Stormwater problems can affect our homes, our communities, our ecosystems, and our day-to-day lives. The City’s focus for the stormwater capital improvement program is on street flooding. The overall stormwater program also includes addressing maintenance needs of the existing system.

Street Flooding

Did you know that one inch of rain in the City of Warren produces 276 million gallons of water? That is a lot of water finding its way to our storm system. Additionally, where a typical rain event may produce inches of rain over many hours or days, our region has been experiencing more intense rains, with the same volume coming down in a few hours or less. More intense storms fill our sewers faster, and therefore create flooding issues once the sewers are full. Big rain events also cause the river levels to rise, which can also lead to flooding.

Image source: Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons

Maintenance Needs

The City performs maintenance and repairs for the stormwater system and encourages residents to keep the storm drain inlets in their neighborhood clear of debris and yard waste. City maintenance may occur when ditches have filled up with dirt, storm pipes are clogged, or a manhole or grate is missing. It is the responsibility of residents to keep their ditches clear of trash and yard waste so stormwater can drain efficiently.

Image source: Bart Everson, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Luckily, there are many stormwater solutions that can be implemented to make sure excess flows are being drained correctly. Stormwater solutions can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can look like natural areas that invite the public in, or they can be underground and invisible.

Grey Infrastructure

Grey infrastructure is probably what you think of when you hear the word "infrastructure". Grey infrastructure is typically underground and designed to move stormwater from one place to another as fast as possible, or to hold stormwater in man-made structures. Grey infrastructure for stormwater mitigation includes things like:

• Installing larger pipes
• Installing larger ditches
• Adding new pipes or structures
• Detention ponds & basins

Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure includes designed systems that mimic nature and capture rainwater where it falls. Green infrastructure for stormwater mitigation can include:

• Rain gardens
• Stormwater planters
• Tree trenches
• Stormwater parks
• Permeable pavement
• Green roofs
• Rain barrels and cisterns
• Preserving, restoring or constructing natural areas and wetlands

Images source: Wikimedia Commons