Planning, Zoning & Inspections
Kristy Parker, Permitting Staff
122 Highway 95
Rock Spring, GA
706-638-4048

Erosion & Sedimentation Control

The State no longer sends out notices to let you know your certification is about to expire. They will notify you through email, if you have a valid email address on file with them. If you are unsure, please check with the State Soil & Water Conservation Commission at 706-552-4474.

Stormwater Management

CONTACT US AT: stormwater@walkerga.us or call 706-638-4048

PLEASE REMEMBER…
ONLY RAIN GOES DOWN OUR STORM DRAINS.

The pollution you prevent today will protect your drinking water supply tomorrow.

Did you know… the State of Georgia and the Federal Government require cities and counties of certain sizes throughout the state of Georgia and the country to maintain a comprehensive Stormwater Management Program?

Our stormwater management program is an education and enforcement program. The stormwater program does not have equipment to come out to property to fix problem areas. Any concerns that would involve the need for county equipment, for example stopped up driveway tile or road tile, clean out of county ditches, clean out of storm drains, etc. should be directed to the Walker County Public Works Department at 706-375-5601 to put in a work order request.

Don’t Forget…

Water is our single most precious natural resource, and it is the responsibility of each citizen to help protect that resource for both today and for the future. Our County’s storm water drainage system is a pathway for every drop of water to find its way in to our natural streams, rivers, and lakes. These resources must be conserved; therefore, we must think about how to protect our storm water system from pollution. We must think about every action that we take that has an affect on our water.
What is Stormwater Runoff?

Stormwater runoff is precipitation that cannot soak into impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops during rainfall events. Because it cannot soak into the ground, it “runs off” the land into neighboring waterways. Stormwater runoff often contains pollutants in quantities that could adversely affect water quality.

Stormwater pollution from point sources and nonpoint sources is a challenging water quality problem. Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. Rainwater runs off streets, lawns, farms, as well as construction and industrial sites. It then picks up fertilizers, dirt, sediment, pesticides, oil and grease, and many other pollutants on the way to streams, rivers, and lakes. Stormwater runoff is the most common cause of water pollution.

What is Stormwater Management?
Stormwater management is the process of changing land use practices in the built landscape in order to maintain the quality, quantity, and rate of runoff as close to the pre­development condition as possible. This includes preventing runoff at the source by minimizing the amount of hard surfaces; providing areas to detain water and slow its progress toward the streams; amending soils in order to absorb more water; constructing filtration areas with vegetation to filter water as it moves across the land; and practicing good housekeeping both day-to-day and on construction sites in order to prevent sediment and other pollutants from washing into streams.
Why is Stormwater Management Important?

In areas that do not have man-made impermeable surfaces, precipitation normally takes a long time to reach a stream. A small amount of water falls on the stream surface, but most of the water reaches the stream only after it has soaked into the ground and moved through the soils. When impermeable surfaces are added to a watershed, the water reaches the stream very quickly and in much larger quantities than the stream is used to handling.

In addition, urban areas (more developed areas) are normally serviced by a system of pipes and catch basins which are designed to get water off the land as quickly as possible and convey it to the stream. This excessive volume of water is more than the channel can handle and erosion of the channel results. When the channel erosion occurs, it causes cloudy (turbid) water that negatively affects the organisms in the stream and the downstream users of the water, in addition to destroying habitat. It is, therefore, important to prevent runoff at the source wherever possible.

Walker County operates a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under provisions of the Georgia General NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit No. GAG610000. The required Notice of Intent filed by the County to operate its MS4 was approved by GA EPD.

Please visit the following sites for more information on Storm Water Management:
THIS IS A “NO! NO!”
Anything allowed to wash down our storm drains leads eventually to our creeks and streams.  The rule to remember is… ONLY RAIN GOES DOWN OUR STORM DRAINS!

Stormwater Tips:

Here are ten simple things every homeowner can do to help reduce the amount of pollutants that are carried into Georgia’s natural waterways.
  1. Never dump anything down a storm drain or drainage ditch.  The storm drain system conveys storm water directly to a creek or stream, without any treatment.
  2. Properly dispose of all trash, rubbish, and garbage.  Trash that is left in your yard, or on the street will eventually end up in the closest creek or stream.
  3. Place your cigarette butts in the proper receptacle. Don’t throw them on the ground.
  4. Recycle used motor oil.  Find out if your local community or gas station will accept used motor oil and take it there.  Whatever you do, never dump motor oil, gasoline, or solvents down a storm drain!
  5. Wash your car in the grass, or take it to a commercial car wash. Your car has oils and greases that wash off and then flow into the storm drains, polluting the nearby water body.  Commercial car washes have special procedures for treating the water that washes off your car.
  6. Clean up after your pet. Place pet waste in a trash receptacle or flush down the toilet.  Pet waste contains harmful bacteria that will wash into our streams and rivers when it rains.
  7. Use fertilizers and pesticides only when needed.  Fertilizers promote algae growth in our waterways.  When using fertilizers, follow application instructions and do not apply if rain is forecasted.
  8. Compost yard & grass clippings. Don’t allow your grass clippings to blow into the street, or curb.
  9. Check your vehicles for leaks and repair them!
  10. Tell a friend or neighbor about how to prevent storm water pollution. Get involved in a local community watershed organization.

The pollution you prevent today will protect your drinking water supply tomorrow.

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