The Stormwater Management Division plans, designs and constructs flood protection and drainage improvement projects that focus on severe threats to residential, habitable structures. Eligible capital improvement projects will address frequent home flooding (water entering the habitable structure area) and alleviate severe road flooding that does not fall under jurisdiction of the County Department of Public Works and Transportation. Also included are flood control system certification, municipal participation, storm drain acceptance and flood warning systems projects. When possible, water quality enhancement features will be incorporated in capital improvement projects. Property owners directly benefiting from capital improvement projects must provide the county with a right of entry and easement at no cost to the County.

Guidelines

DoE utilizes a 3-tiered priority system to outline criteria for projects to be included in the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Drainage problems are categorized and prioritized by severity and proximity to residential structures.

In order to enable DoE to focus resources and CIP expenditures on improvements to water quality treatment of impervious areas, and TMDL reductions in accordance with the NPDES/MS4 and WIP II mandates, DoE will address and commit funding and resources to providing necessary assistance to creditable flooding and erosion problems. All sites are evaluated for cost versus benefit and are prioritized based upon the following categories:.

Priority I

Projects will alleviate or prevent damage to habitable residential structures caused by the entrance of surface stormwater flows on a frequent basis. This is several times in a 10-year period; or, severe damage on a rare basis such as during a 100-year storm event. Projects will correct or prevent severe erosion which threatens the structural integrity of habitable buildings.

Priority II

Projects will alleviate or prevent damage to habitable residential structures or property caused by the entrance of surface stormwater flows on a rare basis, will alleviate or prevent high and dangerous flow adjacent to habitable areas, will correct or prevent erosion which severe and is a safety hazard, and/or will alleviate or prevent serious street flooding.

Priority III

Projects will alleviate frequent excessive surface stormwater flows across developed properties and in streets, will correct or prevent severe erosion of channel or property, and/or will protect desirable stream ecosystem.