4 Key Questions to Answer Before Conducting An Annual Stormwater Facility Inspection

A vital but often overlooked part of stormwater facility management is the implementation of an annual inspection program. Routine inspections help keep your system functioning properly, which in turn helps to mitigate flooding in your neighborhood and prevents stormwater runoff from polluting downstream waterways. It’s also important to be aware that, in many cases, stormwater facility inspections are required by local and state regulating authorities.In addition to ensuring regulatory compliance and keeping your stormwater system operating to its fullest potential, annual stormwater system inspections will help you identify and fix problems before they become too costly to correct. A routine maintenance program will also help you properly budget for future repairs—because even with the most diligent maintenance program, major structural repairs and dredging of the facilities will ultimately be required.Before implementing an annual stormwater inspection plan, though, there are 4 key questions that should be answered:

1. Does your stormwater facility retain, detain or infiltrate stormwater?
2. Where and how does water enter the facility?
3. Where and how does water exit or discharge into an adjacent stream, wetland or other stormwater facility/system?
4. What structural components make up your facility, what are their ages, and of what material are they made?

The stormwater management experts at SOLitude will work with you to help answer each of these questions, and will help you determine the best ongoing maintenance and inspection program for your individual system. Depending on the specifics of your stormwater lake or pond, ongoing maintenance activities may include some or all of the following:

• Periodic inspection of inlet pipes and outlet structures for cracks or other damage
• Clearing of the inlet pipes and outlet structures to maintain flow
• Removal of debris from areas where riprap has been installed
• Control of trees and invasive species on the embankment and near inlet and outlet structures
• Completion of regular bathymetric studies to track the buildup of sediment on the bottom of your waterbody over time

Having a management plan that includes annual stormwater inspections will provide you with the valuable information you need to put together long-term maintenance budgets for your facility. So if you’re not conducting annual stormwater inspections as part of your overall stormwater management plan, the time to start is now. The stormwater management professionals at SOLitude are ready to assist.

Contact a SOLitude Lake Management expert at 888-480-LAKE (5253) to get a conversation started regarding your stormwater management plan.

SOLitude Lake Management is committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Our services include lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, mechanical harvesting, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, water quality testing and restoration, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, biological assessments, habitat assessments, invasive species management and nuisance wildlife management. Lake, pond and fisheries management services, consulting, and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.