City of Lincoln
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Annual Report Summary

Watershed Management | Stormwater/Floodplain Procedures and Requirements | NPDES | Annual Report Summary

Reporting Requirements Summary

The City of Lincoln is required by federal law to comply with the provisions of the Federal Clean Water Act. In Nebraska, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality the authority to implement the conditions of the Clean Water Act and the responsibility to insure that municipalities in Nebraska are compliant.

The City of Lincoln complies with the federally mandated regulations of the Clean Water Act through a State-issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. On September 1, 2002, the State issued an NPDES permit to the City for stormwater discharges to waterways in the municipal city limits.

Stormwater Implementation Report

The City of Lincoln implemented the Stormwater Municipal program in the 2006-2007 permit year. This permit year is year 5 of the initial 5- year permit cycle for the City. The City is in the process of obtaining a new storm water permit from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. It is anticipated that the next permit five year permit will conclude on August 31, 2012.

It is estimated that approximately $5.1 Million was spent in Fiscal Year 2006-07 on stormwater programs and projects related to water quality and the NPDES permit.

Not included in the above cost are $1.3 million of Wastewater maintenance costs to insure that stormwater runoff and/or discharges from municipal facilities that treat, store, or dispose of liquid or solid waste are in compliance with the City's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit requirements.

Water Quality Programs

Following is a list of programs the City has implemented to comply with the State's requirements for Lincoln's municipal stormwater NPDES permit.

1. Stormwater System Maintenance

• Public Works and Utilities Maintenance crews inspected 52 miles of enclosed storm drain system, 37.7 miles of open drainageways, 574 manholes and 14,612 inlets.
• City crews removed 3,000 cubic yards of sediment from the City stormwater drainage system. Trash and debris were removed from the storm drain system when encountered.
• City staff conducted inspections of 49 stormwater detention/retention ponds. Of the sites inspected, four were sent letters requesting maintenance or modifications (see attached map, Figure 1 (398 K) ).

2. Areas of Development and Redevelopment

• A manual of Best Management Practices is available as a guide to assist in reducing pollutant levels in receiving lakes and streams from areas of development. The manual lists BMPs that incorporate the use of trees, native grasses in natural drainage areas, and other practices and methods for reducing pollutant levels.
• A Neighborhood Greenspace handbook is available to advise owners of natural drainage ways, detention and retention ponds, and open space areas on methods and resources to maintain these areas.
• Conservation easement areas were established. These areas are preserved for flood storage and serve as riparian buffer areas.
• Best management practices are being incorporated, such as rain gardens, parking lots bioretention swales and porous pavement to capture and remove pollutants such as oil, grease, nutrients and heavy metals before they reach the storm drain system.

3. Spill Response

• The Fire Department HazMat unit responded to 127 calls for pollutant spills that had reached or had the potential to reach a stormwater drainageway. The Health Department's, Environmental Quality Unit provided clean-up and investigation for these HazMat calls (see attached map, Figure 2 (402 K) ).

4. Illicit Discharge/Disposal

• Public Works Drainage Maintenance crews reported seepages of potable or septic water into the storm/drain system where encountered.
• In addition to the spill response, Health Department staff funded by Watershed Management responded to seven of the calls that addressed illicit discharges to the City storm drains (see attached map, Figure 2 (402 K) ).
• The City passed an ordinance for regulating illicit discharges. The ordinance was approved by Lincoln City Council on April 14, 2008.

5. Public Education

Schools and Colleges

• The Earth Wellness Festival was held on March 21 and 22, 2007. This is a elementary school level program for Lincoln-area 5th graders. It is an event where children take part in hands on experiments, attend classes and receive information on environmental based topics. This year's event was attended by approximately 3,000 students.
• The Lincoln Public Schools and other area schools provided a curriculum called "Garbology" , which is an ecology based program that includes water quality components. The classes were provided to 3,135 2nd grade level students.
• Watershed Management held meetings for developers, builders, contractors, and engineers to attend and provide input on upgrading the city's sediment and erosion control program. City staff also provided information at three public hearing during the adoption process of the proposed ordinance and standards.
• Watershed Management provided information to the public at a booth at the Spring Home and Garden Show from February 8 - 11, 2007. It is estimated that the 450 persons stopped by the booth to ask questions or take a survey. The survey was used to assess public knowledge on water quality issues for the local Lincoln area.
• Watershed Management staff spoke at a class for University of Nebraska students, providing information on stormwater issues and drainage design considerations.
• The Parks and Recreation Department provided several programs for elementary school students and the general public which described the positive and negative impacts humans have on the environment. The classes were attended by 38,178 students and their adult leaders.
• The City conducted 20 public meetings for basin planning and watershed projects. Invitations were sent to landowners and various organizations and governmental agencies for the meetings.
• The City imprinted "No Dumping - Leads to Stream" design into all new precast concrete top sections of storm drain inlets, in addition to placing "No Dumping" manhole lids on new storm drain projects.
• Various departments within the City of Lincoln maintained web page links on the City website which are dedicated to stormwater quality related topics.
• On site education was provided to construction site owners when City staff became aware of or were notified of sediment in the public-right-of-way issues.
• A website was created to provide persons information regarding the possibilities using no or low phosphorous fertilizer, implementing rain gardens and installing rain barrels.
  
  Note: City staff coordinated and participated on many other educational programs.

