Keeping our storm water system working properly and maintaining its functionality takes a partnering effort of the citizens and business owners.
What is a Stormwater Management Program?
We are all familiar with rain: water falling from clouds onto the surface of the earth. Although rain itself is easy to identify, what happens to rainwater after it reaches the ground surface is less obvious and reliant on the type of land cover where it rains. In urban areas like those found in the City of Clarkston, storm water runoff must be managed by the City to protect public and private property as well as protect our streams and river activities.
Both water quality and water quantity problems are created as land is developed. Even though the same amount of rain falls on a rural farm and an urban city, the city will have a much larger amount of storm water runoff since it has more impervious surfaces like asphalt and concrete. Often the runoff is large enough to cause flooding and erosion problems due to the rapidly moving water.
It’s been 30 years since the Clean Water Act began the process of cleaning up the country’s waters. In 2003, a new Federal mandate entitled the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) was enacted. This regulation adds new requirements for the control and management of storm water quality and quantity on all municipalities. The City of Clarkston is responsible for compliance with new Federal and State regulations on water quality as well as providing storm water management facilities and services.
All of these services are done to protect personal and public property as well as provide for a healthy environment. Neither the Federal nor state government provides funding for these mandated programs.
For more information about Stormwater Infrastructure click here.
Stormwater Education Information: When It Rains, It Drains, It Has to Go Somewhere
Stormwater Newsletter-Reducing Water Pollution for Residential and Commercial Landscaping
Stormwater Quarterly Newsletter- Q4 - Leaves and Yard Debris
Stormwater Newsletter March 2020-Illicit Discharge to Storm Water System
Stormwater Newsletter June 2020-Stream and Waterway Protection
Updated Stormwater brochure