Managing Stormwater Runoff

Homes situated on lakefronts or along riversides are among the highest valued properties on the market. Buyers crave the tranquility associated with water and yearn for easy access to water sports.

While waterfront properties are the most prized locations they are also at the highest risk for pollutants from stormwater runoff. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named stormwater runoff as the nation’s biggest water quality threat because it whisks pollutants from streets to lakes and streams via storm drains.

Not only are storm drains the conduit for pollutants entering water sources, the systems in place are not large enough to handle the volume of runoff that is happening. “The existing stormwater infrastructure in place in most cities was not built to handle the amount of runoff that is now occurring,” Steve Modrow, Owner, ASLA, Principal Design, biota Landscape design, “existing systems in large cities are failing due to age and deferred maintenance.”

Learn how carefully planned landscapes can curb stormwater runoff while providing curb appeal.

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