Watch this 2 minute animation by American Rivers for an illustration of the new approach many communities are embracing to manage stormwater runoff. Here the viewer sees an orchestrated visual story that does not require narration to focus on why capturing rainfall and preventing it from polluting surrounding waterways is important.

Watch this 2 minute video from the Maryland/DC chapter of The Nature Conservancy as they combine efforts with the Anacostia Watershed Society to celebrate Earth Day and Connect with Nature.

Hear from volunteers how their experience in an organized stream cleanup builds watershed stewardship.

The National Stormwater Quality Database (NSQD) is an urban stormwater runoff characterization database developed under the direction of Dr. Robert Pitt, P.E., of the University of Alabama and the Center for Watershed Protection under support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Originally released in 2001, followed by several updates by Dr. Pitt and Dr. Alexander Maestre (also at University of Alabama), it has recently moved to a new long-term home as a companion project to the International Stormwater BMP Database.

The 2013 update to NRDC's seminal publication Rooftops to Rivers. This work expands earlier stories from nine communities to fourteen. The briefing highlights enormous strides forward by localities using green strategies to controll stormwater. It identifies six key actions common to successful leading cities. It calls out many remaining gaps in policy and funding at local, state, and federal levels.

In May 2006 NRDC published this seminal policy guide for decision makers looking to implement green strategies in their own area. 

Lessons from Pennsylvania Communities Presented by the Environmental Law Institute and 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania.

This report presents an argument for a collaborative inter jurisdicational approach to stormwater investment to ensure efficiency, equitablity, and financial and environmental sustainablility. With 2500 municipalities, 67 counties, and thousands of authorities, the authors identify the immense challenge facing the state to protect its 83,000 miles of streams and reivers.

Created by Casey Trees, this 2014 Merit Award winner of the American Planning Association, provides a rich story of the Nation's Capital and its long relationship with its tree canopy, The handbook's details ways the City has linked its regulatory stormwater program to tree canopy health. Included in this case study are template questions and generalized advice useful to building any successful advocacy campaign. 

In the world of stormwater management many are familiar with the term "Best Management Practices" or "BMPs" as it is applied to structural or engineered practices used to capture, retain, use, reduce, treat, and delay the movement of rainfall through the watershed. However, the term BMP is also applied to the programmatic approaches jurisdications can take to meet the terms of their MS4 permits. 

Water Words That Work LLC has reviewed surveys, focus group reports, “how to” guides,studies, and reports to shed light on how the public and businesses react to the introduction of a
stormwater utility fee. This review is used to define steps communities can take to set up a stormwater utility. 

Why should local leaders promote opportunities for outdoor recreation? Besides improving quality of life for residents and encouraging active, healthy lifestyles, it can mean significant funds for local businesses and communities.

Use these quick facts and useful conclusions to support your case for the value of "green infrastructure" in its classic sense, open parklands and build an argument for the link between public investment in spaces for recreation and innovative onsite stormwater management.