Managing Stormwater

Make rain an asset, not a problem: reduce and reuse stormwater runoff.

We all need clean water to drink.  We also want to have plentiful, clean water in our ponds, rivers, and bays so we can enjoy activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, and nature watching.  But what does that have to do with how we design and maintain our landscapes?  In many ways, our landscapes are connected to our aquifers, ponds, rivers, and bays by water.

In an unaltered forested landscape, 99% of rainfall seeps (recharges) into the ground, gets absorbed by plants, or evaporates as nature intends.  As we build communities to support our growing population, the natural hydrologic cycle is altered as forestland is replaced with hard (impervious) surfaces such as roads, roofs, driveways, and lawns that prevent rainfall from seeping into the soil below.  Instead, most stormwater runs off these impervious surfaces and into stormdrains that discharge into the nearest body of water.  Runoff from developed areas is dirtier and in much greater volume than runoff from natural areas, and can cause serious environmental problems such as flooding, erosion, water pollution, and loss of groundwater recharge and habitat.  

Typical suburban lawns are a contributor to these problems because the compacted soils underneath prevent significant rainwater from recharging our ponds, rivers, and aquifers.  When storms or hyperactive sprinklers give the landscape more water than it can absorb, it runs off our lawns and carries pollutants and high water volumes into our local bodies of water, causing damage.  

This section of the Guide provides suggestions for reducing and reusing stormwater, so it becomes an asset to your property instead of a problem to the environment.  For more information about these and other innovative technologies for managing stormwater, visit the MA Low Impact Development website.

Maximize natural areas.

The easiest way to protect water quality and reduce the quantity of runoff is to keep part of your landscape in its natural condition.  If you have a large lot, consider letting part of it revert to woodland.  If you are planning new construction, set aside a portion of the lot for a natural area.  This has the added benefit of preserving habitat for wildlife.  

Limit paved surfaces.

Paved surfaces keep rain from seeping into the ground.  Consider using porous materials instead, such as permeable pavers, mulch, stone, or shell.  There are even porous versions of asphalt and concrete that perform great and look much like the regular material. For more information these and other innovative permeable technologies, visit the Massachusetts Low Impact Development website.

Redirect runoff from your roof and driveway.

Most driveways and sidewalks are designed to whisk water away from your property, usually onto the street where it gets channeled down stormdrains that lead to the nearest body of water.  You can redirect this water to let it recharge into the ground instead.  Extend or move your downspouts so they drain into French drains (holes filled with gravel), or vegetated areas such as a grassy swale (depression) or rain garden.  If redesigning or constructing a new driveway, slope it to drain onto a vegetated area rather than the street.  

Create vegetated buffers along bodies of water.

Buffers of shrubs and trees along rivers, streams and ponds will protect water quality, recreational resources, wildlife habitat and property values.  These plants will intercept and filter excess chemicals and eroded soil before they pollute the water resource.  An ideal vegetated buffer is at least 100 feet wide, and includes bushes such as winterberry, elder berry, high bush blueberry, and trees such as cottonwood, black willow, and red maple.  Landscaping projects within 200 feet of a river or 100 feet of a wetland may be subject to regulation by your local Conservation Commission.  Contact your town’s Conservation Department for more information. For more information about vegetated buffers, visit the Connecticut River Joint Commission's website. 

Consider green roofs.

Vegetated green roofs consist of a layer of lightweight soil and low-growing, drought-tolerant plants on top of traditional roofing materials.  Green roofs are used extensively in Europe to save energy and reduce stormwater runoff.  Locally, they can be seen in Massachusetts at Boston City Hall, the World Trade Center in South Boston, and the Ikea in Stoughton.  For more information, visit www.greenroofs.org.

Harvest rainwater.

As much as 55,000 gallons of rain falls on a 2,000 square foot roof in Massachusetts each year.  Rainbarrels allow you to collect rainwater from your roof and reuse it to water your landscape.  Save more than pennies on a rainy day – get a rainbarrel at a great price from a local municipality participating in MA DEP's rainbarrel program.

Another alternative is Rainwater Recovery™, an underground cistern that captures rooftop runoff and stores it for outdoor use.  Harvesting systems can range from simple modular tanks with manually activated pumps (connected to outdoor spigots) to very large underground vaults with fully automated delivery systems.  Check out the special offer for Greenscapers and save on your very own Rainwater Recovery system.