Not all of the water generated when it rains or snows can be absorbed into the ground. What is left is called stormwater. As stormwater washes over roads, yards, roofs, and parking lots, it picks up pollutants such as motor oil, pet waste, fertilizer and litter. The stormwater then makes its way into storm drains and the city’s storm sewer system. Unlike the sanitary sewer system, storm sewers do not transport runoff flows to a treatment plant to remove the pollutants. The stormwater is discharged directly into creeks and streams, along with the litter and pollutants it has picked up along the way. This can lower the quality of our natural waterways and make our creeks and streams unfit for swimming and fishing and for supporting aquatic life.
Stormwater can also pose problems with flooding. When rain falls on impervious surfaces such as roads and rooftops, it cannot infiltrate into the ground, but it concentrates and drains downhill, and as it does, it picks up speed. Without detention basins and retention ponds to temporarily hold the fast-moving stormwater, these flows would reach our creeks and streams faster than they did before development, which can lead to flooding in low-lying areas. The speed of the water can also create erosion, which introduces sediment pollution in our waterways and decreases the clarity and quality of our creeks and streams.
Flooding program
- Stormwater priority projects map
- Flooding SEP: Our plan for moving forward
- Stormwater severity scoring system
- Updated stormwater priority project list, January 2023
-
Priority projects evaluation (82-85)
*Includes Mentelle Park, Idle Hour Drive, Elmwood Dr. and Gainesway Dr.
*Appendices can be made available upon request.
Stormwater projects
- Barnard Drive
- Bellcastle Road Stormwater Drainage
- Campbell Lane & Bob-O-Link Drive
- Cane Run Bank Stabilization Project
- Colony Pond
- Cooper Drive Stormwater Analysis
- Dogwood Park Stormwater Improvements
- East Third and Ohio Street
- Fleetwood Drive Engineering Analysis
- Furlong Drive Greenway
- Great Acres Watershed Analysis Final – (No Addenda)
- Joyland Stormwater Project
- Final Public Notice
- Technical Memorandum
- Appendix 1 - File Review Documentation
- Appendix 2 - Field Survey
- Appendix 3 - Model Construction and Calibration
- Appendix 4 - Proposed Improvement Concept Drawings
- Appendix 5 - Preliminary Costs Estimates
- Appendix 6 - Hydraulic Model Performance Graphics
- Appendix 7 - Critical Elevation Survey
- Appendix 8 - Digital Files (Please Note: Modeling files are available upon request)
- Kearney Ridge & Beaumont Woods Basins
- Lyon Drive
- Meadowthorpe Area Stormwater Evaluation
- North Broadway Storm Sewer System Analysis
- Technical memorandum
- *Appendices can be made available upon request
- Pebble Creek
- Pepperhill Road Engineering Analysis
- Savannah Lane / Guilford Lane Stormwater Improvements
- Silverleaf Court
- Southland Area Storm Drainage Project
- Technical Memorandum
- Appendix 1 (Public Involvement Responses)
- Appendix 2 (Field Data Collection)
- Appendix 3 (Concept Drawings)
- Appendix 4 (Opinions of Probably Cost)
- Appendix 5 (Model Performance Graphics)
- Appendix 6 (SWMM Model) – available upon request
- Viley Road Stormwater Drainage Project
- Woodhill Drive / Peachtree Road Stormwater Project
Stormwater and water quality program
- Lexington's MS4 Permit KYS000002 (May 1, 2015)
- Stormwater Quality Management Program (SWQMP) (June 1, 2016)
- Lexington's MS4 Permit Annual Report
- Stream impairments maps (2010 – 2014)
- 303d summary table (2012)
- Watershed-Focused Monitoring Program
- Watershed-focused monitoring program overview
- QAPP for volunteers
- Cane Run Technical memoranda of results
- South Elkhorn Technical memoranda of results
- West Hickman Technical memoranda of results
- East Hickman Technical memoranda of results
- Town Branch Technical memoranda of results
- North Elkhorn Technical memoranda of results
- Water Quality Monitoring Results
- Monitoring Plan (QAPP, Revision No. 2 dated Aug. 10, 2017)
- Rain Garden Manual
- Stormwater Manual
- Stormwater Stakeholder Advisory Committee
- Post-Construction Stormwater Management Workshop (Feb. 10, 2017)
- ESC Plan Preparers Workshop with the Development and Construction Industry (March 20, 2018)
- Multifamily Stormwater Retrofit Manual (Feb. 2018)
- Neighborhood Tree Planting Guidebook (April 2019)
- Workshop with the Engineering, Development, and Construction Industry
- Redevelopment Workshop (March 25, 2022)
Success stories
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
- Soaking in the Stormwater at Habitat for Humanity in Lexington
- Ten Years and Going Strong: Lexington's Water Quality Incentive Grant Program
- Stormwater Success Story: WGPL Storm Sewer Project
- LEXServ and the Water Quality Management Fee
2018
- Interagency Team Tackles Stormwater Challenges
- Restoring Natural Conditions Along Coldstream’s Cane Run
- Water Quality Work Through Inspection and Sampling Program
- Lexington’s Stormwater Program Wins Two National Awards
Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant Program
The Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant Program provides financial assistance for projects that improve water quality, reduce stormwater runoff and educate residents about stormwater and water quality issues in our community.