Stormwater Maintenance
Mark your calendars. It's time for cleaning.
On your mark. Get Set. Go. It's time for maintenance! So break out your list of stormwater controls, maintenance schedules, and inspection forms, find a pen, pencil, or computer, and let's start prioritizing and cleaning!
Now is the time to consider developing an operation and maintenance (O&M) plan or manual if you don’t already have one. O&M plans may include basic elements such as:
- Identification of the parties responsible for maintenance
- Maintenance schedules
- Inspection requirements
- Frequency of inspections
- Easements or covenants for maintenance
- Identification of a funding source
- Description of basic maintenance activities like weeding, mulching, trimming of shrubs and trees, replanting, sediment and debris removal, and inlet/outlet cleaning
See below for:
- Maintenance Descriptions and EPA Resources
- State Best Management Practice Manuals and Maintenance Information
- Mosquito Control Resources
Maintenance Descriptions and EPA Resources
- Catch Basin Inserts
Typical maintenance of catch basins includes trash removal if a screen or other debris capturing device is used, and removal of sediment using a vactor truck. Operators need to be properly trained in catch basin maintenance. Maintenance should include keeping a log of the amount of sediment collected and the date of removal. Some cities have incorporated the use of GIS systems to track sediment collection and to optimize future catch basin cleaning efforts.
- Green Infrastructure Maintenance
Maintenance of green infrastructure generally requires more labor and less heavy equipment than maintenance of gray infrastructure. Learn about what to look for when you inspect green infrastructure and how frequently to conduct maintenance activities.
- Wet Ponds and Wetlands
Wet ponds and wetlands assist communities in developing an integrated stormwater management systems which includes proper maintenance of existing wet ponds and wetlands, the exploration of retrofit opportunities, and implementation of micro-treatment practices and design principles.
State Best Management Practice Manuals and Maintenance Information
Many state manuals have information on best management practices, maintenance schedules, and various checklists that can be used when performing maintenance. Some of these resources are listed below.
The following links exit the site Exit
- Connecticut
- Stormwater Quality Manual provides guidance on the measures necessary to protect the waters of Connecticut from the adverse impacts of post-construction stormwater runoff. This manual focuses on site planning, source control, and stormwater treatment practices. It is intended for use as a planning tool and design guidance document by the regulated and regulatory communities involved in stormwater quality management.
- Maintenance inspection checklist is part of the Stormwater Quality Manual that provides a list of typical maintenance actions needed for stormwater best management practices.
- Delaware
- Stormwater Best Management Practice Maintenance provides technical resources for stormwater facility maintenance, native plants, and invasive plants.
- BMP Maintenance Review Checklists includes stormwater maintenance checklists for both gray and green infrastructure practices.
- Iowa
- Stormwater Manual provides stormwater management strategies on traditional flood control practices and green infrastructure practices, uniform sizing criteria, and maintenance criteria.
- Stormwater Manual provides stormwater management strategies on traditional flood control practices and green infrastructure practices, uniform sizing criteria, and maintenance criteria.
- Kansas and Missouri
- Protecting Water Quality: A field guide to erosion, sediment and stormwater best management practices for development sites in Missouri and Kansas provides many different options and techniques for controlling stormwater. It helps the reader to develop an effective and cost efficient strategy to manage stormwater within their unique community.
- Protecting Water Quality: A field guide to erosion, sediment and stormwater best management practices for development sites in Missouri and Kansas provides many different options and techniques for controlling stormwater. It helps the reader to develop an effective and cost efficient strategy to manage stormwater within their unique community.
- Maine
- Long-term Inspection and Maintenance Plan of Stormwater Management Structures includes inspection schedules and corrective actions for various stormwater management practices to help ensure they remain effective at removing pollutants.
- Maine Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual includes a state stormwater management manual, information on phosphorus control in lake watersheds, best management practice technical design manual, certification for inspection and maintenance of stormwater practices, a five-year recertification for long-term maintenance of practices, and a simple long-term maintenance plan.
- Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook identifies three components of stormwater management including (1) site planning, (2) source controls, pollution prevention, and construction period erosion and sediment controls, and (3) design, construct, and maintenance of structural best management practices. It also includes stormwater management standards, best management practices, and other useful information.
- Checklist for a stormwater report that includes maintenance considerations at the end of the document.
- Michigan
- Post-Construction Storm Water Runoff Controls Program: Compliance Assistance Document includes information on performance standards, site-specific requirements for contaminated sites and potential hot spots, site plan review, operation and maintenance requirements for best management practices, and enforcement response procedures including tracking.
- Post-Construction Storm Water Runoff Controls Program: Compliance Assistance Document includes information on performance standards, site-specific requirements for contaminated sites and potential hot spots, site plan review, operation and maintenance requirements for best management practices, and enforcement response procedures including tracking.
- Minnesota
- Minnesota Stormwater Manual gives stormwater managers best management designs, models/techniques, operation and maintenance information, case studies, and other helpful information.
- Minnesota Stormwater Manual gives stormwater managers best management designs, models/techniques, operation and maintenance information, case studies, and other helpful information.
- New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Stormwater Manual includes information for the selection, design, and application of ways to manage stormwater including source controls, design techniques (including low impact development), structural practices, and construction practices to minimize adverse hydrologic and water quality impacts.
- New Hampshire Stormwater Manual includes information for the selection, design, and application of ways to manage stormwater including source controls, design techniques (including low impact development), structural practices, and construction practices to minimize adverse hydrologic and water quality impacts.
- New Jersey
- New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual includes examples of ways to meet New Jersey standards. It includes introductory chapters on stormwater, maintenance, and retrofit of stormwater management measures to be included and considered in maintenance plans, and other information.
- Maintenance Guidance provides maintenance plan, field manuals, maintenance logs, and other information to help design engineers and responsible parties to comply with the maintenance requirements for stormwater management measures.
- South Carolina
- South Carolina Stormwater Manual details best management practice usage, installation, inspection, maintenance, and design specifications.
Mosquito Control Resources
- EPA’s Mosquito Control Website compiles information about mosquitoes, ways to prevent mosquitoes, mosquito repellents, and pesticides for mosquito control.
- EPA’s Stormwater Structures and Mosquitoes Fact Sheet provides basic information on measures to lower mosquito production in stormwater structures to protect public health.
- Delaware Mosquito Control Exit provides background information on mosquitoes, ways to control mosquito breeding, and things homeowners can do to reduce sources around their homes.
- Massachusetts Mosquito Control Exit in Stormwater Management Practices compiles information on how to reduce mosquitoes during the active construction phase and post-construction phase.
- Minnesota Mosquito Control Exit provides information on the types of mosquitoes that are present in Minnesota along with methods to limit mosquito breeding in stormwater facilities.