Stormwater Management Program

General Information

Under the Phase II Stormwater Regulations, the United States Environmental Protection Agency established a municipal stormwater management program to improve our Nation's waters by reducing the quantities of pollutants that stormwater picks up and carries into storm sewer systems during a storm event. The City of North Tonawanda has been identified as an owner and operator of a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and is subject to the Phase II Stormwater Regulations.

The City of North Tonawanda, in partnership with the Western New York Stormwater Coalition (WNYSC), has developed a Stormwater Management Plan that is essentially a guidance document to address six minimum control measures that are required under the stormwater regulations. The Stormwater Management Plan includes Best Management Practices for each minimum control measure as well as specific tasks to achieve and maintain compliance.

The six minimum control measures are as follows:

Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts
Public Involvement/Participation
Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
Post-Construction Stormwater Management
Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

Portions of the work are provided through the collective efforts of the Western New York Stormwater Coalition members. The remaining work is the responsibility of the City of North Tonawanda. For specific information on the City of North Tonawanda's Stormwater Management Program, please contact our Stormwater Management Officer, Chelsea Spahr City Engineer, at (716) 695-8565 or [email protected]

As part of the Phase II Stormwater Regulations, the City is required to report annually on the progress of our stormwater program. Copies of previous annual reports are provided below.

Please download our Public Comment Form to request a public meeting or submit comments on the Annual Report or our Stormwater Management Plan. Hard copies are also available for review in the City Engineer's Office, City Hall, 216 Payne Avenue.

Stormwater: What is it & Why is it a Problem??

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that does not soak into the ground. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas, bare soil, and sloped lawns. As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports soil, animal waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris and other potential pollutants.

Rain and snowmelt wash pollutants from streets, construction sites, and land into storm sewers and ditches. Eventually, the storm sewers and ditches empty the polluted stormwater directly into streams and rivers with no treatment. This is known as stormwater pollution.

Polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals, and people.

Sediment can cloud the water and make it difficult or impossible for aquatic plants to grow. Sediment also can destroy aquatic habitats
Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Fish and other aquatic organisms can't exist in water with low dissolved oxygen levels.
Bacteria and other pathogens can wash into swimming areas and create health hazards, often making beach closures necessary.
Debris - plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts - washed into waterways can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life such as ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
Household wastes such as insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life. Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseased fish and shellfish or from ingesting polluted water.

If you suspect stormwater pollution is occurring in your neighborhood, please contactChelsea L. Spahr, PE, City Engineer at (716) 695-8565 or [email protected]

Western New York Stormwater Coalition

A partnership to protect water quality

A number of communities in Western New York have joined together to develop a stormwater management program to protect our waterways and enhance our quality of life. The goal of the WNYSC is to utilize regional collaboration to identify existing resources and develop programs to reduce the negative impacts of stormwater pollution. The public education and outreach initiatives of the WNYSC strive to enhance public knowledge and awareness of stormwater pollution and provide information to individuals and households to prevent stormwater pollution and protect water quality. To download public education materials or to obtain additional information concerning stormwater pollution prevention, click here.