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Drayton
Harbor Projects
Stormwater
Stormwater is one of the biggest potential sources of pollution
to our waterways across the country. Stormwater collects pollutants-
bacteria, nutrients, chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, etc.-
and transports this contamination to water bodies with very little
time for settling, filtration, etc. Because the contaminant sources
for stormwater are diverse and numerous, it is a difficult problem
to hone in on and correct. Stormwater systems historically have
been designed to focus on the control of stormwater volumes. Traditional
ponds have been designed to capture stormwater and hold it temporarily
to reduce peak flows. High flows can cause erosion in ditches and
streams and cause flooding in many areas. Most stormwater systems
were not designed to allow for filtration, settling, biological
degradation or biological uptake- all of which are mechanisms for
improving water quality. Newer stormwater designs are more ecologically
beneficial, but retrofitting older systems can be very costly.
Illicit
Stormwater Connections - When storm drains are illicitly hooked
into the sewage collection system, the excess flow during storm
events can overburden the system. In 1999, the City of Blaine
did an extensive study to locate illicit connections to their
sewage collection system (see the Municipal Sewer Systems section
for more details on this project).
Volunteer Shoreline Monitoring Project - This 6-month,
community-based project involved volunteers from the Community
Oyster Farm Project. These volunteers monitored 10 stormwater
outfalls around Drayton Harbor on a monthly basis from June through
December 2001. They took rough flow estimates, where possible,
and collected samples for fecal coliform bacteria testing. The
City of Blaine partnered in this effort by analyzing the bacteria
samples. The sample program was designed to help prioritize which
drainages should be targeted for additional follow-up study to
help identify pollution sources.
Peace Portal Dye Study- As a follow up to
the 6-month shoreline monitoring project, a dye study was devised
to determine
whether there were any possible cross-connections between the
sewer system along Peace Portal Drive and several storm drains
that showed high fecal bacteria levels. Both the Department of
Health (DOH) and the City of Blaine approved the dye study. The
testing occurred in March and April of 2003. Results from the
study indicate that there is no cross-connection between the
sewer system and the stormwater conveyance system along that
section of Peace Portal Drive. This is just the type of work
that needs to happen to document to DOH the efforts that are
occurring to track down potential sources. This project allowed
us to remove one potential pollution source from the list. A
complete description of the project and the results were written
up into a final report that was supplied to the various interested
parties.
Stormwater is one of the biggest potential sources of pollution
to our waterways across the country. Stormwater collects pollutants-
bacteria, nutrients, chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, etc.-
and transports this contamination to water bodies with very little
time for settling, filtration, etc. Because the contaminant sources
for stormwater are diverse and numerous, it is a difficult problem
to hone in on and correct. Stormwater systems historically have
been designed to focus on the control of stormwater volumes. Traditional
ponds have been designed to capture stormwater and hold it temporarily
to reduce peak flows. High flows can cause erosion in ditches and
streams and cause flooding in many areas. Most stormwater systems
were not designed to allow for filtration, settling, biological
degradation or biological uptake- all of which are mechanisms for
improving water quality. Newer stormwater designs are more ecologically
beneficial, but retrofitting older systems can be very costly.
Illicit
Stormwater Connections - When storm drains are illicitly hooked
into the sewage collection system, the excess flow during storm
events can overburden the system. In 1999, the City of Blaine
did an extensive study to locate illicit connections to their
sewage collection system (see the Municipal Sewer Systems section
for more details on this project).