Surface and ground water quality in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area is more at risk each day as population and alterations to the landscape increase. The metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing in Michigan, with a population projected to exceed 700,000 by 2015. To accommodate this growth in population, 150,000 acres or more in Kent County will be consumed by development. Of significant concern is the amount of storm water runoff that is created as a result of these land use changes. A consequence of development is an increase in impervious surfaces such as rooftops, roads, and parking lots, which increase storm water runoff volumes.