IDEM Rule 13 Permit Information
Educational Materials
Indiana Storm Water Quality Manual
Watershed Maps
Warsaw Storm Water Rule 13 Permit Documents
Our Concern Is Water Quality
Though often overlooked as a major contributor of pollution, storm water runoff continues to adversely affect the environment. Storm water runoff is a naturally occurring part of the earth’s hydrological cycle, which is best described as the distribution and movement of water between the atmosphere, land, and water. Any form of precipitation that reaches the earth’s surface is either absorbed into the soil or flows overland as runoff.
According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), “Storm water runoff is the volume of water generated by a rainfall event, snowmelt, or other forms of precipitation that falls to the earth’s surface and does not infiltrate into the ground. Runoff can be directly correlated with specific land use. Runoff associated with a forested landscape will typically be less than runoff from an urbanized landscape.”
Due to increased levels of impervious surfaces through land development and urbanization, increased amounts storm water has changed the way in which water travels through watersheds. A watershed is simply any area of land that drains into another waterway, including rivers, lakes, or streams.
Kosciusko County consists of four watersheds (Tippecanoe River, St. Kankakee River, St. Joseph-Lake Michigan, and Eel-Wabash River) while Warsaw is included in the Tippecanoe River Watershed. However, it should be noted that these watersheds are affected by one another, and ultimately by other watersheds that feed into these rivers, lakes, and streams. Everybody, no matter where he or she lives, is part of a watershed, highlighting the need for a community-wide effort to combat water pollution.
IDEM Rule 13 Permit Information
In 1987, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended the Clean Water act to establish the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program. Phase II of this program was implemented in 1999 to include smaller municipalities, including Warsaw, to meet higher water quality standards. Upon receiving notification letters from IDEM, the City began to develop a storm water program that included a Storm Water Quality Management Plan (SWQMP) consisting of three separate, distinct sections, which include: 1) Part A: Initial Application; 2) Part B: Baseline Characterization and Report; and 3) Part C: Program Implementation. Warsaw’s SWQMP was developed in order to successfully meet state standards and maintain its standing as a responsible, environmentally conscious community.
As the City continues to grow, the challenges of storm water runoff grow as well. Warsaw has incorporated multiple ordinances into the City Code to decrease polluted storm water runoff from entering the surrounding waterbodies. In addition, as required by IDEM, the SWQMP includes 6 separate Minimum Control Measures (MCM), which consists of: 1) Public Education and Outreach; 2) Public Participation and Involvement; 3) Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination; 4) Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control; 5) Post Construction Storm Water Runoff Control; and 6) Municipal Operations Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping. Each MCM addresses different characteristics necessary for an adequate, compliant municipal storm water plan.
Since 2003, the Wastewater Treatment and Utility Department, which oversees the Storm Water Program, has submitted annual reports that have been deemed sufficient by IDEM; however, the goal of the Storm Water Program is to become a distinguished leader within the State. As the Storm Water Program grows with the community, all citizens are encouraged to take a proactive role in eliminating pollution in order to maintain and improve water quality.
If you would like more information about the Storm Water Program, or interested in volunteering to improve the community’s water quality, please contact Brian Davison (Utility Manager) or Travis O’Neill (Storm Water Coordinator) at 574-372-9562. Below are many supplementary resources directly related to IDEM and the City of Warsaw’s commitment to clean storm water.
Educational Materials
Explore the links below to discover more information regarding storm water's impact on the environment and what you can do to help.
BROCHURES and Additional Resources:
Lawn Care
Auto Maintenance
Pet Waste
After the Storm
Home Solutions
Storm Water Bookmark
Storm Water Placemat
110 Water-Saving Tips
Children's Activities
VIDEOS:
Before the Storm
After the Storm
OTHER LINKS:
EPA - Environmental Kids Club
Clean Water Campaign
Water Pollution Prevention Program - Kids Page
Kosciusko County Recycling
Indiana Storm Water Quality Manual
The Indiana Storm Water Quality Manual provides guidelines and specific storm water quality measures for controlling soil erosion; controlling and treating the non-point source pollution associated with sediment-laden runoff; and the management and treatment of pollutants associated with post-construction land uses. Adhering to these guidelines and properly applying appropriate storm water quality measures will help minimize the adverse impacts that land disturbance, construction activity, and development can have on soil and water resources, and ultimately, the cost of those impacts to society as a whole. In addition to a variety of storm water quality measures, the manual also discusses the philosophy and planning procedures critical to developing an effective storm water pollution prevention plan.
Watershed Maps
A watershed is a region that catches any form of precipitation and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake, or groundwater. Watersheds can be large or small, but are typically part of a larger, more encompassing watershed. Rural communities, small towns, and cities are all part of a watershed, which unquestionably affect other water bodies that are seemingly unconnected. Below are characterization reports on the four watersheds that are included in Kosciusko County:
Warsaw Storm Water Rule 13 Permit Documents:
Initial Letter of Intent
Renewal Letter of Intent
Storm Water Quality Management Plan Baseline Characterization Report
Storm Water Quality Management Plan Program Implementation
IDEM Annual Report