Difference between revisions of "Urban stormwater management in the City of Pacific Grove"

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The City of Pacific Grove maintains 34 discharge pipes from its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) diameter 10-54 inches.  Additional city surface runoff is incorporated into the Pebble Beach watershed while small coastal areas within the city discharge directly into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as non-point source runoff.  Designation of thirty four Areas of Special Biological Significance [http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/docs/asbs/asbs_areas/asbs_swqpa_publication03.pdf (ASBS)] by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)  in 1974 for the purpose of preserving sensitive biological diversity and habitat; including the Pacific Grove Marine Gardens Fish Refuge. Urban [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormwater Stormwater] discharge from 246 point sources was specifically viewed as a source of (allochthonous) contaminants within the California Ocean Plan in the original SWRCB designation.  As urban derived inputs into marine systems, so did the pressure to refine language relevant to urban stormwater inputs into the ocean.  October 18, 2004 the State Water Board notified municipal stormwater parties to cease stormwater and non-point discharge into ASBS, and must obtain a permit under the Ocean Plan (no later than May 31, 2006).  Permitting under special exceptions must be approved by SWRCB, CEQA, and US EPA.  The most recent (February 21, 2012) [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/asbs/docs/asbs_eir022112clean.pdf Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)] including statewide General Exception to the Ocean Plan includes implementation of Regional Water Board special protections in permitting for discharges into ASBS.
 
The City of Pacific Grove maintains 34 discharge pipes from its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) diameter 10-54 inches.  Additional city surface runoff is incorporated into the Pebble Beach watershed while small coastal areas within the city discharge directly into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as non-point source runoff.  Designation of thirty four Areas of Special Biological Significance [http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/docs/asbs/asbs_areas/asbs_swqpa_publication03.pdf (ASBS)] by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)  in 1974 for the purpose of preserving sensitive biological diversity and habitat; including the Pacific Grove Marine Gardens Fish Refuge. Urban [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormwater Stormwater] discharge from 246 point sources was specifically viewed as a source of (allochthonous) contaminants within the California Ocean Plan in the original SWRCB designation.  As urban derived inputs into marine systems, so did the pressure to refine language relevant to urban stormwater inputs into the ocean.  October 18, 2004 the State Water Board notified municipal stormwater parties to cease stormwater and non-point discharge into ASBS, and must obtain a permit under the Ocean Plan (no later than May 31, 2006).  Permitting under special exceptions must be approved by SWRCB, CEQA, and US EPA.  The most recent (February 21, 2012) [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/asbs/docs/asbs_eir022112clean.pdf Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)] including statewide General Exception to the Ocean Plan includes implementation of Regional Water Board special protections in permitting for discharges into ASBS.
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::The Ocean Plan states that: “Waste shall not be discharged to areas designated as being of special biological significance. Discharges shall be located a sufficient distance from such designated areas to assure maintenance of natural water quality conditions in these areas.” This absolute discharge prohibition in the Ocean Plan applies unless an “exception” is granted.
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::''The Ocean Plan states that: “Waste shall not be discharged to areas designated as being of special biological significance. Discharges shall be located a sufficient distance from such designated areas to assure maintenance of natural water quality conditions in these areas.” This absolute discharge prohibition in the Ocean Plan applies unless an “exception” is granted.''
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Regulations specifying elimination of dry weather runoff and stormwater discharges that do not alter receiving water quality summarize stringent mandates implemented within the new ASBS FEIR.  The City of Pacific Grove has been actively working towards preemptively complying with newly proposed regulatory standards by establishing the Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program [12], implementing Best Management Practices  [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_management_practice_for_water_pollution (BMPs)],  aided by funding provided by Prop 84 ASBS funding (2006).   
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Regulations specifying elimination of dry weather runoff and stormwater discharges that do not alter receiving water quality summarize stringent mandates implemented within the new ASBS FEIR.  The City of Pacific Grove has been actively working towards preemptively complying with newly proposed regulatory standards by establishing the Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program<ref name="Storm_Program"> Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program http://www.montereysea.org/index.php</ref>, implementing Best Management Practices  [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_management_practice_for_water_pollution (BMPs)],  aided by funding provided by Prop 84 ASBS funding (2006).   
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**Urban stormwater runoff [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2005/feb/item28/item28_2005_0008_cdo_pg_2_03_05_final.pdf Cease to Desist order]
 
