Storm Water Management 

One of the results of urbanization and development is urban runoff, also known as stormwater. Various pollutants such as chemicals from households and businesses, oil from cars, and pesticides from yards, parks and golf courses end up on paved surfaces. When it rains, these substances are carried by stormwater directly into watersheds, which act as a conduit to the ocean. Stormwater is the number one source of pollution to California's watersheds. The variety and toxicity of chemicals that end up in the water are harmful to wildlife and humans, and therefore needs to be regulated.

The Clean Water Act was passed in the 1970s to monitor and protect water quality throughout the US. Administered by the EPA, the CWA includes regulations on what various institutions (mainly industries and cities) are allowed to discharge into water. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requires that cities of a certain size follow regulations to monitor and reduce the amount of pollutants that enter their waterways.

As a part of this system, cities are required to get a permit from the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). One of the permit requirements is that cities design and implement a stormwater management program starting with a RWQCB approved Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP). Stormwater Management Plans are integral to ensuring that public organizations, businesses and citizens are educated about their role in keeping water clean. Stormwater Management Plans are required to include components addressing development standards, commercial and industrial facilities, municipal maintenance, public education and outreach, and more. A well written Stormwater Management Plan is an important tool in ensuring that cities are taking decisive action to minimize pollution in our waterways. The implementation of these plans have a tangible affect on the thousands of species in California that rely on clean water.

The Monterey Coastkeeper is an active player in establishing the correlation between water quality and ocean health. For this reason, The Monterey Coastkeeper has taken a proactive role in advocating for affective stormwater management along the Central Coast. Working alongside groups such as The Ocean Conservancy and The Natural Resources Defense Council, The Coastkeeper's umbrella organization The Otter Project played a key role in bringing environmental interests to the table in the creation of the Monterey Regional Stormwater Plan. The resulting document has since been held up as a model for the rest of the state.

Following the creation of The Monterey Coastkeeper, The Otter Project advocated for the improvement of the Salinas Stormwater Management Plan. Although Salinas is not a coastal city, it discharges pollutants into watersheds that flow directly into the Monterey Bay. Participating in public comment periods, writing letters, attending public meetings and working with other stakeholders in stakeholder committees, The Monterey Coastkeeper championed for the improvement of the Salinas Stormwater Management Plan, leading the RWQCB to raise the standard on required improvements of the plan.

Currently, the RWQCB is planning to undergo a process of rapidly assessing and approving over a hundred stormwater management plans in the next two years. The Monterey Coastkeeper, a project of The Otter Project, is gearing up to participate in the process to ensure that stormwater management throughout the state lives up to the high standard set by Monterey. The resulting management programs established by these policies will have significant ramifications for sea otters and everyone else who relies on clean, healthy water.

Comment letters and testimonial

For more information contact Steve Shimek, Monterey Coastkeeper, 475 Washington St., Suite A, Monterey, CA 93940. 831/646-8837. steve@montereycoastkeeper.org .