Storm water pollution is a critical regional issue that Dallas County Public Works is proactively addressing by partnering with other County Departments to develop a Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP) for Unincorporated Areas in Dallas County. The intent of this plan is to preserve or improve the health and quality of life in the Unincorporated Areas by preventing or mitigating storm water pollution. This SWMP complies with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) TPDES (Texas Pollution Discharge Elimination System) General Permit TX040000 (MS4 Permit). This permit for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) authorizes the discharge of stormwater to surface waters in the State of Texas from small MS4s (population <100,000).
The Notice of Intent (NOI) and Stormwater Management Plan are available for Public Comment
NOI
Dallas County Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) Five Year Plan
Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit TXR04000
Fact Sheet & Executive Director’s Preliminary Decision
If you have any questions about Dallas County's MS4 Storm Water Permit, please contact Lissa Shepard, P.E., C.F.M. at 214-653-7426 or at lissa.shepard@dallascounty.org.
To report any illicit discharges please contact either the Dallas County Environmental Health Department at 214-819-2000 or the North Central Texas Stop Illegal Dumping hotline 1-888-335-DUMP or http://www.reportdfwdumping.org
Texas SmartScape Program
March is Texas SmartScape Month. Texas SmartScape is an environmentally friendly method of landscaping that utilizes less water, fertilizer and fewer pesticides than any other landscaping system. Research demonstrates storm water runoff in North Central Texas carries pesticides and fertilizers from residential yards to neighborhood creeks, ponds, lakes and rivers. The Texas SmartScape website (http://www.txsmartscape.com/) provides an interactive educational guide to native and drought-tolerant landscaping techniques. A further description of Texas SmartScape principles and a list of Texas SmartScape plants can also be found on the following attachment provided by Texas AgriLife Extension Services: smartscape-handout.pdf.
Doo the Right Thing
On an average a dog produces approximately half a pound of waste in a single day. Dog and cat waste when not properly disposed have the potential to pollute the waterways. Pet waste left in open spaces and backyards can end up in waterways after rain events. The health of humans and pets can be affected by the use of these polluted waterways. A good policy for pet owners to minimize and prevent the negative effects of having pet waste end up in the waterways is to Doo the Right Thing. Links to NCTCOG's Doo the Right Thing programs is attached
Doo the Right Thing
Helpful Links:
North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Smartscape
NCTCOG Stormwater
TCEQ Stormwater
Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
USGS website on E-Coli
