The City of Beatrice works to prevent pollution of our creeks and rivers from stormwater and urban runoff through education and management.
What is stormwater?
Stormwater is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil (infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed land surfaces in ponds and puddles, evaporate back into the atmosphere, or contribute to surface runoff. Most runoff is conveyed directly as surface water, like nearby streams, rivers, or other large water bodies (wetlands, lakes and oceans) without treatment.
Stormwater management is the effort to reduce runoff of rainwater or melted snow into streets, lawns and other sites and the improvement of water quality, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In urban and developed areas, impervious surfaces such as pavement and roofs prevent precipitation from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, water runs rapidly into storm drains, sewer systems and drainage ditches and can cause flooding, erosion, storm and sanitary sewer system overflow, and infrastructure damage. However, stormwater design and “green infrastructure” capture and reuse runoff to maintain or restore natural water sources. Controlling stormwater runoff and removing pollutants is the primary purpose of stormwater management.
A Stormwater Management Plan means a set of drawings and other documents that comprise all the information and specifications for the programs, drainage systems, structures, BMPs, concepts, and techniques intended to maintain or restore the quality and quantity of stormwater runoff to pre-development levels.
As a Beatrice resident, what do I need to know about stormwater?
To help address stormwater, residents can take the following steps:
- The City has a Stormwater Management Plan that you can review and contribute suggestions to improve – see the “How Can I Help?” section below.
- Become active in reducing pollution entering local waterways
- Pick up after your pets and properly dispose of pet waste
- Do not dump or place yard waste or other materials or liquids down storm drains or along or in waterways
- See something say something related to dumping or placing non-stormwater products down the storm drain.
- Become involved in the city’s public outreach program
What should I know about stormwater as a business?
If you own a business in Beatrice, here’s what you should know about stormwater:
- Know where your drains are connected
- Clean out grease traps if you have them on site
- Keep trash containers covered
- Store trash containers away from storm drain inlets
- Keep trash container areas clean
- Pick up litter on your property
- Do not dump, discharge, or place waste of any kind down the storm drains
- Label storm drains with a message indicating they drain to streams.
What is the City of Beatrice required to do to address stormwater management compliance?
- Implement a public outreach program to educate residents and businesses about stormwater
- Implement an illicit discharge detection and elimination program that identifies and removes non-stormwater discharges from public storm sewers, ditches, and waterways
- Address construction site stormwater runoff
- Address water quality for new and re-development projects
- Address pollution prevention and good housekeeping at public facilities
- Develop and submit annual reports and update the current stormwater management plan
Beatrice Stormwater Management Plan
The City of Beatrice is required to share information related to its Stormwater Management Plan for review and comment.
If you have a stormwater request or feedback regarding Beatrice’s stormwater information, including the plan linked above, please complete the Stormwater Requests & Feedback form below. City staff will respond to you within the next 2-5 business days. For emergencies, please contact the Engineering office at (402) 228-5208.