THE SKINNY ON STORMWATER
When rain or snow melt doesn't get absored by the ground, it flows across the land surface. This surface water runoff is called, "stormwater" and it picks up and carries pollutants from roofs, roadways, yards and other areas before it is collected by the storm drain system that empties into our local stream network untreated.
Composed primarily of curb, gutter, inlets and unground pipes, the original purpose of the storm drain system is to move stormwater out of the urban environment where it can cause flooding and drainage problems for residents. Unfortunately, this method of moving water from the urban landscape has negative impacts on water resources, recreation and human health. These impacts extend beyond Central Point city limits as our local stream network merges with Bear Creek and the Rogue River just a few miles away.
WHY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT
Managing stormwater is essential to reduce flooding that results when natural areas that previously absored excess rainfall and snowmelt are converted to impervious surfaces. The traditional approach described above focuses on moving stormwater away from development as quickly as possible through the underground pipe system. Nationwide recognition of negative consequences associated with this approach has been growing steadily, as has the development of low impact development technologies or best management practices (BMPs). These BMPs address the negative aspects of the traditional appraoch, which include water quality degradation, increased flood hazards, loss of aquatic and riparian habitat and negative impacts to sensitive ecosystems including the oceans that collect all upstream pollution.