Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Whatisstormwaterrunoff?
Whyisstormwaterrunoffaproblem?
Theeffectsofpollution
Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitationfrom rain or snowmelt flows over the ground.Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks,and streets prevent stormwater fromnaturally soaking into the ground.
Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and otherpollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly toa lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything thatenters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated intothe waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providingdrinking water.
Polluted stormwater runoff can havemany adverse effects on plants, fish,animals, and people.
Sediment can cloud the waterand make it difficult orimpossible for aquatic plants togrow. Sediment also can
.
�
destroy aquatic habitats
Excess nutrients can causealgae blooms. When algae die,they sink to the bottom and decomposein a process that removes oxygen fromthe water. Fish and other aquaticorganisms can’t exist in water with lowdissolved oxygen levels.
Bacteria and other pathogens can washinto swimming areas and create healthhazards, often making beach closuresnecessary.
Debris—plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, andcigarette butts—washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate, ordisable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
Household hazardous wastes like insecticides, pesticides, paint,solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life.Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseasedfish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water.
Polluted stormwater oftenaffects drinking watersources. This, in turn, canaffect human health andincrease drinking watertreatment costs.
�
�
�
�
�
After the Storm
EPA 833-B-03-002
January 2003
For more information contact:
or visitwww.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater
www.epa.gov/nps
A Citizen’s Guide toUnderstanding Stormwater
WHEN IT RAINSIT DRAINS
WHEN IT RAINSIT DRAINSInternet Address (URL) HTTP://www.epa.gov
Recycled/Recyclable Printed With VegetableOil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer,Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper
●
●
What is stormwater runoff?
Why is stormwater runoffa problem?
The effects of pollution
Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitationfrom rain or snowmelt flows over the ground.Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks,and streets prevent stormwater fromnaturally soaking into the ground.
Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and otherpollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly toa lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything thatenters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated intothe waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providingdrinking water.
Polluted stormwater runoff can havemany adverse effects on plants, fish,animals, and people.
Sediment can cloud the waterand make it difficult orimpossible for aquatic plants togrow. Sediment also can
.
�
destroy aquatic habitats
Excess nutrients can causealgae blooms. When algae die,they sink to the bottom and decomposein a process that removes oxygen fromthe water. Fish and other aquaticorganisms can’t exist in water with lowdissolved oxygen levels.
Bacteria and other pathogens can washinto swimming areas and create healthhazards, often making beach closuresnecessary.
Debris—plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, andcigarette butts—washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate, ordisable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
Household hazardous wastes like insecticides, pesticides, paint,solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life.Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseasedfish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water.
Polluted stormwater oftenaffects drinking watersources. This, in turn, canaffect human health andincrease drinking watertreatment costs.
�
�
�
�
�
AftertheStorm
EPA 833-B-03-002
January 2003
For more information contact:
or visitwww.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater
www.epa.gov/nps
ACitizen’sGuidetoUnderstandingStormwater
WHEN IT RAINSIT DRAINS
WHEN IT RAINSIT DRAINS
InternetAddress(URL)HTTP://www.epa.govRecycled/RecyclablePrintedWithVegetable
OilBasedInkson100%Postconsumer,ProcessChlorineFreeRecycledPaper
●
●
Auto careWashing your car anddegreasing auto parts at homecan send detergents and othercontaminants through thestorm sewer system. Dumpingautomotive fluids into stormdrains has the same result asdumping the materials directlyinto a waterbody.
Pet wastePet waste can bea major source ofbacteria andexcess nutrientsin local waters.
� When walkingyour pet,remember to pick up thewaste and dispose of itproperly. Flushing petwaste is the best disposalmethod. Leaving pet wasteon the ground increasespublic health risks byallowing harmful bacteriaand nutrients to wash intothe storm drain andeventually into localwaterbodies.
SepticsystemsLeaking andpoorlymaintainedsepticsystems release nutrients andpathogens (bacteria andviruses) that can be picked upby stormwater and dischargedinto nearby waterbodies.Pathogens can cause publichealth problems andenvironmental concerns.
Lawn careExcess fertilizersand pesticidesapplied to lawnsand gardens washoff and pollutestreams. Inaddition, yardclippings andleaves can washinto storm drains and contributenutrients and organic matter to streams.
Education is essential to changing people's behavior.Signs and markers near storm drains warn residentsthat pollutants entering the drains will be carrieduntreated into a local waterbody.
Recycle or properly dispose of household products that
contain chemicals, such as insecticides, pesticides, paint,
solvents, and used motor oil and other auto fluids.
