StormwaterStormwater::Educating & Involving Educating & Involving

CitizensCitizens

Karen Fuss, Coordinator of CWSECKaren Fuss, Coordinator of CWSECWaccamawWaccamaw Watershed Academy, Watershed Academy,

Center for Marine & Wetland Studies, Coastal Carolina UniversityCenter for Marine & Wetland Studies, Coastal Carolina University

SC APWA ConferenceSC APWA ConferenceJuly 10, 2008July 10, 2008

Federal Mandate:Federal Mandate:National Pollution Discharge Elimination National Pollution Discharge Elimination

System (NPDES) Permit ProgramSystem (NPDES) Permit Program

Point SourcesPoint SourcesNonpoint SourcesNonpoint Sources

Phase I Phase I StormwaterStormwaterProgramProgram•• Populations over Populations over

100,000100,000Phase II Phase II StormwaterStormwaterProgram Program •• Located in Located in UrbanizedUrbanized

AreasAreas•• Small MS4 communitiesSmall MS4 communities

Point Source Point Source PollutionPollution

Nonpoint SourceNonpoint SourcePollutionPollution

Municipal Stormwater PermitMunicipal Stormwater PermitPermit became effective March 2006

Includes 6 Minimum Control Measures:

1. Public education and outreach on stormwaterimpacts

2. Public involvement/participation3. Illicit discharge detection and elimination 4. Construction site stormwater runoff control 5. Post-construction stormwater management6. Pollution prevention/good housekeeping

GoalGoalDevelop and implement effective, outcomesDevelop and implement effective, outcomes--based based

stormwaterstormwater education and outreach programs to education and outreach programs to meet federal requirements and satisfy local meet federal requirements and satisfy local

environmental and economic needs.environmental and economic needs.

(1)(1) Maximize efficiency of Maximize efficiency of stormwaterstormwater education efforts in the northeastern education efforts in the northeastern coastal region of South Carolina by using a regional/watershed acoastal region of South Carolina by using a regional/watershed approach.pproach.

(2) Help local SMS4s meet NPDES Phase II Permit requirements for(2) Help local SMS4s meet NPDES Phase II Permit requirements for public public stormwaterstormwater education and outreach, public involvement and illicit education and outreach, public involvement and illicit discharge detection by providing educational resources and servidischarge detection by providing educational resources and services.ces.

(3) Facilitate collaboration among local service providers to be(3) Facilitate collaboration among local service providers to best meet the st meet the educational needs of local entities.educational needs of local entities.

(4) Develop a cohesive and comprehensive regional (4) Develop a cohesive and comprehensive regional stormwaterstormwater education education plan that capitalizes on local training resources and meets the plan that capitalizes on local training resources and meets the needs of needs of local SMS4s.local SMS4s.

(5)Create a model for collaborative (5)Create a model for collaborative stormwaterstormwater education that can be education that can be presented and applied throughout the state and beyond. presented and applied throughout the state and beyond.

Core ObjectivesCore Objectives

Participating CommunitiesParticipating Communities

These municipalities encompass over 2,000 square miles of land These municipalities encompass over 2,000 square miles of land with approximately 300,000 residents.with approximately 300,000 residents.

Education ProvidersEducation Providers

Coastal Carolina UniversityCoastal Carolina University’’s s WaccamawWaccamawWatershed AcademyWatershed Academy

North InletNorth Inlet--WinyahWinyah Bay National Estuarine Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Training Research Reserve Coastal Training and Public Education Programand Public Education Program

Clemson UniversityClemson University’’s Carolina Clear Programs Carolina Clear Program

SC Sea Grant Extension ProgramSC Sea Grant Extension Program

WaccamawWaccamaw RiverkeeperRiverkeeper®®

Murrells Inlet 2007 & BeyondMurrells Inlet 2007 & Beyond

StormwaterStormwater Challenges Challenges in the Coastal in the Coastal WaccamawWaccamaw RegionRegion

We have local We have local stormwaterstormwater problems that problems that we can all work together to solvewe can all work together to solveLocal solutions to local problems! Local solutions to local problems!

Influx of People:Influx of People:Visitors & ResidentsVisitors & Residents

You build You build …… they will come!they will come!

