Rachael Marques, Watershed Specialist

 

With all the heavy rainstorms this summer, now is the perfect time to talk about stormwater. Stormwater is simply precipitation from a storm that runs across the earth’s surface. This water falls on our landscape and can move in a variety of ways!

As shown in the image below, when water falls from a storm it has a few paths. It can be absorbed by the land’s surface or “infiltrate,” it can runoff the surface, or it can be evaporated back into the sky.

 

 

In a county like Pike, where we depend on groundwater through the use of wells, infiltration is the ideal scenario. Infiltration occurs more easily in undeveloped areas like forests, grasslands, and other natural areas. During infiltration, stormwater can seep into the soil, filter through the ground, and recharge, or refill, our drinking water sources. But what happens in areas that are more developed? When stormwater hits a disturbed or developed surface like a parking lot or rooftop, it becomes runoff. Stormwater runoff can cause some serious issues. As the runoff flows over developed surfaces, it can pick up pollutants like sediment, chemicals, etc., and carry them away further down the watershed. As water runs off it can also gain speed which can cause erosion to happen faster than normal and damage our infrastructure like roads, homes, and more. These are some of the reasons why stormwater management has become of critical importance to our communities and ecosystems.

 

 

Check out this model made by Stroud Water Research Center that shows how different combinations of factors can cause different runoff vs infiltration scenarios: https://runoff.modelmywatershed.org/.

 

I mentioned watersheds in my previous paragraph. But what is a watershed? A watershed is a common drainage area or an area where all water (except water that evaporates) will eventually drain to the same point or waterbody. Precipitation in a certain watershed will end up at the bottom of that watershed. For example, Pike County is in the larger Delaware River Watershed. This means that each drop of rain will eventually make its way down to the Delaware River! But how?

 

Usually, stormwater will make its way down the watershed into a variety of locations. This can include running into bodies of water such as streams and wetlands. Have you ever noticed how rivers and streams seem to have really high water levels after a large storm? Well, that’s due to that stormwater making its way into those bodies of water.  The water levels go back to normal after the surge of stormwater makes its way down the watershed. Sometimes, the water can gain a lot of force as it gets into those bodies of water -this is what can sometimes cause flow-related damage, like roads being washed out.

When stormwater hits a body of water like a wetland, it actually gets a chance to slow down and lose some of that force before it moves down the watershed. These critical areas also allow for the higher chances of infiltration instead of runoff as

water slows and spreads out. Floodplains, or areas of land next to a river or stream, play a similar role since they provide an area for water to overtop a stream and lose force instead of continuing downstream with momentum. This is why wetlands and floodplains are very important to help mitigate flooding events!

 

 

Now that we have talked about how stormwater can move along the landscape, and that some of those ways can cause some serious issues, we can talk about things we can do to help. Thankfully, there are many things we can do, even in our own backyards! Practices such as rain gardens, directing roof runoff to a vegetated area, and planting native species can all help make a difference. To learn more, check out our “A Homeowner’s Checklist for a Watershed-Friendly Home” guide for tips on how to help your watershed!