Public Works Department - Utilities Division
Stormwater/Keep It Clean Partnership Education
Background:
The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 mandated the development of Federal programs to protect waters throughout the United States. Initial emphasis of the CWA focused on point source pollution, such as wastewater treatment plant discharges. In the 1980's, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began addressing other pollution sources referenced in the Clean Water Act, including non-point source discharges such as stormwater flows.
During the time the Clean Water Act was being amended to address stormwater quality, Boulder developed a "Comprehensive Drainage Utililty Master Plan" (CDUMP) to address flood and stormwater issues. In 1989, Boulder's Stormwater Quality Program was developed as a component of the CDUMP to address water quality issues related to stormwater runoff.
Stormwater Quality Program
The Stormwater Quality Program has four main components:
Stormwater Quality & Boulder Creek Watershed
The Boulder Creek watershed drains approximately 440 square miles on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountain Front Range. The basin is bordered on the west by the Continental Divide where headwater tributaries begin in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Boulder Creek flows through the City of Boulder and out to the confluence with Saint Vrain Creek, and eventually the South Platte River.
As it journeys through alpine meadows, mountain canyons, agricultural lands, and finally high prairie, Boulder Creek is impacted by many activities associated with these various land features and land uses. Impacts include:
- sedimentation from highway maintenance, and bank erosion
- acid mine drainage from historic gold mines in the mountainous region of Boulder County
- pollutants associated with urban runoff
- stream channelization and reduced riparian habitat functions
- pollutants from agricultural runoff
- damage to riparian vegetarian and sedimentation from stream bank erosion from ranching practices
- point sources from industrial and municipal discharges
To better understand these impacts to Boulder's surface water, water quality is examined to identify how the resources are changing over time, and to help identify and mitigate pollutant sources.
The city monitors many of these impacts through its Water Quality and Environmental Services programs which includes the Stormwater Quality Program. The Stormwater Quality Program monitors impacts due to urban runoff and tracks ambient conditions in Boulder Creek.
For more information about the Stormwater Quality Office, please call 303-413-7350.
Water Quality and Environmental Services
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 July 2009 09:28
Utilities