Traditionally, stormwater was viewed as a flood management problem in which the runoff needed to be conveyed as quickly as possible away from urban areas and ultimately into waterways to protect public safety and property.   Consequently, stormwater was considered a problem and not a resource. 

However, in recent years, stormwater management has been receiving more attention as drought has put more pressure on water supplies, and municipal governments have been held increasingly responsible for pollutants washed from urban areas within their jurisdictions that are discharged into waterways.

In 2016, the State Water Board adopted a stormwater strategy to develop innovative regulatory and management approaches to maximize opportunities to use stormwater as a resource. At the June 21st meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board, staff updated the Board members on the Strategy to Optimize Resource Management of Stormwater (STORMS) program.

Amanda Magee, Supervisor for the STORMS unit, noted that historically, water management in California has been divided and compartmentalized into water quality, water supply, and flood control interests that span a variety of state, county, and local agencies. Stormwater touches all of these and is often perceived as a source of pollutants and a major contributor to water quality impairments.

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