Storm Water Management is the process of controlling the storm water (any precipitation falling from the sky or melting snow) runoff that comes primarily from impervious surfaces like parking lots, driveways, and rooftops. Rural areas are typically comprised of pervious areas, such as farmland, pastures, and woodlands. These areas absorb and infiltrate the rainfall and generate a small volume of runoff. Developed urban areas contain a higher percentage of impervious surfaces, such as pavement and rooftops. The quantity of runoff from these areas quickly overwhelms natural channels and streams causing channel erosion, localized flooding, and property damage. One storm water management strategy is to use detention or retention ponds to help regulate the storm water runoff flow from a certain site before it discharges into natural waterways or a managed storm water system. These ponds can hold the storm water runoff or release it over a longer period of time to the natural waterways.
Storm water will often carry with it contaminants, such as motor oil and household cleaners, from the ground or hard surfaces and transport it to local waterways. The storm water management system is designed to transport storm water directly from the streets into local creeks and rivers with little or no treatment. In the City of Bellefontaine, the storm sewers are separate from the sanitary sewer system.
What is Storm Water Management?
Why Worry About Storm Water Management?
One of the most important factors to consider in storm water management is preventing pollution by supporting good water quality. This is essential to supporting both ecosystem and community health, function and resiliency.
Storm water picks up any debris, chemicals, dirt, or other pollutants in its path. These pollutants then enter the storm sewers and go directly to our lakes, streams, and rivers; not to a water treatment plant to remove these pollutants.
Trash and debris can kill aquatic life, such as ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
Sediment clouds the water destroying aquatic habitats.
Human sewage and animal waste add harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and viruses that pollute the water.
Chemicals from household wastes like fertilizers, pesticides, paint solvents, used motor oil, and other motor fluids can poison aquatic life.
Mandated by state law and enforced by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), the City of Bellefontaine’s Storm Water Management Program is a comprehensive program designed to protect properties and aquatic resources from damage caused by increased volume, frequency and peak rate of storm water runoff. It is the City of Bellefontaine’s goal to protect these resources from erosion, sedimentation and illicit discharges.
