City of Portage, Indiana / Stormwater Management

Stormwater Management

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Portage's Stormwater Management Program (MS4) Operator is Craig Hendrix, P.E. Portage's Stormwater Cooridinator is Tony Dixon. Tony can be by phone at (219) 762-4204 ext. 3 or by email at tdixon@portage-in.com.

The Stormwater Management Division of the Public Works Department, with the help of the Street Department and the Utility Service Board's Field Division, is responsible for the overall management of the stormwater collection system.

The Street Department installs, cleans and repairs storm sewers; sweeps streets; collects woody material and leaves for composting; constructs waterway maintenance projects; and other associated work.

The Field Division of the Utility Service Board cleans, videos, assesses and maps storm sewers.

The Stormwater Management Division reviews stormwater plans, inspects the installation of public and private stormwater construction projects, coordinates Street Department and Field Division activities, and manages stormwater regulatory compliance.

In November of 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) began a program that required states to develop regulatory programs to address pollution issues associated with storm water. In August of 2003, 327 IAC 15-13 (Rule 13) became effective and established requirements for designated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) entities to develop local Stormwater Quality Management Plans (SWQMP). The SWQMP developed by and MS4 is required to address six minimum control measures that include public education and outreach, public involvement, illicit discharge, construction runoff, post-construction runoff and pollution prevention and good housekeeping. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is the state agency responsible for administering Rule 13. See IDEM's Fact Sheet for more details of the rule.

Portage has partnered with the Nortwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) to provide public education, outreach and involvement activities. Visit NIRPC's website to view details of these activities.

Portage developed and passed Ordinance No. 07-13 entitled "Illicit Stormwater Discharge" to protect and enhance the water quality of watercourses and water bodies in a manner consistent with the Federal Clean Water Act. An illicit discharge is any direct or indirect non-stormwater discharge into the stormwater collection system. To report a illicit discharge contact Anthony Dixon or the authorities. Links to this ordinance and Portage's Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Plan are included below.

Ordinance 92-5 entitled "Drainage and Stormwater Management Ordinance" and Portage's Stormwater Technical Guide and Best Management Practices (BMP) Guide were developed to aid designers and developers in meeting the minimum standards for stormwater management. Construction runoff, post-construction runoff and pollution prevention are addressed within these guides. Links to the ordinance and guides are included below.

The Good Housekeeping control measure addresses stormwater discharges associated with municipal operations. This measure requires Portage to evaluate and alter, if necessary, operations internally to ensure a reduction in the pollutants that are generated from municipal operations. Street sweeping, debris pickup, storm drain cleaning, recycling, spill prevention, stormwater pollution prevention plans, etc., are some of the measures Portage utilizes to comply.

Please view the links below to see what else the Stormwater Management Division and the Public Works Department are working on.

News & Notices

Public Meeting on Central Avenue Reconstruction Project
Published: Friday, June 18, 2010
Portage City Council Portage Utility Service Board Mayor Olga Velazquez welcome you to: PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING Central Avenue Reconstruction from County Line Road to Willowcreek Road Portage Adult Education Center June 21, 2010 Dombey Dombey Ro...
Swanson Road - Road Closure
Published: Wednesday, May 26, 2010
City of Portage Department of Public Works 6070 Central Avenue, Portage, Indiana 46368 Telephone (219) 762-4204 Fax (219) 764-5749 Olga G. Velazquez Mayor Craig Hendrix, P.E Director May 26, 2010 TO: Police Department Fire Department Street Departm...

Rain Garden Manual For Homeowners	Explanation of Stormwater Fee	Buffer Zone Ordinance No. 00-29
Illicit Discharge Ordinance No. 07-13	Development in Flood Hazard Areas - Ordinance No. 07-14	Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans and Inspections and Erosion Control
Storm Sewer Atlas updated 1/08	Stormwater Management Board Technical Guide	Stormwater Management Board Best Management Practices Manual