What is Stormwater?
Stormwater is water that starts as rain and falls on our buildings, properties, roads, parking lots and vegetated areas such as crops or forests. Once that rain touches a surface, it interacts with whatever is on that surface. Physically, the water will transport whatever is not bonded to the surface and carry it toward a drain inlet (aka storm drain). Water can transport dirt and sediment, chemicals, degraded tire material, or garbage.
Once it reaches a drain, however, it often gets conveyed through pipes to a lower laying drainage ditch, creek, stream or river where that transported material interacts with aquatic vegetation and the "critters" (fish, other biota) that live in these environments. Toxic chemicals can end up altering the environment to a point where life in these water bodies is no longer sustainable; the streams and rivers become severely degraded from many of our own manmade activities.
The good news is that some of the things we do can either be done differently or replaced with different materials/chemicals or activities to prevent stormwater pollution. For a list of actions you can take locally to prevent stormwater pollution, click here.
Once it reaches a drain, however, it often gets conveyed through pipes to a lower laying drainage ditch, creek, stream or river where that transported material interacts with aquatic vegetation and the "critters" (fish, other biota) that live in these environments. Toxic chemicals can end up altering the environment to a point where life in these water bodies is no longer sustainable; the streams and rivers become severely degraded from many of our own manmade activities.
The good news is that some of the things we do can either be done differently or replaced with different materials/chemicals or activities to prevent stormwater pollution. For a list of actions you can take locally to prevent stormwater pollution, click here.
Stormwater Success Story
The Brady Ridge development in Camas (a NON-HOA neighborhood subdivision) had a neglected, malfunctioning stormwater treatment facility with no agreement in place to either rehabilitate it, or maintain it once repaired. The bioswale shown above was overgrown with dense vegetation, invasive species of plants and poorly graded, depositing large amounts of leaves that decay over time, releasing phosphorus which was then directly transported to other streams during heavy rain events. Repeated releases of concentrated nutrients like phosphorus cause eutrophication and algal blooms like we see annually at Lacamas, Round and Fallen Leaf lakes.
A Camas Earth Day Society (CEDS) member took on this challenge to voluntarily rally neighbors and contract with Kings Stormwater Services, LLC to rehab the facility, then put a maintenance agreement in place thereafter so it could function as originally designed. We're hoping to continue planting with native plants to assist in phosphorus uptake over time to limit the amount of nutrients being discharged downstream. The photo on the right reflects the final grown in/re-graded project. This is a major success story and one that CEDS is trying to use as a pilot project for other "orphaned" neighborhood stormwater treatment facilities throughout Camas. Stay tuned for updates as we are interested in expanding this program with the City of Camas - one bioswale at a time! |
If rain is free, why does stormwater show up on my water bill?

Many people get confused looking at their water bill in Camas as it combines several different water types - Drinking Water, Wastewater (sewer) and Stormwater. The stormwater portion of the bill funds the City's compliance requirements that are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. It includes many maintenance and construction activities to maintain the underground infrastructure systems including pipes, drains and pumps along with funding initiatives like street sweeping and stormwater facility maintenance. Without maintenance, drain inlets and pipes can clog, flooding road surfaces or even backup severely enough to flood neighboring properties.
Each of these maintenance activities requires the staffing, equipment and training to make sure Camas remains in compliance with the NPDES permit. Failure to comply with this permit could result in hefty fines for the City. You can help out by maintaining the stormwater inlets near your own property under a program sponsored by Washington called "Adopt a Drain." To learn more click here.
Each of these maintenance activities requires the staffing, equipment and training to make sure Camas remains in compliance with the NPDES permit. Failure to comply with this permit could result in hefty fines for the City. You can help out by maintaining the stormwater inlets near your own property under a program sponsored by Washington called "Adopt a Drain." To learn more click here.