Stormwater Mgmt Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project_Elm StreetMEMORANDUM
October 31, 2002
TO:The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT:Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project- 24th and Elm to Railroad Tracks
The City Council has previously reviewed the $24,475,000 Drainage Basin Master Plan
prepared by HDR Engineering designed to save over 1,150 homes throughout Dubuque
from stormwater flooding in a 100 year rain event. During that review the following
elements of the plan totaling $13,457,000 were approved.
1.Carter Detention Basin ($875,000)
2.West 32nd Street Detention Basin improvements ($4,023,000)
3.Pennsylvania/JFK Culvert Improvements ($165,000)
4.Channel Improvements from Keyway to the NW Arterial ($970,000)
5.Keyway and Rosemont Culvert Improvements ($413,000)
6.Bee Branch Creek Restoration -from railroad tracks to 16th Street Detention
Basin ($7,011,000)
At the October 21, 2002 City Council meeting, staff was directed to bring the final
element to this plan to this City Council meeting. The final element is an $11,018,000
restoration of the Bee Branch Creek from 24th Street to the railroad tracks near the
Farmland Foods plant.
Historically, the Bee Branch Creek meandered through the North End. The storm sewer
that exists today came as a result of lining the creek with limestone and eventually
covering the entire length from W. 32nd Street to the 16th Street Detention Basin. The
proposed channel is, in reality, the restoration of the Bee Branch Creek. Figure 4
shows the channel extents.
The channel recommended by HDR Engineering is only a conceptual design. With a
76-foot bottom width and mildly sloping landscaped banks to a channel depth of
approximately ten feet with a 150-foot green corridor. An alignment/preliminary design
study is required to determine what the channel will look like and the approximate
alignment of the channel. Depending on the alignment, the waterway will require the
acquisition of between 60 and 80 homes/businesses.
I respectfully request Mayor and City Council direction on this project.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, Assistant City Engineer
Mike Koch, Public Works Director
EXP PRIOR ESTIMATED
TO FY 02 FY 02
$ 302,244 $ 170,724
$ 72,000
$ 302,244 $ 242,724
$ 113,556
$ 188,688 $ 242,724
$ 302,244 $ 242,724
PROJECT BUDGET
EXPENDITURE ITEMS
Design & Engineering
Land and R.O.W.
Construction
Other
TOTAL
PROJECT FINANCING
Sales Tax
General Fund
G.O. Bonds (Stormwtr Utility)
Federal & State Funds
TOTAL
IMPACT - OPERATIONS
Administration/Maintenance
Debt Schedule
Storm Water User Fee
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
$ 1,262,000 $ 2,628,000
$ 2,506,000 $ 2,372,000
$ 3,028,000
$ 6,796,000
$ 350,000
$ 6,446,000
$ 6,796,000
$ 258,000
$ 500,000
$ 5,000,000
$ 5,000,000
$ 5,000,000
$ 90,000
$ 920,000
$ %010,000
$ 4,157,000
$ 8,872,000
$ 13,0291000
$ 13,029,000
$ 13,029,000
$ 100,000
$ 920,000
$ 1,020,000
$
$ 110,000 $ 120,000
$ 920,000 $ 920,000
$ 1,030,000 $ 1,040,000
BEYOND
2007
$ 130,000
$ 920,000
$ 1,030,000
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Project includes improvements recommended by the Stormwater Management Plan, The budget includes $100,000 to meet the new NPSD federal regulations; $150,000
for a feasibility study, data base development and policy development and ordinance for formation of a stormwater utility; and $250,000 for an alignment study on the Bee
Branch Creek restoration. The projects from the Plan include:
1) Carter Detention Basin ($875,000) - 2002
2) West 32nd Street detention basin improvements ($4,023,000) - 2002-2005
3) Pennsylvania/JFK Culvert Improvements ($165,000) - 2002
4) Channel Improvements from Keyway to the NW Arterial ($970,000) - 2002-2003
5) Keyway and Rosemont Culvert Improvements ($413,000) - 2003
6) Bee Branch Creek Restoration - floodway through railroad tracks to 16th Street Detention Basin ($7,011,000)
7) Bee Branch Creek Restoration - floodway from 24th Street to railroad tracks ($11,018,000)
Projects 1-5 above will be initiated in Fiscal Year 2003, with projects 6 and 7 subject to available federal and state funds and matched with bond funds that are abated with
stormwater utility fees. The $6,446,000 needed for these first five projects will be the initial debt issuance. The remaining that is needed for projects six and seven will be
evaluated for initial issuance, or a later issuance. The original intent is that the stormwater utility will be in existence for 20 years. If federal and state funds aren't available,
the City will need to increase stormwater fees, extend the life of the utility and increase the borrowed funds, and use other revenue sources.
