From Fragmented Records to a System of Record: How Communities Are Modernizing Stormwater Inspections

Stormwater management teams are being asked to do more than ever: conduct complex MS4 inspections, document compliance clearly, respond quickly in the field, and produce defensible reports - all with limited staff and time.

Yet many communities are still relying on tools and processes that weren’t designed for how stormwater work actually happens. Inspection data lives in too many places. Field notes are handwritten, texted, or re-entered later. Historical records get overwritten. Reporting becomes a scramble.

Across the country, stormwater teams are moving away from patchwork systems and toward a single, purpose-built system of record - one that complements GIS rather than replaces it. That shift reflects a broader change in expectations around inspection data and documentation. Here’s what that transition looks like, and why it matters.

The Hidden Risk of Incomplete Inspection History

For MS4 communities, this challenge is amplified by mandated timelines, evolving state guidance, and the expectation that inspection records withstand audits, permit renewals, and enforcement actions. It’s not enough to complete the work - teams must prove it was done consistently and defensibly, often years later.

For many stormwater programs, GIS tools have long been the backbone of asset mapping and inspection tracking. But when those tools fall short on historical tracking, critical context disappears - and compliance risk grows.

When inspection history isn’t preserved, there’s no clear record of:

• How conditions have changed over time
  
• Whether issues are recurring
  
• What was observed previously versus what’s new

That loss of history creates real risk during audits and reporting. Without preserved inspection history, staff spend extra time searching for answers, recreating context, or manually piecing together records during reporting or audits - relying on memory or fragmented backups and increasing the likelihood of audit findings tied to documentation gaps rather than missed work.

Communities using Forerunner address this by saving each inspection as its own historical record, tied back to the same asset or location. Teams can review past results, compare conditions over time, and preserve institutional knowledge - even as staff change.

Eliminating Double Entry in the Field

Another common challenge: inspections conducted on pen and paper.

For MS4 programs in particular, this becomes especially painful after storm events, when inspections must be completed quickly and documentation needs to be airtight. Field staff often record notes by hand, take photos on their phones, then re-enter everything back at the office  - sometimes days later.

​​This leads to:

• Duplicate work
  
• Higher risk of transcription errors
  
• Delays in post-storm documentation

In more fragmented setups, photos may be sent via text, notes stored in notebooks, and final summaries entered elsewhere - leaving inspection data scattered across systems and devices.

With Forerunner’s mobile workflows, inspection data is captured once, in the field, using purpose-built forms. Photos, observations, and inspection details are recorded together and saved directly to the correct asset or location, reducing rework while improving accuracy and defensibility.

Bringing Order to Disconnected Inspection Processes

In many stormwater teams, responsibilities are distributed across departments - or shared with consultants - making it difficult to maintain consistent records for BMP inspections, follow-ups, and corrective actions. Without a shared system of record, visibility breaks down across teams.

Some stormwater teams don’t just struggle with tools - they struggle with coordination.

Before modernizing, task assignment and inspection tracking often happen through:

• Emails
• Texts
  
• Phone calls
  
• Paper notes
  
• Individual photo libraries
  
• Multiple spreadsheets or GIS layers
  

When information is stored in different places, it becomes difficult to answer basic questions:

• What inspections are complete?
  
• What’s still outstanding?
  
• Where are the photos?
  
• Who’s responsible for follow-up?

Forerunner replaces informal, text-based coordination with purpose-built task assignment and inspection workflows. Inspections are categorized consistently, assigned intentionally, and stored in one system - so teams can see progress clearly without chasing information.

MS4 Reporting Without the Scramble - Year over Year

MS4 reporting is one of the most time-consuming and stressful parts of stormwater management - not because inspections aren’t happening, but because the data needed for reports is often spread across multiple sources.

Teams tell us reporting used to mean:

• Pulling data from several systems
  
• Reconciling handwritten notes with digital records
  
• Manually tracking inspection counts and status

What’s often overlooked is that MS4 reporting is repeatable. The same inspection types, metrics, and documentation are required year over year.

By centralizing inspections and preserving their history, Forerunner allows teams to build reporting views once - then reuse them each cycle. Instead of rebuilding reports from scratch, staff can quickly assess progress and generate the documentation they need with confidence.

A Clear Pattern Across Communities

While each community starts from a different place - some GIS-heavy, others heavily manual - the pattern is consistent:

• Fragmented systems slow teams down
  
• Incomplete or overwritten inspection history increases audit risk
  
• Manual workflows consume time better spent in the field

In states like Florida, where MS4 programs face intense rainfall, frequent post-storm inspections, and heightened regulatory scrutiny, stormwater teams are already moving toward systems of record to support audits, FEMA documentation, and permit renewals. That same pressure is now emerging nationwide.

Forerunner helps stormwater teams move toward a single source of truth for inspections and MS4 documentation - one that preserves history, complements GIS, and supports accurate, defensible reporting.

This isn’t about adding another tool. It’s about replacing fragile workflows with a system designed for how stormwater work gets done.

If your team is navigating similar challenges - inspection backlogs, reporting stress, or disconnected data - we’d love to connect. Request a demo or reach out to us at hello@withforeunner.com.