New valleywide stormwater group forms

Northwest Montana News Network

A valleywide interest in stormwater issues drew representatives of local governments, non-profits and businesses to Bigfork on Jan. 13 for the creation of the Flathead Stormwater Resource Group.

The informal group is aimed at sharing resources and ideas about managing stormwater — runoff from rains and snowmelt that collects pollutants that could enter area rivers and lakes if left untreated.

Formation of the group was spurred by conversations between Whitefish senior project engineer Karin Hilding and Bigfork Stormwater Advisory Committee chair Sue Hanson. Hilding said she saw a shared interest across the Flathead in preserving and protecting water resources.

"We all have the same water resources," she said. "We affect each other with what we're doing."

Hilding said she was interested in the Bigfork Stormwater Project, which is on target to have its first phase constructed this year. She told Hanson that when she worked in Washington, a group of engineers got together periodically to share ideas over lunch, and Hanson jumped at the idea.

Representatives from the city of Kalispell said they were also interested in tracking new stormwater management systems to see what works and what doesn't. Those present were especially interested in how different systems behave in colder climates.

With no current guidelines for stormwater management in the state, Hanson said it would also be useful to bring entities together to create guidelines that represent the area. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is working on statewide guidelines, but limited progress has been made, Hanson said.

That may be a ways down the road. For now, the 10 people present agreed to start slow and focus on educating themselves and others about stormwater issues. The consensus was to meet monthly or quarterly for brown bag lunch seminars and gradually form a steering committee.

The group will meet next at the Kalispell Public Works Wastewater Treatment Plant on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at noon for a presentation on pervious paving.