Stormwater Quality

We are going to learn a little bit about stormwater quality todayAnd why it is important to us here at LJAWe'll learn what is an S-W-Q-M-PSome guidelines enforced by city or countySo, stormwater quality, what is it you ask?Pollution control, not always a simple taskYou see, rainfall runoff collects pollutants from your siteThese must be managed in a way that's rightRefuse, bacteria, oil and grease, and sediment tooCarried from your property to the nearest bayouFertilizer flowing from our gardens and parksCreating algae blooms that smother aquatic life like sharksCare must be taken to keep your site runoff cleanSo that chemicals and trash do not end up downstreamConsider the fish and cute family of ducksRespect their habitat, please give a... thoughtHow did the government begin to enforce this you ask?Well in 1948 the Federal Water Pollution Control Act was passed,Then in 1970, Nixon established the EPAOr the Environmental Protection Agency as we know it todayOver time public awareness and concern for water pollution grewAnd eventually led to the Clean Water Act in 1972One of the amendments to this act included the N-P-D-E-SThe National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, quite a mouthful, yesIt's good to know this, but what exactly does it do?Well, it establishes SWQ requirements for obtaining permits for me and youThese laws are enforced by governing agencies to good effectPublic health, wildlife, and our water bodies they protectThe NPDES is applied to MS4s, yes, another acronymWhich stands for, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer SystemAn MS4 basically includes public streets, ditches, drains, and pipesConveying untreated runoff to surface water bodies of different typesThe bottom line is that when you find yourself designing a site of 1 acre or morePreparation of a Storm Water Quality Management Plan is in storeThe SWQMP will outline your Best Management Practices, or controlsExplaining the BMPs to be used, and who maintains them your goalsA BMP must treat the first flush from your siteThat means runoff of 0.5 inches in heightWhat are some of the BMPs we can use?And how do we know which one we should choose?Allow me to list common controls that are structural in naturePonds, filters, swales, and oil/sand separatorsAlso, there are many non-structural BMPsRecycling, waste management, and public education are some of theseHow to pick depends on site use and terrainThe type of soil, topography, don’t guess, use your brain You must plan your controls with precision and care,Because not every solution fits everywhereWhat kind of pollutants your land will emit,Determines what system or feature will fitHowever, it isn’t enough to just install controls and call it a dayBMPs require regular upkeep in order to work the right wayMow the swales, pick up trash, and inspect the pond grateThe consequences flooding and fines if you’re lateThe owner is responsible to inspect and maintainMake sure things are working whenever it rainsWith our design and schedule in place let’s write the reportTo stay in compliance, and stay out of courtGather the appropriate documents, then we can submitSo long as you followed your local agency’s checklistLet us review what we went over todayWhy SWQ matters at LJAStormwater rules are more than just red tape,They help to protect the natural landscapeThey reduce the floods, the stench, the mess,They help keep mother nature from distressSo next time you're planning your site with care,Remember the ducks, the fish, the airRespect the bayous, the frogs, the trees,The downstream families, the coastal breezeSo build it smart, and build it clean,Let’s keep our waters blue and green