223
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
October 28, 2002
TO:Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM:Gus Psihoyos, Assistant City Engineer
SUBJECT:Inclusion of the Open Waterway (Channel) from 24th & Elm to the
Railroad Tracks (I&M Rail Link) as part of the adopted Drainage
Basin Master Plan (DBMP).
INTRODUCTION
The attached resolution re-instates the portion of the open waterway (channel) as
part of the adopted Drainage Basin Master Plan (DBMP) prepared by HDR
Engineering, Incorporated and previously adopted in December of 2001.
BACKGROUND
In 1996, the City of Dubuque, through the Capital Improvement Project Budget,
committed to developing a City-wide Stormwater Management Plan. The need
for the plan arose from a growing number of citizen complaints related to
stormwater runoff. Increasing public safety and reducing property damage are
the primary goals of the Stormwater Management Plan.
In 1997, the City Council approved the selection of HDR Engineering,
Incorporated of Omaha, Nebraska to produce Dubuque's Stormwater
Management Plan. One of the elements of the plan was to prepare a DBMP for
the Bee Branch drainage basin (see Figure 1).
A master plan is a plan for an entire watershed. When a modification is made to
a portion of a watershed's drainage pattern it usually affects, for better or worse,
the drainage of the entire watershed. The Drainage Basin Master Plan is
necessary to ensure that efforts to solve stormwater problems are efficient and
cost-effective and address the concerns of taxpayers and drainage system users.
To achieve the primary objective-increasing public safety and reducing property
damage related to stormwater runoff-the following steps were followed:
1. Determine the capacity of the existing drainage system for the 10-,
50-, 100- and 500-year return period storm events under future
drainage basin characteristics;
2. Develop hydrologic and hydraulic models using aerial topographic
mapping using the Dubuque Area Geographical Information
System (DAGIS) for major drainage segments within each
watershed; and
3. Identify areas where public safety is compromised and property
damage occurs due to stormwater runoff.
Figure 1. Location of the Bee Branch drainage basin in the City of Dubuque (corporate limits ~25
square
Bee Branch Basin Master Plan
The problems that exist in the Bee Branch basin became evident to the City on
May 16, 1999. Reports throughout the City indicated that between two and a half
(2.5) and five (5) inches of rainfall occurred in a five-hour period.
The DBMP prepared by HDR Engineering echoed the fact that the existing
stormwater drainage system in the Bee Branch basin has major deficiencies.
They identified over 1,150 homes and businesses in the Bee Branch basin that
are in the 100-year flood plain, at risk of flood damage every year (see Figure 2).
2
Figure 2. 100-year flooding depths under existing conditions.
HDR determined that the construction of a detention basin near Carter Road
($875,000) and doubling the size of the existing West 32rd Street Basin
($4,023,000) would reduce the homes/businesses at risk by 185: It would
require the construction of a storm sewer five times the size of the ex st ng Bee
Branch storm sewer to eliminate the risk to the remaining 970 homes and
businesses. The Bee Branch storm sewer is 20 feet wide by 12 feet high at its
largest point. The cost of building five such storm sewers was estimated at
approximately $93 million.
