Why stormwater management matters

Regional stormwater management is our approach to addressing flooding, erosion, and water quality problems that cross community boundaries and affect hundreds of miles of streams. Here are a few ways to understand our regional approach to stormwater management and how our program helps residents, neighborhoods, and the region.

Watershed Team Leader Anne Schilling leads a tour of the successful Hemlock Creek Restoration in Seven Hills.

A regional solution for regional problems.

Stormwater-related problems must be addressed regionally because what happens in one community can affect another. Often one community addresses a problem and may inadvertently move that problem downstream to the next community. Managing stormwater flows is necessary to protect our natural resources, reduce streambank erosion and decrease the pollutants in streams and rivers. If these issues are not addressed, problems worsen and become more costly to solve in the future.

Understanding the solutions

What happens in one community can affect another. Often one community addresses a problem and may inadvertently move that problem to its downstream neighbor. Managing stormwater protects our natural resources, reduces streambank erosion, and decreases pollutants in streams and rivers.

Stormwater management matters to you.

Clean water is one of our region’s most valuable resources. It affects your drinking water, your quality of life, your property values, and your community. Protecting our clean water is not done by one person or one community alone. Our regional stormwater management program is a critical component in protecting our clean water.

Regional solutions have positive local impact.

Since 2015, our Regional Stormwater Management Program has completed dozens of projects, reducing flooding, restoring streams, stabilizing banks and widening floodplains, and more, success stories that matter to residents and the region. This kind of work is happening all around the region every day, maybe even near you.

Locally, communities can benefit by taking advantage of the Community Cost-Share Program in which 25% of the stormwater revenue collected within a community will be available for its own municipal stormwater-management projects such as debris removal or flooding abatement. How communities can apply for cost-share projects.

Help your property and your community.

Efforts like downspout disconnects, rain gardens, and rain barrels can benefit your property and reduce your stormwater fee with a fee credit. There are numerous stormwater control measures that residential customers or businesses can consider which qualify for stormwater fee credits. To learn more about the program, submit an online application or call to speak to one of our Watershed Team Leaders at (216) 881-8247.