**Urban stormwater runoff [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2005/feb/item28/item28_2005_0008_cdo_pg_2_03_05_final.pdf Cease to Desist order]
 
**Exception to the California Ocean Plan for Areas of Special Biological Significance Waste Discharge Prohibition for Storm Water and Nonpoint Source Discharges, with Special Protections.<ref name="exception">http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/asbs/docs/asbs_eir022112clean.pdf</ref>
 
**Exception to the California Ocean Plan for Areas of Special Biological Significance Waste Discharge Prohibition for Storm Water and Nonpoint Source Discharges, with Special Protections.<ref name="exception">http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/asbs/docs/asbs_eir022112clean.pdf</ref>
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===Region===
 
===Region===
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*Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Integrated Regional Water Management Regional Acceptance Process Materials<ref name="Regional">Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Integrated Regional Water Management Regional Acceptance Process Materials http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/Mbay_IRWM/RAP.pdf</ref>  
 
*Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Integrated Regional Water Management Regional Acceptance Process Materials<ref name="Regional">Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Integrated Regional Water Management Regional Acceptance Process Materials http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/Mbay_IRWM/RAP.pdf</ref>  
  
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*Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Monterey Regional Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program<ref name="MOA">Memorandum of Agreement for the Monterey Regional Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program  http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/pubworks/mrswmp/MRSWMP_a.pdf</ref><ref name="Storm_Program"> Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program http://www.montereysea.org/index.php</ref>
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*Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Monterey Regional Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program<ref name="MOA">Memorandum of Agreement for the Monterey Regional Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program  http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/pubworks/mrswmp/MRSWMP_a.pdf</ref><ref name="Storm_Program"/>
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*Model Urban Runoff  Program: A How-To guide for Developing Urban Runoff Programs for Small Municipalities. July 1998 (revised February 2002, by the California Coastal Commission)<ref name="Runoff">Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/msea/Literature/Documents/MURP.pdf</ref>
 
*Model Urban Runoff  Program: A How-To guide for Developing Urban Runoff Programs for Small Municipalities. July 1998 (revised February 2002, by the California Coastal Commission)<ref name="Runoff">Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/msea/Literature/Documents/MURP.pdf</ref>
  

Revision as of 20:56, 2 April 2012

A watershed-related issue examined by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

The City of Pacific Grove is located on the NW portion of the Monterey Peninsula. The city contains multiple watershed including the Greenwood Park Watershed which is highly urbanized producing large volumes of stormflow runoff which is discharged into the Monterey Bay ASBS. Approximately 43% of the watershed is covered by impervious surfaces and maintains an average slope of 8% which can result in minimal percolation of seasonal precipitation. Map by: Kirk Post

Summary

The City of Pacific Grove maintains 34 discharge pipes from its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) diameter 10-54 inches. Additional city surface runoff is incorporated into the Pebble Beach watershed while small coastal areas within the city discharge directly into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as non-point source runoff. Designation of thirty four Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in 1974 for the purpose of preserving sensitive biological diversity and habitat; including the Pacific Grove Marine Gardens Fish Refuge. Urban Stormwater discharge from 246 point sources was specifically viewed as a source of (allochthonous) contaminants within the California Ocean Plan in the original SWRCB designation. As urban derived inputs into marine systems, so did the pressure to refine language relevant to urban stormwater inputs into the ocean. October 18, 2004 the State Water Board notified municipal stormwater parties to cease stormwater and non-point discharge into ASBS, and must obtain a permit under the Ocean Plan (no later than May 31, 2006). Permitting under special exceptions must be approved by SWRCB, CEQA, and US EPA. The most recent (February 21, 2012) Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) including statewide General Exception to the Ocean Plan includes implementation of Regional Water Board special protections in permitting for discharges into ASBS.

The Ocean Plan states that: “Waste shall not be discharged to areas designated as being of special biological significance. Discharges shall be located a sufficient distance from such designated areas to assure maintenance of natural water quality conditions in these areas.” This absolute discharge prohibition in the Ocean Plan applies unless an “exception” is granted.

