Technical Communication: Usage of Storm Water Best Management Practices in Southern California

Severe economic recessionary times beginning in 1990 in southern California and the concurrent introduction of National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit requirements provided a backdrop to evaluate Best Management Practices (BMP) cost effectiveness. This study analyzes municipal Best Management Practices for municipalities in five southern California counties; Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. The hypothesis of this study is that due to the severe economic recessionary times, the BMPs implemented with the greatest frequency (by cities in the five counties studied) are the most cost-beneficial for cities to implement. Each city located in the five counties studied is identified as a coastal, valley, or mountain city. The number of cities that have implemented each BMP are categorized to determine which BMPs are most frequently implemented on a regional basis, and are therefore the most cost-beneficial.