What is Stormwater Management?
Stormwater management strives to reduce overland flows of water from rainfall and snowmelt. It may also include runoff from activities like watering lawns, washing cars, and draining pools. The goals of stormwater management are to lessen the strain on municipal infrastructure, decrease erosion, mitigate flooding, and improve the quality of water bodies. The stormwater system WHRM owns and maintains consists of storm drains (catch basins), off-street drainage corridors, buried pipes and manholes, cross culverts, detention ponds, and roadside ditches.
Stormwater Management Plans
Stormwater Management Plans have been created for the growth centers of Falmouth, Hantsport, Three Mile Plains, and Windsor. These studies assess the performance of current drainage systems in a series of scenarios including existing and future conditions, while acknowledging the changing climate (i.e. increased frequency and intensity of storms). Preliminary recommendations for stormwater conveyance improvements have been developed for areas of concern.
Falmouth Stormwater Management Plan (5.15 MB)
Hantsport Stormwater Management Study (3.95 MB)
Three Mile Plains Flood Risk Assessment Report (41.36 MB)
Windsor Stormwater Management Plan (101.71 MB)
Combined Sewer Overflows
Some of WHRM’s infrastructure, like many older North American municipalities, was designed as a combined sewer system where sewage and stormwater flow through the same pipes. The climate was more predictable when the combined sewer systems were designed to carry all contents (rain, melted snow, and sewage) to a wastewater treatment plant for full treatment, most of the time they still function effectively. Rarely, during prolonged periods of intense rainfall or power outage, the volume of stormwater entering these combined sewers exceeds the system’s capacity and can trigger diluted overflows at emergency fallout locations. It is a long-term endeavor to reduce excess stormwater by methods like diverting, adding capacity, adding storage, identifying extraneous flows, and gradually separating stormwater and sewer systems.
Recreational Use of Lake Pesaquid IMPORTANT NOTICE.pdf (6.91 MB)
Homeowner Stormwater Management
Homeowners can help control stormwater runoff by utilizing best management practices (BMPs) on their property such as rain gardens, rain barrels, french drains, bioswales, increasing permeable surfaces, and planting native vegetation.
https://envirocentre.ca/stormwater/
https://watersheds.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Rain-Smart-Neighbourhoods-webinar-handout.pdf
Flood Resources:
https://www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca/programs/home_flood_protect/resources/
If you have any questions or stormwater-related concerns, reach out to our Environmental Technologist by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.