Protecting Homes and Businesses Through Stormwater Planning

Efficient Stormwater Management from McClure

While our homes can keep us warm and dry, the forces of nature are still capable of disrupting communities and their residents. For example, excess stormwater runoff from rain or snowfall can cause physical damage to property as well as create safety hazards and spread pollution. However, when properly managed and implemented, professional stormwater planning can offer the designs and strategies capable of minimizing these hazards. 

McClure and our team of experts can help you devise a stormwater plan that can reduce and even eliminate the negative impacts of stormwater runoff. We can also assist with the planning and construction of infrastructure designed to assist with runoff management. 

Why Does Stormwater Runoff Need to Be Managed?

Proper management of stormwater runoff is a complex civic and environmental challenge. With the frequency of extreme precipitation events increasing, a prompt and comprehensive response must be developed in the form of an effective stormwater management plan. With the expertise McClure can provide, regional stormwater plans can accomplish the following: 

The safe and efficient redirection of stormwater runoff: Runoff water should be diverted away from at-risk property or sensitive natural habitats in a manner that allows maximum absorption into the soil and minimizes erosion. 

Minimal or controlled flooding: While infrastructure can be implemented to store or redirect runoff water, no amount of planning can prevent record-setting rainfall. Effective planning should then help manage flooding when it can’t be outright prevented, protecting the public as much as possible. 

Public health and safety: Excess runoff water poses multiple hazards to the public. Not only can it cause damage and carry pollutants, but it can cause flooding can trap people in their homes or cause serious injury while slowing emergency services. We can help develop and implement management strategies to reduce excess runoff. 

Implementing Best Management Practices

Key elements of every runoff plan include Best Management Practices or BMPs. BMPs consist of structural, managerial, or even vegetative practices designed to assist with the storing, filtration, and discharge of runoff water. The selection and implementation of BMPs depend on the specific site conditions and goals for each location. 

The first step in implementing BMPs is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the site to identify the primary stormwater runoff issues, such as flooding, erosion, or water pollution. This assessment will typically involve analyzing topography, hydrology, and land use of the area, as well as identifying all existing stormwater management infrastructure.  

For example, rural communities may choose to focus on protecting natural waterways while urban environments may be more concerned with preventing local flooding through practices like retention ponds or permeable pavement systems. Once potential issues have been identified, the appropriate BMPs can be selected to mitigate those issues. Some common types of BMPs include: 

Retention Ponds: Retention ponds are man-made ponds that are designed to store and slowly release stormwater runoff. They can help to reduce the risk of flooding by slowing down the flow of water and storing it in a safe area. 

Sediment Basins: There are lots of types of sediment capturing practices but all are designed to trap sediment and other pollutants from the stormwater runoff. These are typically placed where runoff enters another practice, to simplify maintenance on the downstream BMP. 

Oil-Grit Separators: Also known as water quality inlets, oil-grit/grease separators are designed to separate chemical substances like oil and grease from stormwater runoff. 

Bioswales: A vegetative BMP, bioswales are shallow channels filled with native plants designed to filter and treat stormwater runoff. Plants are chosen for their ability to tolerate high water levels and slow the flow of runoff. 

Rain Gardens: Rain gardens are shallow depressions capable of capturing and filtering stormwater runoff. They are typically filled with native plants and mulch, which help to slow down and filter the runoff. While a rain garden can be implemented on a wider scale, individual rain gardens are one strategy home and business owners use to limit flooding on their own property. 

Permeable Pavement: Permeable pavement is a type of pavement that allows water to pass through it. Some water is stored in gravel chambers, while the rest infiltrates into the ground below, which can help to reduce the amount of runoff that reaches downstream waterways. 

After the appropriate BMPs have been selected, the next step is to design and implement the stormwater management infrastructure. This may involve the use of computer modeling and design software to ensure that the selected infrastructure will be effective in managing the stormwater runoff. The design should also take into account local, state, and federal regulations for stormwater management. 

Satisfying Regulations

Regulatory agencies at all levels of government may be involved with the creation and implementation of stormwater planning. The specific agencies involved depends on the type of development as well as the status of adjacent land. Permits may be required and many practices require consistent maintenance and safety inspections to ensure compliance. 

At the federal level, these projects may involve the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and even the Fish and Wildlife Service. State and local agencies may include natural resources, health and/or public works departments.. 

