Hidden Valley Regional Storm Water Facility  

The Hidden Valley High School Stormwater Management Facility and Biofilter were finalized in the Summer of 2006.  This facility will not only reduce the increase in post-developed storm flows in Mud Lick Creek by as much as 101% (in 2-year storms), but its pollutant-reduction features will also benefit the health of the Roanoke River.

A regional stormwater management plan was developed for the Roanoke Valley in 1997.  It identified projected growth through year 2020 and determined the resulting flooding impacts to the regions watersheds that this growth would cause.  In 1999, Roanoke County had the opportunity to construct a facility that would counteract the impacts expected with this amount of development.  To make the most of this opportunity, Roanoke County added water quality measures to this project. 

With funding through the Department of Conservation and Recreation and with endorsement by the local greenway commission and Project Impact, the County could create a regional facility owned by the school board and maintained by the County.

Since the Hidden Valley Storm Water Management Facility began operation in 2000 and despite drought conditions in 2002, several flood events occurred in the spring of 2003.  The facility appears to have made a difference--residents have seen little damage to their homes from these storms.

Pictures of the Hidden Valley Regional
Storm Water Management Facility at Work