[box typ=”normal”]The story below is from the City’s of Mountlake Terrace’s newsletter called City Happenings. We will be highlighting some of the stories this week. To read the entire newsletter, view the PDF at CityofMLT.com.[/box]Mountlake Terrace is one of the most densely developed cities in Snohomish County. Some areas of the city have 50% to 75% of the surface covered by impervious structures including buildings, sidewalks, driveways and roads. Rainfall on impervious surfaces during storm events results in immediate runoff into stormwater systems and streams. The effect can be dramatic.

During some rainstorms these past few months, 220th Street and 216th Street were closed when Hall Creek overflowed its banks. City crews responded to numerous residential flooding issues.

Residents and business owners can help minimize the impact of flooding and improving water quality by using paving blocks or brick pavers for parking areas and walkways. Where possible, property owners can divert drainage from hard surfaced areas like roofs and driveways onto grass or landscaped areas. You can also build up soil with amended topsoil and compost to increase the capacity of these areas to hold onto and store rainwater after a storm event. For more information, please contact Stormwater Program Manager Mike Shaw at (425) 744-6295.