How is stormwater runoff “managed”?

"Best Management Practices (BMP)" is a term used to describe different ways to keep pollutants out of runoff and to slow down high volumes of runoff. Preventing pollution from entering water is much more affordable than cleaning polluted water! Educating City residents about how to prevent pollution from entering waterways is one best management practice. Laws that require people and businesses involved in earth disturbing activities -like construction and agriculture - to take steps to prevent erosion are another way to prevent stormwater pollution. There are also laws about litter, cleaning up after pets and dumping oil or other substances into storm drains.

Education and laws are just two best management practice examples. Some BMPs are constructed to protect a certain area. Some are designed to slow down stormwater, others help reduce the pollutants already in it - there are also BMPs that do both of these things.

Examples

Detention ponds, built to temporarily hold water so it seeps away slowly, fill up quickly after a rainstorm and allow solids like sediment and litter to settle at the pond bottom. Then, they release the water slowly. These ponds are one constructed BMP example. Other examples include:

  • Filter Strips
  • Green Roofs
  • Permeable Paving
  • Sediment Fences
  • Storm Drain Grates

Show All Answers

1. What is stormwater runoff?
2. What is polluted runoff?
3. What causes polluted stormwater runoff?
4. Why do we need to manage stormwater and polluted runoff?
5. What is the City of Abilene doing about stormwater runoff?
6. How is stormwater runoff “managed”?
7. If it only affects streams and creeks, why should I care?
8. Why all the recent fuss about stormwater?
9. What is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program?
10. What is a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)?