Office of Drain Commissioner

Stormwater is one of the main reasons we have this office! We maintain hundreds of miles of drains that carry stormwater throughout the County and into lakes and large rivers like the Kalamazoo River and the St. Joseph River.  These rivers continue to flow towards Lake Michigan, carrying stormwater from Kalamazoo County all the way to the Great Lakes.

Stormwater is an important natural resource as it replenishes our ground water supply and restores the natural hydrology of our environment.

Stormwater management is important all of the time- but especially during heavy rainfall or snow melt events when there is lots of excess water that does not have time to be absorbed by the ground.

There are lots of steps that a community can take to ensure they are managing their storm water correctly and efficiently.

In our office we enforce a state environmental law Part 91 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA). This law is designed to protect lakes, streams, and neighboring properties from discharges of sediment from construction sites.

We also partner with other organizations in the area that own and operate Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s).  Together, we created the group Kalamazoo Storm Water Working Group (KSWG), that helps spread the word on local resources, tips, and recommended practices to help keep our water clean.

Here are some additional factors that play a role in Kalamazoo County stormwater quality: