The first annual National Stormwater Day is scheduled for November 16, 2025. This designation recognizes that increasingly stronger storms and development can negatively affect the environment, the economy, and public safety. And without an explicit recognition of potential damages from parking lots, buildings and other structures that cause runoff, development can result in significant future costs.
According to data provided by the Maryland Association of Counties, one inch of stormwater falling on an acre of forest or wetland results in 750 gallons of runoff while that same one inch of rain falling on one acre of parking lot results in 27,000 gallons of runoff!
The illustration below is from the Maryland Association of Counties website where you can find more information about National Stormwater Day.
Pollutants that run into local streams and rivers, and damage caused by flooding, add even more reason for localities to use zoning, public works, and land use decisions that lessen conditions for runoff to complement traditional stormwater systems. In Queen Anne’s County, the Planning Commissioners make decisions about development that can intensify or mitigate stormwater efffects.
CRC follows relevant zoning and land use decisions and has provided comments to the Centreville Town Council and to County Planning. You can follow too by going to the County’s website https://www.qac.org/Faq.aspx?TID=29. You can keep track of these decisions and weigh in before they are made.