Low Impact Development Strategies and Tools for NPDES Phase II Communities

Small municipalities across the United States are faced with finding cost-effective and reliable stormwater management techniques to comply with NPDES Stormwater Phase II regulations. Constrained by limited capital budgets, choosing stormwater BMPs that maximize financial investment is an important component of the selection process. Low Impact Development techniques allow Phase II communities to implement effective stormwater management programs while also providing the opportunity to lessen the economic impacts of compliance. While possessing the ability to maintain and restore natural hydrology, LID also has the ability to reduce infrastructure costs, improve aesthetics, and meet multiple natural resource protection criteria. Importantly, LID can also be used to satisfy five of the six minimum requirements of the Phase II rule. Institutional barriers still limit greater use of LID and require municipalities to review current zoning codes and ordinances to not only remove these barriers, but also encourage adoption of LID.