Fairbanks officials are cautioning residents against blocking storm drains with snow, highlighting potential spring flooding and pollution of the Chena River. They advise proper snow disposal methods, including shoveling into roadways or onto lawns, and emphasize the importance of maintaining clean water entering the river.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Officials in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, as well as the City of Fairbanks, are warning residents about the danger of blocking storm drains with snow as they shovel the area around their homes.
According to Fairbanks Environmental Manager John O’Brien, the consequences of blocking these drains during the winter do not make themselves known until the spring break-up season, when pollutants in the snow make their way into the Chena River. Snow melt can also lead to icing in the spring, which can keep the storm drains blocked, leading to flooding. “We see that in various areas around town where maybe the storm drain system needs to be upgraded or maybe it’s blocked by ice because it’s not designed properly, or it could be blocked with debris and other trash,” O’Brien said. Valerie Webb, FNSB Department of Public Works project manager, said there are several hundred miles of pipe underground throughout the borough, with more than 100 storm drains in the City of Fairbanks itself flowing into the Chena River. There are designated sites for contractors who have permits for dumping snow. For those individuals who are simply clearing their personal driveway within the City of Fairbanks, it is recommended they shovel the snow into the roadway, where city employees can clean it up. Elsewhere throughout the borough, a best practice is to shovel the snow onto your lawn instead of into the street. The city and borough, as well as the City of North Pole, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District and the Tanana Valley Watershed Association, work to make sure rain and snow water entering the Chena River is as free of pollutants as possible. These efforts involve educating the public about conserving stormwater through classroom visits and mailed handouts, making sure construction sites are using best practices and putting on annual clean-up events, where community members can volunteer to pick up trash from around the river. “What it all leads to is compliance with our permit and also a cleaner Chena River, a cleaner Fairbanks and plentiful storm water that’s not impacted by pollutants,” said O’Brien. “Longtime Alaskans would remember that the Chena River used to be a toxic waste site,” Webb said. “Over the last 20 years, with efforts from government entities like the borough and the city, but also with community members, there’s been a tremendous effort to clean up the river.” Among the more common pollutants in the Chena, according to O’Brien, are trash, oil residues from roadways and grass clippings and yard waste discarded into the river by those living alongside it. “If one person does it, probably not a big deal, but when hundreds of people all are doing it, that increases the amount of debris that has to decompose in the Chena River,” he explained, “It could be thousands and thousands of pounds of yard waste and grass clippings on an annual basis.” Yard waste decomposing in the river uses up oxygen, which is then not available for aquatic life, O’Brien said, adding this waste may also contain herbicides and pesticides. The Interior’s designated snow disposal sites are designed to keep pollutants out of the river during breakup season, and employees with the Department of Public Works vacuum out the storm drains in the spring to avoid flooding.Fairbanks moves to address ‘ongoing problem’ at high-risk school crossing‘It’s almost like a family reunion’ - Alaska Black Business Expo celebrates eleven years of showcasing Black entrepreneurs
Storm Drains Snow Removal Flooding Chena River Pollution
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