The Homeowner’s Guide to BMP Operation and Maintenance was developed to assist a homeowner, small business, or other local entity with maintenance of stormwater man­agement BMPs they own. Maintenance requires periodic inspections and activities by the BMP’s owner to ensure the BMP continues to function and manage stormwater as it was originally intended to—and as it was presented and approved for permit approvals.

Each BMP presented in the guide includes a maintenance table that outlines common or required indicators that would trigger a maintenance activity. The indicators are essentially the same issues, such as erosion, that your local municipality will be referring to if they inspect your BMP. Pictures of example common issues with a type of BMP are provided as well to help you identify issues that would need attention. Indicators are conditions that can lead to more problems or inhibit the BMP’s ability to function, and include conditions such as erosion or blocked pipe openings.

The Homeowner’s Guide to BMP Operation and Maintenance includes detailed mainte­nance tables by different types of stormwater management BMPs, background consider­ations for your BMP’s O&M Plan, and example pictures to help assist with your long-term maintenance activities.