NORTHEAST WISCONSIN STORMWATER CONSORTIUM (NEWSC)

JESSICA SCHULTZ - DIRECTOR

APPLYING ENVIRONMENTAL

SCIENCE & POLICY IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR

STORMWATER DISCHARGE PERMIT

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS BACKGROUND

The Federal Clean Water Act of

1972

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS BACKGROUND

Stormwater Discharge Permit Program Rules

published in 1988

Phase I – Industrial Stormwater Discharge

Permits

Phase II – Construction Activities disturbing 5 acres

or more

Phase III – Municipal Stormwater Discharge Permits

in 2 phases1. Phase I (cities over 100,000)

– 1990’s2. Phase II (cities 10,000 –

99,999) - 2005

WHAT IS AN MS4?

MS4 - Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System

• Any system of open or closed pipes or ditches that carry runoff from rainwater or snowmelt (not sanitary sewer discharge)

• Owned & operated by a government entity (Town, City, Village, State, County, etc.)

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS BACKGROUND

To meet the requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act MS4s are permitted in Wisconsin through NR 151 & 216

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN STORMWATER CONSORTIUM

in 2004 in response to the

coming Phase II Stormwater Permit

as a subsidiary of the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance which holds the 501c3

NEWSC was created

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN STORMWATER CONSORTIUM

Fostering Partnerships

Sharing Information Administrative

Efficiency Pooling Financial

Resources

Menomonee River Group Southeast Wisconsin Clean Water Network La Crosse Urban Stormwater Group Madison Area Municipal Storm Water

Partnership North Central Wisconsin Stormwater

Coalition Waukesha County Storm Water Information

and Education Partnership Chippewa Valley

Stormwater Forum North East Wisconsin

Stormwater Consortium

REGIONAL COLLABORATION

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

Updates on Rules & Regulations

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

Standardized sample ordinance language

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

Simplified guidance and procedures / processes

A Larger Voice

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

Use of developed brand & materials for stormwater education.

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

Shared broadcast media – radio & television, billboards

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL

COLLABORATION Exhibiting and

Education

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

Training Employees

Business/Industry

Opportunity to network with neighboring communities

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION

TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOADS

WHAT’S A TMDL?

A TMDL is the maximum amount of a particular pollutant that a water body can receive while still meeting water quality standards.

TMDL – Total Maximum Daily Load

WHY DO WE NEED A TMDL?

The Federal Clean Water Act requires all “impaired waters” to have TMDLs .

Impaired waters are waters that are not meeting expectations for fish and aquatic life, recreation, public health and welfare and wildlife.

Currently there are more than 700 rivers, streams and lakes on Wisconsin’s list of impaired waters.

Algae growth in lake resulting from too much phosphorous

INFORMATION USED TO DEVELOP THE LOWER FOX RIVER TMDL

Land Use

INFORMATION USED TO DEVELOP THE LOWER FOX RIVER TMDL

Sources of Total Phosphorous Sources of Total Suspended Solids

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A TMDL IS SET?

1. WDNR determines how to achieve the reduction needed.

2. Allowable amounts of pollution are allocated to permitted industries, municipalities and wastewater treatment plants.

3. Updates to individual permits are made to account for the reduction needed to meet the TMDL.

A TMDL determines the allowable amounts of a particular pollutant in a certain water body. If the amount of that pollutant entering a water body exceeds the TMDL then …

HOW MIGHT A TMDL AFFECT YOUR MUNICIPALITY?

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility

Municipal Stormwater System

For many communities affected by a TMDL, large reductions must be met by both the Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Municipal Stormwater System – this increased reduction has the potential to come at a high cost for both facets.

Fox River in Kimberly, June 2007. Photo credit Bruce Cleland, Tetra Tech

HOW CAN YOUR MUNICIPALITY MEET TMDL REQUIREMENTS?

Best Management Practices

HOW CAN YOUR MUNICIPALITY MEET TMDL REQUIREMENTS?

New options to meet permit requirements:

Water Quality Trading

Adaptive Management

Fox River at the Bay of Green Bay, April 2011. Photo credit Steve Seilo, Photodynamix

MEETING PERMIT OPTIONS

OPTION BMPs Water Quality Trading Adaptive Management

AVAILABILITY Available to all permit holders

Available to all permit holders

Available to NR 217 permit holders (wastewater)NR 216 permit holders (stormwater) are able to partner if available

Ponds, Sweeping, Rain Gardens, Bio-filters, plant upgrades

Using trading ratios, set by DNR, purchase credits for lbs. removed by BMP of another stakeholder – could be a WWTF, Agriculture or another community.

Create and implement a plan to meet the impaired waterbody’ s water quality criteria. This may mean a combination of bricks & mortar projects and partnering with agriculture to install BMPs.

GOAL End goal to reach permit requirements

End goal to reach to permit requirements

End goal to reach water quality criteria

Potentially highest cost / least risk

Potentially lower cost / less risk than AM

Potentially lowest cost / highest risk Regional collaboration for highest success rate

FOX-WOLF WATERSHED ALLIANCE

FWWA is an independent, non-profit organization that identifies issues and advocates effective policies and actions to protect, restore and sustain the water resources of Wisconsin’s Fox-Wolf River Basin.

Contract with 5 WWTFs Green Bay Heart of the Valley Appleton Grand Chute/Menasha

West Neenah/Menasha

Adaptive Management Economic Feasibility Study

Contract with McMAHON Associates

STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION EFFORTS

STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION EFFORTS

Photo Credit: Capital Times

STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION EFFORTS

STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION EFFORTS

Fox River at the Bay of Green Bay, April 2011. Photo credit Steve Seilo, Photodynamix