Watershed Health Projects

WES has allocated nearly $518,000 for watershed projects this year. Projects include;

Stormwater Design Standards - A committee of WES’ development review staff, Clackamas County Planning and Engineering, and the cities of Damascus and Happy Valley are revising the stormwater design standards for CCSD #1. Revisions will be primarily focused on incorporating standards for Low Impact Development (LID). Stakeholders will have the opportunity to review and comment on the new standards prior to adoption. Revised standards are expected to be in place by early 2011.
>>Read More | Design Standards Workshop Presentation 12/2/09 (PDF 2MB)

Develop an Integrated Monitoring Plan – The purpose of this project is to better align the environmental monitoring program for CCSD # 1 to provide information that can be used to evaluate program effectiveness. CCSD #1 will be supplementing the current monitoring with additional data on benthic macroinvertebrates, channel stability, streamflow, and water quality parameters. The integration of different types of monitoring data will allow CCSD #1 to better evaluate the health of the watersheds within the District and the impact of stormwater management practices.
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Develop and Implement a Communications Plan – Getting service area residents and businesses involved in protecting and/or improving the health of our watersheds is a major goal of the Watershed Action Plans and the District. A communications plan is being developed to educate, inform, and engage the public on how the District Watershed Action Plans are being implemented.
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Implement New Erosion Control Inspection Protocols – CCSD #1 erosion prevention and control identification procedures have been updated to pinpoint high priority sites for erosion control inspections. These sites will receive more attention from our inspectors and may require enhanced requirements to protect natural resources in the area.
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In-stream and Riparian Restoration Projects – The Surface Water Management Steering Committee, managed by WES employees, has increased funding for in-stream and riparian enhancement projects identified in the Watershed Action Plans. WES staff, on behalf of the District are working closely with local nonprofit watershed restoration groups and the environmental community to leverage community resources and direct these projects to targeted areas within the Kellogg-Mt. Scott and Rock Creek watersheds. WES will be tracking the location of these projects and what was accomplished by these restoration projects using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology.
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Detention Pond Retrofit Program/Prioritization - The WAPs recommended the development of a detention pond retrofit program to upgrade older and/or non-functioning (defined here as not meeting the Districts proposed water quality/hydromodification standards). A methodology for prioritizing ponds for retrofit has been proposed and is outlined below. Cost-estimates and timelines are pending.

• Prioritize by developing a scoring system for prioritization using these criteria:
  • Date – retrofit ponds built before 1995 standards first
  • Location/proximity to critical areas – ponds near high priority areas will be a high priority for retrofit
  • Functionality – if a pond is in a critical area and not functioning properly, it will be a higher priority
  • WES maintained ponds
• Update ponds to address hydromodification (using tool if possible)
• Coordinate pond retrofits plantings (is necessary) with a local nonprofit group

Additional Watershed Projects

Risk Analysis of On-Site Systems and e.Coli TMDL in Rock Creek/Pleasant Valley - Water Environment Services (WES) staff have completed a risk assessment study focused on public health risks from failing septic systems of a 3700-acre area located along the urban fringe of the Portland, Oregon metro area in north-central Clackamas County. The study area encompasses unsewered
portions of the cities of Happy Valley and Damascus and portions of several watersheds recently analyzed for watershed health using scientific criteria and an asset management approach.
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