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MassDEP Begins Development of New Stormwater Management Program
Algae blooms, like this outbreak in the Charles River, are often caused by excessive bacteria and phosphorous found in stormwater runoff. These pollutants close dozens of the Commonwealth's rivers, lakes and streams to recreational activities every year.
This man-made wetland in Lincoln captures stormwater, reduces peak rate of runoff and treats pollutants.
| Stakeholder Group Formed to Assist With Stormwater Discharge Strategy
MassDEP is developing a comprehensive statewide stormwater strategy to address not only the discharge of pollutants into local water bodies, but also to focus on infiltrating a greater amount of stormwater into the ground to help replenish diminishing water resources and maintain base-flows to streams during the summer.
A stakeholder group of experts has been formed to assist MassDEP in the development of the stormwater program, and new stormwater management regulations will be drawn up for public comment later this year. The stakeholder group includes technical experts, environmental groups, municipalities, universities, and commercial and industrial representatives.
MassDEP is meeting regularly with the stakeholder group and the work groups to receive advice on how MassDEP can make the statewide program most effective. MassDEP will then use those recommendations to issue draft stormwater management regulations this year, and solicit public comments before promulgating a final regulatory program.
Stormwater from urban runoff is the single largest source of water pollution in the Commonwealth's rivers, lakes, ponds and marine waters. These discharges occur when runoff from rainfall and snow melt washes over impervious surfaces like parking lots and roadways, and carries pollutants into nearby surface waters.
Bacteria and phosphorus are the causes of 60 percent of the impairments to our lakes and streams, resulting in algae blooms and violations of state water quality standards. Stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces is the major cause of this pollution.
Approximately 50 percent of the state's watersheds do not have enough water during the summer or times of drought. A contributing factor to this shortage is the volume of groundwater recharge that does not occur when rainwater and snow melt comes in contact with impervious surfaces, such as parking lots, roadways and rooftops at large development sites. Instead of soaking into the ground, rainfall flows off these paved surfaces and into nearby waters, compromising surface water quality and exacerbating downstream flooding.
There is currently no comprehensive stormwater plan in the Commonwealth. However, MassDEP implemented a program in 1996, and updated it earlier this year, to address stormwater discharges in wetlands areas. This program has successfully protected wetland resources and sustained recharge to groundwater. MassDEP now intends to build on the success of the wetlands program, and expand its stormwater management to encompass the entire state.
Part of the new statewide stormwater plan will identify best management practices (BMPs) to reduce pollution and increase recharge in watersheds. Due to the fact that MassDEP and the U.S. EPA recently announced new, protective targets to reduce phosphorus pollution to the Charles River Basin, based on up-to-date water quality information, MassDEP will focus a portion of the process in piloting BMPs at existing facilities in the basin to determine the program's effectiveness. Some of the BMPs that MassDEP will evaluate include sand filters, bioretention areas, porous pavement, and constructed wetlands.
The pilot program for the three upper Charles River communities - Bellingham, Franklin and Milford - will provide assistance with the development of best strategies to reduce phosphorus loading from impervious surfaces, and any additional conditions needed for a general permit.
MassDEP will also be reaching out to municipalities, regulated entities and others interested in stormwater issues as part of this program. If you have any questions about the information available or about how to participate, please contact Fred Civian, in the MassDEP Bureau of Resource Protection, at: 617-292-5821.
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