Snow Melt is Stormwater Too!
The beauty that comes with a fresh snowfall is unmatched. However, it doesn’t take long in Michigan for the temperatures to fluctuate and create rapid snow melt. Just like when rain falls during the rest of the year, melting snow turns into stormwater runoff too! Just as heavy rains wash across our yards, driveways, and parking lots, melting snow does the same thing. While washing across these surfaces, the melting snow picks up any pollutants it encounters and then is transported UNTREATED through storm drains into our nearby rivers, ponds, and lakes. So, any trash, oil, gasoline, or salt you notice on your driveway or local store parking lot can be swept away with melting snow and deposited directly into nearby water. Because of the time of year, snow melt has its own unique stormwater problems. The ground is often frozen at the surface, so the melting snow cannot infiltrate the ground like rainwater can. This creates a higher chance of flooding, either on your property or througho