‘Water Logged’ is a Geotrail created by Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Department that shows how rainwater gets from our streets to our streams.
Stormwater runoff is the number one source of water pollution in the United States. When rain falls on impervious surfaces such as rooftops, roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways instead of being absorbed by the ground, it flows into storm drains and from there flows directly into nearby streams. In Athens-Clarke County, stormwater is not treated before it enters our streams, which means that anything stormwater encounters as it flows along impervious surfaces could end up polluting our streams, including: trash, debris, sediment, chemicals, fertilizers, dog waste, soaps, and car oil.
The geocaches you are about to discover are placed near various methods used to improve water quality and reduce stormwater pollution. These methods help absorb, slow, or treat runoff before it reaches our streams.
MOVING IN FLOW MOTION: These bioretention cells collect stormwater from the nearby parking lots. Bioretention is the process in which contaminants and sedimentation are removed from stormwater runoff. Stormwater is collected into the treatment area which consists of grass strips, a sand/mixed media bed, ponding area, mulch layer, planting soil, and plants.