What are some of the problems caused by stormwater in urban areas?

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff has many cumulative impacts on humans and the environment including:

• Flooding – Damage to public and private property.
• Eroded Streambanks – Sediment clogs waterways, fills lakes, reservoirs, kills fish and aquatic animals.
• Widened Stream Channels – Loss of valuable property.

How does urbanization affect stormwater runoff?

Urbanization increases the discharge of pollutants in stormwater runoff. Development introduces new sources of stormwater pollutants and provides impervious surfaces that accumulate pollutants between storms.

Why is runoff a problem in urban areas?

Why is Urban Runoff a Problem? Urban runoff carries contaminants, such as litter, food, human & animal waste, automobile fluids, industrial pollutants, fertilizers and pesticides to the beach creating health risks for people, killing marine life and contributing to localized flooding and beach closures.

Why is stormwater management in urban areas an important ecosystem service?

Green stormwater infrastructure research increasingly shows that the benefits of stormwater management transcend controlling runoff volume and timing, but also provide valued ecosystem services, such as improved water quality, groundwater replenishment, recreation opportunities, and creation of diverse habitats (Dhakal …

Why is stormwater management important?

The goals of stormwater management include protecting our environment; reducing flooding to protect people and property; reducing demand on public stormwater drainage systems; supporting healthy streams and rivers; and creating healthier, more sustainable communities.

How does urban runoff affect the environment?

Urban runoff has a detrimental effect on aquatic animals and organisms. Many contaminants can sicken and kill off fish, coral and other aquatic animals. Other contaminants can lead to algae blooms which can also reduce the populations of necessary organisms.

Why is stormwater runoff a problem?

Stormwater runoff can cause a number of environmental problems: Fast-moving stormwater runoff can erode stream banks, damaging hundreds of miles of aquatic habitat. Stormwater runoff can push excess sediment into rivers and streams. Sediment can block sunlight from reaching underwater grasses and suffocate shellfish.

Will urbanization change urban runoff How?

As urbanization progresses, urban land use changes, augmenting the area of impervious surfaces and, as a consequence, reducing infiltration during storm events and increasing direct runoff that eventually alters urban hydrologic processes [2,3,4].

Why is storm water runoff a problem?

How do urban areas become polluted from urban runoff?

Instead, most developed areas rely on storm drains to carry large amounts of runoff from roofs and paved areas to nearby waterways. The stormwater runoff carries pollutants such as oil, dirt, chemicals, and lawn fertilizers directly to streams and rivers, where they seriously harm water quality.

How do we benefit from urban stormwater management?

Full consideration of such co-benefits could shift the economic balance and favor stormwater management approaches that protect streams.

1. Water supply.
2. Flood mitigation.
3. Terrestrial biodiversity.
4. Urban cooling.
5. Resilience to climate change.
6. Urban agriculture.
7. Human well-being.

What is sustainable stormwater management?

Sustainable stormwater management focuses on reducing runoff and improving water quality. LID practices help maintain natural hydrologic cycles through site grading, vegetation, soils and natural processes that absorb and filter stormwater onsite.