Watershed Protection Ordinance Stakeholder Meetings Phase 2: Beneficial Use of Stormwater – Potential Policy Approaches

We will be discussing the beneficial use of stormwater and various potential policy approaches with national examples.

Follow-up:
We had a great discussion about possible national models for potential policy choices last Friday. The topic is an important one, and we know that not everyone could make it last round, so we’ve scheduled a follow-up (see below) meeting for continued input. The quick summary is that we reviewed “bad news” (water supply at 37% full and falling, future dry and hot times) and “good news” (tested green infrastructure solutions to better use rainwater and solve multiple problems simultaneously). We examined a Maryland model (emulated by five other states) that requires some degree of infiltration on site (the amount depending on site-specific soil conditions). We noted that of the five rainfall event categories accounted for by Maryland et al., Austin was already addressing four of them (and all five in the Barton Springs Zone). We then looked at EPA requirements for federal project that requires they “mimic pre-development hydrology” (by retaining, storing, infiltrating, etc. rainfall for 95th percentile rainfall events). And, finally, we looked at how Maryland state requires that non-structural practices be considered and used prior to the use of structural controls. (Again, Austin is already requiring some, but not all, of these.)

Here are links to the presentation powerpoints (one slide per page http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/watershed_ordinance/wpo_beneficial_use_of_stormwater_slideshow_4_18_14.pdf and six slides per page http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/watershed_ordinance/wpo_beneficial_use_of_stormwater_handout_04_18_14.pdf) and to the following useful items:

· Maryland Stormwater Design Manual , Volumes I & II http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/StormwaterManagementProgram/MarylandStormwaterDesignManual/Pages/programs/waterprograms/sedimentandstormwater/stormwater_design/index.aspx
· Chesapeake Stormwater Network – May 1 Free Webcast http://chesapeakestormwater.net/events/webcast-advanced-stormwater-design-infiltration/
· EPA Technical Guidance for Federal Projects http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/upload/eisa-438.pdf
· EPA Region 4 expectations for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permits http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/watershed_ordinance/ms4-permit-improvement-letter-epa_0410.pdf