Explanation
The purpose of this legislation is to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) for continuation of the Urban Watershed Delineations Project, for the Division of Sewerage and Drainage.
Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency recognized the importance of allowing cities to take into consideration all of the regulatory challenges of complying with the Clean Water Act, and to prioritize work to achieve water quality goals more efficiently. They issued a policy encouraging cities to integrate the work needed to comply with both stormwater regulations and elimination of sewer overflows, and are strongly promoting the use of green infrastructure to meet these challenges. This approach is referred to as Integrated Planning.
In August 2012, the City asked Ohio EPA for permission to delay some of the WWMP projects to allow time to explore whether there are better alternatives associated with the proposed integrated planning approach. Ohio EPA has granted the City’s request to explore options and the City was to develop an integrated plan by September 15, 2015. The City has completed the Integrated Planning process and has submitted the Integrated Plan and 2015 WWMP Update Report to Ohio EPA on September 15, 2015 for review and approval.
Core to developing an integrated plan is having a thorough understanding of the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) including, but not limited to: the extents of the system, system components and system connectivity, as well as land cover, land use, and land ownership across the landscape contributing flows to the MS4. However, when evaluating urban watersheds in an environment such as Columbus, understanding the makeup of watersheds is complicated by the fact that subsurface drainage changes the configuration of watersheds from boundaries which originally corresponds to naturally occurring surface drainage to configurations dictated by the extensive network of stormwater pipes and appurtenances.
The Urban Watershed Delineations project will provide the delineation of stormwater runoff catchments within the entire City of Columbus using GIS platform. At this time, FSWCD has completed, to the maximum extent practical, inlet level delineations for the Linden, East Franklin, -Adena Brook, Miller/Kelton and Hilltop areas. In addition the second phase delineations throughout the service area (with the exception of the downtown area) have been completed. This delineation offers a reliable resolution and accuracy to use for planning and prioritization purposes at a small scale.
The City has currently identified priority areas in the Fifth by Northwest area for which catchment delineations have been requested. Several variables including classes of impervious surfaces, canopy cover and slopes will be summarized for each catchment. Additional priority areas and associated needs will be identified by the City in conjunction with Arcadis as the effort continues to develop during the coming years. This project prepares information needed for developing a stormwater model which will be applied to facilitate mitigation of sanitary sewer overflows through Blueprint Columbus.
This is an intergovernmental working agreement between the City of Columbus and Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD). For the 2015-16 working agreement FSWCD combined the stream inventory work into the working agreement that was developed three years ago as well as updated some of the processes to better reflect the direction now taken. This is the fourth year of this project and this agreement and is effective upon execution by the City and terminates on March 31, 2017. For the services described herein, Columbus shall compensate FSWCD in the form of a grant in the amount of $130,000.00. Future contracts will be required to continue this delineation process.
SUPPLIER: Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (31-0847446), Non-Profit Organization
FISCAL IMPACT: $130,000.00 is needed for this project within the Division of Sewerage and Drainage. Expenditures will be reprioritized to cover this expense.
$130,000.00 was encumbered in 2015
$211,000.00 was encumbered in 2014
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District for the Urban Watershed Delineations Project, and to authorize the expenditure of $130,000.00 from the Sewer System Operating Fund. ($130,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, there is a need for the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) for continuation of the Urban Watershed Delineations Project, for the Division of Sewerage and Drainage, and
WHEREAS, recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency recognized the importance of allowing cities to take into consideration all of the regulatory challenges of complying with the Clean Water Act, and to prioritize work to achieve water quality goals more efficiently. They issued a policy encouraging cities to integrate the work needed to comply with both stormwater regulations and elimination of sewer overflows, and are strongly promoting the use of green infrastructure to meet these challenges. This approach is referred to as Integrated Planning, and
WHEREAS, in August 2012, the City asked Ohio EPA for permission to delay some of the WWMP projects to allow time to explore whether there are better alternatives associated with the proposed integrated planning approach. Ohio EPA has granted the City’s request to explore options and the City was to develop an integrated plan by September 15, 2015, and
WHEREAS, the City has completed the Integrated Planning process and has submitted the Integrated Plan and 2015 Updated Report to Ohio EPA on September 15, 2015 for review and approval, and
WHEREAS, core to developing an integrated plan is having a thorough understanding of the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) including, but not limited to: the extents of the system, system components and system connectivity, as well as land cover, land use, and land ownership across the landscape contributing flows to the MS4, and
WHEREAS, this project conducts delineation of stormwater runoff catchments within the entire City of Columbus using GIS platform. A detailed level of delineation has been completed within several selected areas (Linden, East Franklin, Adena Brook, Miller/Kelton and Hilltop areas). The City has currently identified priority areas in the Fifth by Northwest area for which catchment delineations have been requested and is to be performed. This project prepares information needed for developing a stormwater model which will be applied to facilitate mitigation of sanitary sewer overflows through Blueprint Columbus, and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities to enter into this intergovernmental working agreement between the City of Columbus and Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD), to be effective upon execution by the City and terminate on March 31, 2017; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities, be and is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District, 1404 Goodale Boulevard, Suite 100, Columbus, Ohio 43212, for the Urban Watershed Delineations Project, for the Division of Sewerage and Drainage.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $130,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, be and the same hereby is authorized from the Sewer System Operating Fund, Fund 650, Department 60-05, to pay the cost of this contract as follows:
OCA: 605113
Object Level 1: 03
Object Level 03: 3407
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.