FORT WALTON BEACH

In February 2006, the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) and the City of Fort Walton Beach (FWB) entered into a partnership designed to facilitate fulfillment of the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. CBA assists FWB to achieve maximum compliance by conducting activities or measures related to the six tasks outlined in the NPDES permit: Public Education/Outreach Public Participation/Involvement Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination Construction Site Runoff Control Post-Construction Runoff Control Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping

1. Public Education and Outreach • Stormwater Literature and Brochure Distribution CBA distributes stormwater literature as part of an extensive public education campaign. In the first year of the CBA/FWB partnership, CBA staff participated in 38 public speaking events attended by over 1300 people and distributed over 2700 brochures. In addition, CBA maintains permanent brochure distribution points at 21 local businesses. CBA provides additional stormwater education with articles in the CBA Newsletter and in Beach Bits, the City’s newsletter.

• Student Curriculum CBA staff also works with the local schools to incorporate Choctawhatchee Bay and local water issues into the science curriculum. • CBA has provided the City’s elementary schools with valuable learning tools such as Watershed maps, Enviroscape Watershed tabletop models, and classroom presentations. • CBA staff works with teachers to develop a Choctawhatchee Bay science curriculum. • CBA staff organizes students from FWB and the surrounding area to participate in the City’s Earth Day/Arbor Day poster contest, as well as the City’s annual Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration, held every April at the FWB Landing.

2. Public Involvement/Participation • Neighborhoods Program The City of FWB’s Neighborhoods Program helps residents create a neighborhood association that will enable them to bring concerns and suggestions to the City. Working with the City’s Neighborhoods Coordinator, CBA attends meetings and educates residents on local stormwater issues and the measures they can take at their homes or businesses to reduce non-point source pollution into our local waters.

• Volunteer Groups CBA staff coordinates extensive volunteer involvement in several activities • Water Quality Monitoring • Bacteria Monitoring • Illicit Discharge Monitoring • Community Clean-up Projects • Restoration Projects

• Stormwater Management Program Public Meetings In the first year of the CBA/FWB partnership, CBA held 24 public meetings, including the Annual Public Forum. These meetings allow the public to voice concerns and offer solutions related to stormwater issues.

3. Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination (IDDE) • Illicit Discharge Ordinance/Detection Program CBA and FWB staff have worked together to develop the Illicit Discharge Ordinance and the Illicit Discharge Detection Program. CBA hosted an IDDE workshop with Dr. Robert Pitt, University of Alabama, that was attended by FWB and CBA staff.

4 & 5. Construction/Post Construction Stormwater Management • Construction/Post Construction Sediment and Erosion Control This measure concerns the containment of construction-related sediments so that they do not end up washing off of construction sites and into the stormwater system, where they will eventually end up in our local waters. CBA hosted Florida Stormwater, Erosion and Sedimentation Control Inspector Training and Certification Program in order to provide CBA and City staff, as well as local contractors, with best management practices designed to minimize sediment pollution from construction activities. Fifty-two professionals trained as inspectors, including four CBA staff and ten FWB staff.

6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping CBA assists FWB with its efforts to prevent pollution and maintain good housekeeping practices within the city.

• Restoration Projects Currently, CBA is developing stormwater remediation projects for Liza Jackson Park and Lower Gap Creek Basin. These projects will help to correct existing problems with stormwater infrastructure.

• Good Housekeeping Workshop CBA staff is in the process of creating and gathering educational materials in order to conduct a Good Housekeeping Workshop for City employees. The workshop will emphasize best management practices for reducing non-point source pollution related to City activities.

For more information pertaining to the City of Fort Walton Beach's NPDES permit, please click on the following link: http://www.fwb.org/index.php/departments-topmenu-31/utilities-topmenu-45/stormwater-division.html