Managing stormwater runoff in Appalachia: what does the public think?

As concerns about urban stormwater runoff become more acute and decentralized management gains popularity, there is a need to better understand public attitudes about stormwater management. We surveyed residents in Appalachia to assess knowledge about stormwater runoff, concerns about impacts, efforts to abate runoff on private property, and attitudes towards who should manage and pay for management. The survey also employed a split sample technique to assess how detailed, science-based information documenting negative impacts influences public concern and attitudes toward stormwater management. The results show the majority of respondents know what stormwater runoff is, but they know less about what its impacts are. About a third of respondents have implemented stormwater abatement measures on their property. There is no consensus on who should manage or pay for stormwater management. Providing more detailed science-based information had no influence on respondents’ general concern about stormwater runoff or their attitudes about its management.