Stormwater Management
The stormwater management group is composed of engineers and technicians with El Paso County Department of Transportation Engineering Division. In addition to water quality programs, this group also administers the Drainage Basin Programs including new Master Plans for Drainage and revisions to existing Drainage Master Plans in El Paso County, Drainage Capital Improvement projects are also contracted as funding becomes available.
We also coordinate with the development community regarding design and construction of public drainage systems, and process requests for reimbursements or credit for construction of public drainage facilities. Drainage fees paid by development are escrowed into specific basin fund accounts. Reimbursements for construction of public facilities are available based upon available balance of funds in the basin accounts, and the priority established within the basin.
Executive Summary
El Paso County Stormwater Information Management System
El Paso County has been and will continue to experience rapid growth. As a result of this growth, County residents within and downstream of newly developing areas have experienced serious drainage problems. To facilitate growth that is planned to adequately accommodate drainage flows and protect property, the County is proposing to increase the efficiency of the drainage basin planning study (DBPS) process. DBPS’s are an important part of County infrastructure planning and management because they provide the most cost- efficient drainage improvements for existing and new development.
The cost of drainage projects required to accommodate the increased drainage from new development is currently passed on to developers by charging a drainage basin fee. The fees are deposited into an escrow account for each basin. Public drainage facilities identified as reimbursable through the drainage basin planning studies constructed by a developer may be reimbursed 100% to the developer through these basin funds. (See City of Colorado Springs/El Paso County Drainage Criteria Manual.)The drainage basin fees are estimated based on best available information or restudies, and are typically too low for the County to recoup a significant portion of the costs for the improvements. A primary purpose of this new process is to accelerate the production of DBPS’s to result in increased accuracy for determining fees in restudied basins and for new Drainage Basin Planning Studies. This will allow the County to recoup a larger percentage of the costs from developers than under the current method.
DBPS’s have traditionally cost in the range of $100,000 or more per drainage basin and require approximately two years to complete. In order to decrease the cost and time to complete the DBPS’s, this project has developed an accelerated and less expensive manner in which to complete the studies. The time required to complete a study is often driven by the public involvement stakeholder process, and review and approval through Federal, State, and other Local agencies. However by utilizing the hydrologic and hydraulic modeling programs recently produced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, county data available within the County’s GIS databases may be made directly available and quickly processed by this new modeling methodology, thereby reducing the time to produce the engineering, and overall project timeline.
The current method of completing DBPS’s is expensive and time consuming because of older methodology in producing aerial photography, and the general lack of topographic mapping throughout the County. The production of the two-foot contour mapping requires customized aerial photography and processing of the data. Two foot contour mapping is required to generate 100-year flood plains, which have been produced as part of the existing studies.
The new study process allows a wider range of data processing and sources for the topographic mapping including existing aerial photography and contour mapping from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other sources readily available to the County at no cost. The USGS product does not include the detail necessary to produce acceptably accurate 100-year floodplain maps. “Lidar” point data owned by the County is available throughout the County Basins for processing digital mapping and terrain models for use with these studies, which is more than adequate for production of topography meeting the standards.
In addition to the current scope for DBPS’s and accurate 10-year and 100-year discharge information, the new studies will include the following:
- Preliminary improvements and costs on major channels including:
- The new Prudent Line channel alternative
- Conventional channels
- Roadway crossings
- Regional detention pond sizes
- Drop structures
- Other necessary major drainage improvements
- Water Quality requirements and best management practices including water quality capture volume with detention when determined as required as per the City/County Drainage Criteria Manual Volume 2.
The information provided will allow the County and land owners to plan for major drainage improvement locations and costs (minor storm sewer systems are not included). The costs will be used to calculate more accurate drainage basin fees. The advantage to the County and land developers will ultimately be increased efficiency at protecting private and public property by providing the following in the new DBPS’s:
- Identification of future public drainage improvements and where they are located which will promote better coordination, and therefore cost savings, with the construction of roads and other infrastructure
- The cost of the improvements
- Increased accuracy in drainage basin fee estimations to reimburse developers for the required improvements
The remainder of this guidance document is a roadmap for producing the new DBPS’s. It is recommended that the County use this methodology on multiple drainage basins to realize the greatest cost savings. A funding program for Drainage Basin Planning Studies and for Small Area Comprehensive Planning has been developed through development fees. These fees will become available for contracting of drainage basin planning studies by El Paso County. The guidance will also require periodic revisions to reflect lessons learned and new software.
Success of this process is completely dependent upon:
- Availability of funds for contracting restudies and new studies
- Availability and ease of obtaining digital GIS data
- Requirement for development data/As-Builts to be provided in a format susceptible for inclusion into the County GIS database
Stormwater Quality
Stormwater is water from rain and snowmelt. Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, soil, and other pollutants, which will flow with it into a storm sewer system or directly into streams, lakes, or wetlands. It flows into water used for recreation and drinking.
