Coastal stormwater management controls rainwater runoff in coastal areas and shorelines similar to our City of Boiling Spring Lakes, using traditional open roadside swales, ditches, pipe culverts and catch basin to manage and reduce flooding, prevent erosion, and protect sensitive coastal ecosystems from pollutants like sediment, chemicals, and bacteria by mimicking natural processes and reducing water flow to allow suspended solids to settle out. It involves planning, treatment, and regulations, focusing on both volume and quality, especially crucial in growing coastal regions with unique water resources like estuaries, wetlands and lakes. The goal is understanding the natural water cycle as shown in the picture below:
The water (hydrologic) cycle consists of five components that are:
- Evaporation
- Condensation
- Precipitation
- Runoff
- Infiltration
Though we cannot control the first three components of the natural hydraulic cycle, we can mitigate runoff and infiltration through engineering. Key Goals to good stormwater management that control runoff and infiltration are:
- Flood Control-To reduce and minimize damage and risk to people and property from heavy rainfall events.
- Water Quality Protection-Filter pollutants (such as sediment, nutrients, oil and pathogens) before they reach our rivers, estuaries, lakes and ocean.
- Sustainable Development-Integrate stormwater management and site design for long term community health and growth. This goal is extremely important based on the substantial development growth the City has seen within the last several years.
- Ecosystem Health-Protect sensitive habitats, wildlife and water resources. This is a challenge since the City has an abundance of habitats that include both flora and fauna and water resources that makes this area a great place to live.
Some common practices for controlling stormwater are:
Gray Infrastructure (traditional)-Open ditches/swales, pipe culverts and catch basins.
2. Bioswales/Rain Gardens-Though we do not have bioswales or rain gardens in the traditional sense, this nature based concept is being incorporated with our traditional open ditch/swale system currently being used throughout our City. In addition to the previous statement, our many smaller lakes and topographic depressions throughout the city act as rain gardens that absorb and filter the water.
3. Permeable pavements-Surfaces that allow water to infiltrate into the ground that are starting to be incorporated in land development. This design concept is also being utilized throughout the city to stay within the impervious surface requirements as outlined in the City’s UDO (Uniform Development Ordinance).
4. Vegetated Buffers-Plants along waterways slow runoff and filter pollutants. This practice has been implemented within the last several years along primary waterways/ditches such as in the northern area of the City along Cherry Road and Elm Road.
The City of Boiling Spring Lakes understands the pressures of stormwater management, increased land development, changing weather patterns such as more frequent and higher intensity storm events and created the newly formed Stormwater Department to address these issues. The Stormwater Department is committed to achieving the goals as outlined in the above referenced text by using the common practices as well as new methods for providing comprehensive stormwater management.