Stormwater Facility Services

Cities are required to either possess an NPDES permit or drain their stormwater into a municipality or entity that does. The NPDES permit (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Is what ultimately drives the industry. As its name indicates, the permit outlines the maximum levels of pollutant discharge from a given stormwater system to the Waters of the State. Municipalities are required to test stormwater runoff for the presence of such contaminants regularly; hence annual inspections from the local authority having jurisdiction over that specific area. Inspectors will almost always generate a report outlining the required maintenance required at each site. This can force some very expensive reactionary corrections and repairs, not to mention difficult budgetary decisions. Most municipalities are more than willing to work with people to reach that goal and appreciate seeing a genuine effort to that end.

A bioswale aims to capture, treat, and infiltrate stormwater before releasing it into the Waters of the State. That means only clean stormwater goes back into streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, and oceans. This works by introducing untreated stormwater runoff to the top of the Bio Swale. First, the water is directed onto a splash pad, usually made of 2”- 4” fractured rock around the inlet and for a few feet on the bottom of the swale to avoid scouring and erosion. The stormwater then flows gently by gravity through the length of the grass bottom bio swale filtering out contaminants and holding them before leaving the bioswale via ground infiltration and, if necessary, at its outlet.

A properly designed stormwater pond will mimic the ecological function of naturally occurring ponds and wetlands, removing a substantial amount of sediment and other pollutants from stormwater before infiltrating into the ground or releasing downstream into a lake, river, stream, or wetland. This is achieved by allowing stormwater to stay in a pond long enough to promote settling. The very presence of water for a prolonged period, like a pond, brings with it a new set of challenges and introduces different aquatic species of plants and wildlife. Maintenance has a different set of parameters that can be difficult without constant care.

Like any other tool or physical asset, stormwater facilities like bioswales and ponds benefit greatly from regular maintenance. By simply cutting vegetation back a couple of times a year, unwanted plant species like blackberries and ivy, for instance, never get a strong foothold and take over. This allows for easy visual inspection and preventative maintenance to be performed as needed on relevant control structures and associated valves, gates, and trash racks. It also affords the ability to access and replace the rock at the inlet and outlet easily. When rock is replaced as needed, the likeliness of needing to do a major sediment removal in the future decreases exponentially.

Hummingbird Building & Excavation will bring budgetary predictability, a better-looking facility, and, most importantly, help prevent the discharge of contaminated stormwater into our beautiful waters, ensuring future generations can enjoy our natural resources as we do. We achieve this through consistent maintenance and thoughtful planning. The goal is clear, but often the plan is not. We create a custom-tailored maintenance plan for each site and can perform any or all phases of maintenance, from regular mowing and clearing to complete restoration of failed systems. Whether your system is in total failure or you just don’t have time or staff to do it yourself, Hummingbird Building & Excavation can help get you in compliance and keep you there.

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB

Hummingbird Building & Excavation has nearly 30 years in the industry at its disposal, along with an arsenal of task-specific tools from tracked remote slope mowers, excavators, and dump trucks to more traditional tools like machetes, weed whackers, and shovels. Owner, Matt Brown, has worn several hats during his career. He is a journeyman electrician and journeyman equipment operator and has worked for and as a contractor. He also worked five years at the City of Tacoma in a stormwater maintenance capacity performing duties from Stormwater sampling and analysis to developing plans for stormwater facility maintenance and executing them much like he offers today.