Carson City stormwater officials launching ‘Adopt a Watershed’

Carson City is accepting public comment on its stormwater management plan update until Jan. 4, 2017.

The plan is available online at www.carsonsw.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2016SWMP-NOI-working-final-draft.pdf and comments can be made by either email to stormwaterhotline@carson.org or by phone at 887-2305.

Robb Fellows, senior project manager, stormwater, held an open house Tuesday at the Community Center to answer any questions about the update.

The 50-page plan outlines several new programs and goals.

The department plans to launch an Adopt a Watershed program and have at least one participant by August 2017.

“It will be similar to Adopt a Highway,” said Fellows. “We’ll identify what each watershed needs, make a list of activities and have them pick an aspect they want to work on. We’d partner with them.”

Such activities could include routine clean up and planting.

Fellows said there are about a dozen sub-watersheds within the larger Eagle Valley watershed, which could be adopted or divided into smaller areas to be adopted.

By November 2017, the goal is to transfer geographic information system data to a database that can be better utilized by the department, and to update the municipal integrated pollution prevention good housekeeping and integrated pest management.

By November 2018, the department plans to adopt low-impact development (LID) standards and incorporate them into the city’s development standards.

LID standards are design practices for stormwater management and include such features as rain gardens, rain barrels and permeable pavements.

Also, between 500 to 800 properties will be coming out of the floodplain based on new maps that go into effect on Dec. 22.

If a property or house is removed from the floodplain flood insurance may no longer be required by the mortgage lender.

The new maps cover Carson City south of 5th Street, except for the Clear Creek and Prison Hill areas.

About 50 properties will be moved into the floodplain based on the new maps, said Fellows.

The maps are available to view and to buy at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Map Center web site, msc.fema.gov/portal