HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 02 Stormwater Program Update
SPRINGFIELD
Meeting Date:
Meeting Type:
Department:
Staff Contact:
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Estimated Time:
May 5,2008
Work Session
Public works~
Smith/Gottfrie '_~
X3697; X10 .
30 minutes
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
CITY COUNCIL
ITEM TITLE:
STORMWATER PROGRAM UPDATE
ACTION REQUESTED:
No action is requested; this is for information and discussion only.
ISSUE STATEMENT: The City's stormwater/drainage management activities have been evolving since
1999 to address water quality problems and declining conditions of our open waterways. State and Federal
requirements, as well as Council objectives, have guided these efforts. Over the past nine years, the City has
made significant progress. At the May 5th work session, staff will provide to Council a "State of the Stormwater"
presentation, reflecting the CitY's progress to date, current efforts, and future issues and challenges.
A IT ACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Springfield's "7 Key Outcomes for Stormwater"
. Attachment B - Stormwater Management Plan: Six Minimum Control Measures
Attachment C - Springfield's TMDL Implementation Plan Summary
DISCUSSION: In 1999 and 2000, staff began to inform the Council regarding the conditions of our
stormwater drainage system, the effects of urban activities on water quality and drainage capacity, and the steps
needed to expand and modify our stormwater management activities. Since that time, Springfield's stormwater
management activities have evolved to recognize the functions and benefits the open drainage/stormwater
system provides to the community, and to address water quality and drainage problems. This process has been
guided by State and Federal Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act requirements, as well as the Council's
"7 Key Outcomes for Stormwater." These Key Outcomes, which were endorsed by the Council in 1999, provided
the local framework for the City's first Stormwater Management Plan, 2004. (See Attachment A)
Springfield has taken significant steps, and has made substantial progress toward addressing the challenges.
Springfield's Stormwater Management Plan was accepted by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ),
which issued the City a Stormwater Discharge Permit in 2007. The permit and plan enable the City to lawfully
discharge stormwater to local rivers and streams, and address the City's obligation to reduce stormwater pollution
"to the maximum extent practicable" through implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in six focus
areas. (See Attachment B.) Another milestone recently reached by the City was completion and submittal of an
Implementation Plan to manage specific pollutants under the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program
requirements of the Clean Water Act. This Implementation Plan, currently under review by the DEQ, will provide
a framework for the City's activities to meet mercury, bacteria and temperature reduction goals in our rivers and
streams. (See Attachment C.)
In November of 2007, staff submitted Springfield's first required annual report to DEQ demonstrating progress
under the discharge permit. While the report demonstrates progress, it also reveals that we are somewhat
behind in meeting the full range of targets that must be met within the five-year duration of our discharge permit.
The City's stormwater management program currently lacks sufficient staff to address all of the permit
requirements and to implement required TMDL Implementation Plan activities. These stormwater program
deficiencies will be addressed in the fiscal year 2008-2009 budget process.
The May 5th presentation will highlight the range of efforts that have been undertaken across the City's various
Departments, and how the Council's leadership and guidance have translated into results on the ground. It will
briefly touch on forthcoming program requirements, strategies for regulatory compliance, and identified program
gaps. This presentation is intended to be both informative and thought-provoking, and to serve as recognition and
appreciation of organizations, citizens, businesses, and industries who have stepped up to reduce and minimize
stormwater pollution in Springfield.
Attachment A
Springfield's "7 Key Outcomes for Stormwater"
The Springfield City Council adopted the 7 Key Outcomes (Goals) for Stormwater
in 1999, as a guide to stormwater management in the City. The Key Outcomes
function as guidance for stormwater planning as well as operations and
maintenance procedures, and are included as Goals in the City's adopted
Stormwater Management Plan. The Stormwater Management Plan. policies
provide specific direction, consistent with local goals and State and Federal
requirements, and support implementation of the Metro Plan and Public Facilities
and Services Plan Policies.
The Goals are listed below, along with a summary overview of how each is
implemented.
Goal 1 - Protect citizens and property from flooding
· Maintain surface drainage in the City to reduce the threat of flooding,
through proper maintenance of the City's stormwater drainage system
infrastructure, with practices that are protective of water quality.
GOAL 2 - Ensure compliance with State and Federal requirements to
reduce risks of third party lawsuits or enforcement actions.
· Implement feasible changes to any applicable City practices and programs
to reduce pollutants regulated under the CWA and effectively address
applicable provisions of the ESA.
Goal 3 - Improve surface and subsurface waters for aquatic life and other
beneficial uses
· Monitor and implement practices and programs of improving surface and
groundwater quality to meet State water quality standards, protect
threatened and endangered wildlife, meet State guidelines, and comply
with the State Antidegradation Policy.
· Maintain open waterways in a manner protective of their natural habitat
functions for the benefit of the citizens of Springfield and local wildlife,
including threatened or endangered species, and for future generations.
