What is Stormwater pollution?

Stormwater pollution refers to many types of harmful materials that are carried by rainwater and wash water through the storm drain system to our creeks and lakes. Ultimately this pollution reaches the Coldwater River and Arkabutla Lake because it makes its way through their tributaries. While water we use in our homes and businesses drains to a treatment plant or septic system, stormwater and anything else dumped or spilled outdoors flows into the storm drain system and directly to our waterways. Stormwater is not cleaned or treated in any way.

Stormwater pollution has many sources. One of the most common is the illicit disposal or spilling of wastes directly into storm drains, like pouring used motor oil or paint directly into a storm drain or ditch. Another common source of pollution is sediment from disturbed areas such as construction sites.

Pollutants also enter storm drains when it rains; rain runs off roofs, streets, parking lots, and other paved and impervious surfaces and flows into the nearest storm drain, picking up impurities along the way. Rain, as well as waters from hoses and sprinklers, carries detergents from car washing in addition to sediment, pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to the storm drain. From the storm drain, water flows directly into the nearest waterway-garbage, toxins, sediment and all.

Regulatory Background

The Clean Water Act is a 1997 amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, which set the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants to waters of the United States. Phase I and Phase II Storm Water Regulations resulted from the passage and subsequent amendments to the Clean Water Act. Phase I relies on the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage to address storm water runoff from medium and large municipal storm sewer systems (populations of 100,000) or greater; construction activities disturbing 5 acres or more; and ten categories of industrial activities. Phase II expands the requirements of Phase I to cover smaller urbanized areas, designated as “regulated small MS4’s” (populations of at least 50,000 but less than 100,000), and operators of constructions sites of at least 1 but less than 5 acres. Phase II seeks to use NPDES permits to implement programs and practices to control polluted storm water runoff in the small MS4’s.

DeSoto County’s Phase II Stormwater Management Plan

In February 2003, the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors approved a Stormwater Management Plan. The Plan proposes a series of activities to be performed over the next five years to improve the water quality of runoff. Included are such things as an education program to inform members of the public and businesses of the effects of their activities, a new ordinance that will effectively prohibit the disposal of anything except stormwater into our ditches, creeks, and streams, controls on construction activities, standards for design of new developments, and a program to assure that County operations themselves are clean. There are six minimum control measures in Phase II. You may view DeSoto County’s Stormwater Management Plan by clicking here .

What are the six minimum control measures?

The Phase II rule outlines a management program comprising six required program elements expected to result in significant reductions of pollutants discharged into receiving water bodies. These six elements, referred to as “minimum control measures” are: