Where Stormwater Strategy Meets Practical Guidance

Stormwater runoff is one of the leading causes of water pollution in the United States. As rainfall or snowmelt flows over impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots, and rooftops, it collects a wide array of pollutants that are carried into local waterways through storm drain systems. Understa…

Protecting your community’s waterways starts with knowing what doesn’t belong. Illicit discharges are one of the most persistent threats to stormwater systems and local water quality. These unauthorized flows, often containing pollutants like oils, detergents, sewage, or industrial waste…

Municipal drainage systems are often out of sight and, unfortunately, out of mind. Yet, these underground networks are vital to public safety, environmental protection, and infrastructure longevity. Accurate mapping of stormwater infrastructure is not only a best practice - it’s an operational…

During the winter months, keeping roadways safe from ice and snow is a top priority for highway departments and municipalities. For decades, rock salt (sodium chloride) has been the standard go-to for deicing roads - it’s inexpensive, readily available, and effective at melting ice. However, h…

How Road Salt Pollutes Waterways During winter months, road salt is a crucial tool for ensuring safe travel on icy and snowy roads. However, its widespread use comes with a significant environmental cost. Road salt significantly contributes to water pollution by elevating chloride levels in surface …

Road-salt use in North America has climbed steadily for decades, yet the chlorides that keep winter roads safe also corrode bridges, shorten pavement life, and push freshwater streams toward brackish conditions. In Wisconsin, state water-quality staff warn that a single teaspoon of salt can permanen…

What Is a Riparian Ecosystem? A riparian ecosystem is the corridor of vegetation and wildlife located along the banks of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Unlike upland areas farther from water, riparian zones are shaped by frequent interaction with moving water. The soils are typically w…

Winter maintenance crews face a difficult balancing act. Roads must remain safe and passable during snow and ice events, but the materials used to achieve that safety can have significant and long-lasting impacts on local waterways, groundwater supplies, soils, vegetation, and stormwater infrastruct…

Severe dust storms sweeping across the Great Plains during the early 1930s highlighted how badly America’s soils had been over-worked, and they spurred the first coordinated federal response. Congress passed the Soil Conservation Act on April 27 1935, establishing the Soil Conservation Service…

For municipal stormwater programs operating under a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit, the annual report is more than a regulatory requirement. It is a public record of performance, a management tool for internal teams, and in many cases a reflection of how seriously a community takes wat…

Across the northern United States, winter road maintenance presents a difficult balance between public safety and environmental protection. For decades, highway departments have relied heavily on road salt to keep roads clear, yet growing evidence shows that excess salt use is contaminating drinking…

Nestled in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Lake George is often referred to as the "Queen of American Lakes," and for good reason. With crystal-clear waters stretching over 32 miles and a watershed that supports rich biodiversity, Lake George is both an ecological treasure an…