Monitoring

The adaptive environmental management (AEM) cycle identifies monitoring as a key element in the knowledge building and learning process.

Overview

An inspection and monitoring program is a fundamental part of implementing stormwater management plans and operating facilities. The program evaluates whether a stormwater management practice or system is constructed and functioning according to design and meets the environmental and public health and safety objectives it was designed to meet.

Detailed inspections and monitoring during and after project implementation also help identify potential problems before they grow into larger issues and provide project management staff with opportunities to learn from mistakes and improve processes and designs in future projects. This process of continuous learning and improvement is often referred to as ‘adaptive management’ which ‘promotes flexible decision making that can be adjusted in the face of uncertainties as outcomes from management actions and other events become better understood’ (this can be seen in the image above).