Stormwater

What is Stormwater?

During rain and snow storms, runoff water picks up substances such as oil, grease, litter, pesticides, or fertilizers. This water is now referred to as polluted runoff.  The polluted runoff, commonly called stormwater runoff, carries these substances into waterways, which ultimately reach the Chesapeake Bay.

Most of the stormwater runoff is not treated before it reaches our waterways.  Urban stormwater runoff is a major source of pollution that is increasing.

As areas become more developed, natural landscapes are replaced with asphalt, concrete, buildings and roadways. Before development, when it rained or snowed, the resulting water runoff would be naturally absorbed into the soil or flow over the ground to a nearby stream. Development has disrupted this natural cycle of water flow.

For more information on Save the Bay, please visit:  http://www.cbf.org/.

Examples of Stormwater Pollutants:

sandfilter
Sandfilter
  • Sediment from construction sites.
  • Pesticides/fertilizers applied on home landscaping, gardens, nurseries, agricultural fields and golf courses.
  • Trash and debris on roads or sidewalks.
  • Automobile fluids, spilled fuel, and soapy water from car washing.
  • Pet waste left on the ground.
  • Salts used to treat roads and sidewalks during winter weather.

Uncontrolled and polluted stormwater runoff negatively affects the health of all watersheds!

 

Stormwater Management Devices

stormfilter
The inside of a StormFilter
  • Oil Grit Separators
  • Sandfilters – above and below grade
  • BaySavers
  • AquaSwirl
  • CONTECH Stormfilters
  • Stormceptors
  • Underground Detentions System
  • Bayfilters
  • Aquafilters
  • Ponds

Pond Restoration

Once built, every pond will sadly begin to die.  Not only does vegetation begin to take hold, but will also begin to “silt in” from runoff causing your pond to become shallower over time. And the cycle begins:  Silt begins to fill the pond.  Vegetation starts to grow.  The pond begins to become shallow.  More vegetation grows.  This will continue until the pond fills in and once again becomes dry land.  That’s where we come in.  Let us restore your pond to its prior beauty.  Our services include:

  • Mowing
  • Clearing & Grubbing-
    • Clearing is defined as removing and disposing of all unwanted surface material, such as trees, brush, grass, weeds, downed trees, or other material.
    • Grubbing is defined as removing and disposing of all unwanted vegetative matter from underground, such as stumps, roots, buried logs, or other debris.
  • Rip rap repair
  • Erosion repair