The city of Norman has released the Storm Water Master Plan which they have been working on since 2005 when they hired PBS&G to do research on how to improve water quality problems to prevent water erosion. The Storm Water Master Plan recommended that the City enact regulations that would provide buffers around the streams and Lake Thunderbird Watersheds as part of the overall effort to improve water quality.Most of Norman’s drinking water is collected from Thunderbird Lake. The contamination in this lake has been linked with the city’s water sheds as well as the general runoff from the Lake’s surrounding area. Therefore, the city has created a new ordinance which will reduce contamination from construction site around these areas.
As of June 28th 2011, the city amended and passed a new ordinance to protect land around the lake as well as officially adopted the Storm Water Master Plan. The ordinance that did pass has been called a “watered down” version of the original and it went into effect of July 28th. The second ordinance dealt with the Water Quality Protection Zone (WQPZ) and would have involved a zoning overlay of Norman. The zoning ordinance did not pass and according to the city of Norman they “have no immediate plan” to discuss it in the future.
Only half of Lake Thunderbird is in Norman’s jurisdiction. With the amount of protests to the new ordinance, it seems that the people of Norman are forgetting the final goal and focusing on the new restrictions and cost instead of the major benefits. This focus on water quality is a new idea but will hopefully create change for the better in other cities as well. “The Norman City Council’s move to protect water quality in Lake Thunderbird will put pressure on Oklahoma City and Moore to enact similar policies. Any new law or resolution draws attention to the unsafe levels of toxins in our drinking water. So the Water Quality Protection Zone (WQPZ) enacted by the Norman City Council is not just a move that reduces the pollution Norman is responsible for — it also is a necessary first step to improving water quality to tolerable levels.” – The OU Daily
The WQPZ is typically a strip of land on a larger parcel that abuts a stream. The new regulations only affect property that have plans to be developed in the future, and are located in the Lake Thunderbird watershed, and contain a stream or designated floodplain. The plan is meant mainly to protect Lake Thunderbird. It does not give the government permission to take away land as rumored, but the new ordinance does force those wanting to develop areas around the lake within the previously described land to ask for permission.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE:
Thunderbird Lake provides 75% of Norman’s drinking water as well as drinking water for Del City and Midwest City.
The Lake has been classified as “impaired” by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. It has been reported that levels of chlorophyll-A are seven times greater than regulation standards. It has further been reported that the elevated amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved solids and sediment put the Lake at risk of developing algal toxins that threaten public health and recreational uses.
The lake is Eutrophic.
---This means, the lake has a high concentration of nutrients, particularly Nitrogen and Phosphorus, which promote excessive growth of algae. High levels of algae also cause taste and odor problems for our drinking water. To add to the problem, when the algae dies and decomposes, it depletes oxygen in the water and can cause fish kills.
A way you can help is to make sure nothing goes down a storm drain other than rain.
---Storm Drains are the drains commonly seen on the side of street everywhere from neighborhoods to busy streets.
A common misconception about the recently passed ordinance is that the government can take your land without compensation. This is completely false.
---Some see the restriction of developing land as a violation of the right to property but in no way is the City of Norman confiscating land. It is more similar to a utility easement, which limits the types of development that can occur on a piece of land.
The City of Norman has a permit from the state which requires the state to reduce pollution in storm water runoff. In addition to requirements that they regulate runoff from construction sites, reduce pollution from City operations and remove illegal connections to the storm sewer. They also must have a program to inform the public (you) about things they can do to reduce storm water pollution.
If you would like any additional information here is the City of Norman's web page for the issue:
http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/content/storm-water-master-plan
