Rule 13

Website through Dearborn County SWCD

Dearborn County is facing urban growth at a rapid rate. We face special issues that other counties along the Ohio River face with steep slopes. The Dearborn County SWCD is trying to tackle this challenge by working with local city and county government officials educate the public on good soil and water stewardship. The goal the Storm Water Committee is to educate the community of environmental protection in urban areas and decrease the pollutant loading in our creeks.

327 IAC 15-13 is a storm water general permit rule. (Permit Cycle 1: NOI, Part A, Part B, Part C, 2005 Annual Report* , 2006 Annual Report, 2007 Annual Report, 2008 Annual Report; Permit Cycle 2: NOI, Part A). This rule applies to portions of urban areas. They are called Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems or MS4s. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management made Hidden Valley Lake an MS4 in 2003. HVL has to write and implement a Storm Water Quality Management Plan. This plan includes four sections:

Public Education & Outreach
Public Participation & Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping

The Storm Water Quality Management Plant (SWQMP) is now being implemented by HVL.

If you would like more information about the MS4 requirements for HVL, please call the SWCD office at (812) 926-2406 ext 3 or email the Storm Water Coordinator.

* All water testing was done instream. For lake testing, please refer to Lakes Committee. Tests were not handled properly; samples were not put on ice and were not tested within required time.