Which component is essential for inclusion in the SWM plan?

The essential component for inclusion in the Stormwater Management (SWM) plan is hydrologic and hydraulic computations. These computations are crucial for understanding the movement and distribution of water within a given area. They help to analyze surface water runoff, which is vital for assessing how stormwater will flow through the landscape, determining potential flood risks, and designing effective drainage systems.

Hydrologic computations involve evaluating the rainfall data, soil characteristics, and land use to predict how much water will infiltrate the ground versus how much will become surface runoff. Hydraulic computations further assess how this runoff will move through channels or drainage systems, ensuring that the design can handle expected storm events without causing flooding or erosion.

While historical weather patterns, statistical analysis of local ecology, and population density projections can provide valuable context or supplementary information for the SWM plan, they do not directly influence the computations for managing water flow and quality as hydrologic and hydraulic analyses do. Thus, these computations stand as the foundation necessary for effective stormwater management.