BMPs

Question 1

What does BMP stand for?

Answer 1

Best Management Practices

Question 2

What do BMP do?

Answer 2

Make approaches based on known science to allow client meet the required standards

Guidelines

Result Based
Developed in a regional context
Relies on accountability of qualified professional

Question 3

What is the objective of BMP?

Answer 3

Maintain a Natural capital and environmental values during the development of urban and rural areas

Question 4

Some examples of BMP topics

Answer 4

1Community planning, 
2consultation, 
3climate change, 
4heritage & archeology, 
5Noise, Ecosystem, 
6Air Quality, 
7Erosion and 
8Sediment Control, 
9Pollution Prevention

Question 5

Explain the purpose of Community Planning

Answer 5

Main goal = > build a healthy environment

influences better emission, noise, light, distances of travel, convenience of life style, convenience of buying healthy food, safety.

The amount environmental resources needed to supply goods and services that is produced by civilization is ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT.

Question 6

Explain what the Consultation part of BMP do

Answer 6

There is a consultation requirement that is needed to address these BMP.

Usually by giving out public notice (newspaper, internet, open letters), provide access to information, conducting general public consultation

Question 7

How is climate change incorporated into these projects?

Answer 7

Design an idea that miminize the emission of GHG.

• promote public transit
• promote energy efficiency

Basically design an idea that creates less carbon footprints

Question 8

What are some design criteria/scenearios to consider and reduce climate change?

Answer 8

High sea levels
greater storm surges
change in precipitation
increase in peak flow events
exxtreme events
wind loading
wildfires
change an annual temps 

All of climate change considerations

Question 9

define Heritage and Archeology

Answer 9

Heritage - land that includes land covered by water which has a heritage value (historical worth) to BC or aboriginals.

Archeology - sites consist of physical remains from the past human activities.
ex: 8000 year old campsite in fraser river canyon
18th century fur trade fort on peace river

Both of these are protected under the law of BC Heritage Conservation Act

Question 10

What is the BC Heritage Conservation Act?

Answer 10

Protect heritage and archeological sites regardless of whether they are on public/private land.

It is automatically protected if it has some physical evidence of human use predating to 1846.

Question 11

What is the BMP for archeology?

Answer 11

greenfield developments will require archeological assessment prior to the project.

assessment is called AOA - archaeological overview assessments
- Initial review of KNOWN information in the area to determine the likelihood of an archeological site.

• can impact design, schedule and cost of the greenfield development

Question 12

How does Noise impact us?

Answer 12

All municipalities have a noise control bylaws that limits the hours for construction work.

Question 13

How do you control noise?

Answer 13

remove the source
remove the receptor of the noise
protect the receptor
control and reduction measures for the noise

Question 14

Examples of noise reduction measures

Answer 14

equipment positions

turn off the equipment when it’s not in use.

noise blanket over loud generators

noise barriers for highways

Quiet pavements

Question 15

How to perform BMP for air quality?

Answer 15

Things to consider during operation:

• system design and selection
• minimize traffic congestion
• material used
• setbacks from busy roads
• location of the vents / discharges

During Construction, you can do:

• equipment maintenance, equipment selection
• minimize idling
• dust control by water, fence, vegetation
• secure loads on trucks
• minimize drop heights or use drop chutes to discard things.

Question 16

BMP for Ecosystem, species and habitat

Answer 16

species and habitat are very economical valuable resources to us. Any sites that enhances the biodiversity of the area will be bring attention. It could range from small land area to huge landscape.

Derive the list by red and blue.

Red = extirpated, endangered, threatened ( need to stay away from those )
Blue = not immediately threatened, but their population is decreasing and it is a concern

Question 17

How to appraoch BMP for Ecosystem, species and habitat?

Answer 17

Gather information on the area.

Locate the development in a less sensitive area that doesn’t affect the ecosystem.

Avoid building on floodplains

Provide buffer zones around valued areas

Provide wildlife corridors

Construction schedule need to be considered when to start.

Question 18

What is erosion and sediment control?

Answer 18

erosion - removal of soil particles by action of water, wind, ice or gravity

sediment - natural occuring materials that is transported by water, wind, ice, or gravity

Question 19

Types of erosions

Answer 19

Raindrop erosion
Sheet erosion
Rill and Gully erosion
Stream and Channel Erosion

Question 20

What causes erosions

Answer 20

Land developement increases the likelihood of erosions. It damages the site, requires clean up, sediment reduces water quality which imapcts species living in there and drinking from the streams.

sediment clogs

Question 21

How do you do erosion BMP?

Answer 21

Source control to reduce erosion and sediment control as well.

By erosion control, it depends on the soil type, vegetative cover, slope steepness, slope length and preciptiation intensity and duration.

Question 22

What are the major principles to implement BMP for erosions?

Answer 22

plan the development to fit the site

• should be large graded area that is on natural level areas.
• preserve as much natural vegetation as possible.
• Areas of steep or long slopes of possible erosion soil requires engineering to be redeveloped into a safety manner.
• —–> leave a buffer strip of natural vegetation at the bottom of the slope.
• stabilize and protect disturbed area as soon as possible.
• Keep runoff velocities slow
• ———> mulching, matting, seeding, live staking, ripraps.
• protect the disturbed areas from runoff
• retain sediment within the corridor or site area
• implement a thorough maintenance and follow up program -> critical and daily checks are typical

Question 23

Absorbent Landscaping

Answer 23

soaks up stores slowly releases rainfall

No underlying subdrain or resovior
does not pond water - needs to overflow to somewhere else.

Question 24

inflitration swale

Answer 24

shallow grassed , planted channels

stores design storm, allowing to infiltrate slowly

Storage may be on the surface or underground rock reservoir

flows greater than design storm are conveyed to other systems

10-20% upstream impervisor area

Question 25

Full infliritation speed

Answer 25

> 30mm/hr

suitable to catch small catchments and high subsoil infiltrate

Question 26

full infiltration with reservoir

Answer 26

reduces ponding WITH underground storage!

>15mm/hr

Question 27

Partial infiltration and Subdrain

Answer 27

subdrain provides underground overflow before it backs up to the swale

reservior increases storage capacity

<15mm/hr low subsoil infiltration

great for large catchment and low subsoil infiltration

Question 28

What are some problematic infiltration systems

Answer 28

high water tables
Bed rocks
drinking water well
land use
construction consideration