Don’t pour them onto the ground or into storm drains.�
�
Use a commercial car wash that treats orrecycles its wastewater, or wash your car onyour yard so the water infiltrates into theground.
Repair leaks and dispose of used auto fluidsand batteries at designated drop-off orrecycling locations.
�
�
�
�
Don’t overwater your lawn. Considerusing a soaker hose instead of asprinkler.
Use pesticides and fertilizerssparingly. When use is necessary, usethese chemicals in the recommendedamounts. Use organic mulch or saferpest control methods wheneverpossible.
Compost or mulch yard waste. Don’tleave it in the street or sweep it intostorm drains or streams.
Cover piles of dirt or mulch beingused in landscaping projects.
�
�
Inspect your system every3 years and pump yourtank as necessary (every 3to 5 years).
Don't dispose ofhousehold hazardouswaste in sinks or toilets.
Dirt, oil, and debris that collect inparking lots and paved areas can bewashed into the storm sewer systemand eventually enter localwaterbodies.
�
�
�
Sweep up litter and debris fromsidewalks, driveways and parking lots,especially around storm drains.
Cover grease storage and dumpstersand keep them clean to avoid leaks.
Report any chemical spill to the localhazardous waste cleanup team.They’ll know the best way to keepspills from harming the environment.
Erosion controls that aren’t maintained can causeexcessive amounts of sediment and debris to becarried into the stormwater system. Constructionvehicles can leak fuel, oil, and other harmful fluidsthat can be picked up by stormwater anddeposited into local waterbodies.
�
�
�
Divert stormwater away from disturbed orexposed areas of the construction site.
Install silt fences, vehicle mud removal areas,vegetative cover, and other sediment anderosion controls and properly maintain them,especially after rainstorms.
Prevent soil erosion by minimizing disturbedareas during construction projects, and seedand mulch bare areas as soon as possible.
Uncovered fueling stations allow spills to bewashed into storm drains. Cars waiting to berepaired can leak fuel, oil, and other harmfulfluids that can be picked up by stormwater.
�
�
�
�
Clean up spills immediately and properlydispose of cleanup materials.
Provide cover over fueling stations anddesign or retrofit facilities for spillcontainment.
Properly maintain fleet vehicles to preventoil, gas, and other discharges from beingwashed into local waterbodies.
Install and maintain oil/water separators.
Lack of vegetation on streambanks can lead to erosion. Overgrazed pastures can alsocontribute excessive amounts of sediment to local waterbodies. Excess fertilizers andpesticides can poison aquatic animals and lead to destructive algae blooms. Livestock instreams can contaminate waterways with bacteria, making them unsafe for human contact.
�
�
�
�
�
Keep livestock away from streambanks and providethem a water source away from waterbodies.
Store and apply manure away from waterbodies and inaccordance with a nutrient management plan.
Vegetate riparian areas along waterways.
Rotate animal grazing to prevent soil erosion in fields.
Apply fertilizers and pesticides according to labelinstructions to save money and minimize pollution.
Permeable Pavement
Rain Barrels
Rain Gardens andGrassy Swales
Vegetated Filter Strips
—Traditional concrete andasphalt don’t allow water to soak into the ground.Instead these surfaces rely on storm drains todivert unwanted water. Permeable pavementsystems allow rain and snowmelt to soak through,decreasing stormwater runoff.
—You cancollect rainwater fromrooftops in mosquito-proof containers. Thewater can be used later onlawn or garden areas.
—Speciallydesigned areas plantedwith native plants can provide natural places for
rainwater to collectand soak into theground. Rain fromrooftop areas or pavedareas can be divertedinto these areas ratherthan into storm drains.
—Filter strips are areas ofnative grass or plants created along roadways orstreams. They trap the pollutants stormwaterpicks up as it flows across driveways and streets.
Residential landscaping
Improperly managed logging operations can result in erosion andsedimentation.
�
�
�
�
�
Conduct preharvest planning to prevent erosion and lower costs.
Use logging methods and equipment that minimize soil disturbance.
Plan and design skid trails, yard areas, and truck access roads tominimize stream crossings and avoid disturbing the forest floor.
Construct stream crossings so that they minimize erosion and physicalchanges to streams.
Expedite revegetation of cleared areas.
Commercial
Stormwater Pollution Solutions
ConstructionAgriculture Automotive
Facilities
Forestry
Auto careWashing your car anddegreasing auto parts at homecan send detergents and othercontaminants through thestorm sewer system. Dumpingautomotive fluids into stormdrains has the same result asdumping the materials directlyinto a waterbody.
Pet wastePet waste can bea major source ofbacteria andexcess nutrientsin local waters.
