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Stormwater
STORMWATER
Background
Water quality in the Charles River has improved dramatically in recent years, but there is still much work to be done. Runoff from paved surfaces and rooftops is a major culprit in elevating pollution levels in the Charles. Although rainwater is relatively clean, when it falls on impervious surfaces, such as roads and parking lots, it collects pollutants as it flows over land and carries them to the nearest river, stream or stormwater drain. In addition to degrading water quality, stormwater runoff can cause flooding and infrastructure damage when large rain events or pollution build up overwhelm the capacity of underground stormwater pipes.
An Overview of CRWA's Stormwater Work
CRWA is working to address stormwater problems in the Charles River using both traditional and innovative methods. We are actively engaging with lawmakers to develop intelligent, effective stormwater regulations. We are designing Blue Cities, which use New England's ample rainfall as a resource, instead of treating it as a liability. We are monitoring the Charles River and its tributaries to assess the localized impacts of stormwater runoff. We are educating watershed residents about what they can do to reduce stormwater pollution to the Charles.
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| Photo: William P Aldrich |
This is an exciting time to be working on stormwater issues in Massachusetts, as recently, both the U.S. EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection passed draft regulations aimed at managing stormwater runoff from existing properties with large impervious areas. Research has shown that these areas are a major source of stormwater runoff to the Charles. Current regulations that govern stormwater are not enough to solve existing stormwater problems, which will only get worse with climate change. These new regulations are needed to address this growing problem.
An Overview of Stormwater Management Today
Stormwater management is typically the responsibility of municipal governments or large institutional land holders, such as MassHighway. On the municipal level, individual communities are required to manage stormwater pollution from public and private land within their community under both the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and federal National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) legislation. To reduce confusion from overlapping and potentially conflicting regulations and create a single set of standards to regulate stormwater discharges, some communities pass local stormwater bylaws. Stormwater bylaws are local regulatory mechanisms that define a community's stormwater control guidelines, lay out administration of these guidelines, and detail enforcement measures to be taken  when these guideline are violated. Stormwater bylaws can also be used to promote environmentally sensitive development such as Low Impact Development (LID) techniques that filter stormwater runoff and promote local groundwater recharge. CRWA actively promotes LID stormwater management techniques throughout our watershed and the state as part of our Blue Cities Initiative.
Additionally, select communities are adopting stormwater utilities to fund their stormwater management programs. In this era of drastic budget cuts, having a designated funding source to finance intelligent and comprehensive stormwater pollution management is more important than ever.
CRWA's Stormwater Resources
Laws and Regulations
Reducing Stormwater Pollution
Costs and Funding
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| Low impact development stormwater management practices at North Point development, Cambridge, MA Photo: Clay Larsen |
Educational Resources
Other Stormwater Resources
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