Stormwater Program - General Information

What is Stormwater and How Does it Affect Our Lives?
"Stormwater" is water that flows across the land -- and it is not limited to what falls from the sky.  It includes water that runs off any hard surface, from roads to roofs, or even sun-baked fields.  This "runoff" is NOT treated before it enters the storm drainage system, which leads directly to nearby waterways.  That means any pollution collected by the runoff is carried into local streams, creeks, and rivers, causing trouble for marine life, plant life, wildlife, and people -- in short, ALL life is impacted by stormwater pollution.

How Does Stormwater Affect Eugene's Water Quality?
In eastern Eugene, storm drains empty into the Mill Race and the Willamette River.  In western Eugene, storm drains flow into Amazon Creek which leads north to Fern Ridge Reservoir.  Fern Ridge discharges to the Long Tom River which ultimately reaches the Willamette River downstream.  The stormwater collection system includes all publicly maintained pipes, culverts, gutters, catch basins, ditches, channels, ponds, wetlands and related waterways.

The problem comes when water flows across the land, picks up pollutants and carries them into local waterways via Eugene's stormwater system.  In Eugene, storm drains flow directly, untreated, to local creeks, ponds, wetlands and rivers.  And because these pollutants can come right back to us through the water cycle (evaporation, transpiration, storage, precipitation), when we protect Eugene's stormwater, we also protect the overall quality of water for Oregon and the nation!