lake whatcom management program
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Lake Whatcom Management Program. Annual Program Review. Today’s Objectives. Demonstrate scope and progress of LWMP work Review problem, causes and solutions Recognize significance of community - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Annual Program Review
Today’s ObjectivesDemonstrate scope and progress
of LWMP work
Review problem, causes and solutions
Recognize significance of community
Affirm the difficult decisions close at hand
A Brief History of Lake Whatcom ManagementA working watershed – the first 150 years
Contemporary timeline – 1992 to 2007
Accomplishments – 2008
First efforts to cooperatively manage watershed
First stormwater retrofit project
Lake Whatcom declared a sensitive water body, Interlocal Agreement for joint management formalizes Lake Whatcom Management Program (LWMP)
Impervious surface limited for new construction
Nutrient control required for large developments
Stormwater retention and treatment required for new construction and renovation
First 5-year Management Plan is adopted
Created Silver Beach Ordinance and Watershed/Stormwater Overlays
The 1990’s
Placed moratorium on land divisions smaller than five
acres
Permanently restricted building on over 1,200 lots in
Sudden Valley
1,400 potential dwelling units eliminated by downzone
Clearing standards adopted for unincorporated areas
Initiated TDR program moving 100 development
Adopted second LWMP 5-Year Management Plan
Banned 2-cycle boat motors
P-fertilizer banned on residential lawns and public
properties
Invested in capital improvements to reduce pollutant
loads
Infiltration required for new construction and
redevel0pment
The 21st Century
ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2008Purchased three watershed properties from
development
Pursued re-conveyance of over 8,000 acres of forest land
Finalized Agate Bay Preserve conservation easement
Implemented City and County Stormwater Plans
Coordinated a watershed build-out analysis and developed a consistent methodology for future analysis
Coordinated household hazardous waste collection resulting in over 11 tons of toxics removed
ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2008Collected and presented monitoring data
Chronicled land-use regulations that improve water quality
Implemented new septic system maintenance regulations
Surveyed illicit discharges
Responded to Total Maximum Daily Load Technical Report
Completed Northridge retrofit and Northshore Drive projectEstablished/extended moratoria on subdivisions and buildingInitiated pilot projects on P-Best Management Practices
Turning Plans into Action
Cable Street Vault Installation Retention Pit Installation in Sudden Valley
Northridge sand filter / detention pond
Turning Plans into Action
North Shore Drive pervious bike lane
Cable Street infiltration swale
City/County Capital Expenditures:$5M over last six years$9M next six years
Cost of Stormwater Infrastructure
Problems
Causes
Solutions
Success
The Problemsphosphorus, algal blooms,
dissolved oxygen, bacteria, metals, petroleum products, dissolved solids
&Silver Beach Creek 09/27/07 storm samples
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
12:00 14:24 16:48 19:12 21:36 0:00 2:24 4:48
rain
(in
) an
d P
, m
g/l
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
leve
l (i
n.
abo
ve r
ef)
TP SRP BLI rain level
amount and timing of runoff
The Causesanimal waste, failing septics,
yard waste, P-fertilizer, detergents, erosion, improper land-disturbance, atmospheric deposition, impervious surfaces, inadequate facilities…
The Solutionsstormwater management plans
LWMP Annual Work Plan
TMDL Implementation Plan• land-use compliance
• targeted land acquisition
• incentive programs
• outreach, outreach, outreach
TMDL: What is it and what does it mean?Department of Ecology determined that Lake Whatcom
suffers from chronically low dissolved oxygen and elevated fecal coliform bacteria.
Total Maximum Daily Load are the amounts of P and FC that the lake can receive and still meet water quality standards.
An implementation plan must be prepared, approved and acted on.
Insufficient action means non-compliance with State permits, fines and exposure to litigation.
What is success?
Removing pollutant sources
AND appropriately converting
storm water conveyance to
infiltration.
A cleaner and more
predictable water
supply
healthy
ecosy
stems
Success isconvincing people that things must
change in order that our expectations for future quality of life can remain the same…
Management Tools 1:Source Reduction
P-Fertilizer use (P) Animal waste (P, FC) Yard waste/compost (P) Cleaning products (P) Failing Septics (P, FC) Stream bank stabilization (P) Shoreline management (P, FC) Exposed soil (P)
Management Tools 2a:Stormwater Management
For the Homeowner and Developer:
•Residential LID options
•Homeowner retrofit programs
•Incentives
•Outreach, outreach, outreach
Management Tools 2b:
North Shore Drive Pervious Bike Lane
Cable Street Bio-infiltration Swale
Stormwater Infrastructure
Management Tools 3People
Governments can build infrastructure and create incentives, but ultimately the effort MUST HAVE COMMUNITY BUY IN
Conduct targeted outreach Empower community champions Provide technical assistance Develop incentives
Executive Management
TeamCity CouncilCounty CouncilWater & Sewer District Commissioners
ICT &Staff Teams
• OSS inspection
• Water Supply
• Waste Water
• Solid Waste
• Lake Whatcom website
• Pledge Program
• Stewardship Incentives
• Sudden Valley education &
outreach
• COB Stormwater Plan
• WC Stormwater Plan
• LID Programs
• Watershed Enforcement
•Permit Review
• Development Tracking
• Transportation Planning
• WC & State Health, WC PW, COB PW, DOE, WWU
• Development Rights Programs
• City Acquisition Program)
• Reconveyance
Utilities and Waste Management
Land Preservation
Stormwater Management
Urbanization & Land Development
Data Mgmt
Community Outreach
Transportation
• Urbanization/Development Team
• Enforcement Team• Data Management Team
• Stormwater Team•Transportation Team
•Education Team
2009 LWMP WORK PLAN1) Prepare TMDL Implementation Plan2) Implement stormwater plans3) Advance programmatic efforts4) Secure funding
New 2010-2014 LWMP 5-yr Management Plan will be developed in 2009. It will reflect early actions of TMDL response plan.
Work Plan Additions 2009Silver Beach Creek Phosphorus Reduction Pilot
ProjectInteragency review of raingarden efficacy Refine Low Impact Development programPursue animal waste management through
Conservation Program on Agricultural Lands (CPAL) and outreach
Refine education and community outreach strategy, techniques and messages
Enhance compliance program for septic system maintenance
2009 HighlightSilver Beach Creek Pilot ProjectShowcase key management tools in the
highest priority urban watershedPromote community acceptance of
stormwater facilities and stewardship messages
Demonstrate rapid, scaleable deployment of stormwater programs
Stimulate public dialog about benefits of stormwater management
Project ComponentsBio-infiltration facility at Lahti DriveRetention pond retrofitSilver Beach Creek bank stabilizationTargeted homeowner Low Impact Development
(LID) and retrofit optionsCompliance /education program for regulated
phosphorus and bacterial sourcesMonitor water quality improvements in Silver Beach
Creek and Lake Whatcom
The Long ViewTMDL response will renew focus on: Stewardship changes (animal waste, car washing,
composting, LID, incentives…) Existing storm water plans Land-use regulations (e.g., zoning, redevelopment,
retrofits) Engineering standards (private and public
construction) Capital facilities Funding Community champions Cooperation and collaboration Leadership
http://www.lakewhatcom.whatcomcounty.org/index.shtml