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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. 104 regulated MS4s in 32 counties

7. 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

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

9. 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

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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. 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)

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. Hardin County Doug Shepherd Example

23. Kentucky Soil Test P over 25 years
Home & Garden
Agriculture

24. Questions, comments, concerns or complaints
Brad Lee, PhD CPSS Soil and Water Quality Extension Specialist Plant and Soil Sciences Dept. University of Kentucky
Suzette Walling, MS
Soil and Water Quality Extension Associate
Plant and Soil Sciences Dept.
University of Kentucky