The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) panel of experts on the practice of urban stream restoration have defined 3 different protocols for achieving pollutant reductions through ”stream restoration”. Localities can get credit toward meeting their TMDL objectives through stream restoration practices that:

1. Prevent channel or bank erosion that would otherwise result in sediment being delivered downstream – prevented sediment approach,
2. Include design features that promote denitrification during base flow – in-stream denitrification approach and/or,
3. Reconnect stream channels to their floodplains for a wide range of storm events – floodplain reconnection

On Monday, May 13, 2013 the final recommendations were accepted by the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team – the final step in the review process of urban BMPs. Since that date, three revisions have been approved by the Water Quality Goal Implementation Team (WQGIT) after test-driven results.