Resources · BMPs
Stormwater BMP Training
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are the physical and procedural controls that keep sediment and other pollutants out of stormwater during construction. Here's a plain-language overview of the main BMP categories used on active sites.
Two Jobs: Design and Implementation
Effective BMP use has two parts: selecting the right controls for site conditions (design), and installing and maintaining them correctly through the life of the project (implementation). The categories below cover the controls most commonly required on construction sites, from perimeter protection to daily housekeeping.
BMP Categories
Common Construction Stormwater BMPs
Erosion Control BMPs
Practices that keep soil in place before it can wash away, such as mulching, erosion control blankets, and temporary or permanent seeding. Erosion control is generally preferred over sediment control alone because it prevents the problem rather than capturing it downstream.
Sediment Control BMPs
Practices that capture soil particles that have already been dislodged, before they leave the site , such as silt fence, sediment basins, and fiber rolls.
Perimeter Controls
BMPs installed along the down-slope edges of a site or disturbed area to intercept sheet flow before it exits the property, commonly silt fence, compost socks, or berms.
Inlet Protection
Controls placed around storm drain inlets, such as inlet filters, gravel bags, or block-and- gravel barriers, to keep sediment and debris from entering the storm drain system directly.
Stabilized Construction Entrances
Rock or aggregate pads placed at site entrances/exits to reduce vehicle mud and sediment tracking onto public roads, one of the most common and most cited BMP deficiencies during inspections.
Dewatering Controls
Practices for managing water pumped from excavations or trenches, such as filter bags or sediment traps, so it doesn't discharge sediment-laden water directly off site.
Concrete Washout
Designated, contained areas for washing out concrete trucks and tools, preventing highly alkaline concrete wash water from reaching stormwater or soil.
Material Storage
Proper covering, containment, and location of construction materials, soil stockpiles, chemicals, fuels, to prevent exposure to rain and runoff.
Spill Prevention
Procedures and equipment (spill kits, secondary containment, designated fueling areas) for preventing and quickly responding to fuel, oil, or chemical spills on site.
Good Housekeeping
General site cleanliness practices, trash management, proper waste disposal, minimizing exposed soil, that reduce the overall pollutant load available to wash off in a storm event.
BMP Maintenance and Replacement
Ongoing upkeep, removing accumulated sediment, repairing damaged silt fence, replacing worn controls, identified through routine and rain-event inspections. See Construction Stormwater Inspection Training for how BMP condition gets checked and documented.
Go Deeper
Design Criteria vs. Field Implementation
BMP knowledge splits into two roles. SWPPP Preparer Training covers BMP selection and design criteria as part of preparing the plan document. QSP Practitioner / Field Inspection Training covers hands-on BMP installation, maintenance, and inspection in the field.
This page is for general education only. BMP selection should always be based on your site's specific soil, slope, drainage, and permit conditions, not a generic list. Consult your SWPPP and your permit's exact requirements before finalizing BMP choices.
Ready to Learn BMPs in Depth?
Choose the track that matches whether you design plans or implement them in the field.