About Surface Water Management
Surface water management protects Shakopee’s lakes, rivers, wetlands, and storm water systems by reducing pollution, preventing flooding, and improving water quality. It includes everything from storm drain maintenance and erosion control to public education and environmental protection efforts.The City of Shakopee’s Engineering and Public Works departments work together to plan, monitor, and maintain surface water infrastructure across the community. While Engineering oversees planning and design, Public Works assists with maintenance and street-level efforts, making surface and storm water a shared responsibility across departments.
What is Storm Water?
Storm water is water from rain or melting snow that flows over streets, parking lots, and lawns. This runoff picks up pollutants like oil, fertilizers, and debris, which can enter our storm drains and end up in nearby rivers and lakes without being treated.Managing this water properly helps prevent:
- Flooding and erosion
- Pollution in local waterways
- Damage to public and private property
What You Can Do to Help
You can help protect Shakopee's water resources:- Don’t dump anything down storm drains.
- Pick up pet waste and dispose of it properly.
- Use fertilizers and pesticides sparingly.
- Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them off.
- Direct downspouts onto lawns or gardens, not driveways.
Report Issues
If you see something suspicious entering a storm drain (like paint, oil, or sewage), report it to the Engineering Department at 952-233-9369 or engineering@ShakopeeMN.gov. Reference the lists below for more contact information depending on the situation:
| Contact Public Works at 952-233-9550 or visit the Public Service Request System to report an issue with the below services. | Contact Engineering at 952-233-9369 to report an issue with the below services. |
| Mowing and spraying drainage ditches | Educating the community about storm water pollution |
| Sweeping streets | Involving the public in pollution prevention efforts |
| Maintaining ditches and retention ponds | Detecting and eliminating illicit discharge |
| Maintaining catch basins | Controlling construction site water runoff |
| Repair and maintenance of storm sewer pipes | Ensuring post-construction storm water management |
| Maintaining storm drains for proper drainage | Preventing pollution via City operations |
| Meeting MS4 Permit Compliance standards |
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program
To protect our water resources, the City has a federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water permit, administered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The Engineering Department is responsible for maintaining the permit, including developing and implementing a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program. The goal of the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program is to reduce the discharge of pollutants from our storm sewer system.
Storm water runoff is water from rain or melting snow that doesn’t soak into the ground. Instead, it flows over surfaces like roads, driveways, and lawns, often picking up pollutants along the way.
Storm sewers collect runoff mostly through a network of pipes, often located beneath streets and parking lots, but occasionally they are located in backyards in surface water retention ponds and ditches.
Surface water storm sewers are completely separate from those that carry wastewater (sanitary sewers) and municipal water (tap water).
Homeowners are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their yard up to the water’s edge. Contact the City for a site survey to identify your property’s markers and visit the easements page for more information.
Community members are encouraged to remove the leaves themselves when able using a rake, broom, or even their (gloved) hands. Please be sure to dispose of yard waste properly.
Find more information about protecting our waters on these websites:
Visit Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Map Service Center and type in your address.
For more information about floodplains and flood insurance, visit FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.