This document discusses opportunities for collaboration between watershed groups and local governments in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to help meet MS4 permit requirements. It outlines the roles of the Allegheny County Conservation District, Allegheny Watershed Alliance, and watershed groups. Watershed groups can help municipalities with public education, involvement in restoration projects, and meeting requirements under the MS4 permit, including implementing riparian buffers. The partnerships provide benefits like increased capacity, volunteers, cost-sharing, and extending the reach of education and outreach. Overall, collaborating can help both watershed groups and municipalities further their goals.

1. Changing the Watershed Relationship:
Amy Miller & Rebecca Zeyzus
Allegheny County Conservation District
Allegheny Watershed Alliance
Collaboration of Watershed Groups and Local
Government for Mutual Benefit

2. Allegheny County Conservation District
• ACCD is an instrumentality of the state.
• Chapter 102 (E and S Control)
• Chapter 105 (Waterways Obstructions and
Encroachments)
• Nutrient & Manure Management
• Complemented by programming side:
Watersheds and Urban Agriculture

3. Allegheny Watershed Alliance
The AWA is dedicated to the support
and development of watershed groups
in Allegheny County.
• Nonprofit arm of the ACCD
• Assist in the formation of new
watershed groups
• Act as the umbrella organization of
watershed groups across the county
to strengthen the network to increase
collective impact
• Aid in connecting watershed groups
with municipal initiatives and beyond

4. A group that works to improve and protect a watershed through
restoration projects and education
• Range from paid staff to fully volunteer run
• Engage and/or specialize in different activities
• Differ in capacity- some may be very active; others,
intermittently or opportunistically

5. Big Picture Roles of Watershed Groups
• Keep watershed initiatives front and
center
• Provide grant and partnership
opportunities
• Able to convene partners on a
watershed basis- not limited by
political boundaries
• Provide non-governmental
organization that residents may feel
more comfortable accepting new
information and practices
• Act as extension in sharing the costs
of restoration and citizen
engagement

6. “A publicly-owned system comprised of ditches, curbs,
catch basins, storm drains, and underground pipes that
collect or transport stormwater and discharge it to the
state’s surface waters. ” EPA.gov

7. Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit– MS4
Reduce the volume of
stormwater entering the
storm sewer system
Improve the quality of
stormwater
Have a program in place to
implement the above

8. Core Elements of the MS4 Permit
• Stormwater Management Program (SMP):
• 6 Minimum Control Measures (MCMs)
o Focus on MCMs 1, 2, 3
• Pollution Reduction Plan (PRP)
o Outlines how a municipality will
o reduce 10% of its current sediment loading
o 5% of Total Phosphorus (TP)
• 5 Year Permit Cycle

9. Minimum Control Measures (MCMs)
1. Public Education and Outreach
2. Public Participation/Involvement
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and
Elimination (IDDE)
Girty’s Run
Watershed
Association

10. Minimum Control Measures (MCMs)
4. Construction Site Runoff
Control
5. Post-Construction
Runoff Control
6. Pollution
Prevention/Good
Housekeeping

11. An Informed & Knowledgeable Community is Essential to SMP success
• Greater knowledge of the program =
• Great Public Support for the program
• Instituting new funding initiatives
• Seeking volunteers to help implement the
program
• Greater Compliance with the program
• Including the individual actions they can take
to protect or improve the quality of area
waters.
MCM #1 Public Education & Outreach

12. MCM 1: Education and Outreach
Writing articles for municipal newsletters
websites
Providing link to municipal stormwater page
on watershed group website and vice versa
Distributing educational materials across the
watershed– municipal bulletin boards, local
access programming, businesses, schools,
libraries other target markets
Tabling events
In/After school programming

13. The public can provide valuable
input to a SMP
An involved community allows for:
• Broader public support
• Shorter implementation schedules
• A broader base of expertise and
economic benefits
MCM #2 Public Participation/Involvement

14. MCM 2: Public Participation/Involvement
Litter cleanups
Tree plantings
Storm drain marking
Rain barrel/downspout planter workshops
Water quality monitoring
Watershed tours, hikes, paddling, kayaking
Organizing or co-hosting Stormwater Panels,
State of the Watershed Meetings or Watershed
Celebration Days

15. 3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination-
Developing and implementing a plan to detect and eliminate illicit discharges to the storm sewer system
(includes developing a system map and informing the community about hazards associated with illegal
discharges and improper disposal of waste)
EPA has identified the ‘most important sources as: sanitary
wastewater or industrial and commercial pollutant entries, failing
septic systems, and vehicle maintenance activities.
Other common smaller scale sources: dumping of vehicle fluids,
hazardous household wastes, grass clippings, leaf litter, animal
wastes, and restaurant waste.

16. Pollution Reduction Plan
Anoka SWDC
Streambank stabilization, riparian
buffers, rain gardens, bioswales
• Installation
• Maintenance
• Grants
Chartiers Watershed Municipal Alliance

17. Implementing Riparian Buffers
• ACCD and AWA obtained funding for trees,
planting materials and tools.
• The partners:
• Local Watershed Groups
• Local Municipalities
• County Parks Dept.
MS4 Collaboration in Allegheny County

18. Municipal/Watershed Groups Partnership
Benefits to MS4 Permit
Watershed Group Benefit
• Builds capacity
• Reinforces their presence in the
watershed
• Keep initiatives on the front
burner
• Foster collaboration across
multiple municipalities and
groups
Municipal Benefit
• Buy in of municipal initiatives e.g.
stormwater fee
• Assistance with meeting permit
requirements
• Volunteers
• Help to spread cost
• Partnerships in education
• Access and connections to more
audiences
• Extended grant opportunities
• Increase impact of education and
outreach
Mutual Benefit

19. Thanks for
listening!