1. Sediment
2. Pet waste
3. Pesticides
4. Fertilizer
5. Automobile Fluids
6. Deicing Products
7. Grass Clippings
8. Leaves, Other Yard Waste
9. Cigarette Butts and Other Litter

With the population growing and rural areas developing, this problem can only be solved with everyone's help!
 

Some things that can happen:

1. Cloudy water deteriorates habitat for fish and plants.
2. Nutrients promote algae growth, which crowds out other aquatic life.
3. Toxic chemicals threaten the health of fish and other aquatic life.
4. Bacteria and parasites from waste make lakes or bodies of water unsafe for wading and swimming after storms.
    

Car Washing
Wash your car on your lawn using a no-phosphorous soap.  This keeps soapy water out of the storm drain, and can double as a drink for your lawn!  If that's not an option, take it to a commercial car wash where water is treated before it re-enters local waterways.

Chemicals
When working with chemicals be sure to clean up spills and dispose of used oil, paint or other chemicals at your local household hazardous waste collection sites.  Try using natural options for any pesticide or herbicide needs.  Effective January 1, 2004 fertilizers containing phosphorus cannot be used on lawns in the Twin Cities metro area, which includes Hennepin County.

Create a Rainwater Garden
A rainwater garden is a depression in the soil filled with water-loving plants.  The depression is designed to collect water.  Check with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District for ideas and models.

Garden
Try planting native plants; these often require less water, fertilizer and pesticides.  Plant flowers that attract butterflies or hummingbirds, or plants that will provide habitat for birds or wildlife.  A great resource for ideas is the Minnesota DNR at www.dnr.state.mn.us/gardens.

Lawn Clippings & Leaves
You can always leave your clippings on your yard, but leaves and lawn clippings left on the sidewalk or driveway are easily swept away by water and provide excess nutrients to the nearest lake, stream or river.  Try using them for compost; check out our web page on composting.

Pet Waste
Always carry a bag and use it.  At home you can flush the waste, or double bag it and put it in the trash.

Re-Direct Downspouts
Make sure downspouts from your roof are not only directed away from your foundation, but onto your lawn and not your driveway or sidewalk.  You can collect the water from your downspouts in rain barrels to be reused around your yard.

Soil Testing
Have your soil tested; you may need less fertilizer than you think!  Less fertilizer means less run-off.  A great resource is University Yard & Garden Line at (612) 624-4771.

Sand & Salt
After the snow piles have melted, sweep up extra sand and salt.  Excess sand can fill in lakes and streams, cover up habitat for aquatic life and carry pollution.  Salt is a major contributor of chlorides to our waterways.

Since 2003, The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has required cities and townships throughout the metro area to reduce or minimize the impacts from stormwater runoff to natural receiving water bodies through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process. As required by the permit, Orono developed and is currently implementing a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP). Below is a link to the permit application documents and SWPPP submitted in 2006 and finalized in 2008.

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit Application Form: A 5-page application form submitted in 2006 which requires the City follow the MS4 General Permit requirements. To view the MPCA’s General Permit requirements follow this link: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/wq-strm4-51.pdf

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) BMP Summary Sheets (68 pages): During the permit application process, the City was required to submit a summary of the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP) tasks using a standardized format. Since the City already developed a SWPPP in 2003, information from the existing City SWPPP was simply inserted into the appropriate format for the MPCA submittal.