As winter approaches there are a lot of things on my mind: finishing seasonal yardwork, turning down my vegetable garden, insulating windows and doors inside the house, and a myriad of other chores that come with the changing seasons. Another topic crosses my mind, too, as fall rainstorms and winter flurries become more frequent: water. Seasonal rain and snow storms are becoming more severe year after year due to climate change and our changing landscape here in Michigan, and all of that water (frozen or otherwise) has to go somewhere after it hits the ground. Stormdrains play a huge role in moving water from our streets and sidewalks to where it belongs: our local waterways.

You’ve probably noticed stormdrains walking around the neighborhood – they’re the metal grates on the roadside that collect water and direct it to the nearest waterway, whether that be Plaster Creek or the Grand River. You might have also noticed that more often than not, stormdrains are covered in debris. This debris is carried by way of storm water during heavy rain events to the stormdrains, and often collects there over time. Usually a combination of leaves, yard waste, and litter make up the mats of material found coating our stormdrains, and prohibit water from flowing freely through them. Or, worse, the material breaks down over time and enters the stormdrain, making its way into our local waterways.

Keeping stormdrains and the area around them free of litter, yard waste, and other material that could clog or pollute a stormdrain is important for a number of reasons. Firstly, keeping our stormdrains clear helps to prevent local flooding on our streets and in our yards and homes – if the drains are clogged, stormwater will backup and flood neighborhoods. Secondly, removing debris and clearing the surrounding area keeps pollution out of our waterways – stormdrains are directly connected to streams and rivers, without a filtration system of any kind in between to remove items that enter the drains; the material you see collected on top of or around a stormdrain will likely end up in our water, creating hazards for people who swim, fish, drink, or otherwise use the water. Lastly, keeping our stormdrains clear keeps our neighbors safe – I once fell into a stormdrain myself because it was cracked and had fallen out of place; however, a thick layer of leaves covering the surface of the drain kept me from noticing the damage, or that I was even walking over a drain in the first place. Had I been a child or pet, I could have fallen much farther into the drain.

Knowing how important it is to keep our stormdrains clear and clean, the next step to take is to actually care for your local drains! The Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW) is an organization in Grand Rapids dedicated to restoring and celebrating water resources. They offer a simple program called “Adopt-a-Drain” where residents can register to take care of their local stormdrains online – you can even name your drain! I registered to care for three drains around Garfield Park, and check them once per month to make sure they’re clean – in the winter I’ll check them for built up ice and clear them so snowmelt can move freely out of the roads. I make sure to wear gloves to keep myself safe, and only check drains during the day so I am fully visible to cars and trucks. While cleaning a stormdrain isn’t my favorite thing to do, dedicating one hour out of my month to prevent flooding and pollution in my neighborhood is definitely worth it.

Check out LGROW’s “Adopt-a-Drain” program at www.lgrow.org/adopt-a-drain to register and access safety information. If registering online isn’t accessible for you, you can take care of our local stormdrains on your own, too!

Written by Hannah Mico
Published in the Garfield Park Neighborhood Association Newsletter