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What is stormwater?
Stormwater is simply any water that falls during rainstorms or melts from snowfall. Stormwater sometimes drains into the ground, especially if it falls on vegetated surfaces. However, when stormwater falls on impervious surfaces, such as roads, roofs, and compacted soils, it runs into storm drain systems and eventually into our lakes and streams.
Why is stormwater a concern?
As stormwater runs across roads, parking lots, and construction sites, it can pick up pollutants, such as oil and sediments. These pollutants can lower the water quality in our lakes and streams, causing harm to aquatic organisms. Poor water quality also reduces the recreational value and natural beauty of our lakes and streams. Finally, poor water quality can increase the treatment costs for municipal drinking water systems. More. . .
What can you do to keep our stormwater clean?
Whether at home or in the workplace, we can all play a role in keeping our stormwater clean. Simple steps, such as reducing pesticide use and increasing the amount of vegetation on your property, can make a big difference. Since stormwater drains across the entire county, it's up to each of us to help keep our water clean. More. . .
Types of Pollutants and their effect on Water Quality:
| Pollutant |
Source |
Impact |
| Temperature | Soil Erosion, Urban Runoff | Increased BOD, Decreased Oxygen, Change in Speciation, Decreased Diversity |
| Dissolved Oxygen (DO) | Lower Volumes, Increasing Temperature, Sewage Effluent, Fertilizer runoff | Change in Speciation, Decreased Diversity |
| pH | Acid Mine Drainage, Particulates from automobiles and coal-fired power plants | Increased Toxicity from metals, Decreased diversity |
| Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) | Urban Runoff, Fertilizer Runoff, Agricultural Runoff, Industrial and Municipal Inputs | Decreased Oxygen, Change in Speciation, Decreased Diversity |
| Turbidity | Soil Erosion, Urban Runoff, Point Source Discharges, Excessive Algal Growth | Increased Temperature, Decreased Oxygen, Direct Effects to Stream Biota |
| Phosphorus | Sewage Effluent, Animal Waste, Urban Runoff, Agricultural Runoff | Excessive Plant Growth, Decreased Oxygen |
| Nitrogen | Sewage Effluent, Animal Waste, Agricultural Runoff, Contaminated Groundwater, Urban Runoff | Excessive Plant Growth, Decreased Oxygen, "Blue Baby" syndrome |
| Fecal Coliform (E. coli) | Sewage Effluent, Animal Waste, Urban Runoff | Pathogens cause many diseases in humans |
| Metals | Urban Runoff, Agricultural Runoff, Industrial and Municipal Inputs | Direct effects to stream biota and human health |
| Organic Contaminants | Urban Runoff, Agricultural Runoff, Industrial and Municipal Inputs | Direct effects to stream biota and human health |
Updated: April 26, 2010
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