Stewardship
The SWMP shall include, an education and outreach program designed to:
"Create stewardship opportunities that encourages community engagement in addressing the impacts from stormwater runoff".
The City currently administers, participates in or promotes programs to encourage stewardship activities including the Make a Splash small grants and, the following stewardship opportunities available to volunteers throughout the City of Tacoma:
Adopt-A-Drain
Adopt-A-Storm Drain (AAD) provides a free, year-round, physically distanced stewardship opportunity for residents by encouraging regular and sustained actions to prevent flooding and reduce runoff pollution by adopting storm drains/catch basins in their neighborhood and committing to keep them clear of leaves, trash, and other debris. Participants use a web application to adopt and un-adopt catch basins in their area. The web application allows users to track amount and type of debris collected and directs users to contact the TacomaFirst 311 hotline if an illicit discharge is discovered. Increased awareness of catch basin condition and what is going down the drain provides a bridge to educating about several other BMPs aside from litter and debris disposal such as yard care protective or water quality, car washing, pet waste, proper use and disposal of household chemical/cleaners as well as facilitates the City’s source control efforts.
The AAD program was launched in Tacoma in August 2021. The goal for the first year of AAD promotion was to acquire 100 adopters. Through multimedia advertising and participation in a regional AAD campaign for Puget Sound, Tacoma was successful in acquiring 80 adopters with 199 drains adopted. As of December 31st, 2022, Tacoma had 306 drains adopted by 130 drain adopters that were successful in removing 2,572.39 pounds of debris made up of 1049.67 pounds of brown leaves, 711.55 pounds of sediment and dirt, 154.01 pounds of trash, 92.26 pounds grass and green leaves. The City plans to continue its coordination with the regional AAD group for the 2023 reporting year and efforts will be focused in translation / transcreation of materials to provide a more broad and equitable engagement opportunity.
Pet Waste Bag Stations Sponsorship Program
In 2015, ES piloted a neighborhood Pet Waste Station Sponsorship Program. Participants apply to sponsor a pet waste station, and ES provides the station and initial bag supplies. The sponsors monitor station use and replace bags as needed. The stations are available to residential neighborhoods as well as multi-family housing units. In response to feedback about the cost to purchase replacement bags and after the City of Tacoma initiated the shopping bag ban, EPG now offers free replacement bag rolls to sponsors.
Information on proper management and disposal of pet waste is available on the City’s website and is included in the City’s publications and programming including social media, utility bill inserts, the EnviroTalk newsletter and environmental lessons by the EnviroChallengers. The Dog mascot, “Scoopy Doo” and a “Poo Toss” game are also commonly seen at ES‑sponsored community and family fun events.
For the 2021 reporting year, the Pet Waste Program experienced a surge in resident sponsorships with 12 new bag stations installed around the City with growing wait list for additional station installations. The sponsorship program continued to grow in 2022 with 17 stations installed and the option of an attached bin. The City's EC Source Control group is helping to reinforce the program by recommending participation to multi-family properties and businesses when complaints are received for excessive pet waste on site.
Make A Splash Grant Program
ES dedicates $50,000 each year to small stormwater-related grants for projects promoting surface water education, protection and restoration. Grant applications are accepted from the general public during the month of May to coincide with Puget Sound Starts Here month and are awarded in July of each year. Grants are designed for projects that have a strong stormwater pollution prevention message or provide a stormwater benefit. Submitted projects must meet at least one of the program goals of education, surface water protection, or habitat restoration and tree planting. Over 70 projects have been funded since 2013. Several K12 educators who apply have requested one-time project funding an often rely on repeat funding to continue lessons or activities about the impacts of stormwater pollution on water quality and the health of the aquatic ecosystem. Due to COVID-19 and related budget impacts, the City did not have a grant application cycle in 2020. The MAS grants were reopened for the 2021–2022 funding cycle. A total of 11 projects were funded. Funded projects include rain gardens with rain cisterns, public pollinator gardens, K-12 educational programming on salmon habitat protection and restoration, community depave projects and community-based art projects geared to teach community members about stormwater and stormwater pollution prevention. These projects were completed by Janurary 31st 2022.
Open Space Stewardship
The City owns and stewards approximately 500 acres of open space properties for goals of healthy tree canopy, ecosystem function, and biodiversity. The City holds a lead role in the Green Tacoma Partnership that collaborates with Washington Conservation Corp Crews, Metro Parks Tacoma, Pierce Conservation District and others to educate the public while encouraging and recruiting stewards on volunteer appropriate open space properties. There are active volunteer stewardship groups at these City-owned properties: Julia’s Gulch, Wapato Hills, Fern Hill, and Mason Gulch. Priority restoration activities include invasive vegetation removal and replanting with native vegetation.
Stream Team
The PCD coordinates urban stream monitoring at streams throughout the City with the Stream Team. Stream Team monitoring volunteers collect a variety of water quality parameters on a monthly or quarterly basis including pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, temperature, and turbidity as well as qualitative observations regarding the surrounding area and wildlife. A report of the observations is published by PCD.
In 2022, volunteers monitored Crystal Springs Creek Site 0.1 contributing a total of 14 hours of volunteer time and Swan Creek Site 0.4 contributing a total of 10 hours of volunteer time.
2022 was the last year for the Stream Team Monitoring program. Stay tuned for new volunteer opportunities that will be available through Pierce Conservation District in the future.
Depave
ES also works with PCD to coordinate depave events in public locations throughout Tacoma to promote reduction in impervious surfaces and increased green spaces.
Chip-in!
In upland open space areas within the City, Metro Parks Tacoma’s Chip-In! program helps run volunteer activities such as site stewards and volunteer work parties to remove invasive species, garbage, improve public access (trails, entrances, fencing, signage) and plant native vegetation.
Catch Basin Marking Program
The City continues to partner with Communities for a Healthy Bay (CHB) to work with volunteers to label catch basins throughout the City The catch basin labels have a friendly reminder that stormwater goes directly into the nearest creek, stream or Commencement Bay and no pollutants should be dispose of in the stormwater system. The City provides marking supplies and helps with program promotion. CHB coordinates the volunteers and leads the marking events. Locations of the curb markers are mapped and input into the City’s GIS system. The program goal is to have every catch basin in Tacoma marked.
A new catch basin marking app was rolled out in 2020 to help reduce paper and create greater access to community groups wanting to partner with the City of Tacoma and CHB. This stormwater catch basin marking app allows the public to identify catch basins that need to be marked anywhere in the City of Tacoma. Due to COVID 19, less in person group events were possible in 2020 and 2021. CHB developed several online video trainings for marking catch basins and using the new app and catch basin marking is continuing in smaller groups to follow COVID 19 guidelines for gatherings. As COVID regulation began to lift in 2022, CHB was able to organize more volunteer catch basin marking events. In 2023, The City and CHB will move away from using plastic drain makers and instead use drain stencil with eco-friendly paint.
Low Impact Development Rate Reduction Program
The City has implemented a Low Impact Development Surface Water Rate Reduction program. Property owners may qualify for a surface water rate reduction if they choose to utilize permanent LID BMPs beyond what is required per the SWMM for development, redevelopment or as a retrofit for stormwater management. Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 12.08D.250 outlines the program requirements. In order to qualify for the LID surface water rate reduction, all BMPs must be permanent LID BMPs per the SWMM, as approved by the ES Department.
Private Stormwater Facility Maintenance
This program assures property owners have access to their drawings and operation and maintenance instructions for privately owned stormwater facilities and provides technical assistance to homeowners and business owners, as requested.