In 2006, Brown County was required to facilitate a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit that was issued by the Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). The purpose of the permit was to reduce storm water pollution from municipal storm water systems that are connected to streams, rivers, and lakes in the State of Wisconsin. The permit is on a five-year cycle, with reporting and specific activites completed annually during the permit period. Brown County's MS4 permit includes county owned land (mostly county highway right-of-way) within the Urbanized Area of Brown County, based on the 2010 Census. The following is a link to a map of the Brown County Urbanized Area. Urbanized Area Map MS4 permits include specific components to facilitate improved water quality. Two components include public education and public involvement. This web page was created to diseminate various components of the permit to the public. The components include:
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Public Education Tip of the Month:
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| Northeast Wisconsin Stormwater Consortium - Vehicle Maintenance Website | ||
| WHAT CAN COUNTY RESIDENTS DO TO HELP? | WHAT CAN MUNICIPALITIES DO TO HELP? |
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Programs
- The Public Education and Outreach & Public Involvement and Participation Programs were developed to increase the public’s awareness of storm water pollution impacts on waters of the state while encouraging changes in public behavior to reduce these impacts in the designated Urbanized Area. The Public Involvement and Participation Program relies on making the public more aware of the storm water regulations as well as actively participating in the creation or changing of the permit activities and requirements.
- Brown County is a member of the Northeast Wisconsin Stormwater Consortium (NEWSC), which has a mission to help facilitiate stormwater programs locally and regionally.
- NEWSC's Annual Report summarizies its activities for the past year, which includes education and outreach in Brown County communities.
- To ensure that the outfalls from county highways are functioning, Brown County has an inspection program to monitor the outfalls.
- The Control of Construction Site Erosion Resulting from Land Disturbing Activites and the Control of Post Construction Storm Water Management (Brown County Code Chapter 40) addresses best management practices to minimize erosion, establishes certain storm water management controls, and allows for enforcement when violations occur.
- The Illicit Discharge and Connection Ordinance & Response Procedure (Brown County Code Chapter 41)requires reporting of spills into ditches and waters of the state along county highways, allows the county to monitor drains that may discharge and contaminate the MS4 system, requires monitoring of connections by the county, and allows for enforcement when violations occur.
Current MS4 Outfall Maps
The following links are to the Brown County MS4 Outfall Maps.
Annual MS4 Report
 | 2023 Annual Report | |||
| 2023 Annual Report Public Meeting Notice - April 12, 2024 | |||
MS4 Maps
- Waters of the State (watershed sub basins)
- Waters of the State (ASNRI, PRF, PNW)
- Waters of the State (unnamed tributaries)
- Storm Water Drainage Basin Boundary
- Threatened and Endangered Resources
- MS4 Outfalls Discharging to Waters of the State (all outfalls)
- MS4 Outfalls Discharging to Waters of the State (small outfall ID #)
- MS4 Outfalls Discharging to Waters of the State (large outfall ID #)
- Discharges to MS4 with WPDES Permit
- Brown County Owned or Operated Structural Storm water Facilities
- Brown County Facilities
- Brown County Highways
