How Storm Water Management Can Protect Your Home and Community

Stormwater management is an important issue that affects homes and communities across the country. As areas become more developed, the amount of paved and impervious surfaces increases. This prevents rain and snowmelt from soaking into the ground, leading to more stormwater runoff. Without proper management, this excess stormwater can lead to flooding, erosion, pollution, and damage to properties and infrastructure. Implementing stormwater management strategies can help reduce these risks and protect homes and communities.

Stormwater Management Techniques

Stormwater management involves urban planning and engineered systems to control runoff. Key techniques include:

1. Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage water. Examples include:

• Rain gardens
• Bioswales
• Green roofs
• Porous pavements
• Planter boxes
• Vegetated medians
• Wetlands
• Urban tree canopy

These features capture rainwater, allowing it to soak into the ground or collect in storage for slow release. Greenspaces also filter out pollutants.

2. Grey Infrastructure

Grey infrastructure refers to the engineered stormwater drainage system. Components include:

• Street curbs and gutters
• Storm sewer networks
• Culverts
• Catch basins
• Stormwater ponds and wetlands
• Infiltration basins

These structures convey, store, and sometimes treat runoff before releasing it into surface waters.

3. Low Impact Development (LID)

LID combines green and grey techniques to control runoff near the source. Examples of LID practices:

• Permeable pavements
• Rainwater harvesting
• Rain gardens
• Green roofs
• Bioswales and grading
• Soil amendments

LID aims to mimic natural hydrology by increasing infiltration and reducing impervious surfaces.

Benefits of Storm Water Management

Stormwater management offers a wide range of benefits that extend beyond simply controlling excess rainwater. By carefully designing and implementing systems that capture, infiltrate, and reuse stormwater, communities and developers can enjoy the following advantages:

Flood Control

• Catch basins, ponds, wetlands, and other measures attenuate and slow runoff
• Prevents overloading of storm drains and watercourses during heavy rains
• Reduces property and street flooding

Improved Water Quality

• Rain gardens, swales, and other green infrastructure filter out pollutants
• Grey infrastructure catches trash, debris, and sediments before discharge
• Reduces contamination of drinking water sources and recreation spots

Increased Groundwater Recharge

• Pervious pavements and greenspaces allow more water to infiltrate into the soil
• Replenishes groundwater aquifers

Erosion Control

• Runoff attenuation and velocity reduction prevent stream bank erosion
• Stabilizes slopes susceptible to erosion

Habitat Protection

• Treatment of runoff improves water quality in streams, lakes, and wetlands
• Healthier aquatic ecosystems support diverse wildlife

Community Benefits

• The aesthetic value of greenspaces and water features
• Recreational opportunities
• Improved air quality
• Increased property values

Overall, managing stormwater protects the environment while providing healthier and more livable communities.

6 Steps to a Better Water Management Plan

Stormwater management needs to be planned across entire watersheds. Key steps involve:

Step 1: Understanding the Hydrology

Engineers study the terrain, soils, groundwater, drainage patterns, impervious cover, and other factors influencing runoff flow rates and volumes.

Step 2: Identifying Problems

Areas with flooding, erosion, habitat, or contamination problems are identified. Monitoring provides data on water quality and flows.

Step 3: Setting Goals

Goals for stormwater management address problems and risks. Examples are reducing flooding or erosion, improving water quality, or mimicking pre-development hydrology.

Step 4: Selecting BMPs

Best management practices (BMPs), which include green infrastructure, grey infrastructure, and LID techniques, are selected to meet the set goals.

Step 5: Implementation Plan

An implementation plan is developed that identifies BMP locations, design parameters, construction plans, operations and maintenance, monitoring, costs, and responsibilities.

Step 6: Enforcement

Regulations, codes, inspections, and fines enforce properties to install and maintain BMPs. Homeowner education is also key.

Ongoing monitoring and updates ensure stormwater management systems are working properly over the long term.

Storm Water Management in Your Community

Residents should understand their community’s efforts to manage stormwater. Here are some key questions to ask:

• What major flooding or pollution problems exist in local streams and waterbodies?
• Has a stormwater management plan been developed for the community? What are the goals?
• What stormwater practices and projects have already been implemented?
• Are additional BMPs planned? What kinds and where?
• How will projects be funded? Through drainage fees, developer rules, grants, utility rates, or other means?
• Are there any regulations on stormwater management that apply to private properties?
• Does the stormwater drain on my street connect to green infrastructure or another BMP?
• What resources are available to help install BMPs on my property?
• How can I properly maintain BMPs on my property like rain barrels, previous pavers, or swales?
• What should I do if I see issues like flooding, erosion, or pollution? Who should I contact?

Informed and engaged communities help support effective stormwater management that protects properties, infrastructure, and water resources.

Storm Water Management at Your Property

Homeowners can make a big difference in stormwater management by taking simple yet effective measures right on their property. By reducing runoff, you help protect local waterways, support groundwater recharge, and reduce erosion. Here are some DIY strategies that can help you manage stormwater effectively at home:

• Downspout Disconnection: Detach roof gutters from drain pipes. Install a rain barrel to collect water or route the downspout to a landscaped area to soak in.
• Rain Gardens: Install a shallow vegetated basin that collects and infiltrates runoff from roofs, driveways, or yards.
• Porous Pavements: To allow infiltration through driveways, walkways, or patios, use previous concrete, porous asphalt, permeable pavers, or bricks.
• Rainwater Harvesting: Collect roof runoff in rain barrels or cisterns to use for watering gardens.
• Vegetated Swales: Create shallow channels stabilized with grass or other plants to infiltrate and convey runoff.
• Green Roofs: Install a vegetated roof system that captures and evapotranspires rainfall.
• Native Landscaping: Plant native trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers adapted to the local climate and provide habitat.
• Reduce Turf Grass: Replace water-hungry turf grass with mulch beds, ground cover, gardens, trees, or xeriscaping.

Simple DIY techniques like these allow homeowners to reduce their contribution to stormwater runoff. Check with local authorities on requirements or incentives for on-site stormwater management.

Final Thoughts

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff causes problems like flooding, erosion, habitat damage, and pollution. As urban development covers natural lands with paved surfaces, the risks grow. Wright Contracting specializes in stormwater management solutions, utilizing green infrastructure, grey infrastructure, and low-impact development techniques to control runoff and mitigate these issues. Effective stormwater management requires planning across entire watersheds and communities to identify issues, set goals, select BMPs, and implement solutions. With coordinated efforts, Wright Contracting helps build more sustainable and livable communities by managing stormwater effectively.