Introduction to stormwater BMPs Introduction to stormwater BMPs

The foundation of stormwater management is an understanding of how a particular land area and drainage system can affect, and can be affected by, the stormwater passing through it. In particular, when (or preferably before) alterations are made to the land area or drainage network, stormwater managers need to understand and anticipate how the alteration is likely to affect the volume, flow rate, and quality of runoff moving through the system, and in turn, how the stormwater is likely to impact the people, property, and natural resources of the area. Modeling is a tool that can be used to understand and evaluate complex processes.