Welcome to Boone County Stormwater Management

Proposed Revisions to Zoning Regulations

Boone County is proposing revisions to the Zoning Regulations, Section 2 - Definitions and Section 28 - Stormwater Ordinance. For more information, including the proposed changes, hearing dates, and how to provide comments, please visit our Resource Management page.

An Introduction to Stormwater

Stormwater is considered any water coming from precipitation. It may be rain, water from snow melt, or water that runs off streets, parking lots, lawns and other surfaces. Stormwater drains into natural or man made drainage systems, such as ditches and storm sewer inlets. Neither the natural, nor the man made drainage ways connect to the wastewater treatment plant; instead, the water is discharged directly to our streams and rivers.

The concerns associated with stormwater are comprised of two parts: the volume of water available and water pollution.

As of October, 2015, Stormwater Discharge permits require the completion of an application. Please find the application by clicking on Permits and Inspections on the left menu.

Volume

There can be problems with both too much stormwater, in the case of flooding; and too little stormwater, in the context of lacking the necessary clean water to satisfy a given population. It is important to find ways of controlling stormwater to both eliminate the possible damaging effects of flooding in a populated area, and harness and purify the water to meet any needs a population might have concerning available drinking water.

While finding the proper medium is a challenge, the implications are of the utmost importance to sustaining a safe and healthy living environment for the County's inhabitants.

Pollution

As stormwater makes its way toward sewers, streams, and lakes, contamination can occur. The polluted runoff created is a danger, not only to the human populations of the area, but also the natural environments nearby. Polluted runoff can have negative consequences on an entire community. To avoid disrupting natural habitats of native species and keep our water sources healthy, avoiding leaking contaminants into stormwater is essential to a livable environment. This is highlighted in the enforcement of the stormwater ordinance put in place by Boone County and backed by governments at all levels.

The importance of stormwater and our ability to continue its healthy maintenance cannot be understated. While mostly unnoticed, stormwater directly affects the lives of everyone. Boone County hopes to be a helpful resource and guide toward the appropriate steps regarding stormwater!