Small communities looking for help controlling storm water should check out the Urban Small Sites Best Management Practice ((BMP) Manual. This manual covers 40 BMPs designed to manage stormwater pollution for small urban sites (less than 5 acres) in a cold-climate setting. Developed by the Metropolitan Council, the goal of this manual is to support the principles of smart growth by accommodating growth while preserving the environment.

The manual is broken into four chapters: Factors in BMP Selection; Selecting BMPs; Best Management Practices and Regulation of Water Quality. The Best Management Practices are listed under Runoff Pollution Prevention or Stormwater Treatment BMPS.

Runoff Pollution Prevention
Impervious Surface Reduction
* Street Design
* Cul-de-Sac Design
* Parking Lot Design
* Turf Pavers
* Green Rooftops

Housekeeping
* Pavement Management
* BMP Maintenance
* Landscape Design and Maintenance
* Animal Management

Construction Practices
* Grading
* Sequencing
* Vehicle Tracking Pad

Soil Erosion Control
* Mulches, Blankets, and Mats
* Vegetative Methods
* Structural Methods
* Silt Fences
* Inlet Protection
* Temporary Sedimentation Basins/Traps
* Check Dams

Stormwater Treatment BMPs
Infiltration Systems
* On-Lot Infiltration
* Infiltration Basins
* Infiltration Trenches

Filtration Systems
* Bioretention Systems
* Surface Sand Filters
* Underground Filters
* Filter Strips

Constructed Wetlands
* BMPs in Series
* Stormwater Wetlands
* Wet Swales

Retention Systems
* Wet Ponds
* Extended Storage Ponds
* Wet Vaults

Detention Systems
* Dry Ponds
* Oversized Pipes
* Oil/Grit Separators
* Dry Swales

Flow Control Structures
* Permeable Weirs
* Flow Splitters
* Proprietary Flow Control Devices

For more information on this manual check out www.metrocouncil.org/environment/Watershed/BMP/manual.htm or call Metropolitan (MET) Council at 651-603-1401. The manual can be downloaded or purchased from MET Council.

Other stormwater manuals include Protecting Water Quality in Urban Areas, a 694-page on-line manual from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. This manual covers regulatory issues and detailing best-management practices on storm water runoff urban, suburban and developing areas of Minnesota.

For information on choosing best management practices, cold climate impact and runoff management, stormwater credits and other resources, check out the Minnesota Stormwater Manual by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.