Stormwater
Stormwater management is important both because of what stormwater carries and how fast it moves. Water has tremendous power and can cause erosion, property and roadway damage, river bank instability, and other safety concerns when moving quickly. However, the primary concern is that when rain falls and water rushes off of our roads and driveways, it also picks up oils, debris, bacteria, and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus naturally found in soils. This stormwater carries these pollutants to our streams and rivers, which all drain to Lake Champlain.
The Town of St. Albans faces an increasingly difficult and expensive challenge of addressing stormwater management needs and regulatory requirements. Portions of the watersheds of both Rugg Brook and Stevens Brook have been identified as being impaired due to excessive stormwater runoff. Additionally, Phosphorus has been identified as a significant contributor to the water quality issues associated with St. Albans Bay.
What it causes Phosphorus?
Phosphorus is one of the primary water quality challenges in Lake Champlain and mostly in St Albans Bay. Found in lawn fertilizers, manure, human and animal waste, riverbank soils, and stormwater runoff, phosphorus causes algal blooms and excessive aquatic plant growth. When there is too much phosphorus in the water, certain plants or algae can dominate the ecosystem and choke out other species. Excessive nutrients can cause cyanobacteria blooms, also known as blue-green algae, and can be harmful to aquatic species, other animals, and humans.
