Stormwater Resources

This site is intended to be a hub for stormwater information and educational resources. Here you can get an introduction to what stormwater is and the importance of managing it. Explore the links below to learn more about stormwater and what you can do to help keep local water bodies and wetlands clean!

Stormwater is water runoff generated from rain and snowmelt events that flows over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters. To protect these natural resources, communities, construction companies, and others, use stormwater controls, known as best management practices (BMPs), to filter out pollutants and/or prevent pollution by treating it at its source. Population growth and the development of urbanized areas are major contributors to the amount of pollutants in runoff as well as the volume and rate of runoff from impervious surfaces. Together, they can cause changes in hydrology and water quality that result in habitat modification and loss, increased flooding, decreased aquatic biological diversity, and increased sedimentation and erosion. The benefits of effective stormwater management can include: protection of wetlands and aquatic ecosystems, improved quality of receiving water bodies, conservation of water resources, protection of public health, and flood control.

Source: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-stormwater-program