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Subjects › Environment › Stormwater › Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Storm and Surface Water Management
Updated 02/2012

Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Storm and Surface Water Management

Contents

Introduction

This page highlights a few best management practices for Storm and Surface Water Management. For additional resources consult the individual stormwater manuals that can be found on the page, Local Storm and Surface Management Plans, Programs, Regulations and Policy Documents. See also the Low Impact Development page.

About Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are a method by which the adverse impacts of development and redevelopment are controlled through their application. BMPs are defined in the state's storm water Manual "as schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and structural and/or managerial practices, that when used singly or in combination, prevent or reduce the release of pollutants to waters of Washington State." The types of BMPs identified by the state are source control, runoff treatment, and flow control.

The primary purpose of using BMPs is to protect beneficial uses of water resources through the reduction of pollutant loads and concentrations, and through reduction of discharges (volumetric flow rates) causing stream channel erosion.

It is generally more cost effective to prevent impacts using source control than using runoff treatment to remove pollutants. However, since source controls cannot prevent all impacts, some combination of measures will always be needed. (Adapted from Minimum Technical Requirements Vol. I, Storm Water Management Manual for Western Washington, Washington State Department of Ecology, April 2005, p. 8)

General Best Management Practices

Washington State Department of Ecology Publications

Treatment Best Management Practices

Local Government Examples

Best Management Practices for Specific Facilities

Construction BMPs

Commercial/Industrial/Manufacturing BMPs

Public Property

Transportation

Need more information?

Feel free to Ask MRSC. Washington cities, counties, and our contract partners can call or email MRSC for more information and advice - free of charge.