Stormwater runoff is the water from rainfalls or snow melting that either gets absorbed by plants and soil or flows over hard surfaces and into sewers, lakes, and streams. Harmful pollutants such as chemicals, pet waste, litter and fertilizer make their way to our waterways through urban runoff which can make fish and other aquatic species sick or even kill them. It can also cause a bloom or drought of certain types of aquatic organisms which causes an imbalance in the ecosystem. The water that runs over hard surfaces is also much warmer. This temperature increase can be harmful to aquatic life. Larger storms due to climate change also cause higher volumes of water to run through our systems. This can cause erosion which breaks down the stabilization of channels, leading to changes in waterway functionality.