Brevard County Stormwater Program

The Brevard County Stormwater Program was created in 1990 by the Board of County Commissioners. Since its creation, the Program has proven to be a leader in stormwater management in the state of Florida. The Stormwater Program has established strong working relationships with St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), the National Estuary Program (NEP), local municipalities and other counties throughout the state.

Together with these agencies, the Brevard County Stormwater Program has provided assistance and recommendations for the selection and implementation of the most efficient and cost effective stormwater treatment methods.

Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and the St. Johns River (SJR)

Brevard County encompasses approximately 1,500 square miles with most of the urbanized sections of the County located along the coast and barrier islands. Thousands of individual outfalls in Brevard County drain to either the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) or the St. Johns River (SJR). The IRL occupies the majority of central Brevard and includes the Indian River , Banana River and Mosquito Lagoon. Throughout Brevard, there are over 2,000 stormwater outfalls, which convey untreated stormwater into the Lagoon.

As part of the implementation of its growth management plan, local regulations were changed in 1978 to assure that all subdivisions and commercial sites developed within Brevard County were required to treat stormwater runoff to reduce pollutants carried to surface waters and to store runoff volumes to reduce flooding of downstream properties. However, much of Brevard was developed prior to this time and had little or no stormwater treatment facilities. To prevent flooding in these areas and address stormwater related pollution problems, additional measures were required. In September 1990, Brevard County adopted an ordinance that created a Stormwater utility, thereby providing a dedicated source of funding for the stormwater program. In 2007 the Stormwater Program became part of the Brevard County Natural Resources Management Office, as a principle part of the Watershed Management Program.

For several decades the Brevard County Stormwater Program has been a leader in stormwater management and will continue to strive toward success in the years to come. The program has numerous projects planned for the next several years that will help alleviate flooding issues in identified areas and provide treatment to stormwater before it reaches its final destination, the Indian River Lagoon or St. Johns River.

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