Regulations specifying elimination of dry weather runoff and stormwater discharges that do not alter receiving water quality summarize stringent mandates implemented within the new ASBS FEIR. The City of Pacific Grove has been actively working towards preemptively complying with newly proposed regulatory standards by establishing the Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program[1], implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs), aided by funding provided by Prop 84 ASBS funding (2006).


Low-impact development

BMPs

Location

The City of Pacific Grove, California

Impervious landcover on the Monterey Peninsula highlighting the Greenwood Park Watershed. Map by: Kirk Post

Stakeholders[2]

  • City of Pacific Grove
  • Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
  • Monterey Coastkeeper
  • Tourism Industry
  • MPAs
  • Friends of the Otter
  • Areas of Special Biological Significance on Monterey Peninsula (ASBS)
  • California Stormwater Quality Association (CASWQA)
  • Recreational Users

Regulatory Background: Laws and Policies

Federal

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)
    • Clean Water Act: Amendment Sect:402(p) established framework for stormwater discharge permits and regulations under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit system.
      • The NPDES permit system under the CWA maintains both Phase I and Phase II municipal Storm drain (MS4s) operators to comply and obtain NPDES permits.
Phase I-As of 1990 permits include municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) defined as medium or large, serving >100,000 people.
Phase II-Beginning in 1999 permits include State’s General Storm Water Permit for Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) comply with NPDES permit components (6). NPDES Phase II program
  • Porter-Cologne Act
  • Marine Life Protection Act

State

  • State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
    • Urban stormwater runoff Cease to Desist order
    • Exception to the California Ocean Plan for Areas of Special Biological Significance Waste Discharge Prohibition for Storm Water and Nonpoint Source Discharges, with Special Protections.[3]

Region

  • Monterey Regional Storm Water Management Program (MRSWMP)
  • Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (CCRWQCB)
  • Regional Wastewater Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA)

Local

  • Cease and Desist from Discharging Waste to Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) in Violation of Prohibitions Prescribed by the State Water Resources Control Board (February 11, 2005)[4]
  • RWQCB requirements directing all cities to develop and implement a set of Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Timeline[5]

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Regulatory and Program Timeline

Following is a timeline of events for the State Board’s development of the ASBS Special Protections and the City’s request for an exception:

  • 2004 State Board notifies ASBS dischargers of the requirement to prohibit waste discharges into the ASBS.
  • 2005 Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board drafts Cease and Desist Orders (CDO) to require Pacific Grove, Monterey and others to either apply for and receive an exception to the Ocean Plan or cease the discharge of storm water runoff into the ASBS. The CDOs have been held in abeyance while State Board drafts Special Protections and conducts the CEQA review of a General Exception.
  • 2005 State Board requires municipalities and other discharges to apply for exceptions to the Ocean Plan to allow the discharges to continue.
  • 2006 State Board releases initial draft Special Protections to address storm water and

nonpoint source discharges into ASBS.

  • 2006 City of Pacific Grove submits one of twenty-seven ASBS Exception Requests
  • 2007 State Board deems City of Pacific Grove exception request to be complete (see Attachment 3).
  • 2008 State Board issues revised draft Special Protections
  • 2008-2009 Central Coast ASBS jurisdictions develop proposal for a Regional Monitoring Program
  • 2010 State Board issues CEQA Initial Study and Notice of Preparation of an EIR for a General Exception to discharges into ASBS statewide
  • 2011 State Board issues CEQA Draft Program Environmental Impact Report and sets hearings for adoption of the Special Protections (see Attachment 5)
  • 2012 Final version-Exception to the California Ocean Plan for Areas of Special Biological Significance Waste Discharge Prohibition for Storm Water and Nonpoint Source Discharges, with Special Protections.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[6]
  • National Water Quality Inventory
  • Monitoring of stormwater quality within the City of Pacific Grove is performed by multiple entities including:
    • Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network organizes annual First Flush
    • Urban Watch, and Snapshot monitoring activities for the Monterey region that document stormwater quality conditions for the first storm of the season
    • Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network (Citizen)[7]