Alternatively, HDR found that an open waterway (channel) originating at 24th and
Elm Streets and extending to the 16th Street detention cell would eliiminate the
risk of flood damage to the remaining 970 homes and businesses at an
3
estimated cost of $17.1 million. The estimated cost includes the purchasing of
approximately 70 homes/businesses. Therefore, HDR recommended in the
Drainage Basin Master Plan the construction of the open channel.
Figure 3 shows the extent of properties still at risk if the open waterway is not
constructed; 185 of the 1,155 homes and businesses are no longer at risk,
however, approximately 970 remain.
with W. 32nd Street sub-basin improvements
4
Historically, the Bee Branch Creek meandered through the North End. The
storm sewer that exists today came as a result of lining the creek with limestone
and eventually covering the entire length from W. 32na Street to the 16th Street
detention basin. The proposed channel is, in reality, the restoration of the Bee
Branch Creek. Figure 4 shows the channel extents.
of the recommended flood control
The recommended flood control channel would start at the
terminate at 24th and Elm Streets (2).
detention cell ('i) and
The channel recommended by HDR Engineering is only a conceptual design.
With a 76-foot bottom width and mildly sloping landscaped banks to a channel
depth of approximately ten feet, a 150-foot green corridor would be required. An
alignment/preliminary design study is required to determine what the channel will
look like and the approximate alignment of the channel. Depending on the
alignment, the waterway will affect between 60 and 80 homes/businesses.
In December of 2001, the City Council formally adopted the Drainlage Basin
Master Plan (DBMP) prepared by HDR Engineering (Omaha, NE). :Following
HDR's recommendations, City staff prepared a Fiscal Year 2003 budget that
5
included capital improvement projects recommended by HDR. In addition, staff
recommended the establishment of funds to conduct a study to determine the
alignment of the proposed channel from 24th and Elm to 16th and Sycamore.
Such a study would identify where the channel would be built and identify what
properties would be impacted.
The portion of the proposed channel that was to extend from Garfield Avenue to
24th and Elm Street was not included in the Fiscal Year 2003 budget. Instead,
the City Council budgeted $250,000 to hire an engineering firm to restudy the
Bee Branch basin and try to find an alternative solution that would not have such
a significant impact on the neighborhood.
DISCUSSION
In August of 2002, the City Council authorized the City Manager to solicit
proposals from qualified engineering firms to develop a second Bee Branch
Basin Master Plan.
On October 21, 2002 the proposal review committee made a recommendation to
the City Council to authorize the City Manager to enter an agreement with MSA
Professional Services to re-study the Bee Branch drainage basin.
The City Council voted against doing the re-study of the Bee Branch drainage
basin. Moreover, the Council directed City staff to bring back that portion of the
stormwater plan from 24th street to the detention basin.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
The City Council is requested to review the attached resolution that re-instates
the portion of the open waterway (channel) as part of the adopted Drainage
Basin Master Plan (DBMP) prepared by HDR Engineering, Incorporated and
provide further direction to staff.
Prepared by Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Engineer
Pauline Joyce, Administrative Services Manager
Ken TeKippe, Finance Director
Michael Koch, Public Works Director
6
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION APPROVING AN OPEN WATERWAY (CHANNEL) FROM
GARFIELD AND PINE TO 24TM AND ELM AS PART OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE DRAINAGE BASIN MASTER PLAN
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Dubuque is committed to
developing a City-wide stormwater management master plan; and
Whereas, the City of Dubuque retained the firm of HDR Engineering, Inc.
to produce a Drainage Basin Master Plan; and
Whereas, the Drainage Basin Master Plan addresses flooding problems
and issues in the City of Dubuque and recommends certain public improvements
to implement the plan, including an open waterway (channel) from Garfield and
Pine to 24~ and Elm Street.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CiTY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
That portion of the City of Dubuque Drainage Basin Master Plan prepared
by HDR Engineering, Inc. recommending an open waterway (channel) from
Garfield and Pine to 24th and Elm be re-instated as part of the adopted City of
Dubuque Drainage Basin Master Plan is hereby approved.
Passed, approved and adopted this day of
,2002.
Te~ance M. Duggan, Mayor
Attest:
Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk