anchor Description
This project provides for facility planning, watershed assessments, and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Planning to evaluate watershed conditions and to identify restoration projects for stormwater management, stormwater retrofit, Environmental Site Design (ESD)/Low Impact Development (LID), stream restoration projects, tree planting and reforestation, and other alternative best management practices. Watershed assessment plans are developed to comprehensively understand the changes that have taken place in the County's watersheds, to evaluate the current understanding of watershed conditions, and are used to support the planning to identify potential restoration opportunities for in the County's current and future Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. The project also provides for development of the annual Comprehensive TMDL Implementation Plan required by the MS4 permit. The plan lays out the County's progress toward reducing pollutants through past, current, and future planned restoration projects and is used to support the planning to identify potential pollutant reductions from potential restoration opportunities. Restoration projects are implemented in the Stormwater Management Retrofit Countywide project (No. 808726). Facility planning represents planning and preliminary design and develops a program of requirements in advance of full programming of a project.
anchorCost Change
Costs increase due to enhanced requirements of the MS4 permit, and as FY27 and FY28 enter the six-year period.
anchor Justification
The facility planning products support the requirements outlined in the County's MS4 Permit. This project establishes the facilities planning data and alternatives analysis needed to identify and set priorities for individual capital projects. Facility planning costs for projects which are ultimately included in stand-alone Project Description Forms (PDFs) are reflected here and not in the resulting individual project. Future individual CIP projects which result from facility planning will reflect reduced planning and design costs.
anchorFiscal Note
In FY23, $200,000 in Stormwater Management Waiver Fees was transferred to Stormwater Management: Countywide (P808726). FY21 supplemental in Intergovernmental for the amount of $67,509. Expenditures in the outyears include expected costs to meet the requirements of the County's next MS4 permit. The scope of the next MS4 permit is subject to negotiation with the Maryland Department of Environment.
anchorDisclosures
Expenditures will continue indefinitely.
The County Executive asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.
anchorCoordination
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Department of Transportation, Montgomery County Public Schools, Stormwater Management Retrofit Countywide (No. 808726), Misc. Stream Valley Improvements.