Water may tend to seek its own level—especially during Spring snowmelt and expected April showers—but in order that it do so in a legally authorized and environmentally-friendly manner in these United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has carefully fenced off parameters over the years for just how to manage and deal with the occasional mass runoff event, in the event that such proves hazardous. After all, water carries heat, fertilizer, and current, among other dangers.

Pursuant to this and in conformity to both federal regulations and state DNR expectations, the River Falls Common Council was due March 9 to renew a WPDES Permit it holds from the State DNR, using a resolution as the instrument whereby the permit renewal might be accomplished.

So what are the practical effects of such legal p and qs? In a few words: cooperation; inspection; quantity and quality.

First licensed to hold a stormwater permit in October of 2006, the City of River Falls also administers “many aspects” of a permit with identical requirements held by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, “in exchange for the University’s storm water utility payments, the 2020 Annual Report states on the matter of storm runoff water.

First entering into a ten-year intergovernmental cooperation agreement as legally independent entities, the City and local university re-inked the deal in 2019 with a new agreement continuing the original. Meanwhile, as part of the conditions for the City to hold its permit, it must submit an annual report and hold an annual meeting where the city government and other local organizations are represented. At this meeting, parties are given an opportunity to comment on the annual report prior to its submission to the DNR. After cooperation comes inspection.

Before permits, the City of River Falls did not have a pro-active inspection of the stormwater system. Following upon requirement for continued permit status, the entire City storm system “has been inspected at least once,” the memorandum by city staff to the Mayor and City Council requesting renewal resolution passage states, with a five-year rotation to inspect each manhole and catch basin within the municipality. “The plan goal is to continue to inspect 20 percent of the system each year,” the memorandum states. Also included in the permit requirements are public education along with outreach. Among these, the City has an Adopt-A-Pond” program with 45 ponds adopted out of an estimated 84. So what’s involved in adopting-a-pond, or why do it exactly? Glad you asked!

Detailed on the City website, the City of River Falls Adopt-A-Pond Program exists in part “to establish a means by which interested residents, community groups, and businesses can “adopt” stormwater management areas within the City of River Falls to provide inspection, oversight, and minor maintenance such a trash and debris removal in these areas on a regularly scheduled basis,” the Policy and Procedures’ manual states. Established on a strictly volunteer basis, meanwhile, “no aspect of this program should be construed to reflect a right or responsibility on the part of either party,” it further states. Parties to such an agreement would consist of the City of River Falls Public Works Department, Engineering Department, and City of River Falls residents. Those adopting a pond are asked to make a two-year commitment to maintain the pond, with educational materials and pond management guidance provided upon request. Adoption duties may include picking up trash and other debris along with branches and downed limbs, reporting larger branches or downed limbs for the City to remove. Those adopting a pond may check for erosion on the perimeter of the water body, along with potential clogging of the inlets and outlets of the pond. Cleaning of bird houses may also be asked for.

Moving along, requirements for continued permit status on the City’s part include looking at its internal practices lest these have a negative impact on the broader environmental picture.

Looking at city practices per the memorandum, includes “reporting on winter road maintenance, street sweeping, fleet vehicle maintenance, and a city-created stormwater pollution prevention plan with erosion control.”

Last but not least, the fifth requirement of continued permit statutes—and important to controlling algae blooms and similarly unsightly indicators of poor water health—is to meet a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) limit for discharging phosphorous, with the implementation plan for reduction of this requiring the city to remove “at least 560 lbs. of phosphorous by 2024. Current staff modeling shows that near twice this amount or 1,100 lbs. will be removed, thereby meeting the standard requirement, per memorandum from City staff.

As to the St. Croix river more generally and its branches in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, the implementation of a system-wide plan calls for the removal of 100 metrics tons, with 25 municipal contributors to stream runoff in Minnesota and four in Wisconsin. Working together post resolution, would seem key. But the beginning of phosphorous and other stormwater controls in both quality and quantity patterns?

Stormwater retention ponds, where water can be held for the settling of contaminants and more gradual release of runoff from the local area—in which case, it might be time to adopt. For more information on what the Adopt-APond process entails along with application access and details, check out the city website, because phosphorous-rich algae green water, would be nasty. The first defense against this, is a healthier ecosystem.