The Homeowners

Guide to Stormwater

Review • Stormwater Runoff- Stormwater runoff is

precipitation (rain or snowmelt) that runs across the land.

Review• The stormwater runoff may:• Go into the soil to be taken up by vegetation.• Discharge directly into streams/ lakes• Or evaporate into the atmosphere.

Review • Stormwater in our area falls on our rooftops,

driveways and patios and discharges into:

• The Conestoga

• The Susquehanna

• The Chesapeake Bay

Review• Why is this a problem?:

• Pollutants (chemical, trash) on our roads, driveways and rooftops accumulate in the runoff. This can contaminate our water supplies.

• Flooding due to too much stormwater.

• If stormwater flows into streams at high rates it can cause bank erosion. This disturbs habitats of aquatic animals and can cause sediment pollution.

What are the Steps You Can Take to Reduce

the Harmful Effects of Stormwater Runoff?

• There are 3 steps you can take:

1. Assess the Stormwater On Your Property

2. Developing a Stormwater Management Plan

3. Implementing the Stormwater Plan

Step 1: Assessing Stormwater on Your

Property• First Draw your property boundaries.

• Then draw the buildings and other features of your property.

1. Label any impervious areas (areas where water cannot penetrate into the soil)2. Label any lawn and landscaped areas with any natural vegetation. 3. Label any water features (streams, ponds, etc) around your property.

An Example:

Step 1: Assessing Stormwater on Your

Property• Now it is time to figure out how and where water

flows on your property.

• Map out:1. Roof downspouts 2. Stormwater slow paths using arrows3. Areas of ponding 4. Any ditches that have resluted from soil erosion.

An Example:

Step 1: Assessing Stormwater on Your

Property• Now you can try and figure out how much runoff

you have to manage using the following table:

Step 2: Developing Your

Stormwater Management Plan-

Some IdeasRain Gardens

Riparian Zone

Rain Barrel

Step 3: Implementing the Stormwater Management

Plan

• Some considerations once you have concidered what manangment strategies you can use:

• Where to locate management strategies:1. Do not implement where bedrock is present2. Do not place them near ponds3. Do not put them near septic tanks

You are Ready to Implement!

Last Note: Ways to Maintain Your Lawn to Prevent Harmful

Runoff• Maintain a dense vegetative cover of turf grass to

prevent runoff

• Minimize fertilizer used on your lawn.

• Keep clippings/ mulch out of streets/ storm drains.

• Set mower height at three inches or taller. Taller grass keeps a deeper and more extensive root system to absorb water.