STEP tools and resources

Starkregen heavy rain

Watershed scale

• Municipal stormwater risk management framework
• Sourcewater protection water quality risk assessment for climate change - handbook/worksheet
• Westhoff water balance model
• Wetland hydrologic analysis tool

Subwatershed scale

• Macroeconomic study
• Risk and return and investment tool
• Thermal stream index
• Hotspot identification tool-sediment
• Natural assets project

Environmental impact report/ subdivision plan scale

• Integrated water management tool
• Soil risk assessment tool
• Wetland water balance module: Visual Otthymo 5

Stormwater management plan

• Rainwater harvesting design and costing tool
• Oil and grit separator sizing tool
• Hantush groundwater mounding calculator
• Percolation test calculation
• Low Impact Development Treatment Train Tool
• Low Impact Development lifecycle costing tool
• Fusion gardening evaluation tool
• Inter-event dashboard
• Topsoil and soil amendment calculator
• Compost amended planting soil specification template

Post construction maintenance or monitoring

• Green infrastructure asset management tool
• SWM facilities maintenance tracking status asset management tool

LID hydrologic modeling

• Treatment Train Tool main project webpage
• Treatment Train Tool wiki advice

Spreadsheet tools

In the LID design wiki

• Groundwater mounding calculator
• 1D drawdown calculator (constant and falling head conditions)

On STEP main site

• LID cost estimation spreadhseet

Online training modules

• Design Infiltration Rate
• Building Forward: Preparing For LID Construction

The accounting of inflow and outflow of water in a system according to the components of the hydrologic cycle.

A vegetated area such as a bog, fen, marsh, or swamp, where the soil or root zone is saturated for part of the year.

Soil, sand and minerals washed from land into water, usually after rain. They pile up in reservoirs, rivers and harbors, destroying fish-nesting areas and holes of water animals and cloud the water so that needed sunlight might not reach aquatic plans. Careless farming, mining and building activities will expose sediment materials, allowing them to be washed off the land after rainfalls.

The practice of intercepting, conveying and storing rainwater for future use. Captured rainwater is typically used for outdoor non-potable water uses such as irrigation, or in the building to flush toilets.

Low impact development is a stormwater management and land development strategy applied at the parcel and subdivision scale that emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features integrated with engineered, small scale hydrologic controls to more closely mimic pre-development hydrologic functions.

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

The practice of adding organic material, such as mulch or compost to topsoil to improve fertility, and tilling of the native soils to reverse compaction and restore its water retaining capacity.

Decayed organic material used as a plant fertilizer. Compost helps to support healthy plant growth through the slow release of nutrients and the retention of moisture in the soil.

Natural vegetation and vegetative technologies in urban settings such as: urban forests; green roofs; green walls; green spaces; rain gardens; bioswales; community gardens; natural and engineered wetlands and stormwater management ponds; and porous pavement systems. These systems are designed to provide multiple benefits, such as moderate temperatures, clean air and water, and improve aesthetics.

Stormwater Management

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program