Local Local StormwaterStormwater IssuesIssuesLittle topography Little topography →→ iincreases floodingncreases floodingBuilding Building →→ iincreases impervious surfacesncreases impervious surfacesLeading to water quality problemsLeading to water quality problems

Piping Piping StormwaterStormwaterinto the into the WaccamawWaccamaw RiverRiver

Piping Piping StormwaterStormwateron the Beachon the Beach

StormwaterStormwater on the Beachon the Beachvia Swashesvia Swashes

Swimming AdvisoriesSwimming Advisories

StormwaterStormwater PondsPonds

What Do We Do & How?What Do We Do & How?

Minimum Control Measure 1: Public education and outreach

Minimum Control Measure 2:Public involvement/participation

Public Education and Outreach: Public Education and Outreach: Presentations for KPresentations for K--1212thth GradeGrade

Public Education and Outreach: Public Education and Outreach: Presentations/Workshops for AdultsPresentations/Workshops for Adults

Adults enjoy this handsAdults enjoy this hands--on mapping activity!on mapping activity!

Another interactive activity Another interactive activity --placing placing stormwaterstormwater drainage drainage

systems in ordersystems in order

Public Education and Outreach: Public Education and Outreach: Presentations for Municipal OfficialsPresentations for Municipal Officials

City of Conway Officials on Bus Tour depictingCity of Conway Officials on Bus Tour depictingthe good, the bad & the uglythe good, the bad & the ugly

Public Education and Outreach: Public Education and Outreach: Field Workshops for AdultsField Workshops for Adults

Getting people in the field Getting people in the field is one of the best ways tois one of the best ways toteach about teach about stormwaterstormwater

issues and solutions.issues and solutions.

Public Education and Outreach: Public Education and Outreach: Field Workshops for KField Workshops for K--1212

MacroinvertebrateMacroinvertebrate collection to collection to determine water qualitydetermine water quality

Pontoon boat trip to explore the affects Pontoon boat trip to explore the affects of various land uses on water qualityof various land uses on water quality

Public Education and Outreach:Public Education and Outreach:Festivals & ExhibitsFestivals & Exhibits

Exhibits can be a good way to Exhibits can be a good way to get information to the public.get information to the public.

Public Education and Outreach:Public Education and Outreach:Website Website –– www.cwsecwww.cwsec--sc.orgsc.org

Public Education and Outreach:Public Education and Outreach:Additional OpportunitiesAdditional Opportunities

Public Service Announcements – radio, newspapers, TVNewsletters – agencies and organizationsTechnical assistance –small localities, HOAs, citizen groups

Public Involvement/Participation:Public Involvement/Participation:Rain Garden InstallationsRain Garden Installations

$14,000 from Wal$14,000 from Wal--Mart for Mart for stormwaterstormwaterBMPsBMPs at local high schoolat local high school

Collaborative educational project Collaborative educational project with Horry County with Horry County StormwaterStormwater, ,

SocasteeSocastee High, WalHigh, Wal--Mart Mart and CWSECand CWSEC

Public Involvement/Participation:Public Involvement/Participation:Beach/River SweepsBeach/River Sweeps

Public Involvement/Participation:Public Involvement/Participation:Volunteer Water Quality MonitoringVolunteer Water Quality Monitoring

Helping to meet Minimum Control Helping to meet Minimum Control Measure 3: Illicit Discharge Detection & Measure 3: Illicit Discharge Detection & EliminationElimination

Data is readily Data is readily available to SMS4s available to SMS4s and the publicand the public

Volunteers learning sampling techniquesVolunteers learning sampling techniques

Field sampling twice per monthField sampling twice per month

Upcoming ActivitiesUpcoming Activities

•• Storm Drain StencilingStorm Drain Stenciling

•• Develop a map of Develop a map of StormwaterStormwater Best Best Management Practices (BMP) in Management Practices (BMP) in regionregion

•• Signage for Signage for BMPsBMPs

•• TV Public Service Announcements TV Public Service Announcements

•• Rain Garden InstallationsRain Garden Installations

For More InformationFor More Information

Karen Fuss, CWSEC CoordinatorKaren Fuss, CWSEC CoordinatorWaccamawWaccamaw Watershed AcademyWatershed AcademyCenter for Marine & Wetland StudiesCenter for Marine & Wetland StudiesCoastal Carolina UniversityCoastal Carolina Universitykfuss@coastal.edukfuss@coastal.edu843843--349349--40584058

Website at Website at www.cwsecwww.cwsec--sc.orgsc.org