Abstract |
The hydrologic performance of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) is an important factor in the overall effectiveness of BMPs in reducing potential adverse impacts of urbanization on receiving waters. In addition to providing water quality data, the International Stormwater BMP Database also provides watershed characteristics and monitoring results for precipitation and flow conditions, enabling assessment of the hydrologic performance of BMPs when such data are provided by the researcher. BMP performance metrics recommended since the inception of the BMP Database project have included: (1) the fraction of long-term runoff volume managed by the BMP (i.e., capture efficiency), (2) the fraction of the captured volume that is lost in the BMP and does not discharge to surface water (i.e., volume reduction), and (3) the level of treatment provided for water that discharges from the BMP (effluent concentration characteristics). |