� When walkingyour pet,remember to pick up thewaste and dispose of itproperly. Flushing petwaste is the best disposalmethod. Leaving pet wasteon the ground increasespublic health risks byallowing harmful bacteriaand nutrients to wash intothe storm drain andeventually into localwaterbodies.
SepticsystemsLeaking andpoorlymaintainedsepticsystems release nutrients andpathogens (bacteria andviruses) that can be picked upby stormwater and dischargedinto nearby waterbodies.Pathogens can cause publichealth problems andenvironmental concerns.
Lawn careExcess fertilizersand pesticidesapplied to lawnsand gardens washoff and pollutestreams. Inaddition, yardclippings andleaves can washinto storm drains and contributenutrients and organic matter to streams.
Education is essential to changing people's behavior.Signs and markers near storm drains warn residentsthat pollutants entering the drains will be carrieduntreated into a local waterbody.
Recycle or properly dispose of household products that
contain chemicals, such as insecticides, pesticides, paint,
solvents, and used motor oil and other auto fluids.
Don’t pour them onto the ground or into storm drains.�
�
Use a commercial car wash that treats orrecycles its wastewater, or wash your car onyour yard so the water infiltrates into theground.
Repair leaks and dispose of used auto fluidsand batteries at designated drop-off orrecycling locations.
�
�
�
�
Don’t overwater your lawn. Considerusing a soaker hose instead of asprinkler.
Use pesticides and fertilizerssparingly. When use is necessary, usethese chemicals in the recommendedamounts. Use organic mulch or saferpest control methods wheneverpossible.
Compost or mulch yard waste. Don’tleave it in the street or sweep it intostorm drains or streams.
Cover piles of dirt or mulch beingused in landscaping projects.
�
�
Inspect your system every3 years and pump yourtank as necessary (every 3to 5 years).
Don't dispose ofhousehold hazardouswaste in sinks or toilets.
Dirt, oil, and debris that collect inparking lots and paved areas can bewashed into the storm sewer systemand eventually enter localwaterbodies.
�
�
�
Sweep up litter and debris fromsidewalks, driveways and parking lots,especially around storm drains.
Cover grease storage and dumpstersand keep them clean to avoid leaks.
Report any chemical spill to the localhazardous waste cleanup team.They’ll know the best way to keepspills from harming the environment.
Erosion controls that aren’t maintained can causeexcessive amounts of sediment and debris to becarried into the stormwater system. Constructionvehicles can leak fuel, oil, and other harmful fluidsthat can be picked up by stormwater anddeposited into local waterbodies.
�
�
�
Divert stormwater away from disturbed orexposed areas of the construction site.
Install silt fences, vehicle mud removal areas,vegetative cover, and other sediment anderosion controls and properly maintain them,especially after rainstorms.
Prevent soil erosion by minimizing disturbedareas during construction projects, and seedand mulch bare areas as soon as possible.
Uncovered fueling stations allow spills to bewashed into storm drains. Cars waiting to berepaired can leak fuel, oil, and other harmfulfluids that can be picked up by stormwater.
�
�
�
�
Clean up spills immediately and properlydispose of cleanup materials.
Provide cover over fueling stations anddesign or retrofit facilities for spillcontainment.
Properly maintain fleet vehicles to preventoil, gas, and other discharges from beingwashed into local waterbodies.
Install and maintain oil/water separators.
Lack of vegetation on streambanks can lead to erosion. Overgrazed pastures can alsocontribute excessive amounts of sediment to local waterbodies. Excess fertilizers andpesticides can poison aquatic animals and lead to destructive algae blooms. Livestock instreams can contaminate waterways with bacteria, making them unsafe for human contact.
�
�
�
�
�
Keep livestock away from streambanks and providethem a water source away from waterbodies.
Store and apply manure away from waterbodies and inaccordance with a nutrient management plan.
Vegetate riparian areas along waterways.
Rotate animal grazing to prevent soil erosion in fields.
Apply fertilizers and pesticides according to labelinstructions to save money and minimize pollution.
Permeable Pavement
Rain Barrels
Rain Gardens andGrassy Swales
Vegetated Filter Strips
—Traditional concrete andasphalt don’t allow water to soak into the ground.Instead these surfaces rely on storm drains todivert unwanted water. Permeable pavementsystems allow rain and snowmelt to soak through,decreasing stormwater runoff.
—You cancollect rainwater fromrooftops in mosquito-proof containers. Thewater can be used later onlawn or garden areas.
