Kurtz 1 Lauren Kurtz Prof Doug Lipton Prof Doug Parker TA Dennis Guignet AREC200 0103 8 April 2011 Stormwater Manager Severn Watershed When precipitation from snow and rain flow over solid land and impervious surfaces but do not sink in stormwater runoff is created This runoff accumulates debris sediment and other unnatural materials as it runs over these unclean surfaces In turn this polluted runoff could have a negative impact on the Bay when running into it As a stormwater manager it is my responsibility to manage this contaminated runoff and control the cleanliness of the watershed EPA Stormwater Program On behalf of The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPDES Stormwater Program I will be regulating stormwater discharges from three potential sources municipal separate storm sewer systems construction activities and industrial activities Stormwater Basic Information This national program exists in every state including the District of Columbia as well as many American territories According to the Stormwater Program Most states are authorized to implement the Stormwater NPDES permitting program EPA remains the permitting authority in a few states territories and on most land in Indian Country The NPDES is the Permitting Authority for all regulated discharges in the entire state of Maryland EPA Stormwater Program Kurtz 2 To reduce the impacts of runoff on urban streams EPA expanded the Clean Water Act in 1987 to require municipalities to obtain permits for discharges of stormwater runoff As a result of this legal act many communities have adopted regulations requiring developers and construction workers to install stormwater management practices that reduce the rate and volume and remove pollutants from runoff generated on their development sites Stormwater Management Constructive acts such as this are good for the reputation of stormwater managers and the runoff that they manage The health of the surrounding communities is motivation to keep the Bay and watershed as clean as possible This can also affect the property value of the surroundings As stated in The Relative Efficiency of Agricultural Source Water Water Pollution Control Policies Nonpoint pollution is inherently stochastic For example weather plays a role in the process of pollution control These features of nonpoint pollution make the application of the emission based policy which has been t he focus of economic inquiry infeasible Due to outside circumstances such as recreation aesthetics and preserving the ecosystem many of the economic benefits related to the environment are difficult to measure If they are difficult to measure and thus not included in the benefit cost analysis the results of the analysis will be flawed and biased against environmental improvements Things that are valued in the Bay are measured by their importance in relation to humans When swimming and eating fish are valued it is great cause for me as a stormwater manager to monitor the cleanliness of the Bay If these recreational and tourist attractions become less popular the Bay loses economic value Kurtz 3 Due to the pollution of stormwater and natural disasters the economic benefits of the Bay such as fishing swimming eating viewing hospitality and boating cannot occur when the water is polluted dramatically If this occurs the Bay loses its economic attraction as well as value It is crucial for the stormwater manager to control the pollution through the use of sewage control construction sight control and industrial activity control Although the cost of controlling these activities constantly may be more of an incurrence the net benefit in the long rung will be more valuable to the overall economic well being of the watershed