Stormwater Design, Installation and Maintenance are all related. Smart design will save you time and money in later phases of your project.
Your budget for creating a Stormwater Management Plan will vary by project, of course, but it is often in the range of $1500 to $3000. Compare this to the cost of Best Management Practice (BMP) installation and maintenance and you’ll see that the graphic above is fairly accurate, especially for larger sites or projects that take longer to complete.
What can learn from this fact?
Design is the driver for the much larger costs that come later in the project. Choosing the right designer is worth evaluating closely. Consider the following areas where wise choices will pay off for the project owner:
- Selecting low maintenance versus high maintenance BMPs
- Identifying durable/re-usable BMPs
- Planning for trade partner traffic and material management
- Proactively identifying high risk areas to avoid trouble during rain events
- Limiting spend where it is less critical
The flip side of these smart choices is the practice of over-designing. Sadly, this is still fairly common. Examples of poor design choices are when you see a perimeter sediment control wrapping the whole site, even upslope areas. Or maybe it is spec’ing an expensive native seed blend for temporary stabilization. Or possibly calling for erosion control blankets when drill seeding would be more effective. The examples vary, but the concept is the same. You need the “just right” solution for your project, not merely what is common practice.
Choose wisely, my friends. Protect your budget and the environment at the same time by spending a bit more energy getting the design right. You will reap the rewards later.