National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater-Public Involvement

Disclaimer: The BMP examples and references included on these fact sheets are not intended to be comprehensive. Additionally, the list of BMPs is not all-inclusive, and it does not preclude MS4s from using other technically sound practices.

Encouraging community participation, forming partnerships, and combining efforts of other groups in the community will encourage everyone to work towards the same stormwater goals. Public involvement builds on community capital­—the wealth of interested citizens and groups—to help spread the message to:

• prevent stormwater pollution,
• undertake group activities that highlight storm drain pollution, and
• contribute volunteer community actions to restore and protect local water resources.

Phase II MS4s are required to follow all state, tribal, and local public notice requirements when implementing their stormwater program. Public involvement also includes creating opportunities for direct action, educational, and volunteer programs such as tree planting days, volunteer monitoring programs, storm drain marking, or stream clean-up programs.

Key BMPs and Resources

After following public notice requirements, there are many different ways MS4s can involve the public in their stormwater program.

• Getting in Step: Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed - Provides the tools needed to effectively identify, engage, and involve stakeholders throughout a watershed to restore and maintain healthy environmental conditions.
• Phase II Public Participation/Involvement Minimum Control Measure Fact Sheet

BMP Fact Sheets

EPA is updating the following fact sheets. You can request a copy or recommend any changes by filling out and submitting the form at the bottom of the NPDES Contact Us webpage.

The fact sheets describe the BMPs and generally provide applicability, implementation, and effectiveness information to help municipal stormwater and construction site operators comply with the stormwater Phase II requirements.

Stormwater-Related Activities

• Adopt-A-Stream Programs
• Reforestation Programs
• Storm Drain Marking
• Stream Cleanup and Monitoring
• Volunteer Monitoring
• Wetland Plantings

Soliciting Public Opinion

• Attitude Surveys
• Stakeholder Meetings
• Watershed Organizations

Resources

EPA

• EPA's Volunteer Monitoring Program - Information on developing and implementing a volunteer monitoring program.
• Community-Based Watershed Management  - Describes the highly successful approaches to watershed management implemented by the 28 National Estuary Programs (NEPs).

Other

• Guide for Growing Volunteer Monitoring Programs - Information on building and supporting a volunteer monitoring program.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Drain Marking Program - Information on ready-made storm drain marking kits for community groups.
• Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper's Get the Dirt Out - Works with citizens, developers, and local governments to investigate and study Georgia's measures to reduce stormwater pollution from construction sites.