Stormwater Management Program

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that doesn't soak into the ground but runs off into water bodies and wetlands. It flows from developed areas, including rooftops, over paved areas and bare soil, and across lawns while picking up a variety of materials on its way. As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports soil, pet waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris and other potential pollutants. The quality of runoff is affected by many factors and depends on the season, local meteorology, geography and upon activities which occur in the flow path. Polluted runoff degrades our lakes, rivers, and wetlands and interferes with aquatic habitat and plant life.

Nutrients in runoff, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, can promote the overgrowth of algae, deplete oxygen in receiving water bodies and be harmful to aquatic life. Toxic chemicals from automobiles, sediment from construction activities and careless application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers may also threaten the health of the receiving water bodies. Bacteria from pet wastes and illicit connections to sewerage systems can make nearby water bodies unsafe for recreational activities such as wading and swimming. According to an inventory conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), half of the impaired waterways are affected by urban/suburban and construction sources of stormwater runoff. Everyone has a role in reducing the impacts from stormwater runoff, from the large developer to the homeowner. UMaine’s stormwater management program works to protect surface and groundwater impacted by stormwater flows from construction, facility maintenance, and waste management activities. The majority of UMaine’s stormwater drains to the Stillwater River and Penobscot River through UMaine’s stormwater management system.

UMaine maintains a Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) general permit that enables UMaine to discharge our stormwater to the Stillwater and Penobscot Rivers. Where non-stormwater discharges are detected, UMaine must take steps to locate and eliminate the discharge from our stormwater system. UMaine must also take steps to educate employees and students on proper storm water management strategies.

This website is a vehicle where students, faculty, staff and community members can report non-stormwater discharges at UMaine. We want to hear from you should you discover a stormwater pollution incident at UMaine, such as a chemical spill, an act that could result in a spill, discolored water from one or more of our out falls to the rivers, dirt and silt migration from a construction site, and similar conditions.

This website also provides extensive information on UMaine’s program, to include information on clean up projects, pollution prevention strategies, UMaine’s best management practices, and an attitude survey you can complete to help us understand what you know about stormwater management issues.

For additional information about UMaine’s Stormwater Management Program, please contact Scott Wilkerson at 581-3049 or via stormwater@umit.maine.edu. Thank You

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