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Stormwater Management

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Park Road Bridge

Storm Water Directory:

Why Storm Water Management is Necessary

As cities develop and grow, the undeveloped areas and surrounding rural region are transformed by the urban landscape. The majority of permeable surfaces are converted to impervious ones, such as pavement, buildings, and residential developments with highly-compacted soils. This changes the area’s hydrology from a high infiltration – low runoff state to a low infiltration – high runoff state, which increases the volume of stormwater and snow melt traveling across surfaces where they would have otherwise been absorbed.  Without the permeable land capacity to absorb it, stormwater will quickly pool on streets, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces, collecting a variety of toxins and debris.

Examples of common urban stormwater pollutants include petroleum-based oils, chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, etc), solid waste, heavy metals, decomposing yard waste, and sediment. This pollution collection train is referred to as “non-point source” pollution and, when left untreated, is hazardous for local wildlife, aquatic environments, and human health.

To report an illicit storm water discharge:

  • Storm sewer hotline (24-hour emergency): 319-356-5177
  • Contact Iowa City's Storm Water Specialist at 319-356-5158

 

Federal and State

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates storm water discharges through the National Pollution Detection Elimination System (NPDES) Program. Iowa and many other states have been authorized to administrate the NPDES program, which regulates non-point source pollutants through a multitude of permitting programs including Iowa City’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Permit. These programs are managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a federal program that regulates stormwater discharge into waterways. To comply with the federal requirements, the City received a permit to discharge stormwater and develop programs to reduce the discharge of pollutants carried by stormwater into our local waterways. These programs and practices consist of educational outreach and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff, post-construction storm water management, and pollution prevention.

The goals of the stormwater utility are:

  1. To protect the community and its waterways through sound planning and construction of stormwater management projects, such as storm sewer and flood-prevention capital improvements.
  2. To inform residents in the use of “Best Management Practices” (BMPs) to aid in reducing stormwater runoff volumes and improving stormwater quality and to promote their use through cost subsidies. Examples of such practices include creek management, soil quality restoration, and other methods. To encourage their use, stormwater utility fees will be used to help defray the cost to homeowners of some or all of these methods.
  3. Inform homeowners and businesses of methods they can use to reduce pollution and improve stormwater quality.
  4. To promote and coordinate volunteer efforts to clean up creek banks, remove debris from waterways, and other environmental projects.
  5. To ensure compliance by contractors and developers with federal regulations for sediment protection during construction projects by promoting BMPs.

For more information, contact Stormwater Specialist.