Water Conservation

The conscientious use of water is an important part of urban conservation within Cass County. Individual homeowner's choices can affect the quality and quantity of water within our watershed. Storm water concerns are addressed in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Storm Water Program. Amendments in 1987 to the Clean Water Act required the EPA to address storm water runoff in two phases.

Phase I began in 1990 and applied to large and medium municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) and large construction sites disturbing five acres of land or more. We are now in Phase II of the NPDES Storm Water Program that began in 2003. This applies to additional MS4s and construction sites disturbing equal to or greater than one but less than five acres of land.

In order to be in compliance with Phase II requirements coordinators of activities that disturb the land by grading, clearing, excavation and other earth moving processes must develop a storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP). After the project is complete the site is considered stabilized (by the United States EPA) when all the land disturbing activities are complete and a uniform perennial vegetative cover with a density of 70 percent has been established on those areas not covered by permanent structures.

Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are a resourceful way for homeowners to do their part to reduce storm water runoff. Storm water runoff is rain water or melted snow that runs off the land and enters lakes, rivers, streams and ponds. As it moves across the land, it picks up and carries pollutants such as pesticides, metals and oil.

Photo Courtesy of River Keepers Organization	Photo Courtesy of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation	Photo Courtesy of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation
This storm drain in Fargo is labeled to educate the public that water flowing into this drain goes directly into the Red River of the North.	A public beach on Lake Winnipeg during a common algal bloom.	A sample of the water in Lake Winnipeg during an algal bloom.

Rain gardens can alleviate this problem by decreasing the quantity of storm water runoff. The North Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) defines a rain garden as a shallow depression that collects storm water from impervious surfaces (roofs and driveways) and infiltrate, filter, evaporate and transpire the runoff. Rain gardens are typically planted with a diverse mix of native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that is an attractive low-maintenance addition to a home landscape. A rain garden should have standing water no longer than 24 to 48 hours. Mosquitoes generally take 7 to 10 days to compete their breeding cycle, so rain gardens should not increase mosquito populations.

Photo courtesy of Craig Stange	Photo courtesy of Craig Stange
A 200 square foot rain garden blooms just 2 months after construction and planting. This garden is located in Bismarck, ND.	A new rain garden captures roof and lawn runoff from a 0.5 inch, 15-minute prairie thunderstorm in July. Note the drought stressed yard outside the rain garden.

Rain Barrels

Rain barrels are a creative way for homeowners to store rain water for later use in watering gardens and lawns. Cass County Soil Conservation District and River Keepers have teamed up to provide the public an opportunity to build their own rain barrel. The next set of workshops are scheduled for May 2010. For more information or to register for this workshop visit the Moorhead Community Education website at, https://communityed.moorhead.k12.mn.us/

Before constructing their own rain barrel participants learned the value of water conservation and how their personal actions can affect the entire watershed.

A workshop participant working hard to assemble her rain barrel.

It's a group effort! Everyone worked together and got their barrels put together before taking them home.

click here for rain barrel plans (pdf format)