Do you need more information on summer algae blooms and which can produce harmful algal blooms? The MPCA is providing a series of fact sheets, photos and research on the topic.
CitiesGoGreen Magazine is a monthly publication appearing in both digital and printed editions. Its mission is to encourage effective movement by cities and other local governments toward sustainability.
The digital edition resembles the print edition, containing in addition numerous links to relevant information and examples. The links for each issue are collected and made available on the website.
CitiesGoGreen is a project focused on answering the question, "How can cities and other local governments become sustainable as quickly and effectively as possible?" The magazines include methods and policies for sustainability, conference listings, experiences, news and information. The subscription online is FREE!
The CitiesGoGreen website is designed for discussion and commentary, an ongoing source of ideas and connections.
The News-Notes at www.epa.gov/newsnotes is a newletter published by the EPA that summarizes information on nonpoint stormwater news at a national level. It is a great resource. The newsletter’s cover page includes hyperlinks to each section, article, and announcement listed below.
GREEN ROOFS - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO GALLERY
There are some great shots of a variety of different types of green roofs here, from Europe to New York!
The Let's Keep it Clean Campaign is a collaborative effort between different Cities, Counties, State agencies, Water Management Organizations and Watershed Districts in the state to help generate ideas and materials for stormwater educaiton efforts. this is a great spot to download educational ideas, PowerPoint presentations for topics ranging from TMDL to fertilizer education, advertisement ideas, etc.
I have used their ideas for items like utility bill inserts and newsarticles! Please help support this idea by making use of it!
LOON COMMONS - a Blog about Minnesota’s Environment
Loon Commons, an online blog forum for current and emerging environmental and conservation issues in Minnesota recently launched by the Minnesota Environmental Partnership (MEP). Check it out athttp://www.looncommons.org/
METRO BLOOMS
Metro Blooms has a lot of great educational opportunites, grants for native plantings, workshops for rain garden installation, rain barrel sales and other activities. Please check out their web site at www.metroblooms.org.
MPCA - AUDIT PROCEDURES FOR MS4 PERMITS
The MPCA will using a USEPA document as their guidance in designing their audit or evaluation program. Here is the information and hyperlinks for this document.
Please don’t be completely put off by the length of the audit documents. The documents are written in a manner that makes it relatively easy to scan them for the information that is useful, especially if you are a speed reader. The worksheets in Appendix B should be useful and accessible.
The MPCA began the audits in 2009. In what order or how many will be done each year is unknown. The do plan on giving about 60 days notice before they schedule your audit.
The MPCA intends to complete all audits over the over the next 5 years with a significant number done by the beginning of the next permit cycle (2011). That is a lot of reviews in a short time! There are now 2 Phase 1 (large) MS4 permittees and 233 Phase 2 (small) MS4 permittees.
ADVICE: Draw up an organization chart of everyone involved in your stormwater permit program and make sure you hold a meeting with them all before the end of this year to go over your program. Make sure and file everything, especially construction site inspection records as they do look for them!
SO what are they looking for? They want to see what you have done, inspect construction sites to make sure you are enforcing correctly and then provide recommendations and options on how to achieve compliance with your permit requirements if needed. They will be identifying program deficiencies and determine what is needed to meet compliance and what is not needed. They want to see how your MS4 program is functioning and the overall program effectiveness at the local level.
WHAT will they evaluate? It could be one MCM or it could be all 6. It could all be indoors in the office or it could include field evaluations too. In other words, you won't know until you get your notice so be prepared for everything!
ONE COMMENT - the MPCA has stated that they feel that MOST of the SWPPPs are inadequate but that they did manage to meet the minimum requirements for getting them public noticed. Be prepared for a close look.
MPCA - GENERAL STORMWATER PERMIT GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS
The Draft Guidance Document for the General Permit to authorize storm water discharge for MS4s was revised on March 8, 2006. Please follow the link below to find the document.
On Dec. 2, the final, full-color version of the Minnesota Stormwater Manual was released at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) Web site. November 2006 - It has now been updated! Follow this link to see what changes have been made.
Particular note should be made of Appendix N for conducting stormwater pond evaluations. They have links to other appendices that should give a good idea for what the MPCA will be expecting in the field and for modeling.
Want to know what the Stormwater Steering Committee is doing up to? This is a great place to find all the latest and greatest that they are looking into.
In 2004, a team of public and private organizations joined together to take on this complex, challenging problem. This team, now subdivided into seven goal-driven workgroups, is called the Stormwater Steering Committee.
Twelve new TMDL training modules are now online. The modules were developed for local government officials who are in the process of developing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study for the first time. The modules provide an overview of each of the major steps of the process, from scoping the project through completion of a pollutant allocation formula.
The modules include Powerpoint presentations and written materials. These can be found at:
If you have any questions, please contact Lynne Kolze at 651-757-2501.
PLANTS FOR STORMWATER DESIGN
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency staff worked with the authors, Daniel Shaw and Rusty Schmidt, to produce this valuable reference. The goal is to improve stormwater treatment and management practices by using native plants. http://www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/manuals/stormwaterplants.html
PLASTIC POWERS A LAKE CLEANUP
EXCERPT: Spring Lake is now home to seven little floating islands built and launched to
undo what humans have done to it. Made from recycled plastic bottles and planted
with wildflowers, reeds and grasses, the floating islands act like wetlands on
steroids and represent a new and startlingly simple technology that's attracting
interest around the world
ST. ANTHONY FALLS LABORATORY (SAFL) STORMWATER RESEARCH PROGRAM
Presentations about projects related to stormwater treatment, assessment, and
maintenance have been given at conferences, workshops, and seminars throughout
the United States and beyond by SAFL.
PDF downloads of those presentations are provided on their website , when available, for 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2003.
Go to: http://stormwater.safl.umn.edu/content/presentations to find the information on past presentations and the links to them.
U OF M - ST. ANTHONY FALLS - STORMWATER ASSESSMENT AND MAINTENANCE PROJECT
