Stormwater Management
Stormwater management in Richmond Hill involves operating more than 95 stormwater ponds, 550 km of storm sewers and 18,000 catch basins to store, direct and control stormwater runoff. These efforts protect our community's more than 150 km of streams and rivers, prevents flooding and erosion, and improves water quality.
Visit our Stormwater Management Rate FAQs page for information about changes to Richmond Hill's stormwater management rate.
Learn about Richmond Hill's stormwater management.
What is stormwater runoff and why manage it?
Runoff comes from rain and melting snow running off of surfaces, especially hard surfaces such as driveways and parking lots, and across all land within a watershed, including compacted soils and manicured lawns. As water runs off, it picks up and carries pollutants such as litter, animal waste, sediment, pesticides, motor oil and other chemicals into our streams and rivers.
In a more naturalized setting such as a forest or wetland area, runoff is typically reduced as more water will either absorb into the soil or plants, or evaporate from areas of open waters, eventually making its way into our streams, rivers and lakes slowly over time.
An increase in hard surfaces is causing more runoff to enter our streams, rivers and lakes at an increased rate. Without stormwater management, runoff can flood communities and roads, cause stream erosion and destroy aquatic habitat. Managing this runoff prevents flooding, erosion and improves water quality.
Photo (right): Elgin Mills Greenway, where uncontrolled runoff caused significant erosion within the valleylands and the closure of several trails.
How does a stormwater management facility work?
Runoff enters storm sewers and flows into stormwater management ponds, where it is held before being slowly released into streams, rivers and lakes thereby helping to prevent flooding and erosion. In addition, this process allows sediment and other pollutants to settle to the bottom of the pond increasing the quality of the water being released into our watercourses.
Our more modern stormwater management facilities, such as Pioneer Pond and Rumble Pond have additional controls such as oil grit separators and filtration systems that clean the stormwater runoff before it enters the pond. Native plants and special landscaping materials also help to manage pollution and runoff at these facilities.
Our stormwater management systems
Our stormwater management systems must meet guidelines and regulations set by authorities, such as the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).
Ensuring safe and reliable stormwater service is a core municipal responsibility, as such the City is moving towards a comprehensive modelling of the complete stormwater system. Our goal is to gain an understanding of the overall system capacity and constraints, and direction with respect to optimizing the existing system for today and in consideration of climate change, as well as the capacity to model various scenarios when new development is added to the system. The project is expected to be completed in 2023.
A number of the projects from our existing program, including the Pioneer Park Stormwater Management Facility in 2010, the Rumble Pond (pictured above) in 2014 and the Elgin Mills Greenway in 2018, have earned us Provincial and international awards.
| Current Projects |
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Beaver Woodland Pond (SWMF 27-2) Rehabilitation Location: Beaver Woodland, north of Highway 7 and West of West Beaver Creek Road Status: Currently in the Construction Phase
GM1 Valleyland Erosion Protection Location: Doncrest Valley, north of Highway 7 and east of Bayview Avenue Status: Currently in the Study/Tender Preparation Phase
Don Head East Pond/UED4 and UED5 Valleyland Erosion Protection Location: North Richvale Greenway, south of Major Mackenzie Drive West, east of Harding Boulevard West Status: Currently in the Study/Tender Preparation Phase
Mill Pond and Heritage Estates Pond Rehabilitation Location: Mill Pond Park, north of Mill Street, east of Bathurst Street Status: Currently in the Study phase
Snively Wetland Outlet Rehabilitation Location: Snively Wetland, south of Bloomington Road, west of Bayview Avenue Status: Currently in the Study phase
