PB storm drain murals tell story
It’s about painting Pine Bluff’s downtown and adding artistic flair, but there’s more to the recent completion of the 2021 Upstream Art project than just a tickle of imagination.
The goal is to inform and educate Jefferson County residents about the environmental hazards of drain water litter and pollutants, said Kevin Harris, Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service Urban Stormwater agent.
Upstream Art is about turning plain storm drains into colorful and interesting murals in Jefferson County.
This project “has always taken place in the fall,” and this year’s three murals can be seen at 102, 129 and 301 S. Main St., Harris said.
The annual project is often used as a way to engage local artists, and this year’s includes seventh grader Xandria Johnson and 12th grader Laila McClain, both students in the Watson Chapel School District, and Joni Alexander, a Ward 1 Pine Bluff City Council member.
Xandria, who goes by “Xandi,” said she enjoys “doing things in and for the community.”
The youngster is an artist and a STEM student who spent about 40 hours on her mural.
The artists designed works, then were submitted and reviewed by a sub-committee of the approximately 12-member Storm Drain Steering Committee.
“All three artists live in Pine Bluff, so the decision was made to paint storm drains only in Pine Bluff,” Harris said.
Xandria said she “hopes to bring awareness to the problem of pollution in our waterways.”
A COUNTYWIDE EFFORT
The Storm Drain Mural Project is part of a larger effort to educate the public on
water quality protection and assist in the development of permit reporting.
“The critical message, we need to stop littering and pollution now. Every piece of trash thrown on the ground, possibly ends up in the storm drain and eventually makes it to local waterways such as Saracen Lake or the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers,” Harris said.
This especially impacts boaters, bathers and fishermen but it’s about more than water sports.
“We’re striving to give the public a better understanding of the reason for storm drains,” said Stacey McCullough, director for the Community, Professional and Economic Development.
Litter and pollution from roof and road runoff can compromise water quality and in turn, impact wildlife and residents. Clogged drains and drain pipes can also cause flooding.
This should be of particular concern to Pine Bluff and other areas of Jefferson County which are prone to flooding, McCullough said.
Keeping the drains free of leaves helps minimize it, she said.
PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The storm drain mural portion utilizes art to communicate the function and importance of storm drains.
“It is one of many educational activities the Jefferson County Extension office, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, conducts to provide stormwater management education and outreach on behalf of the city of Pine Bluff, [the] city of White Hall and Jefferson County,” McCullough said.
The cities and county are required to provide this education and outreach by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to obtain their national pollution discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s).
The Cooperative Extension Service receives $98,690 annually from the cities and county to conduct this program.
This funds a full-time county extension agent position, Harris’s current position, and other operating costs associated with the program.
“He [Harris] works with a steering committee with representatives from Pine Bluff, White Hall, Jefferson County, and the Delta Rivers Nature Center to identify and implement program priorities,” McCullough said.
In addition to the murals, he speaks at various locations around the area and attends functions where he presents educational materials and engages kids.
Examples include community cleanup events, educational displays at libraries and other locations, training for municipal employees and master gardeners, educational programs at community festivals and events, and activities to teach youth about stormwater and preventing water pollution.
The 2021 Upstream Art project is now complete but Harris hopes additional artists will submit their work and ideas in 2022.