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- Click on image to see overview of entire project. -

319 Grant Video - Improving Stormwater on City Property

- Watch our video about this three year project to improve

stormwater at the Grissum Building and Power Plant site. -

When an opportunity became available to fund stormwater improvements to City property, Public Works jumped at the chance. In coordination with Boone County, the Public Works Department applied and received an Environmental Protection Agency grant, through Missouri Department of Natural Resources, to demonstrate the installation of stormwater retrofits on an industrial site.

Public Works Stormwater Utility Engineering staff proposed retrofitting the Grissum and Power Plant properties with stormwater controls to remove pollutants. Currently, stormwater runoff from these sites drains to Bear Creek. Stormwater runoff picks up pollutants (oil, grease, excess nutrients, sediment, metals) and carries it to our creeks and streams where it impacts water quality. Pollutants in our creeks and streams affect all animal life from crawdads to fish to mammals. These pollutants then travel to our rivers where they can affect drinking water and the water we use for recreation. By treating the water closer to its source, we keep our waterways cleaner.

Stormwater retrofits, such as rain gardens and bio-retention cells,  remove pollutants from the “first flush” rainfall and encourage stormwater to infiltrate into the ground instead of running off. When complete, the stormwater retrofits for the Grissum and Power Plant properties will appear to be landscaping areas, but they will serve the very important role of removing pollutants from stormwater.  County and City staff will monitor runoff and pollution reduction from the retrofits to provide information to the engineering and development community.

One of the other highly anticipated pieces of the work to be completed includes turning the existing detention area into an underground detention area that can be covered with pervious asphalt and create more parking spaces!