Storm Sewer Drainage

The stormwater sewer system is the responsibility of the street division.

Maplewood has an extensive storm drain system to accommodate stormwater runoff consisting of:

  • Catch basins
  • Force mains
  • Lakes
  • Lift stations
  • Ponds
  • Storm sewers
  • Wetlands
Water flowing down a drain

Maplewood has initiated a number of programs and erosion control policies to improve storm water quality.

Treatment Ponds

Treatment ponds and sedimentation sumps within manholes are designed to remove significant amounts of natural and man-made pollutants from the storm water before it enters area lakes.

Storm sewers are intended for one thing only - stormwater.

Street Crew

The Street Division crews keep all the storm sewers clean of debris and in working order. Leaves, grass clippings and debris should not be put in the street. They collect on top of storm sewer grates and create several problems.

Melting snow and rain cannot properly drain into blocked grates and, therefore, the water backs up and pools in streets and yards.

Leaves & Debris

Dry leaves are very difficult to pick up with a street sweeper and will likely be washed down the storm sewer before the sweeper gets to your neighborhood.

Also, leaves and debris that wash into the storm sewer decompose in a downstream water body and release high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen that drastically reduce the quality of lakes and ponds and kill fish.

Pollutants

The dumping of motor oil, antifreeze, etc. into storm sewers is also illegal and polluting.

Storm Pond Dredging

Stormwater ponds, also known as retention basins, are a necessary component for land development in order to manage stormwater runoff. Most stormwater ponds were built with no forward thinking or budget forecasting to address maintenance. Stormwater ponds within urban settings were typically built to control runoff rates to minimize downstream flooding and erosion. These ponds are now viewed also as a mechanism to capture and settle pollutants.

As part of his master's degree studies City Engineer, Michael Thompson, did his capstone project on Implementing a Successful Stormwater Pond Rehabilitation Program (PDF).

The intent of this project is to provide cities information on the steps that can be taken to address a lack of maintenance. The major focus of the study is on major rehabilitation, or pond dredging, and the path needed to accomplish this task from start to finish. Long-term maintenance protocols are discussed to help guide cities with preventative measures.