Protecting the Future Through Sustainability and Green Infrastructure

While our homes can keep us warm and dry, the forces of nature are still capable of disrupting communities and their residents. For example, excess stormwater runoff from rain or snowfall can cause physical damage to property as well as create safety hazards and spread pollution. However, when properly managed and implemented, professional stormwater planning can offer the designs and strategies capable of minimizing these hazards. 

McClure and our team of experts can help you devise a stormwater plan that can reduce and even eliminate the negative impacts of stormwater runoff. We can also assist with the planning and construction of infrastructure designed to assist with runoff management. 

Why Does Stormwater Runoff Need to Be Managed?

Proper management of stormwater runoff is a complex civic and environmental challenge. With the frequency of extreme precipitation events increasing, a prompt and comprehensive response must be developed in the form of an effective stormwater management plan. With the expertise McClure can provide, regional stormwater plans can accomplish the following: 

The safe and efficient redirection of stormwater runoff: Runoff water should be diverted away from at-risk property or sensitive natural habitats in a manner that allows maximum absorption into the soil and minimizes erosion. 

Minimal or controlled flooding: While infrastructure can be implemented to store or redirect runoff water, no amount of planning can prevent record-setting rainfall. Effective planning should then help manage flooding when it can’t be outright prevented, protecting the public as much as possible. 

Public health and safety: Excess runoff water poses multiple hazards to the public. Not only can it cause damage and carry pollutants, but it can cause flooding can trap people in their homes or cause serious injury while slowing emergency services. We can help develop and implement management strategies to reduce excess runoff. 

Implementing Best Management Practices

Key elements of every runoff plan include Best Management Practices or BMPs. BMPs consist of structural, managerial, or even vegetative practices designed to assist with the storing, filtration, and discharge of runoff water. The selection and implementation of BMPs depend on the specific site conditions and goals for each location. 

The first step in implementing BMPs is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the site to identify the primary stormwater runoff issues, such as flooding, erosion, or water pollution. This assessment will typically involve analyzing topography, hydrology, and land use of the area, as well as identifying all existing stormwater management infrastructure.  

For example, rural communities may choose to focus on protecting natural waterways while urban environments may be more concerned with preventing local flooding through practices like retention ponds or permeable pavement systems. Once potential issues have been identified, the appropriate BMPs can be selected to mitigate those issues. Some common types of BMPs include: 

Retention Ponds: Retention ponds are man-made ponds that are designed to store and slowly release stormwater runoff. They can help to reduce the risk of flooding by slowing down the flow of water and storing it in a safe area. 

Sediment Basins: There are lots of types of sediment capturing practices but all are designed to trap sediment and other pollutants from the stormwater runoff. These are typically placed where runoff enters another practice, to simplify maintenance on the downstream BMP. 

Oil-Grit Separators: Also known as water quality inlets, oil-grit/grease separators are designed to separate chemical substances like oil and grease from stormwater runoff. 

Bioswales: A vegetative BMP, bioswales are shallow channels filled with native plants designed to filter and treat stormwater runoff. Plants are chosen for their ability to tolerate high water levels and slow the flow of runoff. 

Rain Gardens: Rain gardens are shallow depressions capable of capturing and filtering stormwater runoff. They are typically filled with native plants and mulch, which help to slow down and filter the runoff. While a rain garden can be implemented on a wider scale, individual rain gardens are one strategy home and business owners use to limit flooding on their own property. 

Permeable Pavement: Permeable pavement is a type of pavement that allows water to pass through it. Some water is stored in gravel chambers, while the rest infiltrates into the ground below, which can help to reduce the amount of runoff that reaches downstream waterways. 

After the appropriate BMPs have been selected, the next step is to design and implement the stormwater management infrastructure. This may involve the use of computer modeling and design software to ensure that the selected infrastructure will be effective in managing the stormwater runoff. The design should also take into account local, state, and federal regulations for stormwater management. 

Satisfying Regulations

Regulatory agencies at all levels of government may be involved with the creation and implementation of stormwater planning. The specific agencies involved depends on the type of development as well as the status of adjacent land. Permits may be required and many practices require consistent maintenance and safety inspections to ensure compliance. 

At the federal level, these projects may involve the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and even the Fish and Wildlife Service. State and local agencies may include natural resources, health and/or public works departments.. 

Where We Make An Impact

With experience designing runoff infrastructure and water quality practices large and small, McClure can help you identify the best solutions to the problem of regional stormwater runoff.