FLOOD03407

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Stormwater Management in the United States - A Study of Intsitutionl Problems, Solutions and Impacts
• Date: 9/1/1980
• Prepared By: Office of Water Research and Technology
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

agency, and also "between" various public agencies. Sometimes, state enabling
legislation may be needed to permit implementation of multiple-purpose projects
when more than one public agency is involved.

In a metropolitan area where inflow and infiltration into sanitary sewers are
significant and wastewater is collected from many political jurisdictions for cen-
tral treatment, a coordinated and cooperative approach by all jurisdictions involved
is needed. Such approaches can be effective in controlling treatment costs, prevent-
ing treatment plant by-passing, and reducing pollution and flooding impacts from
overflows produced by sewer system surcharging. This is especially important in
metropolitan areas having combined sewers.

Regional Stormwater Management

Many people believe that a "regional" form of stormwater management is needed
partly because watersheds typically reach into several political jurisdictions. A
regional approach would encourage planning of entire watersheds and adoption of uni-
form design criteria and policies throughout several watersheds. Operation and
maintenance of drainage and flood control systems would be better coordinated. Form-
ation of such regional management agencies could be accomplished by extension and
assimilation of several local drainage districts, where such exist, or by extension
of the powers and activities of sanitary districts.

Regional management agencies having watershed boundaries as the outer geograph-
ical limits of their jurisdictional areas would have potential for optimum effec-
tiveness and efficiency. The principal problems impeding the formation of such
agencies appears to be rooted in politics and the threats that umbrella-type agen-
cies present to the autonomy and self-rule of local governments. Also, the organ-
ization of special districts for stormwater management is often met with opposition
by persons who feel that government presently has too many layers. "Timeliness"
is important in proposing the formation of special districts. A proposal made
following a flood disaster would certainly have much higher potential for adoption
than one presented following several years of unusually dry weather.

As an alternative to organizing a district with broad powers, some people feel
that regional "inspection" agencies would be helpful. This would make it feasible,
financially, to hire qualified hydrologists and engineers to review drainage plans
and inspect and recommend improvements to stormwater drainage facilities in entire
watersheds. The costs could be shared by all the jurisdictions involved, according
to use; and political interference could be minimized. Providing inspection and
enforcing regulations during and after land development activities is a major prob-
lem to most local governments because they generally do not employ sufficient num-
bers of qualified engineers and technicians. This is particularly a problem in
places having an erosion and sediment control ordinance requiring inspection and
control of grading and excavation at new land developments.

Policy

"Policy" adoption should precede the adoption of ordinances and the development
and promulgation of criteria and administrative regulations. This sequence of
events is idealistic and rarely achieved. However, urban societies are not expected
,to operate in the optimum manner. Constraints and other urban priorities, particu-
larly since World War II, have often disrupted logical procedures and the orderly
development of programs. Delays, failures and unwise use of funds in stormwater
programs are attributable to proceeding with implementation without first adopting

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