Stormwater Program Questions

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1.00 - All Questions

• 1.01) What are the goals of Osceola County's stormwater program?

  The stormwater program focuses on protecting public health and property from flooding, and improving and protecting the quality of our lakes and waterways.

• 1.02) What are the effects of stormwater runoff?

  Nutrients can seep into the water and provide food for unwanted plants, like hydrilla and algae. Excessive algal growth can lead to decreased oxygen in the water that fish need to breathe, resulting in fish kills. Bacteria and other pathogens from pet waste can create serious health hazards in ponds and lakes. Stormwater ponds help protect our drinking water and water bodies by filtering out pollutants.

• 1.03) What's the difference between a storm drain and a sewer drain?

  The sewer system and the storm drain system are two completely separate systems. The sewer system takes all household wastewater and routes it through a plumbing system into a treatment plant. The stormwater system routes rainwater off the streets into the storm drains, and empties directly into creeks, rivers, and lakes.

• 1.04) What are impervious surfaces?

  Impervious surfaces are mainly hard surfaces- such as pavements (roads, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots) that prevent water from seeping into the soil.

• 1.05) What is a "100-year flood" and how is it different from a "1-percent-annual-chance flood" or a "base flood?"

  The term "100-year flood" is misleading. It is not the flood that will occur once every 100 years. Rather, it is the flood that has a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. Thus, the 100-year flood could occur more than once in a relatively short period of time or even within the same month. Because this term is misleading, FEMA has also defined it as the "1-percent-annual-chance flood." The "1-percent-annual-chance flood" is the term that is now used by most Federal and State agencies and by the National Flood Insurance Program.

• 1.06) My street frequently floods and according to the flood map, my property is located in a low risk area. Why?

  Low risk areas can be susceptible to "localized flooding" when a large amount of rainfall exceeds the capacity of the storm drainage system. In large storm events, streets are designed to hold excess water when the systems are at capacity. After the storm event, the water should slowly decline within a matter of hours. If the water remains in the street for more than a few hours, there may be maintenance needed in your area. Most drainage systems in unincorporated Osceola County are maintained by the Road & Bridge Department. Call them to report clogged drainage systems at 407-343-7164.

• 1.07) What is a stormwater detention pond?

  You probably walk, cycle or drive by a stormwater detention pond almost every day. Detention ponds are often mistaken for lakes in Osceola County; however, these ponds play a unique role in managing our surface water quantity and quality. Stormwater detention ponds are designed and constructed to reduce downstream flooding, and play an important role by catching and filtering polluted run-off from roads, parking lots and over-fertilized lawns. While some pollutants biodegrade within the stormwater pond, others are more persistent and accumulate in the sediment. Therefore, one should never swim or eat fish from a detention pond.

• 1.08) What is illicit discharge?

  Any substance released into the separate storm water drainage system that is not composed entirely of storm water or uncontaminated groundwater. Examples of illicit discharges include dumping of motor vehicle fluids, household hazardous wastes, chlorinated pool water, paint, grass clippings, leaf litter, or animal waste. If you witness illicit discharge taking place, please call Osceola County Pollution Prevention at 407-962-1100.

• 1.09) Why is our pond green and scummy-looking?

  Algae are probably what you see. They are simple plants that live in our ponds. When we have warm, sunny weather, algae can grow very rapidly. This can often lead to excessive algal growth which is commonly referred to as an algae bloom. Neighborhood ponds are usually part of a community stormwater treatment system. The water from lawns drains downhill, into ditches and swales, down streets and into storm drains which connect to the ponds and collect pollutants like fertilizers, pet waste and motor oil, along the way. Fertilizers provide our lawn and landscapes with the nutrients needed for growth. Lawn clippings and tree leaves are a source of nutrients that eventually find their way into ponds. Clippings left on the road or sidewalk are usually washed into swales or ditches and eventually down into storm drains where they release their nutrients as they decompose. Another source of nutrients that enter our storm system is pet waste. Excess fertilizers, lawn clippings and pest waste contain the nutrients plants and algae need to grow. By limiting the amount of excess nutrients that enter our stormwater ponds, we can prevent algae blooms and unwanted plant growth.

• 1.10) Are algae bad?

  Many creatures in the pond use algae as food. However, too much algae may cause problems. Plants need sunlight to grow. When algae cover the surface of the pond, it reduces the amount of light that can get to other plants that live in the water or on the bottom of the pond. This can prevent many of our native plants from growing and reduce the viability of the pond ecosystem. By reducing the nutrients that enter the pond -the nutrient load -you can reduce the amount of algae that grow.

• 1.11) How do we control algae blooms?

  Sometimes it is necessary to use chemicals or other options to treat the algae. Another way is to prevent fertilizers from entering the pond. This can be done by only fertilizing as needed. Follow University of Florida/IFAS Florida Yards and Neighborhoods recommendations for Florida Friendly Yards. Do not exceed the recommended application rate on the fertilizer bag. Never apply fertilizers directly next to a pond. Provide a buffer of at least 10 feet from the edge of the fertilizer swath and the edge of the pond to prevent fertilizer from going into the pond. Check the weather to make sure you are not applying fertilizer before a storm. This will prevent the newly applied fertilizer from running off into the pond, and save you money by not wasting fertilizer!

• 1.12) What are the weeds in our pond?

