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
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