What should you monitor for effectiveness when maintaining BMPs?

Monitoring the performance against plans is crucial when maintaining Best Management Practices (BMPs) because it directly assesses whether the BMPs are functioning as intended to prevent stormwater pollution. This involves evaluating if the BMPs meet their design specifications and performance criteria, ensuring they effectively manage stormwater runoff and reduce contaminants.

By comparing actual performance to established plans, you can determine if any adjustments are needed to improve efficiency or address issues that may arise. This could include assessing how well the BMPs control sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants, as well as monitoring for any unexpected failures or challenges in operation. Keeping BMPs aligned with their intended goals is key to maintaining compliance with regulations and ensuring environmental protection.

While other factors like color of materials, moisture levels, and duration of use can provide useful information, they do not directly measure the efficacy of the BMPs in fulfilling their primary purpose. Performance against plans, on the other hand, offers a comprehensive evaluation of how well the BMPs are achieving their objectives in stormwater management.