Goal 4 - Preserve and maintain surface waters, wetlands, and riparian
areas as functional and attractive for people, fish, and wildlife.
· Through the development review process, ensure that development is
protective of significant open waterways, wetlands, and riparian areas.
Implement permitting programs, educational outreach, compliance
. Attachment A, page 1 of 2
Attachment A
inspections and enforcement activities to reduce erosion, sedimentation,
illicit discharges, and other pollution impacts to the City's waterways.
Goal 5 - Citizens, businesses, and industries understand the need to
protect water quality.
.. Develop education, outreach, and technical assistance programs for
keeping pollutants out of the stormwater system. Train stakeholders in
appropriate erosion control and sediment prevention practices, as well as
stormwater management BMPs..
· Seek partnerships with neighborhoods or groups interested in providing
stewardship of local waterways (such as Friends of ["xx"] Creek).
· Develop appropriate building, design, and Municipal Codes to address
water quality issues, including pollution, habitat, and aesthetic issues, to
encourage the development of urban waterways that are positive
amenities in the community.
GOAL 6 - Provide regulatory certainty for the development community
while ensuring that growth is not constrained by lack of planning or
facilities.
· Develop and implement Codes addressing water quality and natural
resource management, consistent with State and Federal requirements, to
provide clear and objective standards for development.
· Develop, within fiscal constraints, adequate stormwater infrastructure, and
maintain a Stormwater Facilities Master Plan that identifies public and
private infrastructure needed to facilitate planned growth patterns.
Goal 7 - Urban drainageways become community amenities
· Conduct education and outreach activities to increase understanding of
the importance of maintaining safe and clean drainageways, and seek
volunteers willing to be caretakers for water features near them.
· Through the Development Code and Engineering Design Standards and
Procedures Manual, protect open waterways and encourage site planning
that enhances the attractiveness and natural functions of the water
features. Maintain urban drainageways in a manner that provides for safe
and attractive conditions within the limits of fiscal constraints.
Attachment A, page 2 of 2
Attachment B
City of Springfield's Stormwater Management Plan
Six Minimum Measures
The Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) program requires cities such as Springfield that own and
operate municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) to obtain an NPDES
permit for stormwater discharges. One component of this permit is a requirement
to develop and implement a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP).
In 2003, Springfield developed its SWMP, which described local receiving
waters, the City's stormwater drainage system, and a summary of the City's
stormwater management strategies for reducing pollutants discharged from the
system. The SWMP was subsequently adopted by the Council in 2004.
The Plan addresses six required Minimum Control Measures. For each Minimum
Control Measure, the development and implementation of stormwater Best
Management Practices (BMPs) are required. In addition, measurable goals for
each of the BMPs must be established, responsible parties for implem81ting the
BMPs must be identified, and a discussion of the rationale for how and why the
specific BMPs are selected must be provided.
The 6 Minimum Measures included in the City's SWMP are outlined below:
. Citizen Involvement - Involving the public in the process of the SWMP
development, as well as subsequent updates, revisions, and amendments
of the SWMP and other stormwater-quality related planning efforts.
. Public Education and Outreach - Ensuring that stormwater education
for businesses, industries, and citizens is a primary emphasis of the plan.
. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination- Identifying and eliminating
sources of dumped, spilled, or illegally discharged pollutants, including
inspections, incident tracking, and compliance/enforcement eforts.
. Construction Site Erosion Control- Ensuring that erosion at
construction sites is minimized through permitting, inspections, and
compliance efforts.
. Post-Construction Stormwater Management- Ensuring that
development provides for long-term stormwater runoff treatment, through
effective municipal and development codes and plan review.
. Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations - Reviewing and
adapting standard maintenance procedures to ensure that the City's
normal maintenance practices, such as eqLipment operation and
maintenance, or landscape/waterway management do not contribute
pollutants to the stormwater system.
Springfield has subsequently developed and submitted an Annual Report to the
Oregon DEQ (April 2008); this report is presently underreview by the DEQ, and
will allow revisions of the SWMP to enhance and streamline its implementation.
Attachment B, page 1 of 1
Attachment C
Springfield's Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plan
Summary
The City of Springfield's Implementation Plan (IP, or the "Plan") for the Total Maximum
Daily Load (TMDL) program describes strategies the City will implement to reduce
temperature, bacteria, and mercury pollution in the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers.
The IP is required to comply with the Willamette Basin TMDL order and help meet
pollutant load allocations for the Upper Willamette sub-basin as approved by the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in September 2006.
The Plan compliments Springfield's existing Stormwater Management Plan, and
supports City programs addressing the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Safe
Drinking Water Act, and Springfield's endorsed "Key Outcomes for Stormwater." It
describes each of the three major pollutants addressed in theWillamette Basin TMDL
(Temperature, Bacteria, and Mercury), their sources in Springfield, and explains the
region's water resources and important issues related to water quality.
