To:  Mayor Vera Katz

CC:  Commissioner Dan Saltzman

 Commissioner Jim Francesconi

 Commissioner Erik Sten

 Commissioner Randy Leonard

From:  Kathi Futornick and Eric Strecker, Co-Chairs, Stormwater Advisory Committee

Subject: Stormwater Advisory Committee Report to Council

Date:  May 11, 2004

The Stormwater Advisory Committee is pleased to submit its report on:

Stormwater Management Recommendations for Transportation-Related Development.

Rights-of-way, including streets and adjacent sidewalks and driveways, comprise approximately 20 percent of Portland’s total land area, but account for just under 50 percent of the impervious surfaces. In the separated areas (non combined sewer areas) of Portland, the majority of rights-of-way’s are directly connected to the storm sewer system so that stormwater is routed directly to underground pipes or conveyance channels that then drain to the City’s streams and rivers. A large majority of the runoff from these areas are not treated by a water quality facility. These rights-of-way have had and continue to have a major effect on stormwater runoff, contributing an estimated 66 percent of the total discharge quantity and 77 percent of pollutants in the stormwater discharges. This means that streets significantly contribute to negative impacts on the City’s waterways from both a water quality and quantity standpoint. Increased stormwater runoff volume and rates contribute to physical impacts to streams, including streambank erosion, stream channelization, degradation of fish habitat, and flooding. Heat from paved surfaces elevates runoff temperature and, in turn, stream temperature. Finally, motor vehicles and other activities generate a variety of harmful pollutants (such as oil, grease, and metals) that are washed from streets and then degrade water quality.

In light of these impacts, the SAC recommends that a very high priority be placed on stormwater management for transportation-related land uses, including existing systems and new/redevelopment projects and believes that a variety of methods must be used to reduce or mitigate the problems. The SAC’s transportation recommendations support the overall SAC goal from its 2002 Report to Council: Reduce and/or mitigate the negative impacts of stormwater runoff (both quality and quantity) from existing impervious areas.

The recommendations in our Stormwater Management Recommendations for Transportation-Related Development have been formulated to benefit stream stability and habitat, water quality, fisheries, surface waters and flood control. They will help protect groundwater as well as surface water resources by including approaches that better mimic the natural hydrologic cycle and improve water quality. Actions taken to implement the recommendations will support multiple City programs and goals, including the Clean River Plan, NPDES Stormwater Program, Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program, Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Program, Endangered Species Act Program, and compliance with existing and future Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) requirements under the Clean Water Act.

The SAC’s 16 individual recommendations fall within the following four categories:

The SAC recognizes that the City is already taking some initial important steps to address transportation-related stormwater issues. The Water Quality Friendly Streets Program and the Sustainable Infrastructure Committee’s work are good examples of existing mechanisms for implementing many of the SAC’s recommendations. PDOT has let us know that it is already beginning to pursue several of the SAC’s recommended actions. The SAC has included these current activities in its recommendations to emphasize their importance and encourage their continuation and/or expansion.

The SAC does not have sufficient information at this time about costs, benefits, City processes, and technical considerations to assign specific priorities to its recommendations. The SAC considers all of the recommendations to have high importance and, to the extent practical, would like to see most of them underway within three years or less of Council’s acceptance of this report.

The SAC requests that BES and PDOT be directed to prepare a joint response report to our report within 9 months that identifies how and when the City will carry or has carried out the recommendations. The response report should include:

➢  tasks and priorities,

➢  timeframes,

➢  funding mechanisms,

➢  roles and responsibilities,

➢  performance measures,

➢  possible barriers to implementation, and

➢  mechanisms and schedules for reporting back to the SAC on progress made.

We are available to work with and provide input to BES and PDOT, both during the preparation of the response report as well as during implementation of the recommendations.

The SAC would also like to emphasize that pilot testing of recommendations should be implemented whenever appropriate to move their implementation forward. Pilot projects would help the City evaluate the feasibility of some recommendations and help determine costs/benefits and priorities and can often be completed in advance of making changes to code or policies that may slow implementation. In addition, pilot projects could provide information and demonstrate the value of new approaches to the public and the City.

Finally, we recognize that intra- and interbureau coordination and cooperation are essential to effectively plan, implement, and fund our recommendations. The joint contributions of PDOT and BES to the SAC’s transportation discussions and development of recommendations have set what we believe is a good precedent for ongoing collaboration amongst appropriate bureaus. The SAC would like to acknowledge the outstanding staff assistance from these bureaus, and thank the other City bureaus for their support and comment.

The SAC looks forward to its continuing work ahead as it addresses the City’s implementation of it recently renewed NPDES Stormwater Permit and Stormwater Management Plan update, 2004 update of the Stormwater Management Manual, Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit and plan, and other stormwater issues that will come forth in the next several year.

Thank you for allowing us to present our report to Council and for support of our work.