Stormy Weather and Stormwater Impacts - MSU Center for Water ...

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The Workshops’ Bottom Line Stormwater runoff, the water flowing over land from rain and snowmelt, can either be a source of pollution or an opportunity for innovation. Unfortunately, it is commonly a source of pollution. Stormwater runoff, in both urban and agricultural environments, can wash pollutants such as nutrients, pathogens, metals, and toxins off the surface of the land and into water. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this is the leading cause of water quality problems in the United States today. We typically deal with stormwater by trying to get it off our property as quickly as possible. Our communities have built gutters, drains, and storm sewers to collect and convey stormwater off the land. Where does it go? Into our rivers, lakes and streams‐ all without any prior treatment. Photo: Rachel McNinch Stormwater flows directly to waterbodies without treatment. However, there is an alternative. Stormwater can be viewed as a Photo: Michael Wagner resource, rather than as waste to be discarded as quickly as possible. By managing stormwater on site, many negative impacts can be avoided. Approaches such as Low Impact Development (LID) can be used to reduce the amount of stormwater generated at a site and to improve the water quality of the runoff. There are also opportunities for collecting and re‐using stormwater and to create artful designs that turn stormwater runoff into an amenity. This alternative just takes a shift in how we think about and deal with stormwater. The workshop participants (Water Fellows) in this Water Fellows Series have created a plan for improving Michigan’s approach to stormwater management. The workshops brought together leading national scientists and practitioners with representatives from Michigan’s many water stakeholders in government, industry, agriculture, environmental advocacy, and higher education. The recommendations summarized below outline the Water Fellows’ plan. More details about the science behind the recommendations and the workshops themselves comprise the rest of the report. 1
Summary of Recommendations Government: governments responsible for stormwater management, including municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4s), • Encourage adoption and implementation of Low Impact Development (LID). Local governments can require LID approaches through local ordinances and codes. In addition, they can encourage LID through incentives for developers, using LID in local government projects, sharing information about LID projects, and conducting education and outreach campaigns for stormwater. • Establish a stormwater utility to fund stormwater projects. Stormwater utilities are used across the country to fund stormwater programs. The stormwater utility in Ann Arbor can serve as a model for other local governments across the state. • Require inspection and maintenance of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs). Proper installation and maintenance is critical for effective BMPS. • Use a watershed‐based approach. Water Fellows recommend that local governments work on these stormwater and water planning issues on a watershed‐scale. Professionals: government staff, engineers, consultants, landscapers, etc. • Incorporate LID approaches in design. Use LID techniques instead of or in conjunction with traditional stormwater management approaches (pipe and pond) when designing sites. • Share information about LID projects. Information about designs, costs, performance, and maintenance are valuable to others working in the stormwater arena. Document case studies and share information so that others can learn from current projects. • Treat stormwater as a resource, not as a waste product. During design, think of how stormwater can be used on site and the amenities that can be created with artful stormwater design. Public: homeowners, school children, the “general public” • Take responsibility for runoff. Incorporate a LID strategy on your property (build a rain garden, re‐direct down spouts, use a cistern, etc.). • Take charge‐ work to make improvements in your community. Participate in local government by volunteering and serving on local committees and commissions such as the planning commission, natural resources committee, etc. • Participate in stormwater education and stewardship activities. Local governments, schools, and organizations across the state run stormwater outreach campaigns. Citizens can participate in local events such as stream cleanups, storm drain labeling, and constructing rain gardens. 2
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Page 8 and 9: The Problem of Stormwater According
Page 10 and 11: Overview: Purpose and Major Themes
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