Happy Spring!

In Wisconsin, It’s Runoff Season - What You Can Do?

Article written by Tricia Garrison of NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District

April showers bring May flowers… Or in Wisconsin, it’s April, so bring out the snowplows!

After “Blizzard Evelyn” pummeled our state recently, we have massive snow drifts to contend with, making turns from residential streets oh so delightful!  And now with warmer temperatures, that snow is melting, and fast.  So what happens to all that water after the snow melts?

A phenomenon you may not have thought about since high school science class happens: Runoff.  Whatever pollutants are on the land – oil from our leaky automobiles, excess fertilizer, animal manure - will runoff straight into our waterways.  Unhealthy soils that cannot absorb water and allow infiltration help this along – as do impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots, which every city grapples with.  Watch “Spring Runoff” in action in this video.

The Green Bay Public Works Department implored citizens to shovel out storm drains in their streets, to help curb flooding, so they can effectively keep up with the rush of melting snow, and help prevent flooding in the community (check the drains on your street today – the snow may have already melted, but they need to be clear of debris to function properly, too!). 

Have you ever wondered where water goes when it’s in the storm drain?  In many communities, including Green Bay, storm drains lead directly into the waterways – the Fox River, for example – it does not head to a facility to be cleaned.  So please!  Don’t dump any waste into these drains, pick up doggie doo-doo when you’re out walking Fido.  And next time you enjoy a cup of coffee (or any beverage, for that matter) – remember that water was needed for that cup.  Please do your part to love the Earth, and protect Wisconsin’s precious waters!

Read more tips on how you can #LoveGreenBay and promote healthy waterways.