Unity Park Drainage Channel Enclosure Location: Unity Park, south of Centre Street East, east of Pugsley Avenue Status: Currently in the Study phase
South Richvale Valleyland Erosion Protection Location: South Richvale Greenway, south of Carrville Road Status: Currently in the Study phase
Toporowski Stream Valleyland Assessment Location: Rouge River Headwaters Valley, south of Elgin Mills Road East, north of Redstone Road Status: Currently in the Study phase
Humber Flats Pond (SWMF 1-4) Rehabilitation Location: Humber Flats Ecopark, south of Bloomington Road, east of Bathurst Street Status: Study phase complete, next phase is detailed design
Schomberg Road Culvert Environmental Assessment Location: East Humber River crossings at Schomberg Road, north of King Road Status: Currently in the Study phase
Newman Pond (SWMF 2-11) Rehabilitation Location: North of Newman Avenue, west of Bayview Avenue Status: Currently in the Study phase. The Study is expected to be completed in 2024
Driftwood Pond (SWMF 8-2) Rehabilitation Location: North and east of Timber Valley Avenue Status: Currently in the Study phase. The Study is expected to be completed in 2024
Pomona Creek at Garden Avenue Valleyland Assessment Location: Pomona Creek crossing at Garden Avenue, west of Yonge Street Status: Currently in the Study phase |
| Recently Completed Projects |
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Cedar Springs Pond (SWMF 16-8) Sediment Removal Location: North of Brookside Road, east of Cedar Springs Drive Status: Completed in 2023
Snively Plunge Pool (PP2-1) Sediment Removal Location: West of the Worthington Avenue and Snively Street intersection Status: Completed in 2023
Twickenham Pond (SWMF 16-4) Rehabilitation Location: North of Canyon Hill Drive, west of Larrat Lane Status: Completed in 2023
Mitchell Pond (SWMF 8-3) Rehabilitation Location: North of Estate Garden Drive, west of Yonge Street Status: Completed in 2022
Beaufort Hills Pond (SWMF 2-4) Rehabilitation Location: North of Worthington Avenue, east of Yonge Street Status: Completed in 2022
Wellsprings Pond (SWMF 8-5) Sediment Removal Location: South of King Rd, southwest of Charles Connor Room (39 King Road) Status: Completed in 2021
Richmond Green West Pond (SWMF 14-3) Sediment Removal Location: North of Elgin Mills Rd E, east of Richmond Hill Operations Centre (1200 Elgin Mills Rd E) Status: Completed in 2019
Elgin Mills Greenway Pond (SWMF 16-5) Rehabilitation Status: Completed in 2019 Location: South of Shaftsbury Avenue, east of Elgin West Community Centre
Beaver Creek Pond (SWMF 28-1) Rehabilitation Status: Completed in 2019 Location: North of Highway 7, east of East Beaver Creek Road
Wood Rim Pond (SWMF 2-9) Sediment Removal Location: Northeast corner of North Lake Rd/ Wood Rim Dr, west of Green Meadow Crescent Status: Completed in 2018
Heron Pond (SWMF 19-1) Sediment Removal Location: Northwest and southwest corner of Frank Endean Rd/Cassata Ave, as well as northeast corner of Frank Endean Rd/Major Mackenzie Dr E Status: Completed in 2018
Gemini Pond (SWMF 19-2) Sediment Removal Location: South of Gemini Crescent, east of Fountain Court Status: Completed in 2018
Princeton Pond (SWMF 19-5) Sediment Removal Location: North of Princeton Ave, west of Manorheights St Status: Completed in 2018
Bayswater Pond (SWMF 2-3) Sediment Removal Location: South of Bayswater Ave, east of Kingsmead Court Status: Completed in 2016
Rumble Pond (SWMF 17-1) Rehabilitation Location: North of Mill St, east of Bathurst St Status: Completed in 2014
Pioneer Pond (SWMF 17-2) Rehabilitation Location: North of Major Mackenzie Dr W, east of Elston Court Status: Completed in 2010 |
Help reduce and improve your runoff
You can help Richmond Hill reduce the amount of runoff getting into our streams. Some ways to lower and improve your runoff footprint include:
- Using a carwash instead of washing your car in your driveway
- Cleaning up animal waste and yard waste
- Using less fertilizer
- Fixing leaking fluids from your car
- Using rain barrels to catch roof runoff and using it to water your garden or lawn
- Disconnecting your roof downspout if it's connected to a storm sewer and redirecting it to your lawn
- Reducing your use of salt or sand in the winter
- Getting rid of household hazardous waste properly
- Choosing native plants that don't require as much watering
- Checking your sprinklers for leaks
- Following local rules for lawn watering