Laguna Creek Watershed Laguna Creek Watershed CouncilCouncil

Development of the Laguna Creek Development of the Laguna Creek Watershed Management Action Watershed Management Action

PlanPlan

&&

It’s Relevance to the Elk Grove It’s Relevance to the Elk Grove

Drainage Master Planning ProcessDrainage Master Planning Process

December 3, 2008December 3, 2008

Laguna Creek Watershed CouncilLaguna Creek Watershed Council MissionMission: To protect and restore the many : To protect and restore the many

benefits Laguna Creek and neighboring benefits Laguna Creek and neighboring waterways provide, including flood attenuation, waterways provide, including flood attenuation, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and open space. We seek to opportunities, and open space. We seek to accomplish this mission by working accomplish this mission by working cooperatively with all stakeholders in the cooperatively with all stakeholders in the watershed.watershed.

HistoryHistory: Founded in 2002, non profit 501(c)3 : Founded in 2002, non profit 501(c)3 status (pending), governed by Board of status (pending), governed by Board of Directors, members include community Directors, members include community residents, ranchers, developers, environmental residents, ranchers, developers, environmental advocates, city/county/state staffers. Open to advocates, city/county/state staffers. Open to anyone.anyone.

Municipal agencies with jurisdiction in Municipal agencies with jurisdiction in the 65-sq mile watershed:the 65-sq mile watershed:

• City of Elk GroveCity of Elk Grove• City of Rancho CordovaCity of Rancho Cordova• Sacramento CountySacramento County• City of Sacramento (small portion)City of Sacramento (small portion)

Watershed Management Action PlanWatershed Management Action Plan Objectives Objectives

Implement the mission of the Watershed Implement the mission of the Watershed Council by addressing vital watershed Council by addressing vital watershed functions and values:functions and values:

Flood ControlFlood Control Water QualityWater Quality HabitatHabitat Ecosystem ProcessesEcosystem Processes RecreationRecreation StewardshipStewardship

Watershed Management Action PlanWatershed Management Action Plan Components Components

Detailed watershed description and assessment Detailed watershed description and assessment findings – findings – historical setting, geography, historical setting, geography, hydrology, water quality, biological resources, hydrology, water quality, biological resources, etc.etc.

Watershed community – Watershed community – the people and their the people and their connection to the resourceconnection to the resource

Regulatory and planning influences and policiesRegulatory and planning influences and policies Recommended actionsRecommended actions Partnerships & fundingPartnerships & funding Measuring performance and successMeasuring performance and success

Chapter 6 – Recommended ActionsChapter 6 – Recommended Actions

40+ actions sorted into 3 main categories:40+ actions sorted into 3 main categories:– Implementation ProjectsImplementation Projects

Examples: Examples: Jack Hill Park Interpretive SignageJack Hill Park Interpretive Signage Arboretum Stream RestorationArboretum Stream Restoration

– Stewardship ProjectsStewardship Projects Bufferland Education ProgramBufferland Education Program

– Policies, Practices, and Planning ActivitiesPolicies, Practices, and Planning Activities Water Use Efficiency Knowledge Transfer Strategy Develop Subwatershed Plans for Key Tributaries Assess existing policies/codes to remove barriers

Why Recommend Policies, Practices, & Why Recommend Policies, Practices, & Plans?Plans?

Encourage restoration of areas that are degradedEncourage restoration of areas that are degraded Require protection of areas to prevent future degradationRequire protection of areas to prevent future degradation Provide additional information/data to fill knowledge gapsProvide additional information/data to fill knowledge gaps Promote watershed-based planning approachesPromote watershed-based planning approaches Remove institutional barriers to new stormwater Remove institutional barriers to new stormwater

management approaches such as low impact developmentmanagement approaches such as low impact development

What is a “Watershed Approach” in the What is a “Watershed Approach” in the Context of Stormwater Management?Context of Stormwater Management?

A A holistic approachholistic approach that considers all the that considers all the contributing factors and impacted features contributing factors and impacted features in a watershed in a watershed (ecological, community, etc.)(ecological, community, etc.)

A recognition that what happens on the land A recognition that what happens on the land far from the water’s edge can affect water far from the water’s edge can affect water quality, habitat, and aquatic and riparian life quality, habitat, and aquatic and riparian life in the stream in the stream

Address the sources of pollution, drainage and maintenance problems; move beyond addressing only the symptoms

What is a “Watershed Approach” in the What is a “Watershed Approach” in the Context of Stormwater Management?Context of Stormwater Management?

Integrate Integrate water quantity and qualitywater quantity and quality controls to reduce volume and pollutant controls to reduce volume and pollutant loading of loading of small stormsmall storm runoff runoff

Use “green infrastructure” and Use “green infrastructure” and mimic the mimic the natural pre-development hydrologic natural pre-development hydrologic conditioncondition whenever possible – whenever possible – consistent consistent with EPA policies and initiativeswith EPA policies and initiatives

Moving From Traditional “Grey” Moving From Traditional “Grey” To “Green” To “Green”

Grey InfrastructureGrey Infrastructure Green InfrastructureGreen InfrastructureUses pipes and engineered Uses pipes and engineered channels to move stormwater channels to move stormwater off site quicklyoff site quickly

Controls stormwater (quantity Controls stormwater (quantity and quality) at the source as and quality) at the source as much as possiblemuch as possible

Accommodates impervious Accommodates impervious surface by increasing surface by increasing downstream stormwater downstream stormwater conveyance capacityconveyance capacity

Reduces impervious surfaces Reduces impervious surfaces and preserves natural and preserves natural infiltration capacity; promotes infiltration capacity; promotes rechargerecharge

Relies on modified stream Relies on modified stream channels and detention basins channels and detention basins to handle flood flowsto handle flood flows

Preserves floodplain, wetland Preserves floodplain, wetland areas, & other natural areas areas, & other natural areas for flood storage and habitat for flood storage and habitat protectionprotection

Single purpose flood control Single purpose flood control channelschannels

Protects and promotes multi-Protects and promotes multi-purpose stream corridorspurpose stream corridors

Less FlexibleLess Flexible More FlexibleMore Flexible

References for Further ReadingReferences for Further Reading

DeKalb County, IL Stormwater Management DeKalb County, IL Stormwater Management Plan (2006)Plan (2006) http://www.dekalbcounty.org/Planning/StormPlanhttp://www.dekalbcounty.org/Planning/StormPlan0906.pdf0906.pdf

EPA’s Green Infrastructure Web Site and EPA’s Green Infrastructure Web Site and Statement of Intent (April 2007)Statement of Intent (April 2007)

http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/gi_intentstatementhttp://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/gi_intentstatement.pdf.pdf

National Academy of Sciences Report: National Academy of Sciences Report: Urban Urban Stormwater Management in the U.S.Stormwater Management in the U.S. (Fall (Fall 2008)2008)

http://http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/nrc_stormwaterreport.www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/nrc_stormwaterreport.pdfpdf

Check out the Check out the DraftDraft Laguna Creek Laguna CreekWatershed Management Action PlanWatershed Management Action Plan

www.lagunacreek.orgwww.lagunacreek.org