Happy Fish, Sea Monkeys Help Bring Storm Drain Message Home in NW Arkansas

By University of Arkansas

First posted on 05-09-2013

by Mary Hightower

Happy fish, sea monkeys, flowers and local landmarks are all part UpStream Art 2013, the second year of a public art campaign to show that storm drains carry runoff directly into nature and not to wastewater processing.

“Many people are unaware that what flows into the area’s storm drains doesn’t get filtered through the sanitary sewer system,” said Jane Maginot, extension urban stormwater progam associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “After a rain, stormwater picks up everything in its path – litter, automotive fluids, fertilizer, yard clippings, brake dust – and deposits it all directly back to nature.”

“We hope these art pieces will get people thinking twice before dropping a cigarette butt or dumping their used car oil into a storm drain,” she said.

Find this year’s UpStream Art:

Bentonville

• Tiger Blvd and NW “A” St – SE corner of intersection on Tiger Blvd on the Tiger Blvd Trail system – Artist: Napoleon Dezaldivar

Fayetteville

• Dickson Street and West Ave. – Artist: Tina Oppenheimer
• Spring Street and West Ave. – Artist: Jeffi O’Kane
• Spring Street and S. School Ave. – Artist: Kat Eustice
• Spring Street and Locust Ave. –Artist: Lucy Kagen

Rogers

• Aquatic Center – on 26th Street – Artist: Lee Porter
• Sports Park – SE corner of W Hudson Rd and N 22nd Street – Artist: Lee Porter

Springdale

• Springdale Library/Murphy Park – Pleasant Street – Artist: Paige Ray
• Northwest Medical Center on W. Maple – Artist: Rachel Johnson
• Central Junior High – West side of Gutensohn –Artist: Martin Newman
• Har-Ber High School on Jones Rd. – Artists:  Leah Saffian, Erin Anderson

And check out last year’s artwork at:

Bentonville

• NE J St. at J St. and John DeShields Blvd. between Orchards Park and Crystal Bridges entrance.  Artists: Rust Studios

Fayetteville

• Maple Street Crossing – Frisco Trail – Artist: Leah Saffian
• Maple Street Crossing – Frisco Trail 2 – Artist: Leah Saffian
• West and Mountain – Frisco Spur – Artist: Bill Ward

Rogers

• Dixie Café – 4600 West Rozell St. – Artist: Renee Reed
• Kirksey Middle School – 2930 South 1st St – Artist: Renee Reed

Springdale

• George Elementary School – Powell St. – Artist: Martin Newman
• Shiloh Museum – W. Johnson Ave. – Artists: Rust Studios, Randy Rust, Crystal Rust

To learn more about UpStream Art, visit http://nwaupstreamart.wetpaint.com