Arcata Residents Encouraged to ‘Be Ready for the Rain’
Press release from the City of Arcata:
Artist Raphael Leiblum’s Downstream Design
The City of Arcata is committed to improving stormwater runoff that enters our local waterbodies, such as our numerous creeks and Humboldt Bay.
Stormwater is rain that is not absorbed into the ground, but instead runs directly into storm drains. Storm drains are separate from the wastewater treatment system, meaning the runoff is not filtered or treated like it would be through a treatment system, soil or plants. Stormwater runoff directly enters the local waterways. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils and dirt/sediment that can harm our local creeks and Humboldt Bay.
Remember, only rain should go down the storm drain! Here are some stormwater pollution prevention measures residents can take to help protect local water quality:
- Never wash anything into a storm drain: Park cars on a lawn or gravel driveway for washing or take them to a designated car wash. Pour soapy water down a sink drain.
- Maintain vehicles: Inspect and maintain vehicles regularly to prevent or stop leaks. Recycle any used motor oil at a certified collection center such as Franklin’s Auto Service.
- Properly dispose of hazardous waste: Take unwanted, toxic household cleaners, paint thinners and any other hazardous waste to Humboldt Waste Management Authority’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility on West Hawthorne Street in Eureka. Use pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers sparingly and according to label instructions. Never apply them if rain is in the forecast. When possible, use non-toxic alternatives.
- Pick-up pet waste: Properly dispose of all pet waste in a garbage can.
- Control sediment erosion: Prevent dirt and debris from construction sites from entering storm drains by using silt fences and other Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs).
For more information on preventing stormwater pollution, please visit cityofarcata.org/352/Stormwater. The Environmental Services Department is also available to assist with additional questions about stormwater pollution and best management practices. For more information or to report a spill or improper discharge on an Arcata Street, road, storm drain or waterway, please call the Environmental Services Department at (707) 822-8184 or email [email protected]. Community members may also call the North Coast Stormwater Coalition toll free at (707) 2STORM2 to report active pollution and stormwater concerns. For more information, please visit northcoaststormwatercoalition.org.
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So your telling me when it rains that water ends up in a creek,river and then the OCEAN! What a concept! Who is getting paid for this radical thinking? Did it take an arcata think tank to come up with this crazy theory? Crack me up, if we need to post simple common sense ,we in trouble. Oh yeah, we are in deep trouble.
Ohh. You are SO enlightened! You must have never washed your car, changed your oil or been part of something, maybe toxics, washing into a storm drain.
I have the idea you have lived about as long as I, and know that people used to believe ‘into the ‘sewer’ so it’s gone and will stay there’. I certainly remember that.
I thank you city of Arcata for helping protect our environment, and for helping educate people… like the Lone Ranger. (Let’s remember, it wasn’t your name sake but Tonto who was attuned to the environment. Guess that hasn’t changed).
And while I would like credit Arcata for this campaign, these signs have been used for about 2 decades (at least) in numerous cities, at least those near the ocean, and likely those near other bodies of water. Guess the Lone ranger has not been ‘riding’ very far from home….
Has the city done their part by cleaning up their bum camps?
Clean your own doorstep before you clean someone else’s.
Really Arcata? Lol.
You allow encampments with raw sewage, dirty needles, garbage, other pollutants to exist at the MARSH.
Talk about cognitive dissonance.
Just more smoke and mirrors whilst the bureaucracy loots the treasury.
Right! Let’s make a big deal over ecology, Arcata. You fly the ‘Earth First’ flag, top of the pole, but you allow transients to trash the public streets and sidewalks of Arcata. Better change that flag to ‘Transients First’.
Hey! Arcata needs to tell their people that rain makes water and water flows downhill. Because people in Arcata are very very busy with other more important concepts and ideas!! Like…how to put an earth flag on top of the flagpole at the Veterans Memorial and pretend they still respect veterans for one. How to remove that ghastly Mckinley statue and replace it with piles of bums on hard drugs who poop on the sidewalk and pretend they really really care. Arcata people don’t have time to recognize weather or gravity- They are busy “saving the world”!!!
My grandfather on father’s side Army Engineer killed in action, buried in France. I don’t go into Arcata to shop.
With all the struggling families inflation has caused, we’re going to worry about storm water? When is Bidenomics going to kick in? Does ole Joe need another 4 years to get his economic plan started?
Well haven’t you heard? Employment is at an all time high, inflation is at an all time low, the crime rate is down, Illegal immigration is down, We are saving the planet by making gas too expensive to afford , The orange man is bad, Disappearing political dissidents is acceptable, Perpetual war is good , big pharma has our best Interests in mind and biden
is the most Upstanding, uncorrupt popular president in history…
Hopefully none of that toxic paint gets loose goes down that drain and chokes a crab or something!
Pick-up pet waste: Properly dispose of all pet waste in a garbage can.
Nice artwork at least. Love octopus as they are very intelligent and super tasty as well. Do you Arcatans consider dumping your bong water down the storm drain a pollutant? Do the Coho in lower Janes Creek get high as a result? Just asking for a friend.
OMG, you mean all those highly intelligent SoCal transplants who have occupied Arcata, pushing out the long time residents, those socially and environmentally aware students, have to be told that storm drains go into the ocean? What a waste of bureaucratic resources…
Dog pile on Arcata!
Funny though, Farmers Mkt always packed.
Events on the plaza, wall to wall people.
From all over.
These public announcements are simply reminders and yes people need the occasional reminder, no matter where you live.
It looks like folks around here can spot a hippycrit when they see one.
How many April 1 days are there on city hall’s monthly agenda?
Wow. Reading the comments here speaks of the number of blind and propagandized readers frequenting on this site. When I saw ’17 comments’ with such a bland and common (I thought, widely known) bit of information, I knew something must be afoot. RHBB never ceases to be (sometime darkly) fascinating.
Arcata has simple and very complicated ways to prevent environmental pollution. This is a simple one. Or so one might think….