Managing Stormwater in Lexington

The rain that falls on Lexington is both a vital resource and a potential threat. In the right amounts it gives life to our natural areas, street trees, and gardens, and to our streams and ponds. Too much or too fast, or when it picks up harmful pollutants from the surfaces it falls on, and it can cause erosion, flooding, stream pollution, property damage, and even life-threatening conditions. Managing stormwater in Lexington to enhance the former and minimize the latter, particularly in a time of climate change, is a constant challenge faced by the town.

Join Town Engineer John Livsey and Senior Civil Engineer Marissa Martel for an overview of how the town manages stormwater to achieve these ends in the face of aging infrastructure, multiple levels of regulation, water quality management, climate change, and the demands of operations and maintenance with limited staffing. John and Marissa will touch on what homeowners can do to help.

Lexington has won three “Stormy” awards from the New England Stormwater Collaborative for efforts to effectively manage stormwater through green infrastructure, collaborations and technology.