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Cooperative Extension Service |
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Agricultural
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Ballot Issues
Dale Bumpers College
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Southeast Arkansas Storm Water Project
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White Hall Boy Scout Troop 391 |
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Pine Bluff Boy Scout Troop 569 |
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UAPB Regulatory Science majors |
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STEM Institute Students |
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Have you ever wondered what actually flows down the drain? Storm water carries debris and pollutants such as: fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste. These types of pollutants can be harmful to humans as well as wildlife. What can you do to prevent pollution in storm water run off? Several actions can be taken, however, the University of Arkansas’ Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Agriculture Department focused on a community service project that addresses the storm water runoff issue. This project is intended to encourage the public to not pollute storm water runoff.
During a one day project, thirty-five storm drains were marked around the Pine Bluff Civic Center area as part of a week long day camp of 12 to 16 year old students with the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Institute Program sponsored by the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) also participated in the storm water pollution prevention effort by having incoming freshmen mark a total of forty-two storm drains on their campus. A Pine Bluff Boy Scout Troop #569, who has to date marked fifty-four storm drains, and a White Hall Boy Scout Troop #391, who has completed their project and marked a total of one hundred and forty-three storm drains, also participated as apart of separate environmental Eagle Scout projects. The Boy Scout troops that participated included both youth and adults volunteers. Collectively these groups have marked and GPS two-hundred and seventy-four storm drains to date. These are only a few of the many markers that will be installed around the city of Pine Bluff by citizens. These storm drains have been GPS as a means of incorporating technology with community service and for the purpose of knowing which storm drains have been marked.
A presentation was given by Kenyon Branch with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service to several incoming freshmen UAPB Regulatory Science majors, fifteen STEM Institute students, a Pine Bluff Boy Scout Troop #569, and a White Hall Boy Scout Troop #391. The presentations focused on the importance of marking storm drains. It also focused on the basic difference between storm drains and sewer systems. After the presentation was concluded, the students, boy scouts, and other participants went out and affixed educational curb markers on storm drains.
The students were taught what they, as average citizens, could do to reduce the impact on storm water runoff pollution. One key method that can be used to reduce storm water runoff pollution is not to over fertilize home lawns. Too much fertilizer in storm water runoff eventually leads to local waterways. The fertilizer can cause excess algae growth in the water which in turn depletes the oxygen in the water and causes fish to die.
In conclusion, the participants hope that by marking storm drains, the average citizen will refrain from polluting storm water runoff. It is their goal as citizens to keep storm water runoff as clean and pollution free as possible.
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture |
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