To provide background on the development of BMPFast, we offer the following information:
Goal of the BMPFast Development
- Develop a software consistent with new regulations (FDEP Applicant’s Handbook, June 28, 2024, and others) and, to the extent possible, current stormwater management practice.
- Structure the software so that the permit process can be done in a timely manner (some may say: fast, and thus one reason for the name: BMPFast).
Some Constraints:
- Maintain the appearance of worksheets and nomenclature of past used permitting software, such as found in BMPTrains. The authors of BMPTrains are the same for BMPFast.
- Incorporate past permit assistance software methodologies and variable names to reduce the learning time.
- Meet the variety of local regulations and practices that affect the annual removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus.
- Provide flexibility for the addition of new BMPs.
- Keep as much as possible applicant handbook information that will be a permanent part of input values (performance numbers, EMCs, rainfall zones, and the like) to reduce the necessity for justification and time-consuming requests for additional information associated with the permit processes.
Stormwater Software:
Over the past 50+ years in Florida (starting in 1972), the professional staff completing the BMPFast software has written parts of stormwater software (Best Management Practices, BMPTrains, OPSEW, SWIMM, SMADA, RETEN, LEASTS, LOADER, PAVER, and others). Their collective talents have been beneficial in identifying ways to reduce the time to get permits and be consistent with regulations and practice. The most recent successful and widely used software for permit applications was labeled as BMPTrains. BMPFast was being developed to maintain past software routines that are consistent with new regulations and current (January, 2026) BMP designs and operations.
Some of the more common challenges affecting the use of existing software and resulting from the new stormwater management practices and regulations are listed below with a suggested software resolution. They are also listed to focus attention on improvements required by regulation.
Also, there are frequent questions as to when to use BMPTrains and when to use BMPFast. BMPTrains was published before the new regulations of June 28, 2024. It is a credit to BMPTrains that it included many of the new regulatory runoff and treatment information and equations.
BMPFast includes the new regulations and practices. However, it can never be assumed that all design BMPs can be assessed using any software, including BMPFast. Nevertheless, some projects will benefit from the use of BMPFast. Some of the advantages of the BMPFast software are listed first. Then, the challenges of creating the BMPFast software are listed. Note these are not all of the advantages nor all of the challenges.
Advantages of using BMPFast
BMPFast considers the latest regulatory State and local guidelines and regulations, with the need to incorporate current (January 2026) professional practice. BMPTrains software was the latest in a line of assessment tools based on regulations and practice. The authors of BMPFast were the primary ones for BMPTrains. A comparison is offered to show the advantages of using BMPFast.
Comparison of BMPTrains and BMPFast Features
| Topic | Use of BMPTrains | Use of BMPFast |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A.H. EMCs | User Defined option included | A.H. data in the software and user defined option for those not in A.H. |
| 2. Resident is new Annual rain | No new data, but can enter under user defined | Yes, new data access |
| 3. Performance Standards A.H. | Run software multiple Times | Run once |
| 4. Stand-alone wet Pond no littoral Zone | No, run and do changes with other software or hand calculations. | Yes |
| 5. Multiple wet Ponds no littoral zones | No | Yes |
| 6. Retention to Wet pond performance | Wet pond performance constant for all retention | Adjusts wet pond performance based on upstream retention depth. |
| 7. Volume of Discharge | Limited data | Yes |
| 8. Recovery Time Retention Basin | Yes, 72 hours. | Yes, can use 72, 36 and 3 hours. |
| 9. Media service Life pre treatment credit | None | Yes and can select pre-treatment BMPs |
| 10. Stormwater Harvesting | Yes, assumes ROC = 0.8 | Yes, ROC as calculated per A.H. |
| 11. SAT media Removal | No, needs new removal based on new research | Yes, corrected removal % based on new research |
| 12. Exfiltration Recovery Time | Yes, 72 hours | Yes, can use 72, 36, or 3 hours |
| 13. Input Basin Volume | No, uses treatment depth (inches) | Yes, uses physical dimensions and then calculated depth (inches) |
| 14. WUP (CUP) information | Limited data | Yes |
| 15. Retention Vault | No | Yes |
| 16. More Perm. Pavement options | No | Yes |
| 17. Swale area Error Catch | No | Yes, the swale is included in runoff area |
| 18. Weighted CN Error catch | No | Yes, areas match |
| 19. Rainwater Harvest area | No | Yes, area must agree with catchment area |
| 20. Wet pond Maximum | No | Yes, an option to hold or bypass |
| 21. Access to New A.H’s | No, not from the software | Yes, with other reference materials also. |
Notes: error catches (17, 18 , & 19) are representative of other error catches. Based on review of past submissions, these are related to errors that were never detected and led to either an over-calculated or an under-calculated annual removal.
