What is stormwater and how does it impact water quality?
In urban and suburban areas, like Farmers Branch, much of the land surface is covered by buildings and pavement which do not allow rain to soak into the ground. Instead, this water, known as stormwater, runs off into the stormwater system.
The stormwater system is a network of drains and pipes that ultimately end up in a waterway--be it a stream, creek, pond, lake, or river. In Farmers Branch, there are three creeks: Cooks Creek, Farmers Branch Creek, and Rawhide Creek.
When stormwater runoff enters the storm drains, it carries with it pollutants it comes into contact with like oil, dirt, chemicals, and lawn fertilizers. These end up in streams where they seriously harm water quality.