Description
The City of Chattanooga Stormwater Management Division’s Public Education and Outreach Program is dedicated to fostering a community-wide understanding of stormwater and its direct impact on local waterways, ecosystems, and public health. Through targeted engagement with residents, the engineering and development community, and City employees, we aim to build awareness, encourage stewardship, and promote informed decision-making at every level. By equipping our community with the knowledge and tools to recognize and prevent harmful practices, we strive to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff and protect water quality. We believe that a well-informed and engaged community can drive meaningful, lasting change—resulting in healthier waterways, more resilient ecosystems, and a stronger Chattanooga for generations to come.
Objectives
The City of Chattanooga Stormwater Management Division’s Public Education and Outreach Program is designed to support compliance with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) MS4 NPDES permit by meeting the applicable Minimum Control Measure requirements in a proactive, documented, and community-focused way. Our objective is to educate key audiences, promote public participation, and encourage behaviors that protect stormwater quality and local waterways. We accomplish this through a broad range of efforts, including:
● community events and tabling opportunities,
● school and community center education programs,
● social media and news outreach,
● interpretive signage and public-facing educational materials,
● volunteer cleanup events and stewardship activities,
● homeowner landscaping and rain barrel initiatives, and
● professional presentations, conferences, and staff education.
Together, these strategies help ensure permit compliance while also building a more informed, engaged, and environmentally responsible Chattanooga community.
This stream section restoration will enhance and protect riparian habitat, improve water quality and aid hydrologic control. The project will also serve as mitigation for a 500 foot segment of the 5100 Block of Mountain Creek Road to the north of the subject site.
We All Live in A Watershed
What is a watershed?
A watershed is an area of land where all rainwater flows to the same place, such as a creek, stream, river, or lake. When it rains, water runs off rooftops, roads, yards, and hillsides and travels downhill into nearby storm drains and waterways. Everything that happens on the land in a watershed can affect the water, including litter, chemicals, soil, and other pollution. In simple terms, a watershed is like a big bowl that collects water, and everyone who lives in that area plays a part in keeping it clean and healthy.
Get To Know Your Watershed
The City of Chattanooga consists of 8 unique watersheds:
- Citico Creek
- N. Chickamauga Creek
- S. Chickamauga Creek
- Mountain Creek
- Lookout Creek
- Chattanooga Creek
- Wolftever Creek
- Tennessee River
The Combined Sewer Area of Downtown Chattanooga is considered a drainage area rather than a watershed.
See photos from recent clean-up efforts on Citico Creek
Check the map below for detailed information about each watershed:
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