In the beginning, there was "drainage." The idea was to get rid of stormwater as fast as possible by routing it to the nearest water body. No state did "ditching and draining" better than Florida as we drained wetlands and made room for development. Problem is, of course, one problem led to another - and it was all downhill from there.

Converting natural lands to urban uses drastically changed the hydrology of our watershed. As we compacted soils and created impervious surfaces, we dramatically altered the water cycle. Less water soaks into the ground to replenish our aquifers, lakes, wetlands and streams at the same time vegetation loss diminished evapotranspiration. The result? Each rain produces greater volumes of stormwater. That causes streams to flow at full or flood condition more often, eroding away vegetated buffers and eliminating vital habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates that make up the base of the food chain.

Then in the mid-1970s we discovered that stormwater was polluted! People leave behind a wide variety of pollutants that can be flushed by stormwater into surface waters or leached into groundwater. Today, stormwater is the single largest contributor of pollutants to surface waters, including Tampa Bay.

Coming of Age

In 1982, Florida became the first state in the country (and one of only eight states even today) to require stormwater treatment for all new development. Over the past 20 years, these design criteria have been updated and the permitting program streamlined so that, today, developers obtain a single Environmental Resource Permit that incorporates stormwater quantity, stormwater quality and wetlands protection.

In the mid-1980s, we began to focus on retrofitting urban drainage systems to reduce pollutants - and have completed more retrofit projects in Florida than anywhere else in the world. We've used simple baffle boxes, regional stormwater wetland parks, alum injection systems and vortexes that capture floating trash and suspended solids. We've also restored hundreds of acres of land near critical aquatic habitats, recreating the natural system when possible.

Where do we go from here?

But we're still missing the boat. While we've done a decent job on retrofits and restorations, some of our existing codes and regulations actually exacerbate -rather than correct - the problem. And as growth continues - with the latest projections showing 22 million people in Florida by 2020 - we can't afford to sidestep the issue any longer.

We need to rethink current statewide stormwater goals and design criteria, local development codes, and landscaping practices to making it easier and attractive for developers to build more environmentally sensitive projects.

First, we must reduce stormwater volume. Performance standards for stormwater management need to be changed so that post-development volume and pollutant loading do not exceed pre-development levels. It's possible - these standards already are required in the Lake Apopka and Lake Okeechobee basins, as well as Lee and Collier counties. Additionally, stormwater reuse must be encouraged because it reduces volume discharged from wet detention ponds and can reduce the need for potable water for many uses such as car washing and landscape irrigation.

Secondly, we need to increase the use of nonstructural controls to reduce both the volume and level of pollutants in stormwater. While structural controls are critical in helping to reduce the impacts of urbanization, they alone cannot protect the health of our aquatic ecosystems. Recent research shows that the retention of a 100-foot wide riparian buffer, along with the retention of forests and wetlands within a watershed, is crucial.

Source controls, such as street sweeping and landscaping that complies with the principles of the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program need to be expanded. Educational programs such as Hillsborough County's "Adopt-A-Pond" program are essential to assure that stormwater systems are maintained properly and continue to function as they were designed. Residents also need to be involved in reducing volume with backyard reuse projects as simple as routing roof runoff onto yards or into a rain barrel instead of their driveway. Encouraging developers and homeowners to plant and retain trees reduces volume by promoting evapotranspiration and generally increases land values.

Finally, we need to promote "low-impact development" and its advantages for developers and the environment. Local government's land development regulations should be revised to reduce imperviousness (i.e. street widths, number and size of parking spaces, sidewalks), promote swales instead of curbs and gutters, require landscaping that meets the principles of the FYN program, and promote clustering and conservation of natural areas. Allowing parking lot islands and medians in streets to be recessed, instead of built up with fill and curbing, could create the first step in an onsite stormwater "treatment train." Encouraging green roofs, a best management practice that has been used in Germany for 40 years, would offer an opportunity for "big box" developments to reduce stormwater impacts and reduce energy consumption.

Let's begin 2004 with some frank and creative discussion about stormwater and low-impact development, and decide where we go from here. Florida leads in the nation in stormwater initiatives, but we won't get a good return on our investment unless and until we tackle these tough questions.

Eric Livingston is director of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Watershed Management Bureau in Tallahassee.

EDITOR'S DESK

I'm one of those people who drives through neighborhoods every spring picking up other people's yard waste, oak leaves in particular. I've never figured out why some people very carefully rake up all that gorgeous mulch, put it in expensive bags and throw it away.

It's good exercise, great for my flower beds and a wonderful way to help educate people about why and how they can make a difference to Tampa Bay - unless they think I'm crazy when they catching me hauling off their yard waste. (In fact, you can't imagine how nice it is to share these thoughts with people who aren't questioning my sanity.)

• Instead of raking leaves, run your lawn mower over them until they're cut into tiny pieces. They'll break down quickly and provide necessary nutrients for your lawn and trees.
• Select plants that need a minimum amount of water, and then water only when necessary even if it's "your day." It's water that carries contaminants. I'm slowly but surely turning most of my yard into flower beds with a minimum amount of lawn.
• Use fertilizer sparingly and select either an organic or slow-release product. Fertilize in the early spring or fall, not in the middle of rainy season when a good storm will wash all those nutrients into the nearest body of water.
• Don't use pesticides until you absolutely need them, and then just treat the area that shows symptoms. "Preventive" treatments may actually make the problem worse because they kill all the beneficial insects that may have limited damage.
• Check to see where your gutters drain. If the water hits your driveway, it runs straight into the stormwater system, without ever getting a chance to soak in. Even rainwater in Tampa Bay carries significant levels of nitrogen, thanks to emissions from automobiles and power plants.
• Don't put anything in a storm drain you wouldn't want to swim with. That includes lawn clippings and leaves - which break down quickly and increase the number of mosquito larva in stormwater ponds.
• Wash your car on your lawn instead of the driveway. Many soaps contain nutrients that are good for your lawn, but bad in an aquatic environment.
• Pick up after your dog. Animal feces in an urban environment are a major source of coliform bacteria and nitrogen.

Scientists know and have known for years that stormwater plays an increasingly important role in water quality. Now we need to make sure people understand that what they do in their backyards can make a difference in a body of water that may be many miles away.

- Vicki Parsons