Let’s put the REVEAL in Storm Drain Reveal!

 

For the third year, James River Basin Partnership and the City of Springfield have partnered on Storm Drain Reveal using  public art to raise awareness that storm drains lead directly to our streams and rivers.  Soapy water, litter, yardwaste and other pollutants that end up in storm drains can impact water quality.  Stormwater runoff can also pick up and carry pollutants from the landscape such as excess lawn fertilizer, pet waste and cigarette butts.  The 10 storm drains chosen for 2013 lead to Jordan Creek which drains to the James River and eventually Table Rock Lake.

Come see the art, view the message and meet the artists at the First Friday Artwalk on May 3^rd from 6-8pm. Self-guided walking tour maps are available at www.jameriverbasin.com. At the end of the tour head to SquidFoo at 407 N. Boonville to vote for the People’s Choice winner. Voting will also take place at our booth at Artsfest May 4th and 5th.

 The artists whose designs were chosen  this year are  Michele Ellison, Joyce Kilgore,  Debbie Madden,  Kevin Dwight Richardson,  Jordan Choklad, Justine Coleman,  Tracy Pierce,  Brandon Krone,  Sara Rice, and  Mandy Cunningham.

Storm Drain Reveal has received national attention for its success and innovation in promoting awareness of stormwater pollution.  Many cities from around the country from Philadelphia to San Francisco and as far away as Anchorage have inquired about how to start a similar project in their area. 

 In support of the project, Pressure Tech donated their services to clean each storm drain and Seal-Krete provided the primer and top coat to protect the murals from the elements. Kat Allie, OTC Department Chair of Fine Arts & Humanities donated her expertise, time, and space as well as encouraging her students to participate annually.

Here is one little sneak peak..

Justine Coleman, OTC Art Student

Now for the rest… we’ll see you downtown.

Grow Trees Grow

In case you missed it, we had one heck of a volunteer turn out for the Wilson’s Creek Riparian Corridor Tree Planting!

The project put nearly 7,000 seedlings in the ground to restore and protect the riparian corridor just north of the Springfield Wastewater Treatment Plant along the banks of Wilson’s Creek. Adding dense vegetation to the stream bank and to the adjacent area will stabilize the banks, provide habitat and improve water quality.

The project was a partnership between the City of Springfield, Ozark Greenways, and the James River Basin Partnership with assistance from the Missouri Department of Conservation.  These planted areas along with additional sections which total nearly one mile on each side of the creek, will also be placed in a conservation easement to protect the area and the associated water quality into the future. 

Volunteers from all over of the watershed and even beyond came to lend a hand on April 4th and 5th. Big thanks to Missouri State University students who showed up in droves.

We are proud of the project, partners and volunteers and look forward to seeing these trees mature for decades to come. 

To see more pictures click here.

Call for Artists!!!

Yes we know  its only December but our calendars are flipped to Spring as we plan for exciting upcoming events! So while people are decking the halls we are preparing for the 2013 Storm Drain Reveal! This project is in partnership with the City of Springfield and gives us an opportunity to get some great murals on the ground with a very important message – that the storm drains lead to the rivers. This year all storm drains will focus on Jordan Creek and submissions are Due Feb 21st. So let your creative juices flow and enter your design so you can leave your mark  on Springfield. For all the details and application click here or call 417-836-6183 for details!

Picture this…

…South creek running from Campbell Avenue to Kansas Expressway free of the concrete channel that is there today. Picture small riffles,  more trees, vegetation and  life in the stream. This is the vision that the  James River Basin Partnership and the City of  Springfield developed when recently applying for a Department of Natural Resource 319 grant. This grant would restore the creek to a more natural state between the first section from Campbell Avenue  to Grant Avenue with an intent in the future to apply the same changes all the way to Kansas Expressway.  Replacing the concrete with  a natural stream bed, creating  stream meandering to slow the water in times of high flow, and planting trees and vegetation in the corridor are all techniques that  will equip the stream to more effectively handle and reduce nonpoint source pollution.

Nonpoint Source pollution is pollution that comes from lots of different small sources that end up making a big impact. In this situation pollution collects on impervious surfaces  such as roadways and  parking lots and enters the streams during rainstorms.  Slowing the water and providing a way for the stream to naturally filter pollutants keep our waters cleaner and more enjoyable. So keep your eyes peeled (eeew!) and your ears open for more information and details on this possible project!

South Creek today looking East toward Campbell Avenue

Grab it & Bag It!

Rowdy says, “Pick up the poo or else!”

Grab it & Bag it! Keep POO-llution out of Urban Streams is the theme of a pet waste campaign created and promoted through the Big Urbie grant with the help of  the James River Basin Partnership, Watershed Committee of the Ozarks and the City of Springfield. When it rains, especially in urban areas with a lot of pavement the pet waste can end up on our streams.  This contributes bacteria, viruses, and parasites to our water . The nutrients in the waste can cause algae growth in our waters as well.  So what should you do? Just grab it & bag it then throw it in a waste receptacle.  Waste can also be buried if you prefer.  If you live in an apartment try encouraging others to pick up pet waste by placing plastic grocery sacks by the door where they can be grabbed on the way out the door.  Also, grab extra bags when you go out. When you see a neighbor walking their dog offer them a bag if they forgot theirs. It’s a small act but big for water quality and for the soles of your shoes!

Storm Drain Reveal 2012

 

Storm  drains don’t make for a typical canvas, but  for the second year in a row 10 local artists are using them as backdrops for colorful painted murals to raise awareness about clean water. Artists will paint the storm drains that are located  in various locations throughout the city as part of the Storm Drain Reveal project of James River Basin Partnership (JRBP) and the City of Springfield Department of Public Works.

 The murals communicate that storm drains lead directly to our urban streams then eventually to the James River and then Table Rock Lake.  Soapy water, litter, yard waste and other pollutants that end up in storm drains can impact water quality. Stormwater runoff can also pick up and carry pollutants from the landscape such as excess lawn fertilizer, pet waste and sediment from construction sites.

 Kat Allie, Instructor of Fine Arts at Ozarks Technical Community College, is a partner in Storm Drain Reveal. Allie provides technical assistance and requires submissions from her students. This year, seven of the artists chosen out of the 50-plus who submitted designs, are OTC students. The other three are local community artists.

 They include: Michele Ellison, Laura Lynch, Cassie Brasher, Kat Philbin, Jeanene Turney, Travis Burnbee, Joshua O’Byrne and Jessica West, Kayla Campbell, Anthony Weaver and Samantha Lowther

 In support of the project, Pressure Tech donated their services to clean each storm drain and Seal-Krete provided the primer and top coat to protect the murals from the elements. The Urban Districts Alliance and the Springfield Regional Arts Council also provided assistance.

This project is part of the City’s ongoing storm water education/outreach efforts. Public education/outreach is a requirement of the City’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, a federal mandate of the Clean Water Act. JRBP assists the City with education/outreach as part of its mission to protect water quality in the James River Basin. Information on the City’s efforts to address the water quality impacts of stormwater runoff, and how individuals can help is available here.

Photographs of the completed murals will be on display at The Gillioz Theater during the First Friday Art Walk in May and during Artsfest on Historic Walnut Street, May 5-6. Project details and progress can be found at www.jamesriverbasin.com<http://www.jamesriverbasin.com> .

 For more information, contact Tiffany Frey, James River Basin Partnership, at tfrey@missouristate.edu<mailto:tfrey@missouristate.edu> or 836-6183