Climate change is affecting the way stormwater management has traditionally been perceived. Total rainfall and storm intensity are increasing to levels unseen in the past. Sea-level rise and resilience have become a popular topic within the stormwater community. Project and site constraints limit the feasibility and effectiveness of traditional stormwater management approaches. In urban and suburban coastal and low-lying areas, stormwater management becomes even more difficult. Tidal influence hinders the capacity of the downstream channel and limits available storage regardless of whether it is above or below ground. Often there is not adequate open space for traditional approaches available near the location of flooding and project site.

In situations like these, municipalities are more frequently turning to the alternative approach of stormwater pump stations. Stormwater pump stations can be constructed in locations where traditional stormwater approaches are either not feasible or cost prohibitive. In this presentation Timmons Group will compare stormwater pumping to traditional gravity alternatives.