Stormwater

Stormwater Defined

Stormwater is water that flows overland during a precipitation event and does not soak into the ground or evaporate. Paved areas, such as driveways, roof tops, parking lots and streets contribute to the amount of storm water that flows through a city as these surfaces are typically impervious and keep precipitation from seeping into the soil and recharging groundwater supplies.

In more urbanized areas, stormwater can pick up surface pollutants. Stormwater flows into the city's storm sewer system, ultimately ending in lakes and streams, which are all affected and must therefore be managed.

Keep our Roads and Water Clean

According to Municipal Code Sections 220.650, 220.720, & 245.160, residents are required to dispose of their own yard waste properly. Raking or blowing leaves into the street creates traffic hazards, such as slippery or unsafe obstructions for traffic (especially motorcycles and bicycles) and environmental hazards, such as carrying road contaminants downstream through the storm drain and eventually into our drinking supply, rivers and lakes. Also, a clogged catch basin can create neighborhood flooding issues.

The easiest way to keep our neighborhoods clean, people safe and protect our waterways is to clean up and properly dispose of yard waste.

The City of Blue Springs and its citizens all have responsibilities regarding stormwater management. The City must acquire and maintain a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency in order to discharge stormwater from its city limits.

Compliance

The city utilizes tools to ensure compliance with stormwater permit requirements through public education, enforcement of ordinances, monitoring of construction sites, good housekeeping practices by city departments and monitoring at points where stormwater exits the city.

The Storm Water division of the Public Works Streets Department has formed a Stream Team for the Missouri Department of Conservation. Our goal is to promote / educate residents on the best practices for clean storm water runoff in our city.

These items include:

• Mulching grass clippings, or at a minimum, not blowing them into the streets as they end up in our storm system
• Not placing tree limbs and grass clippings into drainage channels as this adds to sediment concentration in water
• Not blowing leaves into the streets as this can cause flooding in stormwater inlets

Preventing Illegal Dumping

As time allows we stencil the phrase "Dump No Waste - Drains to Stream" in areas around town to help raise awareness and deter illegal dumping in our storm system.

We maintain more than 5,000 inlet structures. Millions of gallons of rain water travel through this system before they feed area creeks and lakes in our watershed. Keeping water clean begins with each and every citizen.

Additional Information

For more information on Stream Team activities check out the Missouri Department of Conservation website.