Introduction of Baseline BMPs

Best management practices (BMPs) are measures or controls implemented by a facility to reduce the amount of polluted stormwater to enter the surface water. It is a systemic approach to achieve overall effectiveness of stormwater pollution control through a combination of various single practices. They may involve implementation or changes to a process, an activity, or a physical structure. There are two major types of BMPs:

• Structural BMPs that improve the quality and control the volume of the stormwater runoff through engineered and/or constructed systems.
  

• Nonstructural BMPs that improve the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff through administrative and/or procedural practices such as good housekeeping, training in spill response procedures, and record keeping.

Types of BMPs can also be classified according to the time point the pollutants are prevented/treated from the stormwater runoff. Source control BMPs are to elimniate or reduce the amount of pollutants before they are generated. Treatment BMPs are to remove pollutants from stormwater before it leaves the facility site. The various BMPs have been presented in the following lessons in this training module:

• Lesson five: Baseline BMPs

• Lesson six: Nonstructural BMPs

• Lesson seven: Structural BMPs

Copyright @ January,2005 Prepared by Transportation Environmental Resource Center (TERC)