Storm Water Best Management Practices - Photo Essay

Use best management practices (BMPs) for storm water runoff in new and existing facilities (e.g. replacing an old asphalt parking lot, installing roof drains, replacing roofing, landscaping, etc.). Look at options for absorbing and keeping clean any runoff that comes into contact with your property. Any renovations made now will improve water quality, protect downstream water bodies, reduce flooding, and can be aesthetically appealing.

Please read through the following key points to assist you in creating and implementing storm water best management practices for your business site.

Planting native plants and keeping parking areas to a minimum will allow stormwater runoff to be absorbed.

Replacing/Modifying Parking Lots - Pavers, Porous Concrete and Bioretention Islands

According to Watershed Protection Techniques [3(2): 647] "parking lots rank among the most harmful land uses in any watershed. They not only collect pollutants that are deposited from the atmosphere, but also accumulate pollutants that leak, drip or wear off cars."

The article also mentions several design ideas such as reducing stall sizes, narrowing drive aisles and using inovative materials and practices such as grid pavers, porous concrete and bioretention islands (photos below) to absorb storm water.

For more information on better site design options, please refer to: The Benefits of Better Site Design in Commercial Development [PDF 680KB], Published by the Center for Watershed Protection

Pavers are alternatives to using asphalt and concrete and can be used for parking areas, walkways and driveways. Porous pavement is a permeable (water-absorbing) pavement surface that allows runoff to be treated as it infiltrates back into the soil.

Concrete lattice closeups

Concrete lattice installed in gas station parking lot (above)

The above two photos used with permission from the
Center for Watershed Protection.

Turning Lawn Areas into Native Landscapes

You can save dollars earmarked for lawn maintenance by replacing large, high maintenence mowed areas with native vegetation. Native plants and soils will also have the greatest long term impact on protecting the watershed and any nearby water bodies (lakes, rivers and wetland areas) where storm water runoff ultimately travels. This up-front planning will save costs associated with storm sewer fees, lawn creation and maintenance costs, and disposal charges, to name a few.

The following three photos illustrate various ways to keep or establish vegetation while allowing access. The three examples are: a woodland, a prairie and a wetland area near small businesses.

An example of a natural woodland area near a parking lot.

An example of a native prairie planting near a small business.

An example of a wetland scrape near a car dealership.

All photos above by Tom Blake and Mike Nordin, WI DNR unless otherwise credited.

Long Term Flow Management

Storm water retrofitting includes collecting and treating runoff to save dollars, prevent flooding and protect nearby waterways. The following practices, when used solely, or in combination, will hold back sediment while allowing runoff water to seep slowly back into the ground.

Installing Infiltation Basins and Trenches

Infiltration basins and trenches are used to hold sediment in place, preventing it from choking out and making wetlands ineffective or adding to silty deposits in nearby rivers and lakes. These basins can be very important during larger storms when other storm water management practices cannot treat or recharge runoff as well.

Grassed Swales

Grassed swales function by slowing runoff as it comes off an impervious surface (such as the principal parking area for your business). The grassed swale can remove sediments and other pollutants and provides some infiltration into the soil. A drawback, however, is that they can be ineffective at treating and absorbing runoff during a larger rain event.

Storm Water Wetlands (a.k.a constructed wetlands, artificial wetlands)

Storm water wetlands are shallow pools that have wetland plants which remove pollutants through biological uptake. They are among the most beneficial in removing pollutants and are aesthetically pleasing as well. Storm water wetlands can provide educational and habitat benefits and can be incorporated into any existing ponds or swales you may already have in place.

There are several other practices that can be incorporated into your site design to minimize the impact to the local watershed and save you money.