Stormwater is defined as water that accumulates on land as a result of storms, and can include runoff from urban areas such as roads and roofs. Historically, stormwater has been diverted away from urban areas and road ways as fast as possible--usually into the nearest waterbody. Our local Choctawhatchee Bay and its bayous receive significant amounts of stormwater from the uplands adjacent to them. Under the Federal Clean Water Act, local municipalities must obtain a permit to discharge stormwater into local waterbodies. This permit is often referred to as National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
CBA has partnered with local municipalities to help achieve maximum compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program. The partnership is the initial step in uniting local governmental entities to protect the ecological integrity of the Choctawhatchee Watershed. NPDES Program is a mandate from the Environmental Protection Agency that requires municipalities to submit a permit to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that outlines an initial five (5) year strategy on improving water quality through six (6) guidelines:
- Public Education/Outreach
- Public Participation/Involvement
- Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination
- Construction Site Runoff Control
- Post-Construction Runoff Control
- Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping
Currently, CBA works with the City of Destin and Walton County. In the past, we have partnered with the City of Fort Walton Beach. The products of these partnerships include brochure and newsletter outreach, Sediment and Erosion Control Inspector Training, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Training, rain barrel and rain garden (link rainwater harvesting page) workshops, stormwater education for schoolchildren, and stormwater remediation construction projects.
CBA believes it has the unique ability to unify the community’s resources in helping our partners achieve maximum compliance with their NPDES permits. These partnerships are a major step to enhancing the overall water quality within the Choctawhatchee Watershed. Through these partnerships, CBA hopes to fulfill all aspects of its mission: to protect and preserve the watershed but also to sustain and provide optimum utilization of the Choctawhatchee Basin Watershed.
For more information about NPDES go to the following link:
CBA Coordinated Stormwater Remediation Projects
Cessna Park, Santa Rosa Beach
NWFWMD provided a grant of $250,000 to CBA to upgrade and enhance one of Walton County’s popular recreational sites at Cessna Park on Hogtown Bayou in Santa Rosa Beach. CBA coordinated support for this project from Walton County, the South Walton Tourist Development Council, Regional Utilities, and even the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This project converted the park facilities from septic to server, re-graded the surface area to redirect storm water runoff away from the public boat ramp to two treatment ponds, improved parking (including the addition of ADA-compliant parking spaces), and added new playground and basket ball court!
Click here to see pre/post picture of Cessna Park
Partners:
Northwest Florida Water Management District
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance
Walton County
Walton County Tourist Development Council
U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Regional Utilities
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance
City of Destin
U.S. Fish & Wildlife
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
University of Florida / IFAS
Liza Jackson Park, FWB
NWFWMD, through Florida Forever, provided a grant of $199,000 to CBA to design, engineer and build treatment for storm water entering Santa Rosa Sound from Liza Jackson Park. CBA brought together interested groups such as the City of FWB, the University of Florida Master Gardeners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Storm water entering the bay from this park now is filtered through a meandering tidal creek with a coastal flood plain containing native plants and animals. Sediment and particulates settle out and the native fauna and flora remove nutrients. This project also provides a wonderful educational opportunity for the millions of tourists and residents who visit the park annually.
Northwest Florida Water Management District
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance
City of Fort Walton Beach
U.S. Fish & Wildlife
University of Florida / IFAS
