Stormwater
- NUMBER ONE
NonPoint Source of Pollution to our Waters
Stormwater
Runoff
When
it rains, the water has to go somewhere. In a natural system,
a good 55% of the rain is absorbed by the vegetation and soils,
but when land gets paved over, the water has no place to go
except run downhill. This is stormwater runoff. As it travels
downhill over paved (impervious) surfaces, it picks up fertilizers
from yards, pollutants from the cars and streets, animal waste,
and sediments. The following are some of the negative results
from stormwater runoff as it runs off impervious surfaces:
- Eutrophication
of our streams and ponds
-
Sedimentation of fish spawning areas
- Reduced
water in our streams after the rains (because less water goes
into the groundwater)
-
Flooding of low lying areas
-
Bacterial pollution at our beaches and in shellfish beds
- To
learn more,
check
out EPA's "After the Storm"
Salem
Sound Coastwatch is committed to increasing the public's knowledge
of the threats to the Salem Sound watershed, fostering responsible
and sustainable resource management practices, and promoting citizens'
and municipalities' understanding of their role in restoring and
protecting the watershed and Salem Sound.
Stormwater Runoff
is all our problem!
What
Can Individuals Do?
- Volunteer
to take water samples at outfall pipes in our Clean Beaches
and Streams Program.
- Read
"Making
the Stormwater Connection" to
learn more about the Clean Beaches and Streams. Program and
what you can do to be part of the solution.
- Learn
more about Greenscapes
and Low
Impact Development (LID) to
reduce runoff.
-
Start in your own backyard - Minimize
use of fertilizer and use only organic fertilizers,
- Build
a rain garden,
- Plant
native trees and shrubs.
-
Keep it clean - Buy environmentally friendly
cleaners and dispose of hazardous materials properly.
- Join
us to Stencil for a Cleaner Sound.
- Get
involved! - Support regulations to improve water quality, and
- Be
willing to pay for stormwater services in your town or city.
- Support
SSCW; become a member.
Help us to protect and restore our rivers, beaches and ocean.
Contact
us at info@salemsound.org.
How
to Fund Your Municipal Stormwater Program
April 30, 2009, this Municipal Workshop
was sponsored by Massachusetts Bays Program, Salem Sound
Coastwatch, Eight Towns and the Bay, MA Coastal Zone Management
and the Horsley Witten
Group. Over 45 people attended from across the state
including engineers, planners, conservation agents, directors
of public works, and GIS professionals.
We
would like to thank the following presenters who have allowed
us to post their presentations in
PDF format.
What
is a Stormwater Utility & NPDES Phase II PDF
1.7MB
- Elizabeth
Baker, Sr. Environmental Planner, Horsley Witten Group
Figuring
Out Your Costs for Phase II & How to Structure a Stormwater
Utility PDF 1MB
- Richard Claytor, Jr. P.E., LEED, Principal Engineer, Horsley
Witten Group
Case
Study: Reading's Stormwater Utility PDF
1.2 MB-
Joe Delaney (DEP, formerly Reading Engineer), Kim Honetschlager
(Reading GIS), and Ted McIntire (Reading DPW Director)
Other
Resources for Financing:
Stormwater
Financing and Utility - Frequently Asked Questions
PDF
34 KB
Stormwater
Financing Resources PDF
43 KB
An
Internet Guide to Financing Stormwater Management
|
Additional Website Resources
314
CMR 21.00: Stormwater Management - Nov 2008 MassDEP
has proposed new regulations implementing a stormwater management
program giving MassDEP the authority to issue individual and
general stormwater discharge permits.
NPDES
Storm Water Permit Program The Clean Water Act
authorizes EPA and states, which are delegated the authority
by EPA, to regulate point sources that discharge pollutants
into waters of the United States through the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program.
Best
Management Practices for Stormwater Phase II Management
Basic
Stormwater Information from EPA
Center for Watershed Protection:
Stormwater Management
Stormwater
Center Manager's Resource Center
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