THIS WATER IS NOT TREATED BEFORE IT ENTERS STREAMS AND LAKES, SO STORMWATER CAN BE A SOURCE OF WATER POLLUTION.
Storm water collection systems, such as curb inlets, pipes, and culverts, are not part of the sanitary sewer system which is eventually treated, but are separate systems that discharge back into the natural environment.
In addition to pollution problems, excess soil in the storm drainage system can plug pipes or channels and reduce their capacity. Cleaning these structures costs the County money.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits
For half a century, awareness and knowledge of the environmental impact of human activity has been increasing. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Nationwide Urban Runoff Program (NURP) tested runoff and identified sources of contaminants in water in cities across the country. NURP data documented that significant amounts of petroleum products and metals from roads and parking lots and pesticides and fertilizers from lawns and sediment from construction were among urban-source contaminants winding up in streams and lakes.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, known as the Clean Water Act (CWA), were passed by Congress. Part of the CWA is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) which is a permit system regulating the quality of water that can be discharged in to rivers, lakes and wetlands. The first dischargers that were required to obtain NPDES permits were wastewater treatment plants and some industries. Other categories have been added to the list of dischargers requiring NPDES permits.
El Paso County, as well as Colorado Springs, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Monument, and several school districts and colleges in El Paso County, now have National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for their stormwater discharge. These permits require that the governments and schools work to protect the quality of the stormwater and other runoff that gets into the storm drains or flows directly into water bodies in their areas.
Stormwater Pollution Solutions
Stormwater pollution is the result of many people, each causing just a little pollution. But It Adds Up!!!
Things everyone can do:
- Dispose of trash and household chemicals carefully.
- Use just enough fertilizers and pesticides to do the job, but not more than needed. Follow the instructions carefully.
- Household chemicals and paints that are not longer needed can taken to the El Paso County Solid Waste Management Permanent Household Chemical Waste Collection Facility. Call 520-7878 to make an appointment. See Solid Waste Department
for more information.
- Keep your vehicles in good repair to prevent leaks of oil and antifreeze onto roads, parking lots, and driveways.
- Used motor oil can be taken to El Paso County Fleet Management Department at 3460 Marksheffel Rd. An appointment is not needed to drop off motor oil during business hours. Call 520-7859 for information.
- Pick up and dispose of pet waste.
- Protect soil and slopes from erosion during construction activities or landscaping. If land is bare, revegetate or install protective measures such as erosion blankets to prevent erosion. (Dirt can be a pollutant!)
For more information on water quality issues regarding the El Paso County Stormwater Program, contact Barbara Dallemand, Stormwater Coordinator. 719-520-6826
El Paso County has a Stormwater Hotline for reporting stormwater contamination: (719) 520-6460
- If the contamination appears to be an immediate threat such as a toxic chemical spill, call 911.
- If the situation is not threatening, call the Stormwater Hotline. Provide as much information as you can about the location and what the contamination might be contaminant if known, color, odor, large amounts of algae, possible source.
Links for More Information:
The Basin Fee System, Stormwater management in El Paso County (pdf)
For information on water in El Paso County, see the Fountain Creek Watershed Plan’s website at http://www.fountain-crk.org/index.html and the EPA’s Surf Your Watershed at http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/locate/index.cfm . The City of Colorado Springs’ stormwater website is located at http://www.springsgov.com/Page.asp?NavID=128.
Water Quality Information for the Construction Industry:
Because of the importance of land development and construction in El Paso County, protecting stormwater from construction-site pollution is a key part of clean water in El Paso County.
El Paso County has adopted a new Engineering Criteria Manual (ECM)which replaces the Subdivision Criteria Manual, as well as Colorado Springs’ Drainage Criteria Manual, Volume II (DCM2) and a County-specific Addendum to DCM2.
DCM2 and the Addendum address Best Management Practices (BMPs) for protecting stormwater quality during construction and with permanent BMPs that will remain after construction.
The ECM is available online here.
The Addendum to DCM2 is Appendix I in the Engineering Criteria Manual.
DCM2 is available for sale at
City of Colorado Springs Administration Building
Office Services
30 S. Nevada Avenue, Suite L01
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone (719) 385-5023
or available online at http://www.springsgov.com/Page.asp?NavID=2951
The owner or his/her representative who is conducting self-monitoring inspections must be a professional engineer registered in Colorado, a certified erosion control specialist, or certified in a County-approved inspection training program in stormwater protection techniques. Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood has a one-day course with optional field trip: CETC 150 Stormwater Management and Erosion Control
Other courses are available, but must be pre-approved by the El Paso County Stormwater Program 719-520-6826.
Construction sites may also need a Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Permit from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Information on CDPHE stormwater permits is at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/wq/PermitsUnit/wqcdpmt.html#Stormwater
