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Why should you care?
Stormwater
runoff is now the major source of water pollution in eastern North Carolina:
1. Stormwater
runoff also supplies the main surface water source of drinking water in
our area, the Tar River/ sources of drinking water in our region, the
Tar River, Roanoke River, and Moccasin Creek. As a result, the pollution
that is included in stormwater runoff has to be removed from the water
we drink; this is very expensive. The cleaner our stormwater, the less
of our tax dollars have to go to pay to clean our drinking water.
2.Thousands of coastal waters in the State are closed to shell fishing (clams & oysters) and swimming after rainstorms because of bacterial contamination in stormwater runoff acres. Concerns about the health of the fish in our rivers and sounds are increasing. These problems increase the cost of the seafood that we eat, and can disrupt our vacation times.
Stormwater
runoff can result in local and regional flooding:
1. Anyone who
lived in the area in 1999, will remember the massive stormwater runoff
that resulted from Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd. The more hard surfaces
(buildings/pavement) that we create, the greater the chance that we will
experience some flooding and the higher those flood waters are likely
to be.
2. More flooding
results in more public and private funds being spent on emergency services,
clean-up, and repairs that could otherwise be spent on other things.
3. Injuries and loss of life can also result from flooding from stormwater runoff.
Stormwater
runoff can result in greater erosion of the soil.
1. Erosion can
have a negative impact on farmers, when they lose valuable soil and nutrients,
which over time can result in lower crop yields.
2. The negative
impacts can also affect other property owners, when they lose soil and
nutrients that are important to the health of their lawns, trees, and
shrubs.
3. Erosion can also be a major source of sediment that fills up ditches and clogs storm drainage pipes, which can in turn cause higher and more frequent localized flooding.
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