SMC develops workplan for regional BMP performance monitoring network

The Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC) has developed a detailed workplan for how it will build a new regional monitoring network to investigate the performance of a wide variety of structural stormwater BMPs (best management practices).

The SCCWRP-authored study workplan for the SMC Regional BMP Monitoring Network – expected to be finalized and published in the coming weeks – will enable the SMC to investigate a prioritized set of research questions intended to shed light on the effectiveness of structural BMPs in treating and managing contamination in runoff.

During the pilot phase, which kicked off this winter, SMC member agencies are investigating two key aspects of BMP performance: (1) what levels and types of pollutants are being removed by flow-through bioretention/biofiltration BMPs, and (2) the rates at which sediment loading into multiple types of BMPs decreases the infiltration rates of runoff.

Results from the pilot monitoring are expected to be available in summer 2023.