Stormwater Mgmt - Borough of Hummelstown, PA

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Hummelstown Borough implements the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit for our
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) as part of the Federal Phase II Stormwater Management Program.

Hummelstown Borough has adopted the DEP protocols via the Notice of Intent (NOI) to operate under the PAG-13
General NPDES Permit and has been issued NPDES Permit No. PAG133556, Authorization ID No. 942099.

DEP’s protocols include six Minimum Control Measures (MCM’s) and a variety of Best Management Practices (BMP’s),
designed to: reduce the discharge of pollutants from MS4s (to the maximum extent practicable), to protect water quality,
and to satisfy the requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act. The six MCM’s are:

Public Education & Outreach Control Measure.
Public Participation & Involvement Control Measure.
Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination Control Measure. To report Illicit discharge click here for form.
Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control Measure.
Post Construction Stormwater Management in New Development & Redevelopment Control Measure.
Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations & Maintenance Control Measure.

Hummelstown Borough's MS4 Annual Report can be reviewed by contacting the Borough Office.

Any questions or concerns regarding stormwater discharges can be directed to: Theresa Eberly at: 717-566-2555.

Please visit these websites for more information regarding stormwater and MS4.

Dauphin County Conservation District

Department of Environmental Protection

Bureau of Watershed Management

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) MS4 Regulations

Swatara Creek Watershed Association

Stormwater Program Fee

Urban Run Off Fact Sheet

LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT FOR MUNICIPALITIES

DCCD HOMEOWNER GUIDE

Rains Drain

The World's Largest Filter - The Role of Soil in Stormwater Management

Effective stormwater management involves a multifaceted local community approach with a view toward regional watershed-level processes. This is because stormwater runoff is created by precipitation events that occur whenever and wherever storms develop. But, when you think about it, basic stormwater management utilizes engineering, science, and construction tools to develop site conditions that mimic the pre-development natural conditions. Why is that done? Because as it turns out, nature is pretty good at assimilating stormwater with plants and soil. So let’s talk a little about what’s so special about soil.

Although we typically think of soil as simply dirt, it is much more. Soil is really the foundation of all life and is something that affects us every day. From a narrow view point, soil is a media in which many things can occur including supporting the growth of plant life. As a media for stormwater renovation however, soil acts as a physical, chemical, and biological filter. By understanding the vital role of soil in stormwater renovation, more effective stormwater management strategies can be employed. Watch this short video developed for the International Year of Soils by the Soil Science Society of America to learn more about the role of soil in stormwater management.

The Root of the Solution - The Role of Plants in Stormwater Management

Stormwater is managed for quantity and quality, and plants play a major role in improving both. It’s no secret that plants provide ecological benefits, but sometimes we forget how crucial they can be in an effective stormwater management strategy.

When we employ engineered stormwater strategies, we are really trying to mimic some of the benefits plants provide a watershed when precipitation occurs. Picture in your mind the difference in water quality of runoff coming from a forested tract of land versus a recently plowed farm field. Neither of these land uses contain any impervious features such as houses, parking lots, or sidewalks, but the difference in runoff quality and quantity is striking, and a powerful example of what plants provide in an ecosystem.

In the past, stormwater management strategies attempted to mitigate the effects of plant removal by storing and slowing releasing stormwater from a developed site (think detention pond). Although that type of stormwater best management practice (BMP) can provide some benefits, the beneficial utilization of plants is unfortunately missing. Today, there are many ways site developers can incorporate the power of plants into an overall stormwater management strategy.

The strategic placement of trees, shrubs, and other plantings can help slow down and capture some of the precipitation adjacent to impervious areas of the site as it falls to the ground, eventually returning the water into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. The placement of vegetated swales can help direct the flow and infiltration of stormwater along portions of the site while also providing an opportunity for nutrient and sediment uptake. The use of rain gardens or bioretention BMPs can replace traditional open detention or infiltration basins, providing similar but much improved water quality function. Beyond all of that, plants provide for an aesthetically pleasing landscape and provide much needed habitat for a whole array of wildlife.