Stormwater Management

The Federal Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Endangered Species Act require the City to manage stormwater runoff to protect water quality in rivers and streams, protect watershed health, and protect groundwater as a drinking water resource.

The City’s stormwater permit requires Lawton to reduce stormwater pollution, and manage other programs that respond to water quality requirements. Environmental Services coordinates the city’s response to the permit.

The objective of this Stormwater Management Plan is to develop a program to reduce the discharge of pollutants within the City of Lawton.  A plan was developed with coordination between the City and community to result in a program for Lawton that not only meets state and federal program requirements but also utilizes current activities, addresses issues that are important to the community, and is economically feasible.

Rainfall waters our lawns and fills our lakes and streams, but it can also carry pollution from paved areas and construction sites. Any pollutant exposed to rainfall is at risk of being washed into storm drains and carried to local waters that we use for drinking water or recreation. Fertilizers, pesticides, sediment and automotive fluids in stormwater runoff can be harmful to human health and our environment.

The City's storm drains deposit this untreated runoff directly into local streams (Wolf Creek, Numu Creek, East Cache Creek, Squaw Creek, Wratton Creek, Mission Creek, Ninemile Creek, Goodyear Creek) and rivers. It is called "non-point source" pollution because it comes from many different sources. It is also difficult to control.

The City of Lawton is required by the Phase II of the NPDES Storm Water Program to obtain/maintain a permit for stormwater discharges from its municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4). A stormwater management program is to be developed and implemented. The intent of the program is to protect water quality by reducing the discharge of pollutants from the MS4 into local streams, rivers and lakes. The Phase II Rule outlines six minimum control measures that the city must implement in its stormwater management program. These six measures, implemented together, are expected to significantly reduce pollutants discharged from the storm sewers system.

The areas are:

1. Public Education and Outreach - Educational materials to inform citizens about the impact of polluted stormwater runoff on water quality.
2. Public Participation/Involvement - Provide opportunity for citizens to participate in the development and implementation of the program.
3.  Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination - Detecting and eliminating illegal discharges to the municipal storm sewer system.
4. Construction Site Runoff Control - Development and implementation of a program to control erosion from construction sites.
5. Post-Construction Runoff Control - Development and implementation of controls to control stormwater discharges from development and re-development areas.
6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping - Prevent or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations.