The source of stormwater is rain, sleet and melting snow. Normally, it is expected that stormwater would find its way into the ground or evaporate. In forests, a large amount of the run off water is absorbed into the ground while plants take up on much of the water. This ensures that there is little run off. However, plants are fewer in urban centers and most of the areas are constructed in such a way that little or no water gets into the ground. This results in increased surface runoff and this is where the importance of stormwater management comes in.
Stormwater management is importance especially in cities especially because it improves on water quality by ensuring that harmful bacteria have been prevented. There are many health-related problems and diseases that are likely to result from stormwater. For example, bilharzia and cholera are some of the diseases that may result in deaths if they are not properly managed. Therefore, when stormwater is properly managed, it ensures that urban centers have been assisted in getting rid of harmful diseases and ensuring that they have been provided with clean drinking water at the same time.
When roads and buildings are constructed in urban centers, it becomes very hard for the water to find its way into the ground. The natural infiltration of stormwater is interrupted and this results in flooding. Increase in impervious surfaces results in the pollution of water sources such as rivers and streams. Stormwater management doesn’t only benefit people, but also ensures that the environment has been maintained. Some of the stormwater management used traditionally include ponds. The importance of ponds is that they detain water and slowly releasing it to the nearby water bodies with time. The problem with traditional ponds is that they do not allow for groundwater infiltration.
It is important for the volume and velocity of stormwater to be considered for storm damage prevention. Groundwater recharge is also a very important part of managing storm water especially because it ensures that base flow of water to the nearby streams has been allowed. This is also done to ensure that drinking water has been replenished and that runoff water has been reduced in a way to ensure that erosion has been prevented. Supporting good water quality can be achieved by ensuring that pollution has been prevented and eliminated completely.
It is also important for runoff water to be properly managed particularly because it not only contains dangerous bacteria, but also contains organic matter whose source is trash. It also contains greasy materials from vehicles, and toxic pesticides as well. Most of these pollutants contain nitrogen and phosphorous in them which are beneficial to the aquatic systems when they are in small amounts. However, when the quantities are too high, they become a problem to aquatic life. The pollutants are also harmful to the environment as they are carried by rivers and streams to other places. If they are not properly managed on time, they are more than likely to affect more sources of water as well.