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Chesapeake Bay
Program Office
No-Runoff Challenge
EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office is sponsoring a “No-Runoff Challenge” to help tackle one of the most persistent problems facing our local rivers, streams and creeks and the Chesapeake Bay – stormwater runoff, the rain that rushes off hard surfaces on your property, picking up harmful pollutants and dirt before ending up in your local waterways. There are simple actions we can all take to control runoff. Are you up for the challenge? |
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The Problem | The Challenge | The Rewards | The Solution | Key Links | News | Multimedia | Photos/Testimonials | Calendar | Reduce Runoff Video | Let Us Know
The most persistent problem facing our local streams, creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay is pollution that runs off roofs, lawns, driveways, roads, parking lots and other hard surfaces when it rains.
As rainwater washes off your property into storm sewers and waterways, it picks up pollutants that are harmful to living things. The stormwater also erodes dirt from stream banks, depositing it downstream where it smothers fish, shellfish and wildlife habitats.
It’s a growing problem.
New development is rapidly converting natural absorbent soils in forests and farmland to hard surfaces. From 1990 to 2000, the area of land covered by impervious surfaces in our region increased by 40 percent. In fact, runoff from towns, cities and other developed areas is now the only source of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that is increasing.
EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program is sponsoring a No-Runoff Challenge to encourage homeowners, developers, commercial property owners and others to take simple steps that can minimize, and even eliminate, runoff from hard or “impervious” surfaces.
It can be done!
Start with the basics and see how low you can go with actions to reduce and even eliminate runoff from the rain that falls on your property.
For government, the challenge is to promote low-impact development and smart growth strategies that control polluted runoff and protect local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay for future generations.
So what’s in it for you?
Less runoff means less pollution entering your favorite streams, creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay – waterways that contribute to your quality of life and serve in many cases as a source of drinking water.
By collecting rainwater that would normally run off your property, you can save money on your lawn and garden watering bills.
The actions you take to help reduce polluted runoff will not only protect local waterways, but will also contribute to a cleaner and healthier Chesapeake Bay – America’s largest estuary.
Government can’t do it alone. You can help protect our natural resources.
There are many ways to modify existing properties or design new ones to meet the challenge of eliminating polluted runoff.
Here are just a few of the steps you can take to reduce runoff on already-developed property:
- Redirect downspouts to lead to grass, gravel or vegetation rather than hard surfaces.
- Install rain tanks, rain barrels and rain gardens to capture runoff from downspouts and use it to water your gardens.
- Install a “pervious” type of driveway surface (such as gravel or special pavers) that lets rainwater soak into the soil underneath.
- Replace part or all of your traditional lawn with natural, native plants that absorb more rainwater and filter out pollutants.
There are levels of achievement you can reach in capturing stormwater – right down to the ultimate goal of no runoff.
Contact
For more information or to share your examples of controlling runoff, contact Mike Fritz, 410-267-5721, fritz.mike@epa.gov or Reginald Parrish, 202-566-1396, parrish.reginald@epa.gov.
- EPA’s Low Impact Development Web Site
- EPA’s Green Infrastructure Web Site
- Green Infrastructure Webcasts - PDF [1p, 493k, about pdf]
- EPA’s GreenScapes Web Site
- EPA’s Stormwater Management at EPA HQ’s Web Site
- Chesapeake Bay Program stormwater site
- EnviroCenter professional green office building in Jessup, Md.
- Information on creating rain gardens
- Proponents gushing over 'no net runoff' site designs, December, 2008 - Bay Journal Article
- EPA/U.S. Botanic Garden Video - Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it Out, Soak it In (8:55)
- USDA “People’s Garden” (5:34)
- Spring ’09 – Event to Officially Launch No-Runoff Challenge