—Speciallydesigned areas plantedwith native plants can provide natural places for
rainwater to collectand soak into theground. Rain fromrooftop areas or pavedareas can be divertedinto these areas ratherthan into storm drains.
—Filter strips are areas ofnative grass or plants created along roadways orstreams. They trap the pollutants stormwaterpicks up as it flows across driveways and streets.
Residential landscaping
Improperly managed logging operations can result in erosion andsedimentation.
�
�
�
�
�
Conduct preharvest planning to prevent erosion and lower costs.
Use logging methods and equipment that minimize soil disturbance.
Plan and design skid trails, yard areas, and truck access roads tominimize stream crossings and avoid disturbing the forest floor.
Construct stream crossings so that they minimize erosion and physicalchanges to streams.
Expedite revegetation of cleared areas.
Commercial
Stormwater Pollution Solutions
ConstructionAgriculture Automotive
Facilities
Forestry
Stormwater and the Construction IndustryConstruction Phasing
Maintain your BMPs!
Good
Bad
• Sequence construction activities so that the soil is not exposed for long periods of time.
• Schedule or limit grading to small areas.
• Install key sediment control practices before site grading begins.
• Schedule site stabilization activities, such as landscaping, to be completed immediately after the land has been graded to its final contour.
Protect Natural Features
Good
Bad
• Minimize clearing.
• Minimize the amount of exposed soil.
• Identify and protect areas where existing vegetation, such as trees, will not be disturbed by construction activity.
• Protect streams, stream buffers, wild woodlands, wetlands, or other sensitive areas from any disturbance or construction activity by fencing or otherwise clearly marking these areas.
• Protect and install vegetative buffers along waterbodies to slow and filter stormwater runoff.
• Maintain buffers by mowing or replanting periodically to ensure their effectiveness.
Vegetative Buffers
• Inspect and maintain silt fences after each rainstorm.
• Make sure the bottom of the silt fence is buried in the ground.
• Securely attach the material to the stakes.
• Don’t place silt fences in the middle of a waterway or use them as a check dam.
• Make sure stormwater is not flowing around the silt fence.
Site Stabilization
• Vegetate, mulch, or otherwise stabilize all exposed areas as soon as land alterations have been completed.
Silt Fencing
• Use rock or other appropriate material to cover the storm drain inlet to filter out trash and debris.
• Make sure the rock size is appropriate (usually 1 to 2 inches in diameter).
• If you use inlet filters, maintain them regularly.
• Cover or seed all dirt stockpiles.
Dirt Stockpiles
Storm Drain Inlet Protection
• Rough grade or terrace slopes.
• Break up long slopes with sediment barriers, or under drain, or divert stormwater away from slopes.
• Remove mud and dirt from the tires of construction vehicles before they enter a paved roadway.
• Properly size entrance BMPs for all anticipated vehicles.
• Make sure that the construction entrance does not become buried in soil.
Slopes
Construction Entrances
Good
Bad
Good
Bad
Good
Bad
Good
Bad
Good
Bad
Good
Bad
Good
Bad
www.epa.gov/npdes/menuofbmps
Whatisstormwaterrunoff?
Whyisstormwaterrunoffaproblem?
Theeffectsofpollution
Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitationfrom rain or snowmelt flows over the ground.Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks,and streets prevent stormwater fromnaturally soaking into the ground.
Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and otherpollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly toa lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything thatenters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated intothe waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providingdrinking water.
Polluted stormwater runoff can havemany adverse effects on plants, fish,animals, and people.
Sediment can cloud the waterand make it difficult orimpossible for aquatic plants togrow. Sediment also can
.
�
destroy aquatic habitats
Excess nutrients can causealgae blooms. When algae die,they sink to the bottom and decomposein a process that removes oxygen fromthe water. Fish and other aquaticorganisms can’t exist in water with lowdissolved oxygen levels.
Bacteria and other pathogens can washinto swimming areas and create healthhazards, often making beach closuresnecessary.
Debris—plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, andcigarette butts—washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate, ordisable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
Household hazardous wastes like insecticides, pesticides, paint,solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life.Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseasedfish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water.
Polluted stormwater oftenaffects drinking watersources. This, in turn, canaffect human health andincrease drinking watertreatment costs.
�
�
�
�
�
After the Storm
EPA 833-B-03-002
January 2003
For more information contact:
or visitwww.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater
www.epa.gov/nps
A Citizen’s Guide toUnderstanding Stormwater
WHEN IT RAINSIT DRAINS
WHEN IT RAINSIT DRAINSInternet Address (URL) HTTP://www.epa.gov
Recycled/Recyclable Printed With VegetableOil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer,Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper
●
●
