Winter runoff is more difficult to manage because the ground is often frozen or already saturated, which limits how much water the soil can take in. When water can’t soak into the ground, it moves quickly across the surface and carries nutrients with it. Snow cover can also hide problem areas, making it harder to spot erosion, leaks, or weak points in storage structures.
Sudden warm spells or rain-on-snow events can release large amounts of water at once, creating even stronger flows than those typically seen in warmer months. In summer, plants actively absorb nutrients and help stabilize the soil, but during winter they are dormant and provide far less protection. Taken together, these factors make winter runoff unpredictable, fast-moving, and more likely to transport pollutants into nearby waterways.
