The purpose of the Stormwater Management is to promote public health, safety & welfare by maintaining and improving the quality of receiving waters for the City of Tahlequah.   Our goal for this website is to provide the public with education thru information, and we welcome suggestions and complaints in order to better serve you!    You've been counted! Click the following link to view the Tahlequah Storm Water Management Plan Stormwater Management Plan

Community Events	Email Me with Questions and Suggestions! Ben Berry, Stormwater Manager stormwater@cityoftahlequah.com Phone:(918)456-0651 x258 Physical Location Armory Municipal Center across from Chamber of Commerce on Water Street Mailing Address Ben Berry, Stormwater Manager City of Tahlequah 111 S. Cherokee Ave Tahlequah,  OK  74464 Drainage Rates Click Here.	Please click on the Helpful Links below! FAQ's about the Stormwater Program Local Stormwater Ordinances Green Country Stormwater Alliance Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Oklahoma Unwanted Pesticide Disposal Program  EPA's brochure "A Citizen's Guide to Understanding Stormwater" Info to make your own Rain Garden! Info on Best Management Practices for Raingardens and Rain Harvesting
If you witness or discover illegal dumping or conditions that have an adverse affect on your local creeks or streams, Please contact us immediately @ 456-0651 ext. 258. What Can I do around the House? Make a Raingarden! Even More Tips...
6 Requirements of the Stormwater Program

1. Public Education and Outreach Program : A program designed to address the need of educating the public and reaching out to those most affected by poor Stormwater quality.

2. Public Participation and Involvement: Assists in the development of programs designed specifically for volunteer groups.

3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination: Locate and eliminate any discharges which negatively impact the streams, creeks, and bodies of water in Tahlequah .

4. Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control: We require permits for development and construction which ARE enforced. This helps ensure that sediment and erosion controls specified are in place during the construction process. A list of Best Management Practices will be provided in order to help keep compliance issues to a minimum.

5. Post-Construction Management in New Development and Redevelopment: Ensures that the specified permanent controls are in place after the construction process is finished. This area of emphasis also includes a program that will be implemented and enforced in order to address runoff from new development and redevelopment projects.

6. Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping: The eventual reduction and prevention of polluted runoff from municipal operations, conveyances and properties owned or maintained by the City.

In years past, most communities across the nation “managed” stormwater by directing the water through a system of pipes and ditches that eventually emptied into local tributaries.  Little regard was given to the environmental consequences of this system. Today, scientific understanding has lead to the recognition that stormwater is one of the largest contributors to water pollution worldwide.   

Like many other small cities across the nation, the City of Tahlequah is now required to have a permit to discharge stormwater outside of the City limits.  In order to attain a permit, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) requires that the City develop, implement and enforce a stormwater management program.  This program is designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants from our municipal storm sewer system to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the United States Clean Water Act.