Including Stormwater BMPs, Park Meadows, Prairie Plantings, Road Medians, Etc. 

February 29, 2012 – 1 to 4pm

Auld Pavilion, Antelope Park, Lincoln, NE

Co-Sponsors: Nebraska Forest Service & City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department

Purpose: To engage and inform key landscape management/maintenance professionals about the purpose of the “More Sustainable Landscape” including stormwater BMPs, park meadows, low-maintenance landscapes, prairie plantings, etc., and how to better care for them. Share tips, tricks and opinions. Encourage dialogue and constructive criticism of industry practices.

Intended Audience: Landscape professionals and public property managers including those caring for City of Lincoln parks properties. Also, key people involved in implementing and managing NFS/NSA grant funded projects and affiliate site landscapes.

1:00

Striving for a “More Sustainable Landscape”

Presenters: Justin Evertson & Christina Hoyt, Nebraska Forest Service

 Mark Canney, City of Lincoln

 Overview of purpose, benefits and design philosophies for more sustainable landscapes including stormwater BMPs, prairie plantings, park meadows, wildlife plantings, etc.

 1:30

Maintenance Challenges of the “More Sustainable Landscape”

Panelists: Jeff Culbertson, UNL Landscape Services

 Bryan Kinghorn, Kinghorn Gardens

 Bob Henrickson, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum

 Matt Mittlestadt, City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation

 Andy Szatko, City of Omaha

 Primary Topics and Issues to Be Addressed

  Park Meadows, Prairie Plantings and Buffer Strips

 Stormwater BMPs (rain gardens, bioretention cells, bioswales, etc.)

  Street Medians (including the management of buffalograss)

  Miscellaneous (wildlife issues, trees and shrubs, insects and diseases etc.)

  Issues to be addressed: Managing tall growth and dealing with plant residue; weed management strategies and philosophies; dealing with woody weeds; mulching and remulching; conveying order within wildness; miscellaneous tips and tricks.

 4:00

Adjourn

 TO REGISTER: RSVP with your name, employer name, phone number and e-mail address to jevertson1@unl.edu. Space is limited to the first fifty registrants. For more information, contact Justin Evertson at (402) 472-5045 or jevertson1@unl.edu.

Last Updated: February 2, 2012

This straw mulch has been crimped into the ground for temporary stabilization.

Stabilization, or establishing ground cover to protect disturbed soils from erosion, is not only a good practice, it is required by law.  The Nebraska state Construction General Permit states that, with a few exceptions such as snow cover or frozen ground conditions, “stabilization measures  must be initiated as soon as practicable in portions of the site where construction activities have temporarily or permanently ceased, but in no case more than 14 days after the construction activity in that portion of the site has temporarily or permanently ceased.” Since it is unlikely that suitable vegetation can be established within 14 days, other methods of stabilization must be considered.  Covering exposed or disturbed areas protects the soil from raindrop impact, slows the flow of and infiltrates stormwater, and protects newly seeded areas.  It also helps retain soil moisture, which will help your vegetation become established more quickly.

One of the simplest methods of erosion control is mulching.  Straw or hay mulch should be applied at a rate of 2-3 tons per acre.  To provide good ground cover, at least 50% of the mulch should be ten inches in length or longer.  The mulch should be crimped using a weighted roller that anchors the mulch into the soil.  If the area is seeded before the mulch is applied, this can be a very simple and effective method of preventing erosion while vegetation is established.

Another method of erosion control is a rolled erosion control blanket.  These can be made from natural or synthetic materials and can be effective in protecting steeper slopes from erosion.  They are designed to be rolled onto the area and stapled into place.  Always follow installation specifications, as poor installation can cause these products to fail. 

This erosion contol blanket temporarily stabilizes the slope while vegetation is established.

If the blanket is not properly anchored and stapled, it can either be washed away or stormwater can wash out soil underneath the blanket, causing small gullies that are difficult to seed.  If the area is seeded and the erosion control blanket is installed correctly, grass will grow up through the blanket, and over time, the blanket will degrade.