Management Strategies

text
The City of Pacific Grove and Monterey County participants in the Monterey Regional Storm Water Management Program have created have established municipality specific contact diagrams to more effectively create and implement BMPs.[8]
  • Final Report produced by MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc.(July 2006) for Phase III dry weather and stormflow runoff into Pacific Grove area of ASBS.[9]
  • Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network(MBSCWMN)[10]
  • Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Integrated Regional Water Management Regional Acceptance Process Materials[11]
  • Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Monterey Regional Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program[12][1]
  • Model Urban Runoff Program: A How-To guide for Developing Urban Runoff Programs for Small Municipalities. July 1998 (revised February 2002, by the California Coastal Commission)[13]
  • Urban Forest Management Plan. By RBF consulting.[14]
  • Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS)[16]
  • Proposition 84 ASBS Grant (The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coast Protection Bond Act of 2006)[17]
  • First Flush Event Monitoring by the Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network (Began 2000)[18]
  • Request For Proposals: Design, Environmental Review and Permitting of a Stormwater Treatment System at Greenwood Park[19]
  • Report and data on Pacific Grove Stormwater Outfalls[20]
  • Best Management Practices (BMPs)
    • Low Impact Development (LID) technologies implemented as Best Management Practices BMPs throughout the watershed.

Metadata

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Monterey Regional Stormwater Management Program http://www.montereysea.org/index.php
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 CSUMB Class ENVS 660: Pugh K, Arenas R, Cubanski P, Lanctot M, Purdy A, Bassett R, Smith J, Hession S, Stoner K, Ashbach R, Alberola G, Jacuzzi N, Watson F. 2011. Stormwater outfall watershed delineation, land cover characteristics, and recommended priorities for monitoring and mitigation in the City of Pacific Grove, California. The Watershed Institute, California State Monterey Bay, Publication No. WI-2011-02, 74 pages. http://ccows.csumb.edu/pubs/reports/CSUMB_ENVS660_ClassReport_PGStormwater_120306.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ocean/asbs/docs/asbs_eir022112clean.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2005/feb/item28/item28_2005_0008_cdo_pg_2_03_05_final.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/age/CCO/A-CCO20110302/15b.pdf
  6. ↑ http://www.monterey.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=vPF8dkMtHbY%3d&tabid=927&mid=5113&language=en-US
  7. ↑ http://montereybay.noaa.gov/monitoringnetwork/about_us.html
  8. ↑ http://monterey.org/en-us/departments/planspublicworks/engineering/stormwaterprogram/mrswmp.aspx
  9. ↑ MACTEC Report
  10. ↑ Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network http://montereybay.noaa.gov/monitoringnetwork/pdf/ff2011.pdf
  11. ↑ Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Integrated Regional Water Management Regional Acceptance Process Materials http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/Mbay_IRWM/RAP.pdf
  12. ↑ Memorandum of Agreement for the Monterey Regional Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/pubworks/mrswmp/MRSWMP_a.pdf
  13. ↑ Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/msea/Literature/Documents/MURP.pdf
  14. ↑ Urban Forest Management Plan. By: RBF consulting add link http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/pubworks/4.Pacific%20Grove%20UFMP_Draft%20Outline.pdf
  15. ↑ http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/pubworks/iTree.pdf
  16. ↑ http://montereybay.noaa.gov/
  17. ↑ http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/asbs/docs/prop84_asbsguidelines.pdf
  18. ↑ http://sanctuarysimon.org/monterey/sections/waterQuality/project_info.php?projectID=100141&sec=wq
  19. ↑ http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/RFP%20Wetland_GreenwoodPark.pdf
  20. ↑ http://ccows.csumb.edu/pubs/proj_pubs/2011/ENVS660_PGStormwater/index.htm
  21. ↑ Watson, F., Krone-Davis, P., and Smith, J. 2012 in prep. Streamflow gaging at Greenwood Park, Pacific Grove, California: January-April 2012. Report prepared for Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation and the City of Pacific Grove. The Watershed Institute, California State University Monterey Bay, Publication No. WI-2012-3. Available from: http://ccows.csumb.edu/pubs/

Links

Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.

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