“CLEAN ME UP” STORMWATER CONTEST RESOURCES for teachers and students
We are all connected by water. We all live in a watershed that drains to a stream, river or lake. As cities and towns grew, they built storm sewer systems to move stormwater off buildings, houses and roads as quickly as possible. Today, water that used to soak into the ground flows across hard surfaces and down storm drains along streets, altering our natural waterways and increasing pollution. Storm drains usually flow to the nearest stream or right into Malletts Bay, carrying oil, grease, dirt, metals, pesticides, litter and bits of plastic that are picked up along the way. This pollution is also really bad for the fish and wildlife that need clean, cold water to survive.
Imagine how you would feel if someone started dumping dirty water into your bathtub while you were using it!
Our town can help by adding vegetated stormwater features (green stormwater facilities) like detention ponds and rain gardens that help water soak into the ground and trap dirt and certain other pollutants before it drains to waterways. Everyone has to pitch in and help out, which is where you come in.
We can clean up that dirty rainwater before it pollutes the bay, Engineers have figured it out, it’s a big word- “GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE”, but it is easy to understand! It means build stuff so the earth gets a chance to filter and clean the dirty water before it carries lots of gunk to the Bay-making it hard for the fish to live!
“GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE” (GSI) may be the most important action to Clean up Malletts Bay
Learn more about GSI
Books on GSI:
Vermont Guide to Stormwater for Homeowners
NYGI Manual – has lots of pictures to inspire good ideas!
Videos on GSI:
Pollution Solutions: Stormwater Infiltration Trenches in the Mystic River Watershed
Low Impact Development- What is It?
AND now … look around!
Look for those big white arrows painted in the middle of East and West Lakeshore Drive and other roads in Colchester.
Those arrows point to where gunky stormwater needs to be cleaned up before it flows into the Bay or streams that drain to the Bay.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure filters and cleans dirty stormwater so we can have clean water for swimming and the fish are happy too!
Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) has so many resources, including:
1. This Lake Champlain Atlas is so cool!
2. https://atlas.lcbp.org/students-and-educators/ with resources for students and teachers!
3. https://watershedmatters.org/
4. https://watershedmatters.org/cbei-programs/youth-programs/
5. https://cleanwatercommitment.org/
6. https://cleanwatercommitment.org/what-is-phosphorus-p/a-vital-nutrient/
Scroll down to the bottom of this page for videos on phosphorus
7. Animated Stormwater Phosphorus Video
8. https://rethinkrunoff.org/explore-the-lake-champlain-basin/algae-blooms-lake-champlain/
9. https://www.uvm.edu/seagrant/programs/green-schools/soaking-stormwater-curriculum
10. https://www.uvm.edu/seagrant/resources
Teachers: please contact Ryan Mitchell at rmitchell@lcbp.org for information on programs for teachers with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
VIDEO IDEAS FOR INSPIRATION:
Funny and informative videos (less than 6 minutes long).
A Colchester student’s video on stormwater!
Freddy the Frog! (from another contest in NC)
POSTER IDEAS FOR INSPIRATION:
Concord NC Stormwater Art Contest
Fun posters on pet waste, cars, fertilizer, car washing
(scroll down to the bottom)
Thanks for helping Clean Malletts Bay!
Everyone who enters WINS a free creemee or pint of French fries from Al’s French Fries!