Stormwater Management
What is Stormwater Management and Why is it Important?
Stormwater management is the effort to reduce runoff of rainwater or melted snow into streets, lawns and other sites and the improvement of water quality, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Stormwater is rainwater or melted snow that runs off streets, lawns, and other sites. When stormwater is absorbed into soil, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers.
In developed areas, impervious surfaces such as pavements and roofs prevent precipitation from naturally soaking into the ground.
Instead, water runs rapidly into storm drains, sewer systems and drainage ditches and can cause:
- Downstream flooding
- Stream bank erosion
- Increased turbidity (muddiness created by stirred up sediment) from erosion
- Habitat destruction
- Combined storm and sanitary sewer system overflows
- Infrastructure damage
- Contaminated streams, rivers and coastal water
