WNC Stormwater Partnership

WNC Stormwater - Home Overview - What is this all about? More Information on Stormwater     Statewide Web site -- opens in a new window Links to WNC Phase II Communities -- Local Ordinances, Public Participation, Contacts in Your Community

OVERVIEW Stormwater runoff is water from rain or melting snow that “runs off” across the land instead of seeping into the ground.  This runoff usually flows into the nearest stream, creek, river, lake or ocean. On its way, runoff can pick up and carry many substances that pollute water.  These include pesticides, fertilizers, oil, soap, pet waste, leaves and grass clippings.  It also includes sediment from construction, bare soil, dirt roads, or agricultural land. Runoff is also created by watering, car-washing, hosing down decks or pavement, or any other activity that puts a lot of water on the ground.

In addition to picking up pollutants from the land, stormwater runoff also gets polluted from dumping in storm drains, and from illegal (illicit) hook-ups to the pipes that carry rainwater to the streams.
Runoff is not treated in any way before it reaches creeks and streams.	When a sink, tub, toilet, washing machine, or shop drain is connected to the storm drain pipes, rather than the sewer or septic pipes, that wastewater goes directly to our creeks and streams without being cleaned!
Image courtesy of U.S. E.P.A.	Photo courtesy of City of Durham	Photo courtesy of City of Raleigh

As urban and suburban development increase, stormwater runoff increases.  Wherever permeable land, like fields or woodlands, is replaced with impermeable surfaces, like roofs, driveways, parking lots or roads, water that used to soak into the ground now runs off the surface.

In addition to picking up pollutants as it flows, this increased volume of runoff causes increases in flash flooding and erosion of streambanks.	The combination of pollutants, muddied water, flooding, and loss of streambank property causes problems downstream. The result is direct economic loss from property damage, aesthetic loss of the beauty of our mountain streams, and ecological loss of vibrant aquatic ecosystems.

Stormwater runoff is also called non-point-source (NPS) pollution, because it comes from across the landscape, rather than a single point like a discharge pipe from a factory.

The Federal Clean Water Act requires municipalities to protect water quality by managing stormwater runoff.  Phase II of this law requires several cities and towns, and some County facilities, in Western North Carolina to comply.  They have been dubbed, "Phase II Communities."  Each local government that is subject to this requirement has created a stormwater management plan.  By law, all plans include:

• passing or updating ordinances to prevent erosion and sedimentation, and to minimize runoff from new development
• creating a program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges to storm drain systems
• public participation and education programs
• preventing pollution in local government operations

We need YOUR help to control stormwater runoff and keep our streams clean:

• For more information on what you can do at home and work, please click "more information" below, and browse the FAQs and Citizen Resources.
  
• For more information on industry-specific workshops, please inquire with your local community stormwater contact (click "community links" below to find local contacts).
• For more information on local clean-ups and other community-wide projects, please click "community links" below, and browse your community's stormwater site.