Name of the Advantage Dis- advantage Design purpose and procedure of the structure

structure
Weir 1. The initial cost of 1. Can concentrate flow and may cause
weirs is usually low. 1. Design of weirs must consider structural
erosive velocities
2. Shorter construction 2. Are not typically an effective stability during extreme conditions,
period including flow velocities and upstream
technology for providing controlled
discharge of stormwater hydrostatic pressure from ponded water. A

3. May become clogged over time, if structural engineer must design structural

permeable, and, once clogged, would supports.

likely require full replacement 2. Weirs must be designed and constructed

with appropriate materials taking flow
velocities and their exposure to the elements
into consideration.
3. Impermeable Weirs
a. When placed within swales, check
dams must be evenly spaced and no
more than six to 12 inches high.
b. Check dams that provide ponding in
swales and are designed for
infiltration must not be porous, as
water should be ponded behind each
check dam and forced to infiltrate.
Permeable weirs must be avoided in areas
that receive high sediment loads
risers 1. Provide flexible 1. Concrete form liners and surrounding risers with
outlet controls, vegetation can be used to improve aesthetics.
when multi-staged, 2. Location of a riser is important to provide easy
to meet varying maintenance access, and risers should not be
Stormwater placed near inflow structures in order to avoid
Regulations shortcutting of treatment.
simultaneously

orifices 1. Are simple, passive 1. May become clogged with 1) Multiple orifices may be necessary to meet
structures that rely sediment and debris, particularly the Stormwater Regulations.
on gravity flow traditional orifices with small 2) Sizing is dependent upon release rate
2. Can be variously diameters. requirements, maximum ponding depth, and
sized to provide rate 2. May be difficult to access for drain down time requirements.
control for a wide maintenance purposes when placed 3) The orifice size that is needed to meet a
variety of below grade certain release rate can be increased by
applications. 3. Can concentrate flow and may reducing the head over the orifice, which can
3. Multiple orifices cause erosive velocities be achieved by enlarging the SMP’s footprint
may be located at or adjusting overlying soil depths/cover for
the same or different orifices below grade.
elevations, if
necessary, to meet
performance
requirements
 Allow for
controlled drain
down times