Soil Erosion & Stormwater Management - Town of Bristol, Rhode Island

Land development has a profound influence on the quality and quantity of the state’s waters. Every time it rains, the rainwater that is not absorbed into the ground or evaporated (called runoff) carries contaminants from lawns, streets, buildings and parking lots and deposits them directly into our streams, ponds, and Narragansett Bay.

RIPDES DRAFT Annual Reports – 2020, 2021, 2022

To view the 2022 RIPDES Draft Annual Report (Year 19), click here

To view the 2022 RIPDES Attachments (Year 19) click here

To view the 2021 RIPDES Draft Annual Report (Year 18), click here

To view the 2021 RIPDES Attachments (Year 18), click here

To view the 2020 RIPDES Draft Annual Report (Year 17), click here

To view the 2020 RIPDES Attachments (Year 17), click here

Stormwater

What is it?

Have you ever noticed water flowing down the street when it rains? Have you ever wondered where the water flows to? Have you thought about what’s in the water? When it rains onto a forest or a field, some of that rain is absorbed by the ground, replenishing groundwater that is used by many for drinking water. Some of the rain is taken up by plants, and some of it simply evaporates. But very little of the rain flows over the ground. In a more developed setting, such as our cities and towns, rain falls onto pavement, or other surfaces such as roofs, sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways that don’t allow the water to be absorbed by the ground. The water that you see flowing down the street is called stormwater runoff.

Why is it a problem?

When stormwater hits the pavement, it picks up and mixes with what’s there. That might include:

oil, grease, and automotive fluids;
fertilizer and pesticides from gardens and homes;
bacteria from pet waste and improperly maintained septic systems;
soil from poor construction site management;
sand from wintertime snow removal;
soap from car washing; and
debris and litter.

When rain water flows across pavement and down a storm drain, that water is almost always piped directly to the nearest stream, river, or bay. That water almost never goes to a treatment facility. Most storm drains simply collect rain water and channel it away to prevent flooding, carrying polluted runoff to local water resources.

Soil Erosion and Sediment Control at Construction Sites

Excessive quantities of soil may erode from land that is undergoing development for housing developments, commercial construction, filling, and road improvements. Much of this soil erosion is the result of poorly planned and implemented site grading and surface water runoff controls. This runoff and resulting erosion may result in conflicts and/or damage with neighboring properties and their owners, and can make costly repairs to drainage structures, roads, and embankments necessary. The resulting sediment can clog storm drains and road ditches, muddies streams, leaves deposits of silt in ponds and waterways, and is considered a major water pollutant.

The Town of Bristol has adopted the Soil Erosion, Runoff & Sediment Control Ordinance in an effort to prevent soil erosion, excessive surface water runoff, and sedimentation from occurring as a result of development within the town by requiring proper provisions for storm water disposal and soil erosion during and after construction, in order to promote the safety, public health and general welfare of the town.

Feasibility Studies, Plans & Reports

Review annual stormwater reports, watershed reports and feasibility studies.

Learn More

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

The Town of Bristol has an active program of mapping, inspecting, and monitoring its stormwater drainage system components including catch basins, manholes, pipelines and outfalls. Connections to the municipal storm drainage system are regulated by Town ordinance (see Chapter 13, Article VIII of Bristol Town Code), and illicit connections of non-stormwater flow to the system are prohibited. Town staff will investigate reports of suspected pollutant discharges or non-stormwater connections to the stormwater drainage system. Please contact the Department of Public Works at 253-4100 to report a suspected illicit connection.

URI Watershed Watch Program

For the 9th year, the Town of Bristol has partnered with the volunteers from Save Bristol Harbor in cooperation with the URI Watershed Watch Program to monitor the water quality in the Bristol Harbor Watershed and nearby coastal waters.