
Stormwater and Runoff Concerns
Stormwater runoff is generated from rain and snowmelt events that flow over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams and lakes.
If you are experiencing issues and/or concerns regarding stormwater runoff, flooding, or erosion, please contact us or Chautauqua County Soil & Water District at soilwater.org.
If you are thinking about building a new home or doing construction and moving a large amount of dirt and soil around, please find more information and rules and regulations in our Chautauqua Lake Stormwater Toolkit.
Stormwater Toolkit

The Toolkit
The Chautauqua Lake watershed encompasses 180 square miles and includes all or part of 14 municipalities, nine of which directly border on the lake.
Policies at local, state, and federal levels have been adopted to protect water quality, limit erosion, conserve wildlife habitat, and preserve the beauty and quality of life in our region.
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy has developed a Chautauqua Lake Watershed Stormwater Toolkit which provides important information to help simplify and clarify the use of best management practices (BMPs) and permit processes and direct people to the appropriate agencies and offices prior to project implementation.
Click here to view or download a copy of the toolkit.
Additional Resources:
LEWPA Municipal Training Resources | Environment & Planning (erie.gov) which includes watershed information and training for municipalities and town and village boards, as well as highway ditch maintenance.