FAYETTEVILLE — The Washington County Quorum Court approved spending taxpayer dollars to map stormwater features in areas identified by federal regulations Thursday during a short meeting.
At A Glance
Urbanized Areas
The U.S. Census Bureau redefines urbanized areas based on population densities every 10 years. Local counties and cities within the latest urbanized areas are shown below:
Counties:
Washington
Benton
McDonald County, Missouri*
Cities:
Prairie Grove*
Tontitown*
Greenland
Cave Springs*
Elm Springs
Little Flock
Elkins
Bethel Heights
Johnson
Pea Ridge*
Farmington
Lowell
Centerton*
Bella Vista*
Bentonville
Rogers
Springdale
Fayetteville
- indicates cities or county added after the last 2010 Census.
Source: Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission
Web Watch
2010 Northwest Arkansas Urbanized Area
To see a map of the 2010 Northwest Arkansas Urbanized Area, go to nwaonline.com/documents.
Justices of the peace approved a $39,600 payment for Fayetteville-based FTN Associates, an engineering and environmental specialist company, to map features, such as catch basins, gutters, pipes and ditches, in specific areas identified by the Environmental Protection Agency and Census Bureau.
The county is required to use that map to help monitor and prevent pollutant water runoff from construction and industrial sites and also other activities such as failing septic systems, sewer overflows and illegal dumping, said Sophia Stephenson, director of the county’s Environmental Affairs.
“You can’t do anything without a good map. When engineers are drawing up to see where everything comes from, this is the basis to start it all,” Justice of the Peace Jimmy Mardis said earlier this month during the county’s Finance Committee meeting.
The environmental agency requires municipalities and counties to renew federal permits for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, also known as MS4s.
In March 2012, the Census Bureau redefined the three-county “urbanized area” based on population density, according to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission.
The 295,083-person area includes 18 cities, Washington and Benton counties and McDonald County in Missouri. The boundaries of the area do not coincide with city borders, said Jeff Hawkins, regional planning commission director.
The county’s existing municipal system permit expires July 31, 2014, Stephenson said. She said the engineering firm should start mapping the assigned areas in August.
Washington County must map the “urban” areas that are outside city limits, also known as unincorporated areas, including areas outside of Fayetteville, Farmington and Prairie Grove. Then the county must make sure the area is in compliance with federal regulations, she said.
The county must also show before renewing the permit it follows specific environmental practices that include public education and participation, pollution detection, construction and post-construction water runoff control and other pollution prevention activities.
Last decade, cities within the urbanized area identified public education, participation and prevention activities to be carried out collectively, according to a March 2012 letter sent by the regional planning commission to new cities within the growing urbanized area.
“Most of the cities in Northwest Arkansas contract with the (University of Arkansas) Cooperative Extension Service,” Stephenson said. “They have people on staff that do water quality education that includes stormwater. Then they give us a report that we file with all of our stuff.”
The Quorum Court also approved funding ordinances for law enforcement and voting systems during the meeting.