The purpose of this initiative was to develop and implement a replicable approach for generating an inventory of existing stormwater management facilities within a watershed drainage area and constructing a process by which inventoried basins could be prioritized for retrofit with structural and nonstructural stormwater best management practices aimed at enhancing groundwater recharge and water quality treatment of stormwater runoff. This initiative established a prioritized inventory of existing sites where retrofits will provide the most benefit for reducing stormwater runoff impacts to the creek and increasing stream baseflow. The pilot study for this initiative focused on dry-bottom detention basins within the chosen study area, the Wissahickon Creek Watershed located in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The study area for this initiative was limited to the subwatershed drainage areas of the tributary streams flowing to the Wissahickon Creek – specifically excluding basins draining to the mainstem of Wissahickon Creek. The study was focused on the first and second order stream locations where implementation benefits would be maximized. Funding for this study was provided by a USEPA 104b3 grant administered by PADEP.