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Public awareness and education

A frog in Bark River off M-35 in Menominee County.

Public awareness and education

Outreach materials and resources

MDOT provides outreach materials through its Stormwater Management Program to help the public understand how everyday household and construction activities affect stormwater. These materials are designed for all audiences, including homeowners, children and construction site operators.

For more information or materials, contact MDOT-Stormwater@Michigan.gov.

  • Household hazardous waste

  • Highway Stormwater Runoff Study

Rain gardens

  • Rain Garden, East Lansing

    A green solution to water pollution

    Rain gardens are an attractive green solution to reduce stormwater pollution and improve overall water quality. Stormwater becomes polluted when it runs over pavement and comes into contact with automotive fluids, sediment, trash, pet waste, etc. Ordinarily, this stormwater runoff flows directly to rivers, lakes and streams without treatment. By directing it to a rain garden with native plantings, pollutants can be absorbed by the deep roots instead of going directly to our rivers, lakes and streams.

    Anyone can install a rain garden to help improve water quality and drainage. Homeowners, building owners, cities, and state agencies like MDOT have made the decision to construct rain gardens, whether they are simple depressed planting beds or are engineered with underdrains.

Stormwater control measures

  • Structural post construction SCM

    Structural post construction stormwater control measures (PC-SCM) can be a physical device or a more natural approach to treat the runoff leaving the MDOT system. Both types are designed to trap or filter pollutants from runoff, or reduce runoff velocities and remain in place permanently. Examples include:

    • Hydrodynamic separator: A manufactured device that removes sediment and floatable material from stormwater. Typically used in urban areas.
    • Check dam: A device constructed across ditch lines used to reduce velocity of concentrated flow. Reducing velocity increases infiltration and allows sediment to drop out.
    • Vegetated buffer strips: A method to reduce sheet flow velocities. Also useful to establish permanent vegetative cover and prevent sloughing and loss of seed.
    • Riprap: A permanent cover of rocks and cobblestone used to stabilize stream banks. It is very effective in protecting soil from high velocity flows.
    • Stormwater basin: A constructed depressed area designed to retain, detain, or infiltrate stormwater. The basin can have a permanent pond or dry out between storm events.
    • Rain garden: A planted area used in urban settings where stormwater is directed for plant uptake, storage, and infiltration prior to entering the storm sewer system.

  • Operational SCM

    An operational SCM uses preventative actions that involve operational planning and source controls. Examples include:

    • Employee training: MDOT teaches their employees about stormwater management, potential pollution sources, and SCMs.
    • Identify illicit discharges to storm drains: Field investigations and follow-up visits for suspected problems within the MDOT drainage system are used to pin point sources and implement corrective actions.
    • Clean and maintain storm inlets, catch basins and drain channels: Inlets, catch basins and manholes are periodically inspected and cleaned out using a vacuum truck.
    • Street sweeping: Removes sediment on roads before it enters local waters.