Stormwater Quality Program
What Is Storm Water?
Stormwater is water that flows across the land and into Wheat Ridge's streams, lakes, ditches, and canals. When it rains or snows, debris, sediment, bacteria, and nutrients on sidewalks, streets, and parking lots wash into gutters through storm drains and eventually flow, untreated into the creeks.
Other sources of water include over-irrigation, automobile wash water, or any other activity that results in water flowing into the gutters.
Debris and chemicals such as fertilizers, paint, oil, and other materials that are picked up by stormwater can be harmful to the environment and may end up in Wheat Ridge's lakes and streams such as:
- Clear Creek
- Lena Gulch
- Rocky Mountain Ditch
- Small ponds and lakes within the City's boundaries
Stormwater Quality & Control Ordinance
Why does the city need a stormwater ordinance? The City of Wheat Ridge is required to operate our storm sewer system under a state permit administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
As required by our permit, the city has enacted the Stormwater Quality and Control Ordinance. This ordinance will provide a means for the city to implement and enforce the permit conditions by providing a compliance regulatory mechanism to help reduce the number of illicit discharges to the city's storm sewer system.