The goal of the Plan is to identify and prioritize measures that the City will take to
minimize, to the extent practicable, temperature, bacteria, and mercury contributions to
surface waters within the jurisdictional control of the City. It does not propose
ordinances, or establish or limit land use, but focuses on education, inspection,
municipal operations, and partnerships to reduce specific sources of contamination
within the City's jurisdiction, and improve water quality.
TMDL Requirements
The Clean Water Act of 1977 "authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to 'restore and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of all
waters of the nation'" (DEQ, 2004). In response to the Clean Water Act, the EPA
designated state agencies to develop water quality standards, perform water quality
monitoring and/or conduct assessments to understand current conditions, determine
sources of pollution, and develop and establish metrics for pollutant loading (the
TMDLs) as a tool to improve water quality.
Both the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers fail to consistently meet State water quality
standards for temperature; the Willamette also fails to meet water quality standards for
bacteria, and through a complex analysis, has been listed as not meeting state
standards for mercury. The Oregon Administrative Rule that addresses TMDLs
requires local governments, agencies to develop TMDL Implementation Plans for listed
waterways within their jurisdiction.
TMDL Parameters
Temperature, bacteria, and mercury are the parameters included in all of the Willamette
Basin TMDLs. Brief summaries of these pollutants, as well as their sources and
impacts, and potential strategies to address each parameter are included in the Plan.
Attachment C, page 1 of 3
Attachment C
Strategies in Springfield's TMDL Implementation Plan are summarized below.
TEMPERATURE - The Plan proposes to both support and refine existing programs and
develop new progra'ms to address gapsinthe City's temperature management. They
include:
Inventory Existing and Potential Shade & Enhancement Areas
· Develop priority project list for shading.
· Work to develop public/private partnerships for demonstration projects.
· Evaluate tree planting requirements for new development
· Review City tree-planting program for streetscape shading opportunities
Riparian Protection
· Review Development Code and subsequent enhancement for riparian setbacks,
buffers, and riparian vegetation management requirements, as appropriate.
· Work with Army Corp of Engineers to continue Mill Race Restoration and
Temperature Mitigation project.
· Continue outreach and education to groups, citizens, businesses, and industry.
· Pursue additional or alternative funding sources for shade development projects,
as well as project prioritization and phasing to initiate these shading projects.
Industrial Discharges
· Work with warm water point source dischargers and the DEQ to address point
sources through the NPDES permit program.
BACTERIA - Springfield's existing water quality programs include Best Management
Practices (BMPs) to address bacterial contamination; the strategies below build on or
refine existing programs.
Sanitary Sewer Overflows - Work Practices
· Review current standard operating procedures for spill response. Amend or
revise if appropriate to ensure rapid and effective sewer overflow response,
cleanup and reporting.
· Review contractor work provisions to ensure that contractors know and
understand Springfield's requirements for dealing with sanitary spills and are
aware of the required cleanup and reporting regulations.
Animal/Pet Wastes - Program Enhancement
· Coordinate with Willamalane Park arid Recreation District to identify locations for
additional pet waste disposal stations in public areas used by pet owners, and
work cooperatively to assist with station maintenance and new installations as
appropriate.
· Inspect pet "parks" and pet day care sites to ensure proper waste handling.
· Conduct outreach to recreational wildlife feeders to discourage feeding wildfowl
and nutria.
Attachment C, page 2 of 3
Attachment C
· Continue existing pet waste outreach and education; work with citizen groups,
students, and at public events.
Septic Tank, Transient Camping and Private Sanitary Infrastructure Outreach and
Education
· Identify septic systems within the City limits, and assess feasibility or need for
connection to the City's sanitary sewer system.
· Initiate education and outreach to septic owners where options for hookup to the
sanitary sewer system exists.
· Continue investigations into illicit recreational vehicle and commercial business
waste disposal and sewer cross-connects.
· Focus on illegal transient camper enforcement procedures and at sites where
wastes impact open waterways. .Seek enforcement through existing camping
regulations and local codes.
MERCURY - Mercury control efforts focus on supporting and refining existing programs
to minimize stormwater runoff and erosion and exploring a post-construction inspection
program for stormwater BMPs.
Construction Site Erosion Program Review
· Review LDAP (construction site erosion control) program, identify program
needs, and assist with any program adaptation or support.
Post Construction Support
· Continue participation in plan review; expand review by water resources staff into
broader involvement, particularly of smaller projects.
· Initiate development of an ongoing, post-construction BMP inspection program to
ensure ongoing maintenance of water quality BMPs at private sites.
Street Sweeping Review
· Review the existing sweeping program, including equipment, sweeping schedule,
and any needed support efforts for equipment upgrades, schedule revisions or
service level adjustments, within resource limitations, to optimize program
. effectiveness.
Attachment C, page 3 of 3