When water falls from the sky, it either gets soaked up by plants, infiltrates the ground and enters the water table,  or it runs on top of the ground until it reaches a drain or enters a river, lake or stream (storm water runoff). 

Storm water runoff is valuable because it recharges the Rappahannock river and its tributaries.  However, storm water runoff that has been polluted can seriously damage the river's ecosystem, and can also cause health hazards to people using the river's water for recreation or drinking water.  Much of this pollution can be prevented.

Why is storm water pollution such a problem?  Well, in urbanized areas, much of the natural landscape has been replaced by impermeable areas, such as roads, parking lots, buildings and sidewalks.  Because the water can't soak into the ground in these places, it runs along the surface, picking up any pollutants, such as dripping oil and fuel from cars, before it enters a storm drain system that usually just dumps into the nearest river or stream with no other form of treatment.  Also, because the native vegetation has been removed, the water has nothing to slow it down, and gains velocity, which aids in further erosion when it enters a water body.

Urban planners and builders nowadays take these problems into consideration when they are designing new urban areas.  To help control the quality and quantity of storm water discharged, they use several different practices, such as storm water ponds, which collect the storm water and gradually allow it to discharge, and low impact development (LID) practices, such as using rain gardens, permeable pavement, grassy swales, and other devices that help storm water infiltrate into the ground.

But what can you do to help?  Check out the “Pollution Prevention” and “Yard Practices” tips on the home page.  And for more ideas, check out the links below!