FEATURED STORY Understanding stormwater, the issues, and solutions What's the link between water flow and watersheds?
Some people say rain, other say rainwater, we say stormwater, and it's more than just rain. Stormwater is any rainwater or melting snow or ice that flows over the surface of the land to the nearest sewers, lake, or stream.
Hard surfaces like driveways, roofs, parking lots, and even some lawns pose two stormwater problems: Pollution (like litter, debris, oils, etc. which the stormwater carries to its destination untreated), and increased flow (the water flows quickly and in larger volumes, and that combination can increase flooding and erosion, the washing away of streambank soils).
Are there solutions to these problems? Some communities have regulations in place to control stormwater inside their borders, but one community's solution can affect other communities downstream. That is why the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District has launched its Regional Stormwater Management Program.
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