Under the first circumstance, coverage under a NPDES construction permit may be terminated 180 calendar days after all soil disturbing construction activity has been completed, final stabilization has been achieved, and all temporary BMPs (silt fence, inlet protection, etc.) have been removed.  In order for a site to be considered stabilized, any areas that are not impervious (covered by buildings or pavement), must be vegetated with 70% perennial groundcover.  Annual vegetation, such as cover crops, do not count as final stabilization.  A simple test to see if you have 70% vegetation is to take a 100 foot long tape measure, lay it out over an area that is representative of the whole site, and count how many plants (in most cases blades of grass) coincide with the 1-foot marks.  If there are plants at 70 or more of these marks, then you have the required stabilization.  After final stabilization has been achieved for 180 calendar days, you may then file a Notice of Termination (NOT) which will terminate your permit coverage.  

The alternative method of terminating permit coverage is to transfer the permit to another Operator or the Owner.  In order to do this, you must file a Construction Storm Water Notice of Transfer (CSW-Transfer) that lists the current permit authorization number and the portion of the project that is to be transferred.  It is possible to retain responsibility for only part of a project, but to transfer a portion of the project to the new owner.  The person to whom you are transferring the permit is then required to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the state, and the current permittee may now file an NOT.

There is often some confusion over who is eligible to take over responsibility for a Construction General Permit.  The permittee must be either the owner or operator of the site.  This means that the general contractor for a project is eligible to hold the permit.  If for some reason the general contractor changes during the course of the project, the permit may be transferred to the new Operator.  However, subcontractors, such as landscapers, are not allowed to take responsibility for the permit, because they do not meet the definition of “operator” for the project.  If a contractor’s portion of a project is complete and they want to terminate their permit coverage before final stabilization is completed, then their only option is to transfer permit coverage to the owner.  The new permittee will then be responsible for all inspections and best management practices required by the Construction General Permit.

If you ever have any questions about the permitting process, contact your local stormwater coordinator.  Contact information for the ten communities in NebraskaH2O can be found under the Communities tab on this website. 

This is an effective, inexpensive concrete washout.

For obvious reasons concrete trucks should never be washed out into the street or into the storm drain.  Solids that are washed out of the concrete trucks can clog storm drains, causing flooding and expensive clean-up.  However, it is also important to contain the concrete wash water as well.  The wash water is very alkaline, which means it has a very high pH.  Water must have a pH in the range of 6.5-9.0 in order for aquatic life to survive.  Concrete wash water typically has a pH of 12 or above.  Furthermore, the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that a pH of 12 is 10 times greater than a pH of 11, 100 times greater than a pH of 10, and 1000 times greater than a pH of 9.0, which is the highest level of alkalinity that aquatic life can tolerate.  If allowed to escape the site, concrete wash water can have a severe effect on our streams and rivers.

Other significant pollutants in concrete wash water are heavy metals such as chromium.  If wash water that is high in heavy metals leaches through the soil to the water table, it can contaminate our groundwater, which is where most cities in Nebraska get all of their drinking water.

Concrete washout is also high in suspended and dissolved solids.  The average stream or river in the United States typically has a suspended solid count of no more than 60 parts per million (ppm).  The average suspended solids in concrete wash water is 27,000 ppm, well above the range at which aquatic life can survive.

Luckily, it is not very difficult to control concrete washout on your construction site.  There are several different ways to build a concrete washout facility, the most simple being to dig a pit and line it with plastic sheeting that is at least 10-mil thick.  If you don’t have a good location on your site for a facility like this, you can also build a portable facility by building a box with a liner to contain the washout.  There are also several products available for purchase that are effective, portable concrete washout containers.  

Always locate concrete washouts as far away from storm drains as possible.  Make sure they are clearly labeled and that drivers know where they are supposed to wash out.  By doing this, we can make sure that one of the biggest pollutants from construction sites does not reach our waterways.

This bioswale was the Eagle Scout project for Spencer Lake.  Lake worked with the City of Scottsbluff to complete the project with help from members of Boy Scout Troop 13 and the UNL Master Gardeners.  The project was designed by Amy Seiler and was funded in part with grant funds from the Greener Nebraska Towns Initiative and in part by the Lied Scottsbluff Public Library Foundation.   The day of the installation, we had 29 volunteers work for a combined 100 hours.

