stormwater

noun

storm·​wa·​ter ˈstȯrm-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: rainwater produced by a storm

a stormwater management system

As stormwater runs over lawns, streets and other man-made surfaces, it picks up pollutants—phosphorous and nitrogen from fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste and road salt, to name a few—and carries them into local streams and lakes.

—Delen Goldberg

This rainfall "of biblical proportions," as the local newspaper described it, swamped the city in waist-high stormwater.

—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block

Examples of stormwater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Miami Gardens Miami Gardens collects flooding and stormwater issues through a brief survey form on the city website. —Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025

Matt Oliver, a spokesman for the Tarrant Regional Water District, said construction on a stormwater canal system is expected to begin in 2026. —Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2025

The panels themselves are non-toxic, according to Xcel Energy, and project plans include management of erosion, stormwater runoff and vegetation. —Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 5 Nov. 2025

In particular, the city’s stormwater system is failing as pipes have eroded and caused sinkholes to pop up in some parts of the city. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stormwater

• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater
• granddaughter
• groundwater
• headwater