South Charleston

Welcome to your Stormwater Jeopardy!

Rain or snow melt flows across roofs, roads, or automobiles and washes oils, grit, metals and chemicals into waterways.

Conveying runoff by storm drains, bioswales, ditches, stormwater ponds, pipes, constructed wetlands and vaults. Is called this.

A city lot has this many gallons of runoff a year.

A pavement that lets the water flow through it and into the ground.  Is called this.

Metals, oils, pet droppings, pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, oil, grease, soaps.

Pavement, rooftops, building, even gravel driveways can keep rain water from soaking into the soil.  Soil holds rainwater like a sponge and releases it even during the summer, keeping stream flows high enough for you to fish.

Commonly spotted in parking lots, oil and grease wash into these and they do not lead to wastewater treatment.

I check my car for leaks, scoop the pet poop, wash my car on the lawn, use fewer garden chemicals, and fertilize my lawn only twice a year.

An area of my yard designed to collect water. It uses a mix of native and ornamental plants and special construction to let water soak into the ground and keep it from running off my yard.

Industries must treat their industrial process water and follow regulations to dispose of hazardous materials.  Small businesses and residents have to dispose of their chemicals in special places.