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This
page developed with
support from
Funded by your
Environmental License Plate!
Thank you!
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The
"New" Pollution: Runoff.
When
the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, the big river
pollution problems were industrial outfalls and raw sewage.
Now, most of these are under control.
What's
left? NON-POINT SOURCE pollution-- contaminants
from all over the landscape-- fertilizers, pesticides,
detergents, motor oil, fluids from cars, road salt, soil
eroding from damaged land, and so on.
This pollution enters rivers and streams as STORMWATER
RUNOFF in rain or snowmelt.
Much of it runs from OUR houses and yards, down the
nearest storm drain, and directly to the river, untreated.
Its total impact on a river can rival that of the "bad
old days" of industry and sewage.
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WE
are now the major polluters of rivers like the Hoosic! And
WE need to do something about it.
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There's
Plenty You Can Do!
Home
and Yard Community
Further resources
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Home
and Yard
12
Easy Ways You Can Stop Storm Drain Pollution
More About
Rain Barrels
Rain Gardens
Permeable
Paving
Click
to download this as a flyer
or brochure
in pdf format.
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About
Rain Barrels-- a simple water
conservation strategy.
Rain
barrels harvest and store water from your rooftop by collecting
it from a gutter downspout. The stored water can be used
for watering or other purposes that don't require drinking
water.
Rain
barrels offer several advantages. Using rain for watering
can reduce your water bill, be better for your plants
than city water, and help rain percolate into the ground
and recharge groundwater supplies. A well-made rain barrel
is also mosquito-proof!
For
summer 2007, HooRWA has a supply of rain barrels available
to residents and business owners of Adams, MA. Contact
HooRWA by phone (413-458-2742) or email
for more information.
For information on grants to MA municipalities for rain
barrel purchases, click here.
If you want to build your own rain barrel, click here.
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More
information, and pre-made rain barrels, are available from
many vendors, including
New England Rain Barrel Company
Great American Rain Barrel
Company.
Aaron's Rain Barrels
www.composters.com/docs/rainbarrel.html.
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About
Rain Gardens
Rain
gardens are
attractive landscaping features that double as water conservation
strategies. The purpose of the garden (besides being beautiful)
is to allow rain water to pool in a low spot just long enough
to percolate into the ground. Again, you are recharging
the local groundwater supply and saving on your water needs!
HooRWA, in collaboration with the Adams Community Development
Department, has installed rain gardens at the BArt Charter
School and at private residences in Adams. We are looking
for small businesses who may also be interested in small
rain garden installations in 2007-08. Contact
HooRWA by phone (413-458-2742) or email
for more information.
Mass
Riverways rain garden fact sheet (pdf).
Mass
Riverways rain garden slide show (as a pdf).
For a list of rain garden plants for Vermont, click here.
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For
a comprehensive How-to Manual on installing rain gardens
from the University of Wisconsin Extension Service, click
here.
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About
Permeable Paving
When
rain and snow cannot soak into the ground, surface runoff
increases, raising flood levels and polluting rivers. If
even 10 to 25 percent of the landscape is impervious, it
can have a measurable effect on water quality.
Rooftops, pavement, swimming pools, and patios are all impervious--
barriers to percolation. Permeable paving is one way
to reduce impervious surface on your property.
There are several kinds available. To find out whether it's
a good option for your home, business, or town, check the
resource at right.
Need a simpler fix? Consider using turf or gravel in place
of pavement, or use rain barrels and rain gardens to offset
the impervious effect of your roof.
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For
this fact sheet on permeable paving in pdf format, click
here.
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In
the Community
Whole
communities can also have an active role in reducing non-point
source pollution. Some of the options are:
Labeling
storm drains to raise awareness that stormwater goes
straight to the Hoosic River. Contact
HooRWA for more information about local storm drain
labeling.
Forming
volunteer Community Stream Teams to check the river
periodically and troubleshoot runoff problems. For more
about stream teams, see the Mass
Riverways Adopt-A-Stream webpage or contact HooRWA by
phone (413-458-2742) or e-mail.
Adopting
Low Impact Development (LID) policies or regulations
to help minimize runoff and impervious surfaces. To learn
more about Low Impact Development, see the Low
Impact Development Toolkit.
Stormwater
Management Strategic Plans such as the one designed
by the Town of Adams address many aspects of non-point source
pollution.
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Further
Resources
(Note:
Many other links are provided in the sections above.)
Stormwater
Manager's Resource Center
Center
for Watershed Protection
NEMO
(Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials)
EPA
Stormwater Program site
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