STORM WATER

Why is storm water important?– Development and urbanization within and around the City of Porterdale has impacted many small streams and the Yellow River. This is because clearing has removed plants so rainfall that once seeped into the ground now runs off the surface. The addition of buildings, roadways, parking lots and other surfaces that are impervious to rainfall further reduces infiltration and increases runoff. All these changes cause storm water to runoff the land more quickly and carry with it large quantities of pollutants, such as sediment, fecal coliform bacteria, oil, trash, etc. that empty into local streams. Porterdale’s streams contain too much water during rain events and not enough during the dry season. This causes flooding of our city streets and yards, as well as stream-bank degradation. In-stream water quality is also affected which causes additional stress to the fish and invertebrates that inhabit our streams. With new growth and development expected in the near future, this issue will only grow more important over time.