Stormwater and MS 4

Contact Facilities

Westminster

Larimer

What Is Stormwater?

When rainfall occurs or snow melts, several things happen to the precipitation:

Some of the precipitation infiltrates into the soil
Some is soaked up by plants
Some is evaporated into the atmosphere

Stormwater is the rest of the precipitation that runs off land surfaces and impervious areas (hardened surfaces that do not allow rainfall to infiltrate the soil). Stormwater runoff collects pollutants such as oil and grease, chemicals, nutrients, metals and bacteria as it flows across the land. Heavy precipitation or snowmelt can cause sewer overflows that may contaminate water sources with untreated human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and other debris.

Keeping Campus Stormwater Clean

The list below provides tips to help control stormwater pollution:

Properly dispose of all tobacco products and animal waste.
Properly use and store household materials and be aware of and make use of local recycling and collection centers to handle household waste.
Remember that any materials that are poured or placed on the ground, streets, driveways, etc. can be picked up and carried by stormwater runoff to surface waters.
Report any pollution, illegal dumping or soil erosion that you see to the appropriate authorities.
Maintain buffer areas around stream segments to protect stream banks and to provide a means for pollutant removal.
Minimize impervious areas to reduce runoff.
Design all new construction to prevent or minimize runoff and stormwater pollution.
Get involved with local efforts for public education, water quality monitoring, stream cleanup, recycling, etc.

Stormwater Conservation Program

Front Range Community College has a Non-Standard MS4 Stormwater Permit through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and an active Stormwater Program that describes our plan to minimize stormwater pollution based on the following six “Maintenance Control Measures”, or MCM's:

Public Education and Outreach
Public Participation and Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Construction Site Runoff Control
Post Construction Stormwater Management
Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

Detention Pond Projects

Westminster

Detention Pond Plan (pdf)
Pond Map (pdf)
MS-4 Boundary (pdf)

Larimer

MS-4 Boundary (pdf)

Contact Us

Help Keep Our Campus Stormwater Clean!

For additional information on our Stormwater Program and how you can help us to keep our stormwater clean, please visit our Facilities Services Department, or call 303-404-5399 (Westminster Campus) or 970-204-8255 (Larimer Campus).