Stormwater Runoff and Best Management Practice

Stormwater runoff is rain, snowmelt, or surface drainage that does not infiltrate into the ground. It instead runs off impervious surfaces like paved streets, parking lots, and rooftops picking up sediment and debris along the way. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are designed to capture runoff where it lands, infiltrate it into the ground, or slow it down, allowing pollutants and sediment a chance to settle out before reaching nearby rivers or streams.

Some BMPs include rain gardens/bioretention cells, rain barrels, pervious pavement systems, soil quality restoration, and native planting gardens/buffers/swales. There are many benefits to native plants. They love our Iowa weather and can survive when it is hot, cold, rainy, or dry. Their deep root systems get them water in the summer and help make loose, rich soil that soaks up rain like a sponge. These plants also provide habitat and food for butterflies, insects, and birds.

What can I do to Prevent Water Pollution? There are several practices homeowners can use on their properties to limit their impact on stormwater runoff and quality. A detailed toolbox of techniques and practices and a list of contractors trained to do the work are available on the Rainscaping Iowa website.

Try their How to Build a Rain Barrel instruction sheet to highlight the toolbox of techniques and practices. 

Also, the following is a list of practices you can begin today to help become part of the solution to preventing water pollution:

Home Maintenance
Buy household products such as cleaners and furniture polish labeled "non-toxic." Use small quantities and purchase only the amount you need. • Properly use and store all toxic products, including cleaners, solvents, and paints. Use up paint cleaners and other products or share leftovers with a neighbor. • Take household hazardous materials and containers to a hazardous material collection center. • Use kitty litter or other absorbent materials to clean spills. Depending on the substance, dispose of absorbents in the trash can or at a hazardous materials collection center. • Rinse water-based paint brushes in the sink. Filter and reuse paint thinner or brush cleaners. Dispose of used thinner, oil, and latex paint at a hazardous materials collection center. • Recycle reusable materials. Throw litter into trash cans and keep cans tightly covered to prevent animal foraging. • Control erosion during construction to prevent dirt and debris from entering storm drains.

Lawn and Garden
Use pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers following label instructions. Do not apply before the rain or during strong winds, and dispose of leftovers at a hazardous materials collection center. • Use a broom rather than a hose to clean up garden clippings. Put leaves and clippings in a separate yard waste cart or a compost pile. • Divert rain spouts and garden hoses from paved surfaces onto the grass to allow water to filter through the soil. Water only your lawn and garden. • Pick up animal waste and dispose of it in the trash can.

Stormwater BMP Resources