Articles Tagged: Ecosystem

Every drop of rain that falls on the landscape has several possible destinations. Some water evaporates back into the atmosphere. Some is absorbed by plants and later released through transpiration. Some flows across the land as stormwater runoff into ditches, streams, rivers, and lakes. Another por…

Few lakes in the world inspire the sense of awe that Crater Lake does. Formed nearly 7,700 years ago after the collapse of Mount Mazama, the lake fills a massive volcanic caldera and reaches a depth of 1,943 feet, making it the deepest lake in the United States. Its remarkable blue color and extraor…

The Adirondack Watershed Institute, often referred to as AWI, has become one of the most important environmental organizations working to protect New York’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Based at Paul Smith’s College in the northern Adirondacks, AWI blends scientific research, on-the-grou…

Rain gardens are among the most recognizable and effective forms of green infrastructure. Although they often resemble attractive landscaped planting beds, a properly designed rain garden is a carefully engineered stormwater management system. Every component, from the shape of the basin to the soil…

Stormwater management has traditionally focused on one primary goal, moving runoff away from roads, buildings, and neighborhoods as quickly as possible. While this approach successfully reduces flooding, it often leaves behind landscapes dominated by pavement, pipes, and manicured turf that provide …

Floating wetlands are emerging as an innovative and increasingly popular tool for improving water quality in stormwater systems, ponds, and urban waterways. By replicating many of the functions of natural wetlands without requiring extensive excavation or shoreline restoration, these systems offer m…

Waterfront properties are among a community's most valuable and desirable lands. They offer scenic views, recreational opportunities, and direct access to lakes, rivers, ponds, and coastal waters. Yet the landscaping practices commonly used to maintain these properties can unintentionally become…

Eurasian watermilfoil is one of the most widespread and problematic aquatic invasive plants in North America. Known scientifically as Myriophyllum spicatum, this submerged aquatic plant has spread aggressively across lakes, ponds, rivers, reservoirs, and canals throughout much of the United States a…

As communities look for sustainable ways to manage stormwater, bioswales have become one of the most effective and visually appealing tools in the green infrastructure toolbox. They blend natural processes with engineered design to slow, filter, and infiltrate stormwater before it reaches local wate…

Bioswales have become an increasingly common component of modern stormwater management systems. Found along roadways, in parking lots, within subdivisions, and around commercial developments, these vegetated channels are designed to slow runoff, capture sediment and pollutants, promote infiltration,…

Green infrastructure has become one of the most effective approaches for managing stormwater while improving the health and resilience of our communities. Rather than relying solely on traditional "gray" infrastructure such as pipes, culverts, and concrete channels to move stormwater downs…

The Clean Water Act is the foundation of modern water pollution control in the United States. While many people associate the law with industrial pollution or wastewater treatment plants, it also serves as the legal basis for regulating stormwater runoff through Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System…