Stormwater Mgm Pl Ltr 3 1 02L)UB E
'MEMO
RANDUM
March 1,2002
TO:
'FROM:
· SUBJECT:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Stormwater Management Plan
On Thursday, February 28. I met with the Washington Neighborhood Councii at
Comiskey Park. along with Public Works Director Mike Koch, Assistant City Engineer '
Gus Psihoyos and Civil Engineer Deron Muehring, at their request, to discuss the
Stormwater Management Plan. Approximately 150 people, attended the meeting. We
were informed by Washington Neighborhood Council President Dan Shireman that the
official position of the Washington Neighborhood Council was in opposition to the
construction of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project. After the three and a half
hour meeting, it was apparent that alt those attending were also in opposition to that
component of the plan.
Wayne Klostermann, President of the Northend Neighborhood Association, was in
attendance and informed us that the Northend Neighborhood Association has also
taken an official position in opposition to the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
component of the Stormwater Management Plan.
While there were many issues identified and many questions raised Which still need to
be responded to, I would say there were two general themes. First, there seems to be a
general belief that the problem that exists there related to stormwater management is
not as pervasive as originally thought. Many people said that May of 1999 was the first
time that they had any water problems, and the general consensus Seemed to be that
the consultant's identification of up to 1,150 homes being at risk was a much greater
number than those that the neighborhood believes had a problem even in 1999.
Se~:ondly, the group seemed to support all the other elements of the Stormwater
Management Plan including, it appeared, the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project
from the railroad tracks east to the 16~ Street Detention Basin. However, they asked
that the City continue to pursue other alternatives to the Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project from Comiskey Park east to the railroad tracks if, in fact, in the end it was
determined that the other elements of the Stormwa~er Management Plan did not provide
an acceptable level of protection.
March 1,2002
Page 2
I would respect-fully request that the Mayor arid City CounCil consider taking the
following actions ~n relation to this project:
Accept the Long Range Planning Commission's recommendation to appoint a
chairperson to a task force to continue to explore the creation of the StOrmwater
Utility to finance the Stormwater Management Plan:
Table the appointment of a chairperson for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration
Project.
Remove from the Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Plan the budget retated to the
construction of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project from Comiskey Park
east to t~e railroad tracks, but leave the other elements of the Stormwater
Management Plan in the Fiscal Year 2003 budget.
Authorize staff to develop a process to survey and receive input from the
property owners and residents of the impacted area so that we have a greater
understanding of the scope of the problem.
Authorize staff to issue a Request for Proposals for an engineering firm to review
the study, as completed by HDR Engineering, and further examine potential
alternatives.
MCVM/jh
Attachment
Michael C. Van Milligen C/ ~-~-~
Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Mike Koch, Public Works Director
Gus Psihoyos, Assistant City Engineer
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Deron Muehring, Civil Engineer
Proiect Update
The Dubuque City Council is willing to commit a tremendous amount of public resources
to solving and/or reducing the stormwater problems in the north end of Dubuque.
While a conceptual Stormwater Management Plan has been approved, nothing is final
at _this point.
The proposed City Budget (with creation of a Stormwater Utility as a funding source)
includes enough money to do the following:
1. Carter Street Detention Basin ($875,000)
2. West 32nd Street detention basin improvements ($4,023,000)
3. In addition, there is $5 million available to build a portion of the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project or to match federal funds to build the entire project.
On February 27, the City completed the purchase of the property needed for element
#1, the Carter Street Detention Basin.
.It would cost $7 million to build a
drainage way from the railroad tracks
near Dubuque Pack to the 16th Street
Detention Basin. (Thereby eliminating
the railroad berm acting as a dam and
keeping the stormwater trapped in the
north end.)
Currently, there are no funds to build the
$10 million Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project from 24th Street to
the railroad tracks behind Eagle Foods.
This means that 650 of the original
1,150 homes and'businesses are still at
risk of flooding if all the Phases are built,
except this one.
While the City Council has approved the conceptual. Stormwater Management Plan,
they have not approved any property acquisitions (other than the property mentioned
above), project designs, or construction plans. The Council's intention is to listen to
public input about the need and appropriateness of the different elements before
moving forward.
Proiect Update
The Dubuque City Council is willing to commit a tremendous amount of public resources
to solving and/or reducing the stormwater problems in the no~h end of Dubuque.
While a conceptua Stormwater Management Plan has been approved, nothing is final
at this point.
The proposed City Budget (with creation of a Stormwater Utility as a funding source)
.includes enough money to do the following:
- 1. Carter Street Detention Basin ($875,000) 2. West 32nd Street detention basin improvements ($4,023,000)
3. In addition, there is $5 million available to build a portion of the Bee Branch
Creek Restoration Project or to match federal funds to build the entire project.
On February 27, the City completed the purchase of the property needed for element
#1, the Carter Street Detention Basin.
It would cost $7 million to build a
drainage way from the railroad tracks
near Dubuque Pack to the 18th Street
Detention Basin. (Thereby eliminating
the railroad berm acting as a dam and
keeping the stormwater trapped in the
north end.)
Currently, there are no funds to build the
$10 million Bee Branch Creek
Restoration Project from 24t~ Street to
the railroad tracks behind Eagle Foods.
This means that 650 of the original
1,150 homes and businesses are still at
dsk of flooding if all the phases are built,
except this one.
While the City Council has approved the conceptual Stormwater Management Plat,,
they have not approved any property acquisitions (other than the proper'By mentioned
above), project designs, or construction plans. The Council's intention is to listen to
public input about the need and appropriateness of the different elements before
moving forward.
City of Dubuque
Stormwater Mana,qement Information
February 28, 2002
In 1998 the City of Dubuque selected HDR Engineering to study
stormwater drainage issues throughout the City.
In May of 1999, rain began around 7 pm and ended between midnight and
1 am the next day. This 6 hour rainfall event resulted in anywhere from
2.5 inches at the airport to 3.6 inches at Keyway/Keystone. According to
the Midwest Climate Center (1992):
2.5 inches in a 6 hour period is considered a 3-year storm
3.6 inches in a 6 hour period is considered a 1 O-year storm
4.2 inches in a 6 hour period is considered a 25-year storm
4.7 inches in a 6 hour period is considered a 50-year storm
5.3 inches in a 6 hour period is considered a 100-year storm
At the time of the storm the 16th Street detention cell gates were open,
allowing stormwater to pass to the Mississippi River.
The Drainage Basin Master Plan concluded that the existing Bee Branch
storm sewer has the capacity to convey the 7-year storm.
According to highwater marks observed, in the 2500 block of Washington
Street there was 1.5 feet of water in the street and at the 24th and Elm
Street there was 3 feet of water in the street.
Hundreds of basements were flooded.
246 tons (approximately 50 dump truck loads) of damaged residential
possessions were hauled to the landfill.
The Carter Road Detention Cell (basin) could capture all stormwater
during a 100-year rainfall. The proposed Carter Road Detention Cell only
controls 11.2% of the Bee Branch Drainage Basin.
More than 10 detention sites were investigated in the W32nd Street sub-
basin. The top 10 were:
o W32nd (existing basin)
o Carter (east side of Carter)
o Upper Carter (refered to as the Carter Road Detention Cell)
· Pedestrian Cross at Eisenhauer
· Arabian Trai/
· JFK Road
o NW Arterial
o W32nd & Carter Rd.
o Grandview Ave.
o Former Skiarea
Five potential detention sites were discovered