollutionPrevention | Housekeeping practices | Yes | Focus on rapid clean-up of paved surfaces after snowmelt |
| Atmospheric control | Marginal | Control of auto emissions and industrial output usually not under local control, but exposed winter soils are controllable | |
| Chemical controls | Yes | Salt management and chemical spill control can be local programs | |
| Animal waste management | Yes | Strict waste control can be covered in local ordinance | |
| Streambank stabilization | Yes | Attention to local erosion sites can reduce ice damage and sediment load from high spring flows | |
| Runoff Volume Minimization | Natural area conservation | Yes | Preserving pervious areas for meltwater to infiltrate is effective way to control volume |
| Soil amendments | Marginal | Enhancing soil permeability will increase infiltration of meltwater | |
| Reduction of impervious surface | Yes | Preserving pervious areas for meltwater to infiltrate is effective way to control volume and to minimize mobilization of pollutants | |
| Grass drainage channel | Yes | Routing meltwater over a pervious surface will yield some reduction in flow and improved water quality | |
| Rain barrel/cistern | Marginal | Capturing meltwater from a building will reduce volume but ice build-up could be a problem unless collection occurs below frostline | |
| Permeable pavement/blocks | Yes | Recent research has shown this approach to be successful in cold climates when properly installed and maintained, and when sanding kept to a minimum | |
| Soakaway pit/drywell (designed so as not to qualify as a Class V injection well) | Yes | Effective as long as system is installed below the frostline to avoid ice build-up | |
| Stormwater planter | Marginal | These are designed more for the growing season, but they do provide a sump area for runoff to collect and will infiltrate some of the volume | |
| Rooftop garden | Yes | Recent research has shown that slow melting in the spring reduces the volume running off of roof surfaces | |
| 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 |
| Storage components | Yes | Adaptations must be made to allow meltwater runoff to receive appropriate amount of treatment (see discussion following in this section); treatment effectiveness usually lower than warm weather | |
| Outlet | Yes | Proper design of the outlet structure can be the key to ponding effectiv | |
| Constructed Wetlands | Forebay | Yes | See comment for forebay above |
| Storage components | Yes-to marginal | Volume will be less than typical pond, but provide location for storage, some infiltration, filtration and some microbial activity; biological activity at a minimum | |
| Supplemental Treatment | Proprietary sediment removal | Yes | These devices are typically installed below ground and below the frostline, and can be effective in treating sediment-laden spring runoff |
| Catch basin insert | Marginal | The location of these in a very cold location often leads to icing conditions; can be marginally effective for solids even if frozen | |
| Wet vault | Yes | See comment for proprietary devices | |
| Chemical treatment | Yes | These systems are designed to inject treatment chemicals for all flows | |
| Floatable skimmer | Yes-to-marginal | Proper installation of a floatable skimmer or baffle weir will allow water to pass even when thick ice is present; draws water from below ice layers | |
| Sorbents | Yes | These absorb chemicals usually in sub-grade systems | |
| Thermal protections | No | Do not apply to winter conditions | |
| Biological additives | Yes | See comment for chemical treatment |