Stormwater Management
Sustainable Science, LLC designs stormwater retrofits and new stormwater practices that treat runoff from existing development, meeting MS4 and local criteria with practices that also add habitat and are practical to maintain.
Our approach
Most of our stormwater work is retrofit work, so we begin with what is already there: the drainage area, the existing pond or practice, its outlet structure, and the room the site allows. We compute the water quality treatment volume and compare retrofit options, from converting dry ponds to wetland benches and submerged gravel wetlands to adding bioretention and naturalized outlets, against the credit each delivers under MS4 and local stormwater criteria. Designs detail grading, soils and groundwater, planting, and outlet structures, and keep maintenance access and inspection in mind from the first sketch. We prepare the stormwater management and erosion and sediment control plans for county review and support construction through stakeout and observation.
Typical analyses and design considerations
- Drainage area delineation and runoff hydrology
- Water quality treatment volume and credit
- Existing pond, outlet structure, and embankment condition
- Pond retrofit, submerged gravel wetland, and wetland bench options
- Bioretention siting, soils, and underdrains
- Groundwater and seasonal high water table
- Outlet structure and spillway design
- MS4, county, and MDE stormwater criteria
- Planting design and establishment
- Maintenance access and inspection
Project applications
Municipal MS4 retrofit programs, pond conversions for homeowner associations and institutions, campus and facility stormwater upgrades, and stormwater practices paired with stream and wetland restoration.
Related services - Often paired with this work.
Restoration and resiliency projects rarely involve a single service. These are the services we most often deliver alongside this one.
- Treatment Wetlands. Engineered wetlands that capture agricultural and stormwater runoff and remove nutrients and sediment before they reach downstream waters. Learn more →
- Stream Restoration. Channel stabilization and floodplain reconnection designed from hydraulic analysis, with riffle grade controls and bank protection that hold up in the field. Learn more →
- Permitting & Regulatory Coordination. Pre-application meetings, Joint Permit Applications, MDE and USACE authorizations, and county approvals handled alongside the design. Learn more →
Have a project in mind?
Contact Sustainable Science, LLC to discuss how we can support planning, permitting, design, and construction.