News & Notes June 2006

Much Ado About Something
Mini-grants Help Several Counties put Dauphin County Site to Good

In the past year, Dauphin County Conservation District's Stormwater Management (SWM) Best Management Practice (BMP) Demonstration Site has been well-used, not only by those in Dauphin County, but by three neighboring conservation districts as well. The intent of this site is to demonstrate environmentally-friendly methods of managing stormwater runoff as a resource rather than as a waste product. Four Chesapeake Bay Educational Mini-Grants involved the use of this site: one for materials and three for on-site workshops.

Sixteen stations on Dauphin County Ag Service Center's 11-acre property demonstrate "how to better manage stormwater runoff, remove pollutants and increase groundwater recharge." These stations include porous concrete, underground storage systems, infiltration devices, filters, turf pavers, and rain gardens. Dauphin County printed maps and fact sheets for each station for both guided and self-guided tours. An estimated 300 people have taken the tour in the past year, averaging one group every two weeks.

The need for stormwater management is great in Dauphin County due to the rapid rate of development there - thirty municipalities are currently involved in Act 167 stormwater management planning and sixteen are subject to NPDES Phase II regulations for small Municipal Storm Sewer System (MS4). Both programs require post-construction stormwater management that requires BMPs to meet standards for infiltration, water quality, and channel protection. In February, Dauphin County Conservation District (DCCD) hosted a workshop for developers and contractors on the installation of stormwater BMPs. The intent was to familiarize the contractors with these devices, as they would be the ones to actually install them.

A second workshop held in May, and again hosted by the DCCD, focused on how to conduct a sound site analysis for geological and soil considerations, and then how to apply that analysis to SWM infiltration BMPs. About fifty developers, contractors, and engineers attended each of the Dauphin County workshops. Presenters included staff from the DCCD, the PA Department of Environmental Protection, a site inspector from HRG, Inc., and a geotechnical engineer from Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates, Inc.

Three other conservation districts utilized this dynamic site for their workshops. In March, Cumberland and Franklin County Conservation Districts co-sponsored a workshop. Erosion Control Plan preparers and township officials were able to see just what SWM BMPs look like and how they are constructed. Approximately 120 attended.

Adams County Conservation District held a tour of the Dauphin County site in April. In the short run, thirty local officials and engineers were familiarized with innovative SWM strategies. The long-term goal for this workshop was to increase the implementation of SWM BMPs throughout Adams County.

In addition to the handouts available at the Dauphin County site, the district has produced a video on the stormwater management practices demonstrated at their site. For more information, contact the Dauphin County Conservation District at 717-921-8100, or view the site and materials online at www.dauphincd.org (click on "Stormwater BMP Project and Factsheets).

Rain gardens are small-scale bioretention areas that increase water quality by removing pollutants from runoff, slow runoff velocity and promote infiltration of runoff into the groundwater supply.

Notice the difference between porous and conventional (non-porous) asphalt (foreground). Porous asphalt decreases runoff, promotes infiltration of runoff into the ground and reduces the amount of pollutants carried to a storm drain or waterway.

Installation of the inlet stormwater treatment unit. When installed online or offline of a storm drain, these filter contaminants from runoff, thus improving the water quality of the runoff entering a storm sewer or stream.

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