Gwinnett has a Geographic Information System (GIS) which includes various topological features such as buildings, roads, storm drain system, sanitary sewer system, and land use information. Storm drain infrastructure inventory includes a database with information on material type, age and condition of the pipes and structures. Storm drain data is collected using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit that captures the location of the structure with the database information being entered into a lap top computer that downloads into the GIS system. Detention ponds and Best Management Practices (BMPs) inventory has been incorporated into this process. The inventory on BMPs built after January 2001 includes in which watershed it is located and what land uses are treated by the facility to assist in future watershed modeling. Storm water outfalls are locations where a municipally maintained system discharges into water of the state. Structures at these locations are identified as being an outfall in the database.
Stormwater completed the mapping of Storm drainage infrastructure in 2007. As new developments come online, in-house staff, using GPS equipment and computers, map and download the new infrastructure into the GIS.
The GIS system is also used to map the location of industries, parcels with septic tank, NPDES general permit industries, and sites with leaking underground storage tanks. This information used in conjunction with the storm drain infrastructure inventory helps to prioritize outfalls to be screened, and trace flows up and down the system to identify potential pollutant sources.
