Stormwater Management

For a number of reasons—including public health and safety, environmental, economic, legal liability, regulatory responsibility and to improve quality of life—cities and counties across Georgia have a vested interest and need to effectively deal with stormwater runoff in their communities. Stormwater management involves both the prevention and mitigation of stormwater runoff quantity and quality impacts through a variety of methods and mechanisms.

In general, stormwater management can be broken down into the following six areas:

1. Watershed Planning
   Using the watershed as the framework for managing land use and developing large scale solutions to regional stormwater quantity and quality problems
2. Development Requirements
   Addressing the stormwater impacts of new development and redevelopment through stormwater management requirements and minimum standards
3. Erosion and Sediment Control
   Controlling erosion and soil loss from construction areas and resultant downstream sedimentation
4. Floodplain Management
   Preserving the function of floodplain areas to reduce flood hazards, minimize risks to human life and property, reduce modifications to streams and protect water quality
5. Operations and Maintenance
   Ensuring that stormwater management systems and structural controls work as designed and constructed. Includes the retrofitting of existing problem areas and streambank stabilization activities
6. Pollution Prevention
   Preventing stormwater from coming into contact with contaminants and becoming polluted through a number of management measures

Together these six categories create the “umbrella” of comprehensive stormwater management.