Challenge in the Development of BMPFast
| Challenges | Software Resolution |
|---|---|
| 1. New EMCs and annual rainfall | “Hard-wire” new specifications, and retain “user defined”. |
| 2. New Performance Standards | “Hard-wire” nine new standards and do comparison with one software run. |
| 3. Wet detention pond performance | Add options for no littoral zone and MAP credits. |
| 4. Retention time recovery (Examples: vaults and pumping) | Add calculation for rapid infiltration. Can be up to 8% greater removal. |
| 5. Volume of pre and post runoff | Add volume for pre, post and after BMPs; correct calculations with BMPs in series. Add output format for groundwater. |
| 6. Media service life to include pre BMPs | Change to account for the option of pre-BMP failures, or their performance and non-runoff loadings. |
| 7. User Defined BMP that is retention | Include with retention BMP option. approved. |
| 8. Performance of wet detention after retention. | Adjust the wet detention efficiency based on the upstream retention depth. |
| 9. Series equation (9.5 A.H. Vol1) | Make automatic on when to use. |
| 10. State law on IP and foreign use | Add account management system and assign a code to a user email. |
| 11. Terminology changes | Example: Annual ROC not Annual C, MAP. |
| 12. Input error catches | Use a form of AI to monitor inputs/outputs. |
| 13. Output which may not be reasonable | Add AI to “flag” outputs for review. |
| 14. Clarity and help in understanding | Language changes and references, ex. permeable pave vs pervious, rainwater vs stormwater harvesting, swale, etc. |
| 15. Stormwater Harvesting iterations | REV curves and expand information that can be used for discovery options. |
| 16. Additional Permeable pavements | User defined options at expected storage. |
| 17. Allow retention after wet detention | All routing has to be reconfigured. |
| 18. More information for checking | Add all input data to a “complete” report. |
| 19. Use of old saved data | Add new software routines. |
| 20. Recovery of performance data | Change the “platform/storage” routines. Target provided performance statistics. |
| 21. Consistent use of “fraction” and “%” | Check and use with consistent units. |
| 22. Additional reporting format | Add copy/paste options for worksheets. |
| 23. Rounding of output data | Change to match significant digit output. |
| 24. Retention series calculations | Add Fundamental relationships in multiple catchment analysis. |
| 25. Wet Detention series calculations | Add Fundamental relationships in multiple catchment analysis. |
| 26. Retention before wet detention | Modify the current relationship which is a 14.3% to 16.7% efficiency reduction. |
| 27. SAT media TN removal | Correct to 30%, now 20%. |
| 28. Series Calculations in one catchment | Add fundamental removal calculations. |
| 29. Library materials | Add additional sources. |
| 30. Appearance | Add input worksheets to be like old ones. |
| 31. Plot buttons | Remove those that are used for testing. |
| 32. Greenroof | Add routines for cistern and no cistern and calculations for catchment size. |
| 33. Summary Output | Add the format to summarize % target and Post=Pre analysis on one page. |
| 34. Exfiltration | Add a vault and calculation routine. |
| 35. Harvesting | Add information on water use (WUP). |
| 36. Swale | Add statements for clarification. |
| 37. Retention basin volume | Add as input rather than TD (inches). This eliminates seek and replace. |
| 38. Other loads in addition to runoff | Add statements to watershed characteristics worksheet. |
| 39. Improve form of output format | Restructure the print and save formats. |
| 40. Discovery of new treatment | In multi-catchments, show new treatment (vol or perm pool). |
| 41. Navigation | Help buttons more obvious. |
| 42. Reports | Access from many worksheets. |
BMPFast Website
We hope the BMPFast website will make it faster to find and use information related to the evaluation of BMPs for water quality control that meet stormwater regulations.
Over the years, software has become a widely used stormwater tool, backed by research, agency support, and real-world applications. As new versions were developed and shared in different formats, the documentation, background materials, and download links ended up spread across multiple sites, reports, and presentations. For many users, it became difficult to know where to start or which resources were current.
This site is meant to help with the consolidation of information to support BMPFast. BMPFast software brings key information into one place so stormwater professionals can more easily:
- Locate handbooks, reference materials, and historical information, and
- Find supporting information to help apply the methods correctly and consistently.
The website will serve as a companion resource that helps users navigate the software content and supporting materials behind the software. By organizing these resources and pointing to authoritative sources, the goal is to support better stormwater management while recognizing the work of the individuals and agencies who have contributed to software development over the years.