Chesapeake Stormwater Network
The Chesapeake Stormwater Network advocates for reform of federal, state and local laws, permits, regulations and design manuals to promote more sustainable stormwater management in the Chesapeake Bay.
Population growth and sprawl development continues to transform theChesapeake landscape at an alarming and unprecedented rate. Theimpervious and turf cover created by new development now represent thefastest growing land cover in the Basin. These changes in land coverare having a dramatic influence on stream quality – it has beenconservatively estimated that 10,000 stream miles have already beendegraded by past development in the Basin, with another 250 more streammiles lost each year. Polluted stormwater runoff is also a leadingimpediment to meeting water quality standards in the Bay. Urbanstormwater has the dubious distinction of being the fastest growingnutrient source in the Chesapeake Bay, and is also a major source ofsediment, pesticides and trace metals to the Bay. Although thestormwater problem has been recognized for two decades, federal, stateand local land development regulations have had little impact on theproblem - runoff pollution continues unabated in most parts of the Bay.
This site discusses runoff reduction as a stormwater management practice.
Water Quality/Quantity, Watershed Management
Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York
