• What are the potential causes of flooding?
  • Upstream rivers and streams
  • Bridges/Dams
  • Increased urbanization
• Identify any climate change or flood related models for your regional geography to review
  • Potential increase in precipitation
  • Potential increase in precipitation intensity
  • Potential increase in sea level rise

Case Study

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Financial

• What are the potential causes of polluted stormwater?
  • Impervious surfaces (building roofs, parking lots, roads)
  • Construction activities
  • Industrial activities
  • Municipal sources
  • Agricultural sources
• Identify whether physical assets have been physically or electronically mapped (GIS)
• Identify percentage and type of stormwater systems (CSO vs MS4)
• Identify condition and location of the following
  • Inlets
  • Grey Infrastructure – man-made single purpose systems
  • Green Infrastructure – man-made structures that mimic natural systems
  • Unchannelized ditches and streams
• Identify if there are total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and if stormwater sampling will support meeting regulatory requirements to address them
• Identify the type of stormwater sampling required under permit requirements, eg:
  • Industrial and commercial sites
  • Receiving waters
  • Areas of special biological significance

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Examples of documents to review include:

• Strategic plan
• Asset management plan and capital improvement plan
• Operations and maintenance plan
• Financial plan and staffing/HR plan
• Authorizing legislation/ordinance (what a utility can and cannot do as defined in the state or municipal code establishing the utility)
  • Ordinaces should be written in a way that maximizes stormwater capture and minimizes stormwater impact from private properties

 

Case Study

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• Identify level of compliance with regulatory requirements and if your management practices are currently equitable. Note: you can be in compliance, but be inequitable 
• • Federal
    • Identify any water quality impairments per the relevant states’ Clean Water Act 303(d) list and applicable TMDLs
  • State
    • Stormwater volume control requirements (post-construction of projects)
    • Redevelopment standards
    • Authorizing legislation defining what the financial capacities are e.g.:
      • Ability to collect rates and for what
      • Ability to debt finance and for what
  • Local
    • Master Plans
    • Zoning Laws
    • Local Charter Requirements
    • Permits

Technical

Financial

Stakeholder and community engagement are relevant at every stage of the planning and implementation for your project. The Navigate the Flood Stakeholder Engagement Plan outlines how you can meaningfully engage your community in surveying the existing conditions of your system. The case studies and technical resources linked below provide additional community and stakeholder engagement guidance.

 

Case Study

Technical

• Identify operational and managerial opportunities to work together with neighboring municipalities to address flooding and stormwater challenges
• Recognize that flooding and many stormwater challenges are not localized, they may begin or end outside of your municipal boundaries
  • Work with your neighbors to understand these challenges and collaborate
  • Collaborative approaches to flooding and stormwater challenges may lead to more funding opportunity for your region

Technical