“BMPs and the Bigger Picture” was the subject of one of the
panel discussions at StormCon last week in Orlando. Five panelists—Bill Hunt from North
Carolina State University; Andrew Reese of AMEC Earth & Environmental;
Robert Roseen from the University of New Hampshire’s Stormwater Center; Tom
Schueler, founder of the Center for Watershed Protection and currently the
coordinator of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network; and Nikos Singelis of the
USEPA—addressed a number of questions about where stormwater BMPs are headed.
Among the questions prepared by Andy Reese, the panel moderator, was what
will affect the development of BMPs over the next five years, and what should
people be doing now to prepare their programs for the changes ahead. The
panelists took turns throwing out ideas, a couple dozen in all, and the audience
of about 200 voted on them. Some panelists thought we’ll be taking a more
holistic approach to BMPs, looking at the entire watershed and focusing more on
the effects of BMPs on habitat. Some said that life-cycle maintenance costs—not
just purchase or installation costs—will have much greater influence, especially
as we develop a better idea over time of what those costs really are. (Probably
the most welcome answer, though, came from Tom Schueler, who predicted the term
“BMP” itself will meet its demise in the next five years.)
We gave you a chance before the conference to submit questions for the
panel. Here’s your chance to provide some answers, if you weren’t part of the
onsite audience. What do you think will be the most significant trends affecting
BMPs?