Stormwater is rain and snow melt that runs off rooftops, paved streets, highways, and parking lots. As it runs off, it picks up pollution like oil, fertilizers, pesticides, soil, trash, and animal manure. Most stormwater flows untreated into streams, lakes, and marine waters. According to the Department of Ecology, stormwater runoff is the leading threat to Washington’s urban waters, streambeds, banks, and habitats. As the population grows in Aberdeen, urban development increases. This results in more developed land and an increase in stormwater runoff and pollution to waters of the state. Unmanaged stormwater runoff can damage fish habitat, contribute to flooding, contaminate swimming areas, pollute shellfish beds, contaminate groundwater, and degrade water quality.

The city works to improve the quality of stormwater runoff by requiring developers and property owners to utilize effective stormwater management principles and proven best management practices (BMPs) when proposing development projects. The goal of these requirements comes in the form of the following:

The principles above are all part of a land development technique commonly known as low impact development (LID). Proper management of stormwater runoff and implementation of LID practices minimize damage to public and private property, reduce the effects of development on land and stream channel erosion and sedimentation, assist in the attainment and maintenance of water quality standards, reduce local flooding, and maintain, post-development, as nearly as possible, the predevelopment runoff characteristics. Applied on a broad scale, LID can maintain or restore a watershed’s hydrologic and ecological functions.

The city of Aberdeen has developed a permitting process that emphasizes proper stormwater management and ensures compliance with state and federal regulations. Refer to Chapter 13.70 for provisions related to storm and surface water management and permitting.