Cape Girardeau County Commission OKs stormwater plan

Cape Girardeau County’s MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) permit was renewed for a five-year period in October and in accord with the renewal, the County Commission greenlighted the proposed Stormwater Management Plan by unanimous vote Thursday.

Chris Koehler of Koehler Engineering, who presented the plan, told commissioners public input is welcomed and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may issue guidance on parts of the proposal.

The plan should become effective, Koehler said, by no later than Feb. 1.

“The plan covers only the ‘urbanized’ portion of the county,” said Koehler, who added the proposal is working off the 2010 Census map, since a newer map will not be available until July.

The current urbanized area of Cape Girardeau County may be viewed by visiting capecounty.us, clicking on “Storm Water Management” and then on “Urbanized Area Map (PDF).”

• Major watersheds identified: Hubble Creek; Goose Creek; Williams Creek and Ramsey Branch — flowing into the Diversion Channel; Cape LaCroix Creek; Juden Creek.
• Endangered species in Missouri, including Cape Girardeau County: fat pocketbook mollusks; pallid sturgeon; interior least tern; peregrine falcon; northern long eared bats; American burying beetles; swamp rabbits; gray bats; Indiana bats.