STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Stormwater Management

Stormwater is rainwater and melted snow that runs off streets, lawns, and other sites. When stormwater is absorbed into the ground, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers. In developed areas, however, impervious surfaces such as pavement and roofs prevent precipitation from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, the water runs rapidly into storm drains, sewer systems, and drainage ditches and can cause:

Downstream flooding
Stream bank erosion
Increased turbidity (muddiness created by stirred up sediment) from erosion
Habitat destruction
Changes in the stream flow hydrograph (a graph that displays the flow rate of a stream over a period of time)
Sewer overflows
Infrastructure damage
Contaminated streams, rivers, and coastal water
Why Manage Stormwater?

Traditional stormwater management design has been focused on collecting stormwater in piped networks and transporting it off site as quickly as possible, either directly to a stream or river, to a large stormwater management facility (basin), or to a combined sewer system flowing to a wastewater treatment plant.

Low impact development (LID) and wet weather green infrastructure address these concerns through a variety of techniques, including strategic site design, measures to control the sources of runoff, and thoughtful landscape planning.

LID aims to restore natural watershed functions through small-scale treatment at the source of runoff. The goal is to design a hydrologically functional site that mimics predevelopment conditions.

Wet weather green infrastructure encompasses approaches and technologies to infiltrate,evapotranspire, capture, and reuse stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies.

*Should you observe a polluted or questionable discharge from a stormwater outfall in the Borough or observe illegal deposition of materials into a storm drain inlet in the Borough, you should contact the Borough Manager immediately by calling the Borough Office (724 266-4070). Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm OR email the Borough Manager – info@ambridgeboro.org