Stormwater Management

Stormwater Management is a process for controlling increased runoff due to new development.  Development generally increases the amount of impervious surfaces such as asphalt, building roofs or concrete.  These surfaces do not allow water to infiltrate and all the water that falls in these locations accumulates as stormwater runoff.  If left uncontrolled, the increased runoff can cause erosion and flooding and degrade water quality.

The stormwater management process compares runoff rates from a site prior to and after development.  The post-development runoff rate must be equal to or less than the pre-development runoff rate.  This decrease is runoff is accomplished through the use of storage and infiltration controls.  Storage can be in the form of rooftop storage, parking lot storage or pond storage.  Runoff rates are controlled by detaining stormwater and releasing it at a slower controlled rate.  Infiltration controls are methods of increasing the amount of infiltration through the use of infiltration trenches or soakaway pits.  Increased infiltration replenishes groundwater supplies in the area and reduces runoff. 

Stormwater management is an important part of the environmental planning process.  Prior to receiving a building permit, a stormwater management plan must be completed and accepted by the regulating authority. 

K. Smart Associates Limited provides stormwater management design for land development projects such as residential developments, commercial and industrial developments.  We have a complete library of stormwater management computer software to assist us in modeling simple and complex stormwater management projects.