Museum - NPDES Stormwater Permit drain intake stenciling
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MEMORANDUM
March 27, 2006
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: City of Dubuque NPDES Stormwater Permit - Storm Drain Stenciling
Partnership with National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is providing information on the City of Dubuque's
partnership with the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium that will gather
volunteers to go to Dubuque neighborhoods on Earth Day, April 22, 2006, to stencil
storm drain intakes by marking them "Drains to Creek, Drains to River, Drains to Gulf'
or "Dump No Wastes, Drains to River". This activity will help fulfill a requirement for the
City's NPDES MS4 Stormwater Permit from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
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Michael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psi hoyos, City Engineer
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MEMORANDUM
March 27, 2006
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City M~
Gus Psihoyos, City Enginee~v ./
City of Dubuque NPDES Stormwater Permit - Storm Drain Stenciling
Partnership with National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
TO:
SUBJECT:
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to inform you that the City of Dubuque is partnering with
the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (Museum) to help fulfill a
requirement of the City's NPDES MS4 Stormwater Permit from the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources (IDNR).
BACKGROUND
The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 prohibits the discharge of pollutants into the waters
of the United States from a point source, unless permitted by an NPDES permit. In
1987 the CWA was amended to target non-point source pollution such as stormwater
runoff. On December 8, 1999, NPDES Phase II was published in the Federal Register,
mandating that the City of Dubuque obtain an NPDES Phase II permit for stormwater
runoff.
On November 1, 2004 the City Council adopted Resolution 413-04, approving the
NPDES stormwater permit authored by the IDNR for the period of September 1, 2004 to
August 31, 2009.
DISCUSSION
Public education and participation are two of the six elements of the permit. PART II,
Section A, item 1 of the permit, requires that Dubuque must develop a program "to label
all storm sewer intakes" within the five-year permit term.
By stenciling "Drains to Creek, Drains to River, Drains to Gulf" or "Dump No Wastes,
Drains to River" on or next to storm drain intakes, it lets citizens know that when trash or
waste gets into a storm sewer intake it will travel untreated to the Mississippi River.
Getting the public involved is important because the Catfish Creek and the Mississippi
River are a treasure that we all can share. Share with our neighborhoods, our
neighboring communities, and all the states from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. For
this reason, the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium has gathered
volunteers to go into Dubuque neighborhoods on Earth Day, April 22, 2006 to stencil
"Drains to Creek, Drains to River, Drains to Gulf" on intakes.
The estimate to fund the April 22, 2006 event is $3,500. With less in start-up costs,
subsequent stenciling activities will be less.
BUDGET IMPACT
The Fiscal Year 2006 NPDES Phase II Compliance Program CIP budget
(CIP#7201355) of $105,063 will be used to fund the storm drain stenciling activity. The
balance of funding will continue to fund the other permit requirements.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and the City of Dubuque will be
promoting the activity. The Museum is in the process of adding co-sponsors. All City
employees are invited to volunteer their time on April 22 and help protect our Catfish
Creek and Mississippi River.
Prepared by Deron Muehring
cc: Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee Members
Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer II