Stormwater & Watershed Management
Between the rise of green infrastructure, the effects of climate change, increasingly complex regulations, and the seemingly endless pursuit of infrastructure funding, the stormwater management sector is more dynamic than most public services. Stay on top of new trends, studies, and developments that shape the stormwater sector with these resources.
The fourth iteration of the WEF National MS4 Needs Assessment Survey has launched!
MS4 Needs Assessment Survey
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) conducted its fourth national Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Needs Assessment Survey in 2024, with data collection extending into 2025 to achieve robust national representation. The survey was designed to better understand the challenges, priorities, and resource needs shaping MS4 stormwater programs across the United States.
The survey results provide critical insights into program funding, workforce capacity, asset management, regulatory drivers, and emerging challenges facing both traditional and nontraditional MS4 permittees. Findings from this effort support national advocacy, inform technical assistance priorities, and help elevate stormwater as a distinct infrastructure sector.
The 2024 MS4 Needs Assessment Survey Results are now available as a technical report on Access Water and are freely accessible to both members and non‑members.
🔗 Read the full report:
MS4 Needs Assessment Survey Results [accesswater.org]
Featured Stormwater Resources
The featured resources below are just a sample of everything WEF has to offer. Search our entire website and technical resource database for more.
Stormwater Advocacy
The Stormwater Community annually hosts the National Stormwater Policy Forum to advance the latest legislative and regulatory concerns of the stormwater sector legislators and regulators. This outreach includes creating the Recommendation to Improve the Stormwater Program In the U.S. document that stormwater advocates can use year-round.
Rainfall to Results
Based on input from leading stormwater professionals, this report details the challenges, opportunities, and pathways to improving the nation’s stormwater systems to make them more efficient, effective, and sustainable.
This updated version was released in June 2023.
Stormwater, Watershed, and Receiving Water Quality Modeling
This special publication presents state-of-the-art stormwater modeling and is a practical tool that presents a broad compilation of existing models, their capabilities, and a roadmap for users to assist in the selection of such models for diverse applications.
U.S. MS4 Needs Assessment Survey
This one-of-a-kind biennial national survey seeks to understand municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) sector challenges, drivers, and needs.
Data was collected for the third installment in the series from late 2022 through early 2023.
Stormwater Publications
Urban Stormwater Controls Operation and Maintenance
WEF Manual of Practice No. 39 includes the best practices for the continued operation of stormwater control measures (SCMs) for your stormwater programs. The material covered will be of particular use to designers of SCMs, utility managers, and O&M staff.
Get MOP 39
User-Fee-Funded Stormwater Programs
A must-read for agencies and public works departments interested in developing charge systems for stormwater programs based on fee structures.
Purchase the book
Green Infrastructure Implementation
This book provides actionable information promoting the implementation of green infrastructure. Unlike most publications, which focus on technical design of individual green elements, this peer-reviewed book tackles topics related directly to the ability to implement green infrastructure.
Purchase the book
Find the Stormwater & Watershed Communities You Need
STORMWATER COMMUNITY
This community provides leadership and a voice for effective stormwater management by developing high-quality technical products and programming to support stormwater professionals.
Join the Stormwater CommunityWATERSHED MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY
This community develops and conducts activities to advance the understanding, planning, implementation, and use of watershed management tools and techniques to enhance the global water environment more effectively.
Join the Watershed Management CommunityWhere the Water Sector Connects
See how WEF connects the people and ideas driving clean water and public health. Membership gives you access to benefits, resources, and a network committed to impact.
Experiencing Financial Hardship
EXPLORE ALL PRACTICE AREAS
WEF is a source of high-quality technical resources featuring the latest research, news, and education. WEF's members and other credible resources have created and compiled this information into the Practice Area groupings listed in the dropdown menu.
Test your knowledge of wastewater and laboratory with a 10-question, multiple-choice quiz. Quizzes incorporate math, safety, and various other topics to help you test, maintain, and advance your wastewater knowledge.
Disclaimer
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