NGWA Event and Education Recordings Archive

Stormwater and Urban Hydrogeology

Surface water contamination from urbanization has increased the need to control runoff (both volume and quality) from existing urban/suburban areas and in areas of new construction. Best management practices (BMPs) that reduce stormwater through infiltration/recharge to shallow groundwater are encouraged at national and local levels. Natural infiltration, flow direction, and the quality and quantity of shallow groundwater have also been affected by urbanization, resulting in an effort to "keep water local" through the use of BMPs—for example, green infrastructure, injection wells, infiltration galleries, etc. These BMPs can have both positive and negative repercussions on shallow aquifers.