Project Prioritization for Stormwater Programs

When stormwater programs are tasked with competing priorities, it can be difficult to choose between funding projects that address water quality impairments or funding those that address flood risk.

In this interview with WaterWorld, Matthew Scott, regional planning lead at Black & Veatch, and Ian Fannin-Hughes, water quality specialist for Johnson County, Kan., describe a new methodology to address the fundamental question of project prioritization.

The Risk Integrated Project Prioritization (RIPP) methodology uses a quantitative scale of risk that can measure the benefits of both water quality improvements and flood protection, allowing program managers to choose the programs that provide the greatest risk reduction for the most efficient price.