Public Participation and Involvement

STORM WATER CENTRAL

Storm Water Pollution Hotline: (573) 364-8659

The purpose of Minimum Control Measure II is to develop a partnership with the public to foster a sense of ownership in the protection of our storm water system and the environment.

Having an involved citizenry increases the likelihood for success in a community's stormwater management program. Not only can the public provide valuable input on everything from research and development to implementation and financing, they provide a broader base of free expertise. They can frequently provide insight into other relevant programs as well as other community and government programs.

The City of Rolla Public Works Department has always been a strong advocate for partnerships with individuals, and local, state and federal organizations. Meeting this Minimum Control Measure has been responsible for the development of many new cooperative projects.

What BMPs are planned?

What BMPs has Rolla implemented?

held public meetings on city's planned storm water management improvements
citizen based panels assisted in development of storm water management improvements
public meetings to present the Open Channel Capital Improvement plan assisted in voter approval of 3 million dollar bond to initiate improvments

2003

development of the city's website to allow for access to storm water ordinance, standards and design guides, research contact information and to email departments with comments or concerns
continued public meetings on storm water capital improvements projects

2004

held Public Works Day celebration where information about storm water pollution prevention was distributed to several hundred participants

2005

began development of Erosion Control Storm Water Protection Guide to be distributed to city personnel and contractors. A shorter brochure version is being developed for the general public
continued public meetings for storm water capital improvement plans

2006

three night "Healthy Yards for Clear Streams" (HYCS) seminar saw a combined total of approximately 225 participants. Individuals were instructed, among other topics, in the proper use of pesticides and herbicides, the fundamentals of “planting native”, and how to build a rain garden.
HYCS program coordinators offered a rain barrel class for the cost of materials. 23 participants were taught how to build their own 55 gallon plastic rain barrel to capture runoff.

2008

the city held numerous public proving to be an excellent resource for public participation and involvement.

2007

hosted Streambank Stabilization Seminar with more than 60 individuals from across the state of Missouri, including the City’s Engineering Division, Kansas City, Joplin, St. Louis, Willow Springs, Fort Leonard Wood, West Plains and Sullivan attending.
continued to provide services, free of charge, that reduce pollutants, allowing citizens to participate in the reduction of contaminants that would otherwise end up in our local streams. These include yard waste pickup from mid-spring to mid-fall, a citywide trash pickup day in the spring and fall for items not accepted in regular refuse containers, and an e-waste drop-off point at the Environmental Services facility.
Environmental Services Department provides a household hazardous waste drop-off point, e-waste disposal, construction and demolition debris removal, special trash pick-up (bi-annual), and has partnered with a local technology company to provide, once a year, a point for disposal of tires, appliances, e-waste and Freon.

2009

applied for and received a grant to install stainless steel markers on storm sewer structures.
continued partnership with the Venture Scouts, as well as other organizations including Meramec Hills Master Naturalists, Stream Team #3713, and the Healthy Yards for Clear Streams program.

2010

began a multi-year project to install stainless steel markers on the 4,200+ inlets located throughout town.
students of the Rolla Senior High School biology class, Stream Team #4173, gather twice a year, once in spring and once in fall, to clean Dutro Carter Creek, one of the larger tributaries in Rolla.
developed a program entitled the “Clean Stream Initiative”, designed to allow both homeowners and concerned citizens of Rolla to become stewards of our local streams. The City of Rolla will provide and install, free of charge, a 24"x18" premade sign, informing individuals that dumping is not allowed within the city limits. The sign includes a hotline number available for reporting violations. In addition, the signs will be placed adjacent to streams located in city parks and along the pedestrian bikepath.

2011

members of Missouri S&T Athletic Department’s Service Organization for Varsity Athletes or “M-Club” partnered with the City of Rolla Public Works Department to improve local streams by assisting with stream bank stabilization efforts.
local Eagle Scout candidate along with 15 volunteers was completed a riparian reforestation project along a local stream. The day long program involved planting 170 native trees along the stream banks to provide stabilization and reduce water temperatures thereby reducing impairments to the stream.
City’s Public Works Department, in conjunction with the Phelps County Venture Crew, 84; Missouri S&T Delta Tau Delta fraternity members; Rolla Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Rolla High School students and Mill Creek Watershed Coalition all attended training sessions before fanning out throughout the city to place stainless steel markers on the storm inlets. The markers and are intended to remind the public of the importance of not depositing pollutants, chemicals or yard waste into storm drain inlets. Over 60 volunteers affixed 1,500 of the markers throughout the Rolla community, bringing the total number installed to 2,000. A training session to familiarize the volunteers with nonpoint source pollution was conducted prior to field work.

2012

formal City of Rolla Storm Water Management Plan was completed in June 2013 and mailed to Missouri Department of Natural Resources on 1 July 2013. The hard copy document was made available for use by the public at the same time through the storm water brochure dispenser located in the Public Works lobby. A digital copy of the document was placed on the city website.
began the third season of the Reforest Rolla program. To date, 175 trees have been planted free of charge for local citizens. The program has been approached from an education standpoint, presenting the benefits of vegetation in the reduction of and improvement to storm water runoff.
partnered with the Kaleidoscope Discovery Center to take the Enviroscape model “On the Road". Kaleidoscope’s mission is to provide opportunities to youth to advance the understanding and appreciation of the sciences, particularly engineering, science, technology, the environment, arts and math, or ESTEAM. technology, the environment, arts and math, or ESTEAM.

2013

Ongoing BMPs

signage
website
facebook
door hangers
household hazardous waste, e‐waste, and

yard waste disposal program

Enviroscape 3D watershed model training

open house meetings
brochure dispensing
community events
storm drain markers
urban reforestion efforts
illegal dumping campaign

Questions? Comments? Message us your feedback.

hold a Storm Water Festival featuring erosion control demonstations and BMPs, how to build a rain garden, rain barrel construction, Enviroscape 3D model training, storm water capital improvements past, present and future, reforestation information, and all things storm water pollution prevention with a heavy focus on residential stewardship.

Develop a yard waste campaign

Continue illegal dumping campaign

hold additional rain barrel workshops

develop an "Adopt-an-Inlet" program

actively campaign for "Clean Stream Initiative"

MCM II - Public Participation and Involvement

What does the permit say?

Have an idea for public involvement? We'd love to hear it! Contact us using the form below.