HomeMy WebLinkAboutWatershed Stewardship_Marking Our Storm Drains_2011Fall 2011Lexington Conservation Stewards2
Watershed Stewardship: Marking Our Storm DrainsWatershed Stewardship: Marking Our Storm Drains
Lexington’s Watershed Stewardship program
was established 3 years ago as a partnership
between the Lexington Conservation Stewards and
the Town’s Conservation Division and Engineering
Divisions, with the goal of monitoring and tending to
the health of Lexington’s twenty streams. Happily,
the program is well off the ground, with projects to
date including: educational presentations made
to civic groups about Lexington’s watersheds;
three stream survey days conducted, with reports
on fi ndings produced and follow-up cleanups
organized; and assistance in the development
of a professional stream management plan for
Lexington’s Charles River and Shawsheen River
watersheds
While these important projects have involved
teams of volunteers often working unseen out in
the fi eld, our most recent project is very visible
publicly – which is precisely its point. This is our
Storm Drain Marking project, an effort to raise
public awareness about the connection between
storm drains and the health of our local streams.
It turns out that a surprising number of people
do not realize that storm drains lead directly into
streams, with the contents completely untreated.
To help folks understand this link, the Watershed
Stewards have undertaken the task of installing
attractive “Don’t Dump, Drains to Stream” markers
on sidewalk-edge curbs adjacent to storm drains
throughout town (as far as fi nances and volunteer
energy allow). We hope these markers will
effectively inform passersby not to toss things into
the drain and to be careful about everything that
fi nds its way into roads.
In the spring of 2011, we targeted Lexington
Center as the fi rst area to mark. The area covered
runs from the Minuteman Statue to Woburn Street,
roughly east-west, and from just beyond the
Bikeway to Forest Street north-south. This area was
chosen because of the high foot traffi c, which
maximizes visibility. All the water (and other “stuff”
that gets picked up by it) that lands on or drains
into the roadways in this area goes directly into
the Vine Brook, which runs beneath Lexington
center in a pipe and remerges to daylight near
Hayes Lane. After it leaves Lexington, Vine Brook
eventually joins the Shawsheen River, whose water
is used by some downstream communities.
With fl yers posted around Lexington center
calling attention to the coming installation,
volunteers were invited to participate in the
installation on a quiet Sunday morning in May.
Turnout was just right, so we could divide the area
into four teams of two or three each. Armed with
markers, a map of drains to be done, gloves and
glue guns, the teams did a great job applying 68
markers.
Although the markers are guaranteed to last
for 30 years, that doesn’t ensure they will stay
fi rmly affi xed for any period of time. It is a pleasure
to report, though, that all remain soundly in place
six months later. Based on the success of this pilot
effort, we certainly will expand the program to
other appropriate neighborhoods throughout
town. Such neighborhood projects should lend
themselves well to scout, church youth, school
and other interested groups.
Thanks for this successful new educational/
outreach program go to the Watershed Stewards,
to Engineering for their support and for budgeting
money for materials, and to Conservation for
help coordinating the program and for help with
outreach. And a special thanks is due to the
volunteers who applied the glue.
- Stew Kennedy, Steward Director
Watershed Stewards affi x a storm drain marker in Lexington
center to help educate citizens about the connection
between storm drains and streams.