The purpose of this guidance manual is to help local road officials gain a better understanding of:
- Typical problems that can result from improper maintenance of unpaved roads;
- How to prevent unpaved road problems from contributing to water quality problems using low-tech, common sense strategies
To do this, this manual presents guidelines on Best Management Practices (BMP’s) that can be used to improve water quality in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts while enhancing the quality of unpaved roads. These guidelines should not be considered definitive design specifications for BMP’s, as individual site conditions will always determine the level of design necessary for success at any given site.
This manual is designed for those who supervise highway departments, work in road crews, or are otherwise involved in maintaining public or private roadways. The information contained within is meant to help road maintenance decision-makers understand that unpaved roads can be managed in such a way so as to not be contributors to water quality problems.