Stormwater

Managing stormwater is currently one of the most complex engineering, planning, and regulatory issues affecting local development.  Stormwater can diminish water quality in lakes and streams by picking up pollutants from the ground and transporting them into nearby water bodies.  A heavy rainfall can lead to surges of water downstream causing flooding, damage to infrastructure, and erosion problems. Managing stormwater through a combination of infrastructure and planning will improve both environmental quality and reduce flooding risks and costs.

Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission flood control dams play an important role in protecting communities from fast-rising stormwater flows.

Case Studies

Storm Water Stewardship

This case study originally appeared in Storm Water Solutions and has been provided by the Douglasville – Douglas County WSA for use in the Georgia Water Toolkit

This project protects water quality and improves park aesthetics.

DeKalb County Reduces Stormwater Runoff in Mason Mill Park

Mason Mill Park is located in DeKalb County along the banks of the South Fork Peachtree Creek and Burnt Fork Creek. The tributary of the Burnt Fork Creek flowing through the park experienced a high degree of streambank erosion and habitat degradation due to increased runoff from high-density development up-stream.

Pine Lake Invests in Stormwater Infrastructure

In the late 1930s, Pine Lake in DeKalb County, Georgia, situated on less than a mile of land, was a premier weekend fishing getaway for Atlanta's elite. Today the city has a population of 690 and is home to many local, regional and nationally-known artists, musicians and writers.

Snapfinger Creek runs through the city and a portion of the creek is diverted to form Pine Lake. Rainfall on the southern two-thirds of the city runs into Pine Lake. The rainfall in the northern third of the city is infiltrated into the ground using green stormwater infrastructure.

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