6. Industrial and High Risk Facility Inspections

• The Health Department monitored 93 local industries that are required to have a State permit for discharge to the surrounding environment. Eight of the 93 industrial sites have been inspected in this fiscal year (see attached map, Figure 3 (391 K) ).

7. Municipal Facility Inspections

• The City conducted inspections at all 22 maintenance facilities in the permit year (see attached map, Figure 4 (401 K) ). All of the sites have a pollution prevention control plan to minimize runoff pollutants.

8. Construction Site Stormwater Programs

• Development areas that had a grading permit were inspected to verify that the site was graded according to the plan submitted to the City. A total 26 grading inspections were conducted (see attached map, Figure 5 (412 K) ).
• The City received 149 complaints of sediment in the public right-of-way. Of the 149 sites inspected, 21 of the site operators were sent letters requesting that the sediment from the public way be removed.
• Twenty-five complaints regarding drainage issues were received. All sites were followed-up and inspected (see attached map, Figure 6 (468 K) ).

9. Monitoring Programs

• During the period from June to August of 2007, 61 storm drains in Lincoln were monitored. The work was completed to provide a field screening analysis for illicit connections and illegal dumping for selected field screening points at or near major storm drain outfalls (see attached map, Figure 7 (427 K) ).
• During the Spring and Summer of 2006 the City conducted Wet Weather Monitoring at three locations (see attached map, Figure 8 (398 K) ).

10. Roadways and Good Housekeeping

• In addition to traditional road salt, the City used a glycol based deicing product on some roads. This material is more environmentally friendly than traditional road salt.
• All roadway salt was stored in either a permanent-covered structure or placed in temporary storage location and covered.
• Salt was applied to all bus routes, arterial and downtown streets. Salt is not applied on residential streets except on bus routes.
• All residential streets were cleaned with street sweepers three times per year on a rotating schedule of locations (6,733 curb miles swept).
• All arterial streets were cleaned with street sweepers at a rate of typically once every two weeks (7,571 curb miles swept).
• All business districts were cleaned with street sweepers, typically once every four days (3,126 curb miles swept).
• The city completed construction on projects related to stream stability and water quality to help reduce pollutant levels to area steams.

11. Flood Control Projects

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspected the Holmes Lake dam, and the Salt Creek and Oak Creek levee systems.
• To date, the City (in partnership with the Lower Platte South NRD) has completed and adopted five watershed master plan studies (Stevens Creek, Beal Slough, Southeast Upper Salt Creek, Deadmans Run and Cardwell Branch). A study of a reach of Salt Creek is scheduled to begin early the FY 07-08.
• Lincoln was also involved in the FEMA Community Rating System or CRS program. The CRS program provides opportunities for reduced flood insurance rates based on the efforts by the community to reduce flood risks. The City has achieved a Class 7 rating for programs and practices which are completed on a continuing basis. This rating entitles persons purchasing flood insurance with up to a 15% discount off the non-adjusted rate.

12. Fertilizer and Pesticide Application

• High nitrate fertilizers were used only where needed in areas such as golf courses, ball parks and entrances to some City parks. Those areas are soil tested on a rotating three year schedule, to assess the actual amount of nitrate and phosphorus needed and to avoid over application. Excess fertilizer on sidewalks and streets was blown back onto vegetated areas.
• Mulching mowers were used as part of the fleet that maintains City owned properties. When mowing with conventional non-mulching mowers, clippings are left on-site for nutrient recycling. Clippings are only collected at swimming pools and gardens, which are then used for compost in other locations.
• The Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department provided information on the City web site and distributed door hangers which address problems with pesticide and fertilizer use and their impact on the environment.
• The Health Department provided drop-off locations for persons to dispose of household hazardous materials (e.g. unwanted fertilizer and pesticides).
• The Public Works and Utilities Department, Solid Waste Division created compost (referred to as LinGrow) from yard waste material. LinGrow compost is available for public purchase and is considered to be an excellent fertilizer alternative.
• The City used 319 federal grant funds and state funds from LB1226 to implement the Holmes Lake Watershed, Water Quality Improvement Program. The goal of the program is to make land owners aware of the benefits of using No/Low Phosphorous fertilizer and other practices such as installing rain gardens, rain barrels and the proper use of pesticides. One thousand bags of no phosphorus fertilizer were provided to persons in the Holmes Lake watershed for completing a lawn care survey. A cost share program for installing 20 rain gardens and 20 rain barrels in the Holmes Lake Watershed was also implemented. The City also created brochures for the proper application of fertilizer and pesticide and have posted these on the City's website. City staff also created a website for the proper use and application of pesticides.

This graphic is displayed in the window of several fertilizer outlets and landscape businesses that carry no or low phosphorous fertilizer in the City of Lincoln.

Figures

• Figure 1 - Detention/Retention Inspection Locations (398 K)
• Figure 2 - Pollutant Complaints / Response Locations (402 K)
• Figure 3 - Industrial Facility Inspection Locations (391 K)
• Figure 4 - Municipal Facility Inspection Locations (401 K)
• Figure 5 - Grading Inspection Locations (412 K)
• Figure 6 - SEC & Drainage Complaints / Response Locations (468 K)
• Figure 7 - Dry Weather Monitoring Locations (427 K)
• Figure 8 - Wet Weather Monitoring Locations (398 K)