Caring for Our Coastal Waters Through Integrated Stormwater Management

Coastal waters provide food, habitat, navigation, recreation, and aesthetic beauty. For these reasons, many of the largest and most populous cities in the world lie along coastlines, and healthy, productive, and sustainable coastal waters are key to public health, safety, and prosperity.Coastal waters receive stormwater and wastewater discharges from tributary watersheds across the world, and many coastal waters and systems are experiencing issues with the following:▪ Excess levels of nutrients, sediments, bacteria, and freshwater discharges▪ Low dissolved oxygen and anoxic zones▪ Declining health of flora and fauna▪ Legacy sediments▪ Accidents such as oil and chemical spillsSuper-imposed on these challenges are issues with climate change and associated sea level rise and shifts in precipitation patterns. In particular, sea level rise is leading many coastal communities to armor shorelines as a first step in an adaptive or resilient response, in addition to raising and relocating infrastructure. This hardening can further degrade coastal water quality and environmental health.Integrated stormwater programs offer opportunities to protect and enhance coastal waters by considering all water as a resource to be managed rather than disposed. This approach provides multiple benefits and cost savings in a resilient manner that protects coastal systems and supports adaptation for climate change. Benefits include riverine and tidal flood control, water quality improvement, increased aquifer recharge, stormwater harvesting and alternative water supply, shoreline and ecosystem restoration, and public parks and amenities.This paper presents integrated stormwater management approaches for stormwater quantity and quality that also provide for shoreline restoration and adaptability for climate change issues.