Selection and design criteria for structural stormwater best management practices

Since about the late 1970's, best management practices have commonly been used to help relieve the negative stormwater impacts of urbanization. However, even today, many structural best management practices do not provide the quantity control and pollution enhancement they are capable of due to improper selection, design, and maintenance. This thesis provides general selection and design criteria and functional capabilities of some of the most commonly used structural best management practices. Included is a brief overview of the hydrologic impacts of urbanization on the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff, typical regulatory and legal requirements, and tips on screening and selecting the appropriate best management practice. The information used to prepare this thesis was derived from literature review and field observation.