Local Agencies Team With International Organization to Improve Water Quality in Harpeth River

Franklin, TN. The Harpeth River running through Williamson County is in trouble. Many segments of the river are included on Tennessee’s list of impaired waters because of sedimentation problems caused by land disturbing activities such as construction. But the river’s future is looking better with the help of educational events such as Muddy Water Blues, May 10 & 11, presented by the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) and sponsored by the City of Nashville, City of Franklin, Williamson County and the Southeast Chapter of IECA.

Held at the Ag EXPO Park, the event combines classroom training and onsite demonstrations of products and technology used to reduce erosion and improve the quality of stormwater runoff entering Tennessee rivers, streams and wetlands.

“We think education is the problem solver,” said Don Green, Stormwater Coordinator for the City of Franklin. With the rapid growth the city and county are experiencing it is imperative that engineers, land developers and contractors become educated about better site design, ways to reduce run-off and improve the quality of the water leaving their site, said Green.

With the implementation of the EPA’s NPDES Phase II regulations and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Construction General Permit, knowledge of proper erosion and sediment control techniques becomes critical to avoid fines and stay in compliance with state and federal regulations.

TDEC and the University of Tennessee are educating the construction industry with targeted training including the Level 1 Fundamentals workshop. Offered May 10 at Muddy Water Blues, the workshop aims to give attendees a solid working knowledge of erosion and sediment control practices including:
• the erosion process
• the hydraulic cycle
• The NPDES construction stormwater permitting process
• and the Best Management Practices (BMPs) used to reduce erosion and deal with sediment on construction sites.

At Muddy Water Blues industry professionals will also be able to see more than 30 BMPs installed during the field day. IECA instructors will be on hand to explain the proper installation, uses and conditions for each product.

Additional classroom training and case studies on topics such as pervious concrete, rainwater
harvesting and alternative sediment basin design will be presented by regional authorities such as Dr. Heather Brown, Associate Professor at Middle Tennessee State University; Michael Hunt, Manager of Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Metro Water Services, NPDES Program; and Dr. Bruce A. Tschantz, Sc.D., P.E. Professor Emeritus, University of Tennessee Civil & Environmental Engineering Department

“Coupling the field day with technical presentations gives a more complete picture of each BMP,” said Beth Chesson, CPESC, CPSWQ, Senior Project Manager for Civil and Environmental Consultants, Inc. in Nashville. Chesson, President of IECA’s Southeast Chapter, will present a session on post construction BMP selection at the event.

Muddy Water Blues is just one more step in the City of Franklin’s program to educate the industry. But education is not their only role —so is enforcement. “And we have really stepped up,” said Green. Between the city and the county there are new inspectors and more inspections, he said. These measures are all aimed at improving the water quality of the Harpeth River and the stormwater runoff.

For more information about the training available at Muddy Water Blues, please visit the IECA website at www.ieca.org.

For media interested in attending the event or interviewing a presenter(s), please contact Kate Nowak at 970-879-3010 x 15 or email her at kate@ieca.org.

About IECA
The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is the world’s oldest and largest association devoted entirely to helping members solve the problems caused by erosion and its byproduct – sediment. Founded in 1972, IECA is a non-profit organization that serves as the premier global resource for the prevention and control of erosion. For more information about state-of-the-art educational events and materials, please visit our web site at www.ieca.org.

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