Scroll through our pictures below for more information on this project.

 This is the site before any work was done.  This part of the library is a recent addition, and the site was very compacted from construction.

 The City Wastewater Department hauled compost in and tilled it into the ground.  This was important because there was no topsoil left after construction.  The compost added organic matter to the soil, which provides nutrients to the plants and improves infiltration of rainwater. 

 Next we placed rocks and installed edging.  The rocks help hold the steep bank in place and also help to slow the flow of stormwater from the roof drains.  The edging gives the garden a defined boundary and keeps grass from spreading into the area.

Next we planted all the trees, shrubs, and perennials.  Trees and shrubs were used on the steep bank to help hold the slope in place.  Native or well-adapted perennials were used in the bottom of the swale to slow and filter stormwater as it flows from the roof drains to the storm drain.

After the planting was completed, we installed a drip system.  In many climates this would probably not be necessary, but here in western Nebraska, where we commonly go for two or more months without any significant precipitation, we felt a drip system would be necessary.

 Once the drip system was installed, we added mulch to suppress weed growth, add organic matter, and help retain soil moisture.  No mulch was added to the bottom of the swale, however, so that during a rain event, the mulch would not be washed away and plug up the storm drain.

 The bioswale will not be fully functional until the plants start spreading and filling in, which will take at least until next spring.  So until then, we have placed temporary rock checks around the storm drain inlet and along the length of the swale.  This will slow and filter stormwater, so that if there is any erosion in the swale, the sediment will have a chance to drop out of the stormwater before it reaches the inlet.  This swale has a very gradual slope (less than .5%), so this should be sufficient for erosion control.  On a steeper slope, an erosion control blanket or something similar may be necessary.

In the future, we will be monitoring the bioswale and making any changes needed to make it more functional.  Check back here for updates on how it functions over the next year.

A special thanks to Spencer Lake and Boy Scout Troop 13, the UNL Master Gardeners, Amy Seiler, Scottsbluff Landscaping, Greg Suhr, and Doug Hoevet for your contributions to this project. 

Stormwater Pollution

Rain Gardens

Pet Waste

• Do not miss your opportunity to attend this free workshop.  Please complete and return this flyer by
  

  Residential Application

  September 13th.
  Kearney RG workshop flyer

Get Ideas On How You Can Help Conserve Water and Protect Our Local Environment. 

Collecting rainwater for your garden is a smart idea, no matter what your motivation. Plants like rainwater, because it’s naturally soft, and free of chlorine and other chemicals. If you’re on the municipal water system, you stand to save a considerable amount of money. You may also find that having a rain barrel is a handy alternative to the garden hose.

When you look at the numbers, it’s surprising how much water you can collect every time it rains. Just a half inch of rain falling on a 1000-square-foot roof will yield 300 gallons of water.  Rainwater collection systems can be created in many ways. Make it a family project “Build Your Own Barrel”. If you would like to conserve water and reduce stormwater runoff at the same time, this may be the project for you!

For a better idea of what a rain barrel setup looks like, check out the display at the City of Kearney Public Works Department, pictured below.  Or if you are in the area, stop by and take a look; the display is located at 1919 15th Avenue.

For more information on rain barrels, click here.  

Did you know that once every two and a half minutes someone calls a poison control center to report exposure to a household cleaning substance?¹  Over half of these calls involve the exposure of a child under five years old.²  Most of us have several different kinds of toxic substances in our homes, including cleaning supplies, paint thinner, pesticides, etc.  Not only are these products toxic while inside your home, if not disposed of properly, they can also be toxic to the environment.  Never dump hazardous substances down a storm drain; these drains lead straight to the river!  A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t want to swim in it, don’t dump it!

How do you know if a substance is hazardous?

Check labels for the following words:

          Caution                       Warning          Danger                        Poison

          Flammable                Volatile          Caustic                        Corrosive

There are many economical, environmentally friendly alternatives.  Keep reading for helpful tips!

Air freshener- Place saucers of vinegar around the house to absorb odors.

All purpose cleaner- Recipe 1) 1 teaspoon borax in 1 quart warm water to clean most surface Recipe 2) 1 tablespoon ammonia, 1 tablespoon liquid detergent and 2 cups water. Mix ingredients and put in spray bottle.

