Green Oak Township - Environment

What is Storm-Water

Green Oak Township Storm Water Phase II

What is Storm-Water?
Storm water is the result of rainfall or snow melt that flows over yards, parking lots, streets and roof tops. Storm water enters the storm drains, ditches and conveyances and or runs directly into rivers, lakes and streams.

What is a storm drain?
Storm drains are the openings that you see along curbs in parking lots and along our road system. They carry away the storm water and melted snow and transport it eventually to our lakes, rivers and streams.

What is a storm water conveyance?
A storm water conveyance is a ditch or cut in the ground or channel designed to convey the storm water.

Why is storm water important?
Storm water flows over lawns, driveways, parking lots, roof tops and construction sites picking up fertilizers, oil, grease, anti-freeze, grass clippings, litter, pet & live stock waste, slit and anything in its path. The storm water drainage system then transports these pollutants, now in the water, to local lakes, rivers and streams. Everything that goes into the storm drains and ditches eventually ends up in the lakes, rivers and streams. Silt and sedimentation increases water temperature, clouds the water and eventually degrades the river, lake or stream.

Where does storm water go in Green Oak Township?
All of Green Oak Township falls within the Huron River Watershed. This means that all creeks, stream, ditches and drains within the township eventually flow to the Huron River.

What is Green Oak Township doing to protect Storm water?
Green Oak Township has been participating with several other Townships and Livingston County to create a Watershed Management Plan for the Huron River. The name of our group is the Huron River Chain of Lakes Sub-Watershed.

What can you do to help protect Storm Water?
Become aware and get involved. Contact your Township representative on the sub-watershed. Our sub-watershed meets every 2nd Friday of the month, 9:00 a.m. at : Green Oak Township Hall 10001 Silver Lake Road Brighton, MI. 48116

Township Representative is: Mark St.Charles, Supervisor For information on the next meeting, call 810-231-1333 ext 100.

Public participation is a vital part of the process and volunteers are essential to helping us reduce pollution and improve water quality.

For more information, check out the following links.

Additional Information on Storm Water Management and Pollution Prevention

Landscaping for Water Quality:
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3682_3714-93304--,00.html

Non point Source Pollution Prevention-Related Links:
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3682_3714-91049--,00.html

Storm Water Management Information:
http://www.michigan.gov/stormwatermgt
http://www.cfpub2.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/permreq.cfm

Great Lakes Resource Guide for Natural Storm water Management:
http://www.amrivers.org/doc_repository/stormwaterGuideBookFINAL_WEB.pdf

SEMCOG's Public Education Materials on the ”Seven Simple Steps to Clean Water"
http://www.semgog.org/Our’sToProtect/OurstoProtect.htm

Series of "Fact Sheets" put together by the U.S. EPA on Storm Water Management Principles:
http://cfpub1.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/swfinal.cfm?program_id=6

National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs):
http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/menuofbmps/menu.cfm

Livingston County Drain Commissioner's Web Site Link to Watershed Planning Efforts:
http://co.livingston.mi.us/drain/phaseii.htm

Livingston County Department of Public Health:
http://co.livingston.mi.us/health/environhealth/wqm/waterquality.html