Stormwater Information
Please note: The following is information related to stormwater. Some web sites to which these materials provide links are not managed by the University of Kentucky. The University does not review, control or take responsibility for the content of those sites. Many of the resources are in PDF format. This list is by no means complete and is frequently updated.
What is stormwater?
"Storm water is water from rain or melting snow that does not soak into the ground. Instead, it flows from rooftops, across paved areas, and through sloped lawns." ~ from KY-A-Syst for the Home: Stormwater Management Publication
Why is stormwater important?
"As storm water moves across these surfaces, it can pick up and carry along pollutants such as yard and pet waste, sediment, chemicals, oil, grease, and other possible contaminants. Storm water pollutes by entering lakes, streams, and rivers. It also goes into storm sewers, which bypass wastewater treatment plants and act like streams. Polluted storm water can have a negative impact on your property’s environmental quality. It can also cause costly damage when it comes into your basement or into your well through a poorly sealed shaft." ~ from KY-A-Syst for the Home: Stormwater Management Publication
- Educational Materials
- Enviroscape/Nonpoint Source Pollution Model : this model demonstrates different sources of nonpoint source pollution (e.g., stormwater) that can occur in a watershed and effect water bodies and groundwater. A model is available for loan. Contact Ashley Osborne for more information.
- Groundwater model: these models show how water moves underground and through karst topography. Two separate models are available for loan, one focuses on groundwater movement while the other looks at how groundwater moves in a karst area. Pollution, such as stormwater runoff, can be discussed. Food coloring can be used to demonstrate how pollution can contaminate groundwater. Contact Ashley Osborne for more information.
- Publications
- Websites
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension Stormwater Home (includes NC Extension programs, publications, and more)
- Stormwater Authority
- Stormwater Magazine
- US EPA Stormwater Program
- US EPA Stormwater Outreach Materials and Reference Documents (includes downloadable brochures, posters, doorhangers, bookmarks, factsheets, and more)
- University of Central Florida Stormwater Management Academy (includes stormwater animation videos and Stormwater Educational Toolkit)
This page is maintained by Ashley Osborne.
Email questions or comments to ashley.osborne@uky.edu.
Last updated: 07/11/2007
