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Stormwater Management
Stormwater Management is the process of public education coupled with understanding, analyzing, planning for, and controlling stormwater. Stormwater management plays a critical role in controlling flooding, enhancing safety, protecting the environment, and meeting requirements of federal environmental regulations. Stormwater should be managed for the common good, as runoff neither follows subdivision boundaries nor respects municipal boundaries.
A major purpose of the 5-2-1 DA is to address the multi-jurisdictional problems of stormwater management. Runoff from public lands such as the Colorado National Monument might cross private and public properties in the County, the City, under a state highway, and back into the County before entering the Colorado River at a point that happens to be in the City.
The 5-2-1 DA intends to manage stormwater to protect people and property from flooding and to comply with new environmental regulations. Due to the scope and variety of needs, it will be challenging to fulfill these objectives. Many existing facilities are aging, rusting or in need of repair and maintenance. The 5-2-1 DA also needs to construct new facilities to adequately address stormwater management in not only developing areas, but in all areas of the valley, including agricultural. Work on stormwater facilities is needed in all areas of the Grand Valley to varying degrees. Some facilities have reached their service life; a maintenance effort is not enough, replacement is necessary. Other facilities have become overgrown or eroded to a point where maintenance is needed. Lastly, facilities are not adequate or even in existence. Often major capital construction is needed to correct deficiencies. |
