Over the past century, runaway development has paved over forests, fields and wetlands across the country. Along with urbanization has come the problem of "urban stormwater" – rainwater that washes over dirty surfaces such as roads, buildings and lawns and becomes a major source of pollution in rivers, lakes and bays. While much has been achieved in the past 30 years to limit pollution from easily identifiable sources, such as watersheds, efforts to control pollution from these diffuse sources are still in their infancy. Although the Clean Water Act mandates stormwater control, local governments have been slow to respond. This report, however, focuses on runoff pollution from developed areas, which occurs when stormwater carries away a wide variety of contaminants as it runs across rooftops, roads, parking lots, baseball diamonds, construction sites, golf courses , lawns, and other surfaces in our cities and suburbs. The oily sheen on rainwater in roadside gutters is but on...
An erosion forum is a gathering of experts, stakeholders, and the public to discuss issues related to the societal and economic aspects of erosion, including its causes, impacts, and potential solutions. These forums can focus on various types of erosion, such as coastal erosion, soil erosion, or erosion caused by rivers. They serve as a platform for sharing knowledge, best practices, and fostering collaboration to address the challenges of erosion.