When it rains, or snow melts, water flows over surfaces and into water bodies, also known as runoff. Runoff absorbs everything on the land's surfaces and flows into the nearest waterbody. When water flows over the various surfaces pollutants, such as litter, lawn chemicals, car oil, pet waste, and more are carried into local water sources. Personal behaviors can have a major impact on water quality in the area.

Different types of land coverage can have a great impact on a watershed, and some more than others. When it rains, the specific type of land coverage determines how quickly the water flows into a watershed as well as what it carries along with it. While soil or grass will absorb and filter a majority of stormwater, other surfaces such as impervious surfaces will quickly move water into local storm drains. In addition to rapid movement of water, impervious surfaces, such as parking lots, roads, and rooftops carry various pollutants (i.e., litter, car oil, or pet waste) into storm drains, eventually reaching local watersheds. These pollutants have a major impact on both the natural environment and humans in the watershed.

There are a variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) that can be implemented to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff on water quality. To learn more about BMPs please click here.