Find out about Watertown’s Stormwater Management Plan at the next meeting of the Stormwater Advisory Committee the information provided by the Department of Public Works below.
The Watertown Stormwater Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Lower Hearing Room in Town Hall.
Come to learn more about the Town’s program for managing stormwater runoff and to help us update our Stormwater Management Plan.
- Learn about stormwater runoff and its impact to the Charles River
- Hear how the Town regulates stormwater runoff from development
- Contribute to the Town’s Stormwater Management Plan
- Brainstorm ways to engage Watertown about stormwater
Stormwater from Watertown’s drainage system flows directly into the Charles River without treatment and contributes to pollution in the river. The EPA requires the Town to take certain measures to control and treat stormwater runoff. The Town’s approach consists of 6 elements:
- Public Education
- Public Involvement
- Construction Runoff Control
- Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
- Post-construction Stormwater Management
- Pollution Prevention
See the Stormwater Management Plan by clicking here. Look under 2016 General Permit—April 2019
For more information on Stormwater in Watertown, go to http://www.watertowndpw.org/161/Stormwater-Management
Thank you to Watertown’s Stormwater Advisory Committee and DPW for this timely informational event next Thursday eve. We hope lots of folks will take the opportunity to learn what they can do to help filter stormwater and reduce potential flooding in their neighborhood.
We’re hoping the presentation will include recognition of the important infrastructural contributions trees make to urban stormwater management, and encourage property owners to preserve the health of their shade trees for this reason.
Based on extensive research and case studies, four organizations (American Rivers, American Society of Landscape Architects, Water Environment Foundation, and Eco-Northwest) have concluded that compared with gray infrastructure, functioning green infrastructure programs:
Reduce built capital costs (equipment, installation)
Reduce operation costs
Reduce land acquisition costs
Reduce repair and maintenance costs
Reduce external costs (off-site costs imposed on others)
Reduce infrastructure replacement costs (potential for longer life of investment)
Recognizing that climate change will bring increased deluges, cities throughout the US and Canada are making a major push to plant trees to help manage stormwater. Increasingly, “Grey to Green” is a municipal goal. For example, Vancouver, BC is well on its way to its goal of adding 150,000 trees between 2010 and 2020. Portland, OR has a Treebate program which allows homeowners to apply for a refund on their sewer bill when they plant a tree on their property.
Right now, Watertown’s Stormwater Ordinance makes no mention of the significant infrastructural value of shade trees in stormwater management. Official recognition of this value would be an important step for Watertown.
Trees for Watertown will be happy to work with Watertown to progress in this green direction.