  Weeds are plants that someone does not want. Some weeds grow so well that they take over and keep other desirable plants from growing. There are two main types of weeds that grow in ponds: those that float on the water and those that grow completely under the water. For example, torpedograss is a grassy weed that grows along the edge of a pond. Water hyacinth is a broadleaf weed that floats on the water surface. Cattails can be problematic, even though they are native. The Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants has an identification guide to help you learn about plants in your ponds. Check out the Plant Images and Information link at the top of the page at http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu.

• 1.13) Who is supposed to clean up our pond?

  Some ponds are the responsibility of the Home Owners Association (HOA), some are managed by the property management association, and some are managed by the county or the city. Regardless of who has the financial responsibility for maintenance, all of the neighbors who live in the area can help keep ponds clean and healthy and reduce maintenance costs. If you are unsure of who has responsibility for managing and maintaining your pond, first contact your HOA to determine if it is responsible for pond maintenance. If your HOA does not maintain your ponds, you may wish to contact Osceola County Stormwater, who can help identify stormwater pond ownership and maintenance responsibilities.

• 1.14) Should we feed the ducks that come to our pond?

  No. Feeding ducks may be fun, but it can be harmful to the ducks and your pond. Ducks can lose their ability to find food naturally, leading them to become dependent on humans for food. Ducks and other birds and wildlife, such as sand hill cranes, can find food just fine all on their own. Feeding may also encourage ducks to grow into large flocks, which can be a nuisance and make a large mess. Excess manure from large flocks may result in an algal bloom, growth of nuisance vegetation, and costly pond maintenance.

• 1.15) What can we do to keep our ponds healthy and looking nice?

  • Fertilize landscapes appropriately.
  • Leave grass clippings on the lawn.
  • Don’t fertilize before a storm.
  • Sweep fertilizer from sidewalks and driveways into the yard.
  • Keep leaves and grass clippings in the yard, not in the street or storm drain.
  • Pick up after your pet and put the waste in the toilet or in the garbage.
  • Pick up litter so it does not float or blow into the pond.
  • Don’t pour chemicals, like oil or gasoline, on the street or down the storm drain.
  • Only rain should go down the drain.

• 1.16) What is maintenance control of aquatic plants?

  Maintenance Control means managing invasive plants on a continual basis at the lowest level possible. Florida State Statute 369.22 defines maintenance control as "a method of managing exotic plants in which control techniques are utilized in a coordinated manner on a continuous basis in order to maintain a plant population at the lowest feasible level.” Proper fertilizer application in landscapes, chemical control, aeration of ponds, grass carp (where applicable and permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission), skimming and harvesting are some methods available to control aquatic weeds.

• 1.17) What is needed to maintain a pond?

  There are three basic maintenance activities necessary to maintain ponds:

  • mowing
  • aquatic weed control
  • monthly inspections

  Mowing is done primarily for aesthetic purposes, but also allows for easier maintenance of the pond and structures. Mowing for aesthetic purposes is recommended at a minimum of 26 cycles per year. Before mowing begins, all trash and debris should be removed from the area to prevent it from entering the stormwater pond, which will also prevent clogging of the structure. Aquatic plant management should be conducted 12 times per year at minimum. We also want to try to maintain at least 50% open water goal to ensure the structure does not become clogged with plant and other debris. This will also help prevent flooding. Monthly inspections of the stormwater pond and structures are also recommended to ensure the pond and structures are working as intended.

• 1.18) Who do I call if I have questions about my pond?

  Ownership or maintenance responsibilities? Contact your HOA first to determine ownership and maintenance responsibilities.

  If the pond is maintained by the County through a dedicated funding source, please contact Osceola County Property Management at 407-742-1308.

  For possible pollution (illicit discharge) into a pond, ditch, lake or stream, contact Osceola County Natural Resources, 407-742-8650.

  For damage to stormwater structures, contact Osceola County Stormwater at 407-742-0662.

  For lawn and landscape care, you may contact UF/IFAS Osceola County Extension, Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, at 321-697-3000.

• 1.19) Why do we have so many dead fish floating on our pond?

  There are a variety of things that can cause a fish kill. Lack of oxygen in the water, changes in water pH, viruses, bacterial infections, and even rapid fluctuations in temperature are naturally occurring things that cause fish kills. The majority of fish kills that occur in Florida are due to natural causes. Fish need oxygen in the water in order to breathe. As plants die off, microbes use up the oxygen in the water to decompose the plant material, which decreases the amount of oxygen in the water available to fish. Fish kills can also result from a drop in water temperature. Most of the fish that die under these circumstances are non-native fish species, because they cannot tolerate the cold temperatures. While pollutants are typically not the cause of fish kills, it has happened. That is why it is very important to prevent pollutants from entering our waterways, so that we can continue to protect our water resources for all living creatures.

• 1.20) Why does our pond have so many weeds?

  Plants, including weeds, grow well when they are fertilized. When excess fertilizers reach stormwater ponds, they provide nutrients necessary for all plants to grow, which leads to an overabundance of plants in your pond. To reduce the amount of plants in your pond, reduce the amount fertilizer, pet waste, leaves and grass clippings that get into the pond. Don’t fertilize the lawn area around the pond. Sweep fertilizer that falls on driveways or sidewalks into the lawn. Don’t fertilize before a storm. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to reduce the amount of fertilizer you need to use. To ensure you are applying the correct amount, don’t exceed the recommended rates on the fertilizer bag.