The Surface Water Management Division (SWMD) provides a comprehensive approach to managing surface water. Its goal is to respect and preserve the City’s streams, harbor and the Chesapeake Bay. It works to protect water quality; control, accommodate and discharge storm runoff; provide for groundwater recharge; control sediment; stabilize erosion; establish monitoring capability; and rehabilitate stream and drainage corridors

Baltimore City maintains a separate storm drain system:

• 1,146 miles of storm drain pipes
• 27,561 storm drain manholes
• 52,438 storm drain inlets
• 1,709 outfalls