Stormwater Management

What is Stormwater Management?

According to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, "Rain and snow melt run over the many hard surfaces in urbanized areas — roads, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, roof tops, etc. — and pick up pesticides, fertilizers, oils, metals, road salt, sediment, trash, and other pollutants and carry them into storm drains. Storm drains discharge directly into lakes rivers, streams, and wetlands (the water is not treated first) so stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution."

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines Stormwater Management as the effort to improve water quality and reduce the amount of runoff into streets, lawns, and other sites.

The City of Buffalo has a Stormwater Polution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) - (PDF) that is monitored according to Minnesota MS4 regulations.

Why Do We Care About Stormwater?

By being careful about what goes down own storm drains, we can keep our lakes and rivers clean.