Stormwater

The Federal Clean Water Act – In March 2003, Phase II of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) went into effect. This Act requires all communities with a population over 10,000 to receive a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4) To be in compliance with this permit, the City must develop a program dedicated to 6 areas of water quality management referred to as minimum control measures (MCMs).

Stormwater Management Plan

Stormwater Ordinance

Stormwater Minimum Control Measures

Before learning how you can make a difference, it is important to understand some key elements regarding water pollution.

Stormwater – Stormwater is the result of precipitation such as rain or snow.

Runoff – Runoff is stormwater minus what infiltrates into the ground.

Storm Sewers – Underground structures that take stormwater run-off from streets, gutters, and ditches to nearby lakes and streams, untreated. These are the drains you see at the street corners or at low points on the side of your streets.

Watersheds – A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common body of water, such a nearby creek, stream, river or lake. Everyone lives in a watershed.

Stormwater runoff is the biggest problem facing our streams, creeks and rivers today. As stormwater travels over the land and paved areas, it picks up chemicals and sediments that are not naturally found in our waterways.

Common pollutants include:

Trash
Automotive Fluids
Fertilizers
Lawn and Garden Clippings
Pet Waste
Paint
Household Chemicals
Soils

Now that you understand a little bit of the problem, how do you get involved?

Clean up Your Own Property
Storm Drain Stenciling
Stream Cleanups
Host an Informational Meeting

Notify the City if you see illegal dumping or problems at construction site.

Illicit discharges are things entering the storm sewer system that are not entirely made up of stormwater. This may be a one time dumping of oil, paint, chemicals, yard waste, trash, etc or this may be an ongoing problem where a structure is connected to the storm sewer instead of the sanitary sewer.

Illicit discharges will be investigated as they are found and this is where you can help. If you see water in your creek that is discolored (usually brown or green), has an excessive oil/grease sheen or substantial suds, or a foul odor – please contact the City. Staff can then investigate the source of the problem and take steps to eliminate it. City staff will also be doing some routine screening and/or monitoring in areas of town where large storm sewers discharge.

Contractors in the City of Marshall need to be aware of the requirement for state land disturbance permits on sites that disturb more than one acre (43,560 square feet). The City will also soon be enforcing the same requirements for pollution prevention that the state requires. This includes erosion and sediment control, concrete washout, fueling areas, materials storage, and sanitary waste.

The City will be implementing new development standards to improve the long-term water quality of our community. This may include control of open space, stream buffers, parking requirements, encouragement of infiltration and filtration practices, and consideration of detention and retention requirements.

The City will continue many practices that currently help improve water quality including our extensive street sweeping program, our conscientious parks management, and our inspections of our sanitary sewer system. The City will also be training employees of a variety of best management practices so that they might carry out their jobs in the most environmentally responsible manner possible.

To Report Pollutants Found in or Around Storm Drains, Call (660) 886 – 3945.

Homeowner Tips for Improving Water Quality

Homeowners can play a key role in cleaning up our polluted waterways through behavior changes. The majority of pollution in Marshall’s urban waterways can be linked to our everyday activities. Common pollutants include:

Improper disposal of paint, used oil, household chemicals and yard waste
Over-application of fertilizers and pesticides
Washing cars in driveways
Not picking up pet waste
Littering
Not maintaining septic tanks
Erosion

Missouri River Watershed

Marshall has two waterways that manage our community runoff: Salt Fork Creek and the North Fork of Finney Creek. The runoff in our community eventually drains into the Missouri River, the 15th longest river in the United States. The Missouri River watershed drains one-sixth of the water in United States.