What is Stormwater and How Can it be Managed?
Stormwater (runoff) is rainwater that flows over the land surface. As stormwater flows over different land surfaces it can collect and carry pollutants such as fertilisers, oils, litter and sediment. All of which can cause environmental issues and problems for local waterways.
Stormwater management is the process of controlling the flow of rainwater to reduce negative environmental effects like pollution, erosion, and flooding. It typically involves strategies and planning to direct both the quantity and quality of stormwater that is entering our waterways.
Why is Stormwater Management So Important?
Stormwater management plays a crucial role in protecting our water quality, preventing flooding, and conserving precious water resources. Look at how Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, are collectively moving forward to protect the local environment.
- Protecting Water Quality: Stormwater can carry harmful pollutants into waterways, harming aquatic ecosystems.
- Preventing Flooding: Poorly managed stormwater can lead to flooding, ultimately damaging property and infrastructure.
- Conserving Water Resources: Properly managed stormwater can be captured and used for irrigation or other purposes, reducing the reliance on potable water.
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How to Prevent Stormwater Pollution?
Many effective solutions exist to manage stormwater, from the way we construct infrastructure to the way we manage our bodies of water. However, prevention is the more effective option.
- Building Green Infrastructure: Using natural features like rain gardens, bioswales, and green roofs to capture and filter stormwater.
- Low-impact Development (LID): Designing and developing land in a way that minimises stormwater runoff and pollution.
- Stormwater Detention Ponds: Collecting and storing stormwater temporarily to allow it to settle into the ground or be released slowly.
- Stormwater Pipes and Channels: Directing stormwater to discharge points.
How to Manage Stormwater Quality?
While wastewater treatment is common before it enters our waterways and oceans, stormwater relies on SQIDS (Stormwater improvement devices) to maintain water quality. SQIDs are innovative devices designed to filter solid materials out of our waterways before they have a chance to reach natural water bodies. These can include: sediment traps, trash racks, grass pollutant traps, and artificial wetlands.
Stormwater Drainage
What is Stormwater Drainage?
Stormwater drainage is an important part of stormwater management, typically involving the collection and distribution of stormwater runoff. It is essential for preventing flooding and minimising the potential issues mentioned earlier within the article.
Stormwater Drainage Systems
Stormwater drainage systems typically consist of:
- Gutters and Downspouts: Properly functioning gutters and downspouts are crucial for preventing water from pooling around infrastructure foundations.
- Storm Drains: These are designed to channel excess water from streets and other spaces into underground pipes that quickly remove water and reduce the risk of flooding.
- Retention Ponds: These are artificial lakes that hold stormwater runoff. They allow sediment to settle and provide a habitat for wildlife, while also helping to filter pollutants before the water is released into natural waterways.
- Permeable Pavements: Unlike traditional concrete, permeable pavements allow water to seep through, reducing runoff and promoting groundwater recharge.
- Swales: These are shallow, vegetated channels designed to slow down and filter stormwater. They can be integrated into landscaping and are effective at managing runoff while enhancing the visual appeal of an area.
By implementing drainage strategies, communities can effectively manage stormwater runoff, protect local ecosystems, and enhance the resilience of areas against flooding.
Stormwater Management Services
Stormwater Management Plans
A stormwater management plan is a comprehensive document that outlines strategies and measures to address stormwater issues within a specific area. It typically includes:
- An assessment of existing conditions to evaluate current stormwater runoff, pollution, and flooding risks.
- The development of goals and objectives to set specific targets for improving stormwater management.
- Identification of strategies and measures to select appropriate techniques and technologies.
- Implementation of the plan and tracking of progress.
Once a clear plan is in place, stormwater management specialists can implement the design and build of infrastructure required to assist communities. Ongoing operations must maintain stormwater infrastructure to ensure regulatory requirements are met and the design's effectiveness continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are stormwater and rainwater the same thing?
Yes, stormwater is rainwater that runs off land surfaces and is carried away by stormwater drains and management, eventually flowing into local waterways.
Where does rainwater from a storm drain end up?
When rainwater flows into a storm drain, that water in most cases piped directly to the nearest stream, river, bay or ocean. Rainwater, or stormwater, rarely goes to a treatment facility.
What is the difference between drainage and stormwater drainage?
Drainage is typically known as the water or effluent that flows from your home into a sewer drain, whereas stormwater drainage includes the process of managing rainwater that runs from a particular area, or areas of land mass.
What is the only liquid that should enter a stormwater system?
Stormwater should only contain clean rainwater, not pollutants such as general rubbish, industrial waste, heavy metals, oils and greases. Hence the importance of efficient stormwater management.
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