Stormwater Management

Stormwater diagramWhat is Stormwater & Why Does It Matter?

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that doesn't soak into the ground but instead flows over roofs, pavement, bare soil, and sloped lawns into storm drains or directly into water bodies. As stormwater flows, it picks up soil, animal waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris, and other potential pollutants. 

Underground pipes carry stormwater to the nearest waterway, usually with little or no treatment. So, whatever flows down a storm drain comes out in a nearby water body, such as the Assabet River, Taylor Brook, Second Division Brook, Pratt's Brook, and Puffer's Pond.

Clean water is necessary for drinking, swimming, fishing, boating, and for protecting wildlife. It is far less costly to prevent pollution to water bodies than it is to clean them up after the fact. Keeping stormwater clean not only benefits our neighborhood and community, but the entire network of water bodies and land that make up our watershed.

SuAsCo Watershed MapOur Watershed

Stormwater runoff in Maynard flows through the Town's storm drains to the Assabet River, Taylor Brook, Second Division Brook, Pratt's Brook, and Puffer's Pond. The land and water bodies of Maynard, combined with the land and water bodies from surrounding towns, make up the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord Watershed, or SuAsCo for short. 

The SuAsCo Watershed consists of a large network of tributaries that flow into the Merrimack River. The three major rivers that flow through the watershed - the Sudbury, the Assabet, and the Concord - have been recognized for their outstanding ecological, historical, and recreational values. The watershed is also home to the two largest wetlands in Central Massachusetts, the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and the Great Cedar Swamp. For more information, please visit SuAsCo River Stewardship Council and OARS.

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Rain on the roadMaynard's Stormwater Management Program

The Department of Public Works manages the Town's storm drainage system, also known as a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). The Town is authorized to discharge stormwater through the Phase II National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small MS4s in Massachusetts.

If you have any comments or questions, please email the Public Works Department. 


Landscaping 7

Clean water is “in the bag” if you do your part to dispose of yard waste properly. Blowing leaves into the street can clog storm drains and cause flooding. Rotting leaves also add extra nutrients to stormwater and local waterways, causing algae blooms, bad odors, and fish-kills. Thank you for doing your part to protect Maynard’s wetlands and waterbodies!


Learn More About Maynard's Program

Maynard's Stormwater Management Bylaws & Regulations

If you are proposing land disturbance over 10,000 square feet you must apply for a stormwater permit found here:

For more information Maynard's waterways please visit the Conservation Division page.

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Spread the word: Stormwater Matters!