Stormwater Management

Stormwater is water from rain and melting snow and ice. Stormwater can soak into the soil (infiltrate), be held on the surface and evaporate, or run off and end up in a nearby stream, river, or other water body. Before land is developed with buildings, roadways, and agriculture, the majority of stormwater soaks into the soil or evaporates.

Bioretention Gardens

View examples of bioretention gardens in Nebraska.

Past Events Archive

View resources from past stormwater management conferences and workshops.

Stormwater Regulations

The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), established through the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) Amendments of 1972 (later amended and known collectively as the Clean Water Act), regulates water quality by requiring a permit for point source pollution discharges to waters of the United States.

Conservation Subdivision Design

Conservation subdivision design (CSD) entails a broad range of design principles and parameters that collectively enhance environmental quality, the aesthetics and quality-of-life of residents in the subdivision, and the profitability of the development for the developer.

Low Impact Development

The key premise of low impact development (LID) is to allow natural systems to manage stormwater when and wherever possible.  LID takes advantage of existing natural features and also designs and constructs systems to imitate natural processes, for example, green roofs, bioretention gardens, and permeable pavement. 

Stormwater Education for Kids

The stormwater activity sheets below can be downloaded and used with the Stormwater Sleuth comic book or on their own. They are designed for students from 4th - 6th grades, but may be appropriate for other ages as well.

Soil Erosion and Sediment Control

Soil erosion and sediment loss from construction sites has been documented as a major source of water pollution. Bare soil exposed to a rain event can become quickly eroded, leading to sediment that moves into adjacent storm sewers or lakes and streams. 

LID Atlas

The Low Impact Development (LID) Atlas was created for the National Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Network by the Connecticut NEMO Program and the California Center for Water and Land Use (http://lidmap.uconn.edu/). The LID Atlas is an interactive tool that provides examples of LID implementation throughout the country.

Rain Gardens

You can reduce water runoff from your yard by planting a rain garden. A rain garden is a small depression planted to flowers and ornamental grasses. It is designed to temporarily hold and soak in rain water from a roof, driveway or open area. A rain garden is not a pond or wetland. It is dry most of the time and holds water after a rain. Water collected in the rain garden slowly soaks into the soil and disappears in less than 48 hours.