The City of Federal Way maintains an active Public Education and Public Involvement Program. We use a variety of approaches to inform residents and businesses about stormwater pollution prevention, the Capital Improvement Program, watershed planning and maintenance activities, engaging both citizens and stakeholders alike.
We believe that public education is essential to protecting our water resources. It is our goal to increase water quality compliance by helping people realize their individual and collective responsibilities for protecting our waterways. Public education and participation has also proven to be a useful tool in water quality compliance and enforcement. An informed community can be a great deal more effective at keeping a watchful eye on our waterways than a few members of city staff.
Public Education Materials
The Surface Water Management Division is actively producing and distributing public education materials (i.e. posters, press releases, brochures, booklets and flyers) on a variety of subjects related to improving water quality. To review these educational materials please click on publications.
Public Education Programs:
Natural Yard Care Workshops
Every year the City of Federal Way, in conjunction with King County, offers a series of three natural yard care workshops. These informative workshops provide residents with the information and tools they need to adopt environmentally friendly yard care techniques, such as Smart Watering, Composting/Mulching and Alternatives to Fertilizers and Pesticides. For information on these workshops call 253 835-2752.
Fall 2009 Workshop Flyer
Fish Friendly Car Wash Program
Even biodegradable soaps are toxic to aquatic life and unlike our sanitary sewer system, water that runs into our storm drains flows directly to our lakes, streams and wetlands with little to no treatment. As a proactive measure to educate and assist the public interested in holding charity car wash events, the Fish Friendly Car Wash Program has been implemented. Car Wash Kits may be borrowed from the City for charity events held within the City. The kits are designed to divert wash water to the sanitary sewer system where it belongs. The program also includes disseminating public education materials in the form of flyers and press releases targeted at local charities and special interest groups, as well as local businesses.
Four Reasons Not to Feed the Ducks or Geese Signs
These colorful signs, which were produced in cooperation with King County, are designed to educate residents on the detrimental impacts of feeding ducks and geese. These signs have been placed at several locations around the City including Steel Lake, Panther Lake and Easter Lake.
Good Cleaning Practices for the Auto Industry Poster
SWM staff has developed and is currently distributing a public education poster targeted at the Auto Industry. This program is designed to educate automotive related business owners and employees on environmentally responsible cleaning practices, as well as to reduce the number of illicit discharges to our storm water system.
Good Cleaning Practices for Restaurants Poster
In an effort to educate restaurant owners and employees, as well as to reduce the number of illicit discharges to our storm water system, City staff has developed a full color educational poster outlining Good Cleaning Practices in three languages (Korean, Spanish and English).
Lake Friendly Landscape Brochure
This brochure (link) outlines the common problems with most shoreline landscaping and provides a sample blueprint of a native shoreline landscape, which can reduce or eliminate problems like excess nutrients to the lake, canada geese and the need for bulkheads.
Shoreline Stewardship Booklet
This public education booklet outlines the natural processes and functions of the Puget Sound shoreline and describes environmental friendly techniques on topics like beach access, landscaping and shoreline erosion protection. The booklet was provided to the City courtesy of the Puget Sound Action Team.
Public Involvement Programs
Volunteers have positively impacted our successful stormwater pollution prevention program. If you or your special interest group are interested in volunteering for any of the programs listed below please contact the ESA & NPDES Coordinator at 253 835-2752.
Curb Marker and Gratekeepers Programs
To increase the public awareness of stormwater pollution and their path to waterbodies, the City is implementing a Catch Basin Curb Marker Program. Through this program groups such as Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts help to mark storm drain inlets or catch basins with a colorful plastic curb marker as shown here. In addition, volunteers have donated their time to become "Gratekeepers" - monitoring neighborhood catch basins for illegal discharges - and keeping them clear of trash and debris. (See Flyer for details.)
The Federal Way Stream Team
The Stream Team monitors the water quality of four creeks: Joe’s, Lakota, Redondo and Cold Creek. Data collected by volunteers is used to identify potential water quality problems or illegal discharges. Volunteer positions are currently available on Joe's Creek, Lakota Creek, Redondo Creek, as well as the 16th Ave & 320th St. Pond. So if your interested in volunteering about 1/2 a day a month to help the city to monitor the health of our streams, please e-mail our ESA & NPDES Coordinator or call him at (253) 835-2752.
Rainfall Monitoring
Since 1998, nine area volunteers have submitted rainfall data to Surface Water Management. Daily rain gauge readings are collected, helping to assess rain patterns and identify areas susceptible to flooding or erosion.
Noxious Weed Control
Noxious weeds are non-native plants that have been introduced accidentally or as ornamentals. They spread quickly, displacing desirable plant species and destroying native habitat important for good water quality. Landowners are stewards, and under Washington's Noxious Weed Control law, RCW 17.10, are responsible for their control.
Through the years, the City of Federal Way has partnered with volunteer groups such as the Hylebos Stream Team and Americorps on numerous projects to remove noxious weeds along critical waterways, and has funded the re-planting of native vegetation. These revegetation efforts have enhanced the aquatic habitat of our local streams, thus improving water quality. In addition, City staff has produced public education materials on prevention and control of aquatic weeds such as Eurasian Milfoil and Yellow Flag Iris.
Stream Clean Ups
During these public events a group of volunteers of all ages dedicate a weekend morning to pick up litter and debris along a stream corridor. In addition to improving the natural beauty of the stream, removing litter from the stream helps prevent pollution, flow obstructions and the potential impacts of erosion and flooding.
Cooperative Public Involvement Programs
The Hylebos Stream Team, cooperating in part with the City of Federal Way, works to increase public awareness of the Hylebos watershed and involve volunteers in salmon restoration efforts. Schools, community groups, businesses and citizens have contributed hundreds of hours to restoring the Hylebos Watershed on the following projects:
Public Outreach
Water Quality Monitoring
Habitat Restoration
Macroinvertebrate Surveys
Fish Spawning Surveys
Stream Clean-ups
For more information concerning the Hylebos Stream Team, contact Hillary Kleeb, Hylebos Stream Team Coordinator at (253) 874-2005 e-mail her at streamteam@hylebos.org . For a list of current Hylebos Stream Team volunteer opportunities, click here. (Link to http://www.hylebos.org/get-involved/events)
For more information on Surface Water Management Public Education Programs please e-mail Hollie Shilley, Water Quality Specialist & NPDES Coordinator or call her at (253) 835-2752.