Integration of Low Impact Development Studies into the International Stormwater BMP Database

Abstract

Low Impact Development (LID) strategies are being encouraged in many communities as an approach to reduce potential adverse impacts of development on receiving streams. Many questions exist regarding how well various LID strategies perform in different settings, just as similar questions have been raised regarding performance of traditional stormwater best management practices (BMPs). Over a decade ago, Urban Water Resources Research Council (UWRRC) members worked to develop a set of standardized monitoring and reporting protocols for traditional BMPs and establish a master database for the purpose of evaluating BMP performance and the factors affecting performance. This effort culminated in the International Stormwater BMP Database (www.bmpdatabase.org), which contains data for over 350 BMPs and continues to operate as a clearinghouse for stormwater BMP data and performance analyses. During 2008–2009, the Stormwater BMP Database project expanded to better integrate LID into the database. This paper provides a condensed overview and progress report on the LID-focused effort, including the following topics: 1) monitoring guidance for LID at the overall site development level; 2) an overview of recent changes to the stormwater BMP database to better accommodate LID studies, 3) a summary of LID studies currently included in the database; and 4) initial concepts related to evaluating performance of LID studies.