Aluminum pan cleaner- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 quart water. To clean aluminum cookware, combine ingredients in cookware. Bring solution to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Wash and dry as usual.

Ants- Wash counters, floors, etc., with mixture of equal parts vinegar and water.

Brass polish- Make a paste out of lemon juice and baking soda. The paste should be the consistency of tooth paste. Rub onto brass with a soft cloth. Rinse with water.

Chemical Fertilizers- Use organic materials such as compost , peat moss, and fish meal

Copper Cleaners- Fix 1) Pour vinegar and salt over copper; rub and rinse.   Fix 2) Try rubbing with ketchup

Drain cleaner-Fix 1) Use a plunger. Fix 2) Use a flexible metal snake that can be purchased or rented. Fix 3) Pour cup baking soda down drain. Next pour down cup vinegar. This mixture will foam. After 15 minutes flush with boiling or hot water. This mixture will not open a clogged drain but if used regularly, it will keep drains flowing freely. Do not use any of these methods if you have used a commercial drain opener that may still be present in the drain.

Fleas (in carpet)- Place a small light above a pan of water or beer. Fleas will jump at the light, land in the liquid and drown.

Flea & Tick (on pets)- Add small amounts of brewers yeast to your pet’s food.

Flies- Recipe 1) Beat an egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of molasses and finely ground black pepper and set out mixture in shallow plates. Fix 2) Buy sticky fly strips or paper.

 Furniture Polish- Make a non-toxic polish by melting 1 tablespoon Canauba Wax into 2 cups mineral oil. For lemon polish, dissolve 1 part lemon juice into 2 parts vegetable or mineral oil.

Mice- Fix 1) A mouse trap. Fix 2) Set out mashed potato powder, or buds, in a strategic place, with a dish of water nearby. This will cause fatal bloating.

Moths- Cedar chips or lavender flowers.

Oven cleaner- Fix 1) sprinkle water on oven surface. Apply baking soda. Rub using very fine steel wool. Wipe off scum with a damp sponge. Rinse well and dry. Fix 2) While oven is still warm, sprinkle water on the spill, then sprinkle salt on it. When the oven cools down, scrape the spill away and wash the area clean. Fix 3) Heat oven to 150°. Turn off the oven, place a bowl of ammonia in the oven. Let this set over night.

Paints- Water-based paints are less toxic than oil based, and no solvent is necessary for clean up.

Rug and Upholstery Cleaner- Clean immediately with soda water and baking soda paste; then vacuum.

Silver Cleaner- Soak in 1 quart warm water with 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and a small piece of aluminum foil.  If you can’t immerse your items or are otherwise inclined to polish by hand, rub tarnished silver with toothpaste and a soft cloth. Rinse with warm water and dry. Instead of toothpaste you can substitute a concoction made of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water.

 Rust- Scrub with lemon juice mixed with salt.

Toilet bowl- Fix 1) Use a pumice bar to scour the toilet bowl ring. Fix 2) Mix lemon juice and borax into a paste about the consistency of toothpaste. Flush toilet to wet sides. Rub paste on the toilet bowl ring. Let sit for two hours and then scrub thoroughly. Fix 3) Sprinkle baking soda into the toilet bowl. Add vinegar. Scour with toilet brush. Fix 4) Pour cup liquid chlorine bleach into toilet bowl. Let stand for onehalf hour. Scrub with brush. Flush.

Toilet, Tub, Tile and Chrome cleaner- Baking soda can be used as a mild abrasive for most household needs. Add ¼ cup vinegar to each quart of water for cleaning and disinfecting. Add salt or baking soda to intensify the solution effects.

Window cleaner- Recipe 1) 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 gallon of water. Recipe 2) 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 pint rubbing alcohol, 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, 1 gallon of water. Recipe 3) Same as #1 or #2 but substitute ammonia for vinegar.

1) 2008 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers National Poison Data System (NPDS) 26th Annual Report lists 213,595 exposures to household cleaning substances

2) The same report listed 124,934 pediatric (< 5 yrs) exposures to household cleaning substances