subject: What Is Storm Water Management? [print this page] What Is Storm Water Management? What Is Storm Water Management?
Storm water management is the procedure or the act of taking care of the quantity and quality of storm water. This includes structural and also manufactured control devices and systems (such as retention ponds) for treating dirty storm water, and also functional or procedural practices. Management of storm water is crucial, particularly in cities where storm water runoff is always a problem.
Storm water is not merely water which is introduced by down pours and stormy weather. The term is applied to all of the water coming from precipitation events, which includes snowfall or runoff water from overwatering. storm water is of concern for two major reasons. One reason is connected to the amount and timing of runoff water (such as flood management and water supplies) and the other relates to the probable pollutants the water is carrying.
In contrast to loose dirt and sand, impervious areas like parking lots, highways, structures, and compacted dirt don't permit rain to seep into the soil. This is the reason far more runoff water will be generated within metropolitan areas and urbanized places compared to rural or forested locations. This really is unfortunate and can end up being hazardous to the environment because instead of being spent as runoff water, it could have replenished groundwater or supply stream base flow in dry settings.
Storm water management studies show that extra runoff may erode watercourses, like streams and rivers, as well as lead to floods once the storm water collection system is overpowered by the excess flow. If not appropriately managed, runoff water due to substantial or continuing rainfall might cause severe damage to human lives and property.
Contaminated runoff can result from contaminants coming into surface waters during precipitation events. It isn't as unheard of as you might assume. Daily human actions leave pollutants on roadways, grass, roofs, farm fields along with surfaces. They are picked up by runoffs then ultimately wind up in rivers, wetlands and seas in significant amounts.
In some locations, impure runoff coming from streets and freeways could be the largest supply of water pollution. Other unwanted effects of polluted storm water are stream erosion, weed invasion as well as changes to normal flow patterns. Unfortunately, several native species count on all those patterns and circulation levels for breeding, development and also migration. A number of storm water management methods were created to remove impurities from the runoffs before they pollute surface waters or even groundwater resources.
Management of storm water may be in the form of source management, so detrimental substances will be taken care of to prevent discharge of impurities into the ecosystem. In contrast, natural rivers that survive or could be rehabilitated can be obtained and safeguarded. Building soft structures like ponds, swales or even wetlands to work alongside existing or "hard" water drainage systems (like pipes and concrete channels) can also be effective for managing runoffs.
Storm water management might be more successful by instructing people about how human actions affect water quality and the things they can do to improve the situation. Existing regulations and ordinances should be improved to handle comprehensive storm water needs and ensure that property owners take into account the results of storm water prior to, during as well as following development of their property. All in all, individuals working together with the law could make a difference in minimizing the side effects of storm water runoff on the ecosystem.
