Introduction to Project

                This compendium came about as a result of a cooperative effort between the Center for Sustainable Design at Mississippi State University and the Watershed Science Institute of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Center for Sustainable Design and the Watershed Science Institute share a common concern for finding methods to allow essential development to occur while simultaneously protecting the natural systems that are necessary for our survival.

                    The compendium was created to provide a concise and easily used source of information about the best management practices (BMP’s) available for storm water management, erosion control, and protection of natural systems put at risk by the absence of such BMP’s. The compendium is not intended as a complete manual for the implementation of each BMP. Such a document could not be contained within a single volume. Rather, it is intended as an entry into the wealth of information on this subject. The document was created specifically for the NRCS urban conservationists, but it is hoped that it will be a useful resource for city planners, developers, home owners, students, and anyone else who has a vested interest in this area.

                This document is available in both hard copy and compact disk format. The compact disk version is viewable with its own Internet browser and uses Adobe’s “pdf” format to facilitate both printing and viewing.