City of Columbus - File #: 2590-2013

• File #: 2590-2013
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Passed
• File created: 10/30/2013
• In control: Public Utilities Committee
• On agenda: 12/2/2013
• Final action: 12/5/2013
• Title: To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for the purposes of providing funding and support for the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) Climate Change Adaptation Project - Phase III, to authorize the expenditure of $35,583.00 from the Sewerage System Operating Fund, and $35,583.00 from the Water Operating Fund, and to declare an emergency. ($71,166.00)

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
12/5/2013	1	CITY CLERK	Attest
12/4/2013	1	MAYOR	Signed
12/2/2013	1	COUNCIL PRESIDENT	Signed
12/2/2013	1	Columbus City Council	Approved	Pass

Explanation

This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) for the purposes of providing funding and continued support for Phase III of the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) Climate Change Adaptation Project for Fiscal Year 2013. MORPC receives funding from various sources including the City of Columbus, State of Ohio, counties and townships to provide legislative representation, training and educational forums, consulting services, and regional networking opportunities.

There is a growing scientific consensus that climate change may have a serious effect on the hydrologic cycle, including both long-term trends of excess precipitation and drought and the frequency and severity of short-term extreme runoff events. The project will be conducted in a manner to produce results that are useful to the City in planning for how it will meet changes in the hydrologic cycle related to climate change. The American Water Works Association, of which the City is a member, adopted a policy statement supporting "the development of more refined global climate models and tools to better understand and address these impacts at a water utility-relevant scale."

Phase II funding was to conclude at the end of July, 2013. Due to the delay in hiring the planning consultant and subsequent push back in USGS’s timeline MORPC expects to fully expend Phase II funding by the end of the year. MORPC hired Brown and Caldwell as the adaptive management plan consultant in May of this year. Since that time they have moved quickly to gather the necessary data to complete the model including calibration and validation. It is currently being reviewed externally. Running of the scenarios would begin by October.

City funding, along with a $142,332.00 grant from the Ohio Water Development Authority will be used for program funding for Phase III. Additional matching funds have been obtained from...