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What is stormwater?
Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and streets prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground.
Where does it go? How much does it cost to manage?
Find out by reading our Storm Drainage Pamphlet. Still have questions about stormwater and the City's storm sewer utility? Review the frequently asked questions page.
What is the City of Ferndale doing about stormwater?
Read the City's current Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan.
Read the City's 2012 Stormwater Management Program; 2011 Annual Report and Supplemental Documentation.
Read the City's Illicit Discharge Ordinance.
Read the City's Stormwater Control Ordinance.
How does development affect
water quality?
In an undeveloped watershed, most rain and snow
falling on the watershed either infiltrates into the ground or is
taken up by vegetation. Much of the water that infiltrates into the
ground eventually makes it into streams or lakes through groundwater
seeps, or springs. Water taken up by vegetation cycles back into the
atmosphere through evapotranspiration.
Because of these processes, runoff from natural areas is negligible, except after the largest storms. Ecologically intact systems provide a number of services to the community, including; groundwater recharge, pollutant removal, temperature reduction, erosion control, air purification, flood and drought control, wildlife habitat, increased property values, and recreation.
As development within a watershed increases, it brings with it an increase in impervious surfaces. Water runs directly off these surfaces and into lakes and streams. This causes many problems for the stream and its inhabitants. In highly impervious watersheds, the stream receives a flood of runoff water just after rainfalls or large snowmelts, but is deprived of water during dry times.
Both the high flows and the low flows are problematic for the stream. The high flows can damage aquatic habitats and scour the banks, while low flows deprive aquatic wildlife of water and oxygen. Runoff water is also much warmer than groundwater, and carries with it soil and whatever substances it may pick up from the landscape along the way, such as fertilizer, pesticides, oils, and other pollutants. The system loses its capacity to provide the ecological services mentioned above. The pollution in the unfiltered runoff is called "nonpoint source pollution" because it does not come from one specific source such as a factory, but rather, it results from our everyday activity on home sites, businesses, roads and farms.
What watershed am I in?
The City of Ferndale is within Water Resource Inventory Area 1. The City limits encompass 6 different watershed management areas: Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay, Lummi Bay, Silver/Nooksack Channel and Delta, Ten Mile and Lower Mainstream Nooksack.
Find your watershed on this map.
View the Ferndale Stormwater Basins Map
Resources
Stormwater Coalition - Become an "official stormwater genius"!
WRIA 1 Watershed Management Project
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State of the Schell Creek Watershed
Schell Creek runs through the middle of Ferndale. If you live in the Schell Creek Watershed, you should be recieving a "State of the Watershed Report."
Even if you don't live in this watershed, the report is interesting and includes data from the City's Water Quality Monitoring Program, which is a partnership between the City, the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, and Windward Highschool.
Watershed workshop for educators - June 27th
Watershed Words:
A workshop for educators
This day-long session will be jammed with tips for using writing and your own school campus as a context for learning. The curriculum integrates outdoor observation, investigation, and poetry writing with the core subjects English, science, social studies, and the arts.
Each workshop participant will receive a copy of the teaching guide for “River of Words - young poets and artists on the nature of things" which incorporates language skills, art, science, history, and culture into activities and exercises for kindergarten through high-school students (our workshop will focus on activities for 3rd through 8th grade).
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve near Mt Vernon
Early-bird registration fee provided by City of Ferndale sponsorship (before June 13): $25 ; After June 13: $45
Fee includes 7 Clock Hours and lunch
For workshop details and registration form: http://is.gd/KqglHi
Lodging is available at $30/night. The cost goes down if you share a room.
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