Siouxland Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 4

explore
Get dirty.
A Resilient Approach to Stormwater Management
By Carrie Raloff
Stormwater is often viewed as a nuisance;
something that must be directed to the
nearest storm drain as quickly as possible. Most
communities depend on storm intakes and a system
of pipes to carry stormwater away to prevent flooding.
Not much thought is given to how stormwater runoff
interacts with the surrounding landscape and how our
actions can affect the quality of the water that ultimately
enters the Missouri River.
Today’s Landscape
Take a look around your community; how much
“green” vs. “gray” do you see? For decades we’ve
seen increasingly more “gray” in the form of streets,
highways, parking lots, sidewalks, and buildings. These
are impervious surfaces, areas that don’t allow rain or
snow melt to soak into the ground, creating what is
called stormwater runoff. “Green” areas, such as parks,
landscaping, open areas, and drainage ditches are
referred to as pervious surfaces and are able to soak up
more stormwater, reducing runoff.
Connection to the Missouri River
Impervious areas paired with an efficient storm system
convey water quickly to the nearest stream, often at very
high rates that damage vegetation and lead to erosion and
steep banks in stream channels. Runoff from these areas
often carries pollutants such as gasoline and oil residue,
de-icing chemicals, sediment, heavy metals, and bacteria.
And while lawns are not considered to be impervious and
do allow some precipitation to soak into the ground, heavy
rains carry lawn chemicals, animal waste, and other debris
such as grass clippings and leaves to storm drains. In
Sioux City, stormwater, along with these pollutants, flows
to Perry Creek, the Floyd River, Bacon Creek, or the Big
Sioux, before ultimately emptying into the Missouri River,
which provides drinking water, recreational uses such as
boating and fishing, and habitat for several species.