Stormwater Management

Stormwater Management is Our Shared Responsibility

UM-Flint is fortunate to be located adjacent to the Flint River in Downtown Flint in the Flint River Watershed. The community is home to many who recognize the Flint River as one of our community’s great assets and are committed to protecting and improving this resource for all to enjoy. Historically, the post-industrial environmental conditions resulting from extensive industrial activity over the last hundred years pose an ongoing challenge to our community and to watershed management. These historical industrial activities included lumber, carriage & auto manufacturing and repair, energy generation, and others. Although we have faced challenges to protecting and improving water quality in our watershed, many committed, longstanding partnerships have developed and work together to revitalize, restore, and enhance our community’s greatest natural resource, the Flint River.

UM-Flint is one of many committed organizations in Flint and Genesee County working to protect the Flint River. The University’s implementation of the U-M Storm Water Management Program, the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Plan, Contractor & Construction Safety requirements, and the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan are programs that work to protect the Flint River.

Improving the protection and management of stormwater helps ensure that surface water quality is improved and maintained. That means cleaner water for all of our children and us to fish, swim, kayak, canoe, and generally enjoy. We all can work together toward this important vision and protect one of our communities’ greatest shared assets… the Flint River.

What is a Watershed, and how does it work?

A watershed is the area of land where all the water that runs over it or drains off it goes into the same place. The City of Flint is part of the Flint River Watershed and any water that runs off from any portion of the University property or City eventually flows into the Flint River. University of Michigan-Flint is focused on protecting storm drains from all contaminants and preventing the runoff of sediment and pollutants into navigable waters such as the Flint River.

Learn more about the FLINT RIVER WATERSHED and HOW IT WORKS by visiting the Flint River Watershed Coalition.

Facts about the Flint River and its watershed

1,358

Watershed in Square Miles

142

River’s Length in Miles

7

Counties Spanned

(source: Flint River Watershed Coalition)

The Native American name for the Flint River is Pewonigowink, meaning “River of Fire Stone.”

Land Acknowledgement

We want to acknowledge that the land on which the University of Michigan-Flint campus is located is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary homeland of many Indigenous nations, most recently the Anishinabek (including Potawatomi, Chippewa/Ojibwe, and Odawa) tribal nations.

We acknowledge the painful history of genocide, forced relocation, and removal of many from this territory, and we honor and respect the many Indigenous people, including those of the Three Fires Alliance, who are still connected to this land on which we gather.

What is a Land Acknowledgment?
A close-up of white hydrangea flowers in sunlight, with a blurred building and trees in the background.

Get involved!

The FRWC, Genesee County Parks and the C.S. Mott Foundation are leaders and partners in our community, providing vision, education, outreach and leadership in the area of stormwater management and river preservation/protection. Visit their website to learn more about the watershed you live in, the restoration activities planned in the area, and how to get involved in various volunteer opportunities.

Why is stormwater management important?

Stormwater management is important to all communities, including Flint, because it focuses on controlling runoff sources and preventing flooding by collecting stormwater and transporting it off-site while avoiding adverse environmental impacts. By improving our collective efforts in stormwater management, we can prevent downstream flooding, streambank erosion, increased turbidity, habitat destruction, changes in streamflow, sewer overflow, infrastructure damage, and contamination of aquifers, streams, rivers, and our Irreplaceable Great Lakes. Additionally, we can preserve our rivers and lakes for safe and enjoyable recreation.

What is UM-Flint doing to improve water quality?

The State of Michigan issued the University of Michigan a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit authorizing stormwater discharges from its municipal separate storm sewer systems to waters of the State. The primary goal of this permit is to protect the waters of the State during construction, renovation, and maintenance projects on U-M properties. As part of the permit requirements, the U-M developed a Storm Water Management Program Plan to reduce or prevent the discharge of pollutants into stormwater, including at the University of Michigan – Flint.  The SWMPP includes the following measures:

  • Public education and outreach program(s) on stormwater impacts
  • Public involvement and participation
  • Illicit discharge elimination program for the campus
  • Post-construction stormwater management program for new development and redevelopment projects
  • Construction stormwater runoff control
  • Pollution prevention and good housekeeping practices for U-M Operations
  • Total Maximum Daily Loads

Managing the NPDES permit and stormwater discharge requirements

UM-Ann Arbor Environment, Health & Safety manages the NPDES permit and stormwater discharge requirements for the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn campuses. UM-AA EHS works closely with the UM-Flint EHS department on these permit-related issues as they apply to the Flint campus. For questions about the stormwater permit or additional information on procedures and practices to minimize the discharge of pollutants from campus construction efforts, contact UM-Flint EHS at 810-766-6763.

Campus community stormwater education

EHS educates university staff, students, and the public on the importance of stormwater management and how it affects surface water quality and our vital ecosystems as part of our Stormwater Management Plan and in compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

Learn about illicit stormwater discharges

The SEMCOG StormWater Illicit Discharge Training Webinar is a virtual training designed to assist in recognizing and reporting illicit discharges.

An illicit (illegal) discharge is any discharge to a municipal storm sewer system – storm drains, pipes, and ditches – that is not composed entirely of stormwater.

Pollutants can, unfortunately, end up in storm sewer systems in several ways, many of which are easily preventable. Working together, we can ensure that only stormwater/rainwater enters the drains and take precautionary measures to prevent pollutants from entering storm drains.

Stormwater pollution prevention plan & other preventative measures

The UM-Flint campus is covered under the UM-Ann Arbor’s NPDES Permit. As a condition of the coverage, UM-Ann Arbor’s Stormwater Management Program Plan (SWMPP) includes the regional campuses (Dearborn and Flint).

The goal of UM-Flint’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is to improve water quality by maximizing control of significant materials and reducing the discharge of such materials to stormwater from the Facilities and Operations (F&O) complex that might impact surface water quality standards. 

The contents of UM-Flint’s SWPPP are outlined below:

  • Campus Map
  • List of all significant materials that could pollute stormwater
  • An evaluation and written description of the reasonable potential for the contribution of significant materials to run-off
  • Identification of the discharge point(s) through which material may be discharged if released
  • A listing of all significant spills and significant leaks of significant polluting materials
  • A summary of existing stormwater discharge sampling data.
  • SWPPP Maintenance
  • Comprehensive Site Inspection (Quarterly)
  • Housekeeping Procedures
  • Material Handling Procedures and Storage Requirements
  • Spill Prevention and Response
  • Erosion and Sediment Control
  • Employee  Training – SWPPP PowerPoint
  • Significant Materials Expected to be in Stormwater Discharges
  • Structural Controls for Prevention and Treatment

Several University environmental programs administered through UM-Flint EHS provide guidelines for activities that may impact stormwater, surface water, soil, or other environmental conditions. and resources. Some of these programs include the following:

Standard operating procedures, guidelines and other SW BMP resources

Storm Water BMP Resources

Storm Water Annual and Mid-year Reports