Comprehensively Establishing Predevelopment Hydrologic Conditions: A Multiple-Scale Approach for Responding to Trends in Stormwater Management Regulations

Many states and municipalities are issuing revised ordinances and regulations aimed at reestablishing or preserving predevelopment hydrology as a result of development pressure. Many of these locally applied rules specify blanket regulations, based on empirical research from a distant location or conclusions from limited observations. The widespread application of principles derived in a specific location, however, ignores the idea that every watershed responds to precipitation events differently. Planning and growth ordinances, therefore, must look at stormwater. on all levels to better understand and manage its effects throughout the watershed. Using multiple-scale stormwater management assessment procedures can help by identifying methods for assessing a region and determining the most beneficial management measures for protecting the area and establishing a predevelopment hydrologic flow regime.