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Stormwater
About Stormwater in Hamilton
Stormwater is a term used to describe falling rain and melting snow. While stormwater can pose challenges to urban and rural communities, including flooding concerns, erosion, and degraded water quality in streams, stormwater can also be viewed as a resource to be managed.
What is Hamilton Doing?
This section contains information about Policies, Programs and Projects that the City of Hamilton, the Conservation Authorities, and other groups within the City are undertaking relating to Stormwater.
What Can I Do?
Want to know what you can do to address stormwater issues? This section will help you Learn about your watershed, Implement measures to manage stormwater on your property and Participate in stormwater projects.
Glossary
There are some important terms used in Stormwater Management:
- Stormwater: falling rain and melting snow.
- Stormwater Management: controlling how much stormwater drains into certain areas to avoid flooding, erosion, pollution of rivers, etc.
- Watershed: an area where stormwater drains into a river or lake. The Red Hill Creek watershed is one example.
- Watercourse: a moving body of water such as a stream or river.
- Infiltration: infiltration occurs when surface water goes into the ground.
- Pervious: a surface that allows water to infiltrate into the ground. A pervious surface, such as a garden, reduces runoff by absorbing the stormwater on its surface.
- Impervious: a surface that does not allow water to infiltrate into the ground.
- Intensification: further developing an urban area of the city. This has an effect on stormwater run-off because developments generally increase the impervious area.
- Source Control: physical measures to reduce stormwater located at the beginning of a drainage system. Some examples are: rain barrels, roof leader detachment, rain gardens, green roofs, etc...
- Conveyance Control:physical measures to reduce stormwater located with the road right of way where flows are concentrated and being conveyed. Some examples are: pervious pipes, grassed swales, etc...
- End of Pipe Measures: Best Management Practices that are installed at the end of a storm sewer system prior to discharge into streams or rivers. Some examples are: stormwater ponds, wetlands, infiltration basins, etc...
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