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Wet Weather Pollution of the Great Lakes Region Storm Water, Combined Sewer Overflow and Sanitary Sewer Overflow What's New | Overview | General Resources | Related Resources 
What's New NY strives to reduce sewage overflows Watertown Daily Times (6/22) Up to 53 times a year, six north country municipalities dump diluted sewage that ends up in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. The Department of Environmental Conservation monitors but rarely punishes local governments for the discharges. Sewage estimate: 15 million gallons Ludington Daily News (6/17) An estimated 15 million gallons of raw sewage (about 5 million in actual sewage and 10 million in stormwater) was released into Pere Marquette Lake and eventually Lake Michigan as a result of the washed-out force main at Ludington’s South Madison Street. 685 million gallons of sewer overflow dumped into rivers, Lake Michigan WISN 12 (6/14) The recent round of severe storms forced a lot of sewage to be dumped into local rivers and Lake Michigan.
Overview Wet weather pollution includes stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows. Stormwater runoff is the excess water that flows over land during and after a rainfall, which can cause flooding, erosion and pollution problems. Pollutants like coliform bacteria, heavy metals, nutrients, oil and grease, organic priority pollutants and suspended solids enter rivers and lakes during storms. Combined sewer overflows are structural devices on combined sewer systems that divert untreated sewage mixed with stormwater to tributary rivers or directly into the Great Lakes. Pollution from these sources degrades the water quality of these rivers and lakes. References: Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project Programs in the Great Lakes, U.S. Geological Survey
General Resources Programs in the Great Lakes U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) The USGS leads investigations that characterize storm-related water quantity and quality from selected CSO's, thus allowing the USGS to make better estimates of annual pollutant loads from CSO's to the Great Lakes. Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project The Rouge Project recognizes the importance of addressing wet weather pollution problems in the river and developing a cost-effective watershed wide approach to deal with them. Summary of Great Lakes Beach Closings 1981-1994 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) The Beach Closing Summary presents the findings of 14 years of annual surveys of Great Lakes bathing beaches. SWMM: Storm Water Management Model U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SWMM is a large, complex model capable of simulating the movement of precipitation and pollutants from the ground surface through pipe and channel networks, storage treatment units and finally to receiving waters. Water, Sewer and Stormwater Utility's Guide to Financial and Technical Assistance Programs, Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection This guide lists state and federal agencies and private groups ready to provide financial and technical assistance to support the development and rehabilitation of wastewater, drinking water and stormwater systems. Wet Weather Discharges U.S. Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) The NPDES Support and Technical Assistance Branch provides regulatory and technical assistance to states and the regulated community in fulfilling their commitments under the NPDES program for wet weather discharges due to storm water, combined sewer overflow and sanitary sewer ovewflow.
Related Resources GLIN: Toxic Contamination in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Water Quality in the Great Lakes Region
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