Gary Belan SessionB 083109

8/3/2019 Gary Belan SessionB 083109

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Clean Water, Clean Rivers American Rivers and the Great Lakes Effort for

Improving Water Quality



Who am I?

Gary Belan

Director, Clean

Water Program American Rivers



American Rivers

Founded in 1973 to protect and

restore America¶s rivers

65,000 supporters nationwide

55 staff members

DC Headquarters, staff located in the

mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest,

Southeast, California and Pacific

Northwest

$8.1 million annual budget

Rated one of the top charities in

America by the Wise Giving Alliance

of the Better Business Bureau



American Rivers¶ Programs

RiverRestoration

River Protection

Clean Water

Water Supply

HydropowerReform

Innovate

Science

Collaborate

Advocate



River Restoration

Natural FloodProtectionRestoring Rivers



Water supply

Efficiency Supply



River Protection

Wild andScenicRivers

Blue Trails



Clean Water

Green Infrastructure

Stormwater

Management



What does stormwater haveto do with rivers?

Every storm drain leads to a stream or river.



Other Problems WithStormwater

Erosion Less water

Development Pollution



Environmental Site DesignLow Impact Development

Green Infrastructure



Rain Gardens



Green Roofs



Do these techniques work?

YES! It has beenestimated that RainGardens of West

Michigan¶s 35 raingardens built over 3years have infiltratedor transpired over 5

million gallons of rainwater.

That¶s about 130,000bath tubs!

If 20% of buildings inWashington D.C. hadgreen roofs, nearly

297 million gallons of stormwater could becaptured.

The same study said

the same percentageof green roofs couldreduce sewageoverflows by as muchas 38%.



That¶s the why, now the what«

Cooperate± Work with city, county and state entities, schools, and

other relevant organizations

Educate± Hold and promote workshops and seminars

± Help with public outreach

Demonstrate± Help locate and support demonstration projects

± Contribute and raise money for these projects

Facilitate± Create or support research, guides and other tools

± Imprive codes and ordinances to supportimplementation, rather than impede



Specific Objectives

1. Increased Public Awareness

2. Increased Community Involvement

3. Increased Natural StormwaterProjects

4. Increased Municipal Investment

5. Increased Local PolicyImprovements



Toledo

We are one of fourorganizations awardeda three year grant bythe Joyce Foundation.

The goal is to addcapacity to the effortsof restoring theMaumee River



Public Awareness

Outreach Materials

EducationalWorkshops

Increased Media



Public AwarenessCurrent Status

Outreach Materials± Signage± Brochures± Web initiatives (www.raingardeninitiative.org)

± Magnets Workshops

± Stormwater Institute ± Fall 2007± Code and Ordiance Workshops± Rain Garden Workshops and Trainings

± Permeable Pavement workshops Media

± StormCenter (EcoTrack)± Channel 24± Print media ± City paper, Sylvania Advantage, Putnam

Voice, and others covering rain garden displays



Community InvolvementExpected Outcomes

More Educated and Organized Coalition of Groups

± Includes civic leaders, municipal officials,others



Community Involvement

Rain Garden Initiative± Most important on-the-ground tool± Organized and established structure± Mechanism for projects, outreach± Members± Workshops/Display events

Strong Partnerships

± Toledo Environmental Services± Toledo Engineering Services± County Commissioners Office± University of Toledo




Rain Garden Tours± Lansing and Grand Rapids, Michigan ± May 1, 2008

± Chicago/Milwaukee ± October 1 & 2, 2008

Building and Expanding Partnerships± Toledo City Council

± The Nature Conservancy

± Partners for Clean Streams ± Clean Your Streams

± Toledo Botanical Garden

± Toledo Metroparks

± OSU Extension office

± Mayors Office

± Toledo Zoo

± Others




Rain Barrel Sales ±March 29, 2008 (92 sold)

August 2, 2008 (122 sold)

April 4, 2009 (100 sold)

August 8, 2009 (75 sold)

± Goal of 500 in twoyears



Stormwater Projects

Criteria based on CSO location, matchingfunds, etc.

± Maywood Project gothighest project score toreceive Ohio ARRAstimulus funds

American Riversassisting withInitiative Projects



Toledo EnvironmentalServices Building



577 Foundation



Toledo Zoo



Stormwater Projects

Demonstration Gardens1. Toledo Environmental Services2. Sofia Quintero Arts & Cultural Center3. Sandringham cul-de-sac in Reynolds Corner

4. Toledo Zoo5. Blue Creek6. Springfield Township offices

Affiliated Gardens1. OSU Extension, Toledo

2. Monroe St. Church, Toledo3. University of Toledo4. Miami St. (Hull & Assoc)5. Start High School6. 577 Foundation



Municipal Investment

Codes and Ordinances Guidebook± Complete and online

Toledo City Council and Toledo ± Lucas County Planning

Commission± Working with them to alter the current code to include more GreenInfrastructure practices and remove barriers that currently preventthem from being legally installed. In April 2009, City Council passed achange to the Land Use Code allowing permeable pavement to be usednot just for overflow parking and the use of rain gardens as landscapingrequirements.

Approaching townships to install demonstration gardens

Creation of a Low Impact Development Design andInstallation Manual for Lower Maumee and Ottawa RiverWatersheds± Work with Stormwater Coalition to adopt American Rivers manual± Train smaller municipalities, engineers and developers in using LID

through ³Lunch and Learn´ workshops



Codes and Ordinances

Why localstormwatercontrols can be

effective Understanding thepolitical landscape

Choosing a localpolicy

Key components of your stormwaterordinance

Mobilizingcommunity support



Milwaukee



Johnson¶s Park

Worked with Friends of Milwaukee¶sRivers

Grants from Brico Fund, WDNR,Snow Memorial Trust, JoyceFoundation

We had a total of about $60,000



Johnson¶s Park

School

Old and new

houses

Empty Lots

The

Park





Connected Downspout



Older Homes



Initial InterestAdditional Interest AfterTargeted Outreach



The Process



Trench and Fill



Johnson¶s Park Cont.





Southeastern WisconsinWatershed Trust

Joyce Foundation grant for AmericanRivers funding in Milwaukee

± Providing Green Infrastructure expertise in theMilwaukee Metropolitan District

± Working in collaboration with SWWT groups toimplement green infrastructure in projectareas ± particularly in the Kinnickinnic RiverBasin

This is separate from the SWWT JoyceFoundation grant



Milwaukee MunicipalSewerage District

Working in partnership with MMSD

Providing outreach and

implementation expertise to improveKinnickinnic sub watersheds

Working to help streamline Rain

Garden initiative



1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 1400 p 202.347.7550Washington, DC 20005 f 202.347.9240

www.americanrivers.org

For more information, please contact:

Gary BelanDirector, Clean Water Program

American [email protected]

Gary Belan SessionB 083109

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