Stormwater Management

Town of North Castle

Stormwater Management Program

Stormwater is produced every time rain or snow is not absorbed directly into the soil. Stormwater can pick up oils, litter, sediments, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and pathogens as it travels across roads, buildings, dumpsters, lawns, and parking lots. If this stormwater flows into lakes and streams it can be a major source of water pollution. It is estimated that 70 percent of the water pollution in the United States comes from stormwater and other indirect discharges that are collectively called "nonpoint" sources.

In 1972, the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) was adopted to improve the quality of our Nation’s waters. The Act sought to accomplish this by minimizing and eliminating what are commonly referred to as "point sources" of pollution, sources of pollution that originate from a pipe or other specific point of discharge. There significant improvements in water quality, water pollution remained a problem in waterbodies.

The Clean Water Act was amended in 1987 to target the non-point sources of pollution. Under Phase I of this effort, which began in 1990, municipalities having a population greater than 100,000 people were required to implement programs and projects that would reduce non-point pollution. In 2003 this requirement was extended to almost all other municipalities including the Town of North Castle under what is commonly referred to as "Phase II".

In New York, Phase II requires that all regulated municipalities obtain a permit from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the discharge of stormwater runoff into their surface waters. As a condition of this permit, regulated municipalities must develop and implement a comprehensive stormwater management program that includes mandated programs and practices in the following six categories:

Public education and outreach on stormwater impacts
Public participation/involvement
Illicit discharge detection and elimination
Construction site stormwater runoff control
Post-construction stormwater management in new
Development/redevelopment
Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations

Our Plan

The Town of North Castle has filed a Stormwater Management Plan with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that describes what the Town will be doing each year to meet the requirements the requirements of the Phase II stormwater management program by 2008. The document can be viewed here.

TOWN OF NORTH CASTLE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT

One of the requirements of the SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewers (MS4s), is the preparation of report describes pollutants of concern and their sources, steps being taken to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff, and the effortive and of pollution prevention practices.

The Town is required to prepare an annual report that describes how its programs address the impacts of stormwater discharges upon waterbodies, the pollutants of concern and their sources, steps being taken to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff, and the effectiveness of best management practices. The Town is required to make the report available to the public and to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the Town ’s program at a public hearing prior to it being filed with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

This year's report can be found here. Public Comments were received at the September 5, 2006 public hearing. Additional comments may be submitted to Adam Kaufman at the Town of North Castle Planning Department (914) 273-3542.

Previous Reports can be viewed below:

2006

2005

2004

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Town of North Castle Conservation Board has prepared information on subjects relating to preserving our surface water and groundwater:

Lawn Care & Pesticides

Groundwater

Septic Systems

Toxic Free Living

Watershed Protection

LINKS OF INTEREST