Taking Advantage of a Stormwater Program Partnership Opportunity Brad D. Lee, PhD CPSS Associate Extension Specialist University of Kentucky

Stormwater Rainfall – (soil infiltration + evapotranspiration) Results in water quality impairments because the rainfall striking natural and man-made surfaces dislodges and transports sediment, pathogens, nutrients and other pollutants to streams

Ag and Urban – Same Process In agricultural environments  agricultural runoff Concerns about impairment of nearby streams Concerns about natural resource loss, nutrient loss and agricultural productivity loss (erosion) In urban environments  stormwater Concerns are impairment of nearby streams Increases with abundance of impervious surfaces Increases with population density

Carrots and Sticks Ag – Government incentive programs to protect water quality BMP installation Cover crops Buffer strips Urban – Regulations to protect water quality MS4 NPDES permits issued for communities larger than 10,000 in population

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System MS4 Communities Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Owned by a state, city, town, village, or other public entity that discharges to waters of the U.S. Used to collect or convey stormwater (including storm drains, pipes, ditches, etc.) Not a combined sewer Not part of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (sewage treatment plant)

104 regulated MS4s in 32 counties

Regulated MS4s Phase I – 1990 EPA regulates communities with a population > 100,000 with a NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit Phase II – 1999 EPA regulates communities with a population > 10,000 with a NPDES permit

Regulatory requirements “MCMs to MEP” Phase I – MCMs + monitoring Phase II – MCMs Minimum Control Measures to Maximum Extent Practicable

Minimum Control Measures Public Education & Outreach Public Participation/Involvement Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination Construction Site Runoff Control Post-Construction Runoff Control Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping

Public Education & Outreach Distributing educational materials and performing outreach to inform citizens about the impacts polluted stormwater runoff discharges can have on water quality.

Public Participation/Involvement Providing opportunities for citizens to participate in program development and implementation, including effectively publicizing public hearings and/or encouraging citizen representatives on a stormwater management panel.

Why Should CES be Involved? CES has over 100 years of experience in public education and public involvement You are already connected to the community You have a network of resources available You are already meeting many of the permit deliverables in these categories No entity in MS4 communities is more qualified than the CES office to assist with public education and involvement

Why Should CES be Involved? MS4s have limitations Limited experience in public education and outreach Limited connection to community Only 5 years experience In many communities the permit operator wears multiple hats Limited staff available Limited time available for addressing MCMs Limited local support DOW – manages blanket permit for state, reports to EPA Kentucky Stormwater Association provides a forum for discussion

Why Should CES be Involved? Strengthen CES relationship with urban clientele Stormwater management is an unfunded mandate by the federal government Ag fears regulation and CES has been supporting this audience for a century MS4s ARE REGULATED and need help meeting permit requirements Communities must address stormwater utilizing local resources Assess fees (Fayette Co. - $4.63/2500 ft2 of impervious surface) Utilize community budget (taxes)

Why Should CES be Involved? Maintain and increase relevance to urban audience Rural population migrating to cities Worldwide urban population expected 63% in 2020 (World Health Organization) 65% of Kentuckians reside in 32 counties Kentucky (~3% rural  urban migration 2000 to 2010) Urban population losing connection to surrounding environment < 30% of Kansas HS students could answer basic agricultural questions (Horn and Vining, 1986) Town kids know more about agriculture and natural resources (ANR) than city kids (Frick et al, 1995)

How does CES get involved? Share your data (quantifiables) Number of soil samples collected in your county Meetings/workshops/presentations (only 4 items) Date Title of meeting/workshop/presentation Audience (producers, homeowners, youth, etc.) Number of participants

Data sharing… Who do I share my data with? There are 104 MS4 permitted communities in 32 counties Some counties have more than one MS4. Which one do I send the data too? For example: Hardin County MS4 permits include Hardin County City of Elizabethtown City of Radcliff City of West Point City of Vine Grove

Data sharing continued… Questions (Hardin Co. example): Would all three ANR agents (Doug Shepherd, Matt Sears, Amy Aldenderfer) need to share their data? YES, all ANR agents need to share their data. (Soil tests will only be counted once.) Do I need to split the data for each MS4 permitted community? NO. Regardless of where the county meeting was held or soil sample was collected, you do not split up your report based on geographic location.

Data sharing continued… Questions (Hardin Co. example): Can each agent share the same exact data set with each MS4 permit holder in the county? YES. Make your report once and send it to each MS4 permitted community. When is the MS4 report due? MS4s are required to submit calendar year reports to KY DOW by April 15th. If they are late, the community receives a Notice of Violation. Get your CES data to the MS4 by mid-February.

Data sharing continued… Questions: What counts as a MS4 Public Education and Outreach activity? Essentially anything that has to do with soil, water, or water quality. For example… Master Gardener Master Cattlemen Master Grazer Soil testing (number of soil tests collected) Fertilization recommendations Pesticides/Herbicides Stream remediation Erosion control Recycling programs Lawn and garden presentations Cover crops Etc. Can the volunteer hours of my Master Gardeners count? Yes.

Data sharing continued… Questions (Hardin Co. example): This seems too easy. These 4 items (date, title, audience, no. participants) + number of soil tests collected are all the MS4s need? What is the catch? No catch. MS4s need Public Education and Outreach data. You can provide a year’s worth of this data in less than an hour with your monthly reports.

Hardin County Doug Shepherd Example

Kentucky Soil Test P over 25 years Home & Garden Agriculture

Questions, comments, concerns or complaints Brad Lee, PhD CPSS Soil and Water Quality Extension Specialist Plant and Soil Sciences Dept. University of Kentucky Brad.lee@uky.edu 859-257-0156 Suzette Walling, MS Soil and Water Quality Extension Associate Plant and Soil Sciences Dept. University of Kentucky s.walling@uky.edu