Articles Tagged: Stormwater Systems

For much of the last century, stormwater management followed a simple philosophy: collect runoff as quickly as possible and move it downstream through pipes, ditches, culverts, and channels. Success was often measured by how rapidly water could be removed from streets and developed areas. That appro…

Rain gardens are among the most recognizable and effective forms of green infrastructure. Although they often resemble attractive landscaped planting beds, a properly designed rain garden is a carefully engineered stormwater management system. Every component, from the shape of the basin to the soil…

Stormwater management has traditionally focused on one primary goal, moving runoff away from roads, buildings, and neighborhoods as quickly as possible. While this approach successfully reduces flooding, it often leaves behind landscapes dominated by pavement, pipes, and manicured turf that provide …

Waterfront properties are among a community's most valuable and desirable lands. They offer scenic views, recreational opportunities, and direct access to lakes, rivers, ponds, and coastal waters. Yet the landscaping practices commonly used to maintain these properties can unintentionally become…

Stormwater drainage systems are among the most critical yet overlooked components of rural infrastructure. Hidden beneath roads, driveways, fields, and stream crossings, culverts and drainage pipes quietly transport runoff away from roadways and developed areas. Many rural drainage systems were inst…

When most people think about stormwater pollution, they think of sediment, nutrients, oils, trash, or road salt. However, heat itself can be a pollutant. Thermal pollution occurs when stormwater runoff becomes significantly warmer than the natural receiving waters it eventually enters. Elevated wate…

In stormwater management, some of the most serious failures begin as subtle warning signs that are easy to overlook unless someone is paying close attention. A cross culvert that appears nearly full on a dry day, with no recent rainfall to explain elevated water levels, is one of those warning signs…

Stormwater runoff can cause fish kills through a combination of physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms that alter aquatic environments beyond the tolerance limits of fish and other aquatic organisms. These impacts are often rapid, episodic, and closely tied to precipitation events, especially…

Across towns and counties, road departments replace cross culverts every day. The motivation is usually sound. Aging pipes fail without warning, and a collapse beneath the roadway can create a serious safety hazard, not to mention an expensive emergency repair. Proactive replacement is responsible a…

Street sweeping rarely gets much attention. It is slow, repetitive work, often done in the early morning hours, and the equipment itself can be temperamental and expensive to maintain. Sweepers are subject to constant wear, from abrasive debris, dust, and the mechanical strain of brushes, conveyors,…

*Author's note: The primary image paired with this article depicts a road with a paved wing - Richmond Hill Drive in Queensbury, NY, to be precise - while flooded during a pre-thaw heavy rain event. A winged road with adequate drainage would not normally retain that amount of stormwater. If you …

As communities look for sustainable ways to manage stormwater, bioswales have become one of the most effective and visually appealing tools in the green infrastructure toolbox. They blend natural processes with engineered design to slow, filter, and infiltrate stormwater before it reaches local wate…