Floodplain Management and Restoration in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dave Canaan Director – Water & Land Resources

Storm Water Management CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG STORM WATER SERVICES Mecklenburg County SWS FEMA streams (> 1 sq. mi. watershed) County areas (pipes, swales, ditches) 5 of 6 towns (pipes, swales, ditches) City of Charlotte SWS Open systems (creeks & swales) Closed systems (culverts & pipes)

Background County Storm Water Major Streams Minor System FEMA or mapped streams/river Greater than 1 square mile drainage area County wide Minor System Less than 1 square mile drainage area

Background County Storm Water Partnerships ($1.8M) City NPDES Permit BMP projects Towns Investigations, design and construction

Background Municipalities ($35M+/-) Minor System Water Quality per CWA Less than 1 square mile drainage area Programs vary greatly Water Quality per CWA

County Vision Priorities in Mecklenburg County: A safe community A healthy community A livable community A prosperous community A well-governed community Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Commitment at the Top "The County Commission herein finds that the public policy of Mecklenburg County is that our surface waters --- creeks, tributaries, ponds and lakes --- are a natural resource to be protected as a source of natural beauty and recreation. “The Little Sugar Creek watershed is one of the most severely polluted watersheds in North Carolina (NCDWQ Catawba River Basinwide Water Quality Plan pp. 4-24 to 4-27).” Further, that the use of our creeks, tributaries, ponds and lakes as a stormwater disposal method shall be secondary to the preservation of creeks, tributaries, ponds and lakes.”

Multi-objective Floodplain Planning BOCC Adopted Initiatives; Floodplain Management Guidance Doc. (Dec 97) SWIM Initiative (Dec 99) Greenway Master Plan (1999) Flood Mitigation Plans (2003) All Hazards Plan (2005)

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sugar Creek Little Sugar Creek Hidden Valley

Watersheds / Basins 330± miles of FEMA streams 32 watersheds All water in Mecklenburg County (except Catawba River) originates in Mecklenburg County

Mission Floodplain Management strives to build a Livable Community by: Reducing the potential for the loss of life and property due to flooding. Enhancing the natural and beneficial functions of the floodplain. Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Floodplain Management Goals & Objectives Mitigation/Restoration (Correction) PROJECTS PAST FUTURE PRESERVATION (Protection) ORDINANCES

County Storm Water Services Capital Program Three Components: Flood Mitigation Program Water Quality Program Engineering Program (Stream Restoration/Repairs)

Floodplain Management Partners PARTNERSHIPS

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Maintenance Storm Water Operations Division Blockage Removal Encroachments / Notices of Violation Vegetation Management Acquired parcel maintenance

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Rainfall / Stream Gauges PARTNER United States Geologic Survey (USGS) Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Early Warning System Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Early Warning System Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Re-Mapping - 1999 1975: Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) Community Rating System (insurance discounts) 1999-2001:

Re-Mapping - 1999

3,000 - 4,000 structures in the floodplain Re-Mapping STUDY RESULTS Existing Conditions +2.0 feet Future Conditions +4.6 feet 3,000 - 4,000 structures in the floodplain

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Service Requests Flooding Erosion Blockages Property Damage Irwin Creek at I-77

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

History Overview 1890’s - 1920’s: Catawba River dams Duke Energy 1910’s - 1930’s: creek dredging, widening drainage, irrigation, agricultural districts 1950’s: chemical deodorizers Meck County Dept. of Environmental Protection 1960’s - 1995: riprap engineering department 1995 - present: soil bioengineering Storm Water Services Perspective Step back

1890’s - 1920’s Catawba River dams - Duke Energy Series of 11 dams/reservoirs drinking water, hydro power, flood control, navigation created setbacks & buffers from water bodies swimming, fishing & recreation

“Dredge on Briar Creek” 1910’s - 1930’s US Army Corps of Engineers Creating navigable waters of the state & U.S. “Dredge on Briar Creek”

Dredge, Widen, Straighten Agricultural Districts better field drainage eliminated “swamps” & “marshes” no more groundwater recharge “Drainage Work in Mecklenburg County” circa 1911

Dredge, Widen, Straighten Sewer Department centralized collection & treatment, first WWTP, 1923 Old creek alignment for Little Sugar Creek New & “improved” alignment for Little Sugar Creek

Dredge, Widen, Straighten Federal Funding North Carolina Emergency Relief Administration, 1936 $16,076.70 “Drainage of McDowell Creek” $3,877.30 “Clearing Little Sugar Creek & tributaries” $95,406.47 “Cleaning out Long Creek” “Clear & ditch Toby Creek” $2,627.70 “Briar Creek drainage” $3,447.10

1950’s “Chemical deodorizers should take of it!” Meck County Dept. of Environmental Protection County streams had little aquatic life, minimal vegetative cover and strong odors. Low point in our riparian history streams have since rebounded with fish, wildlife, vegetation Blue heron on Briar Creek wildlife (deer) corridors

1960’s - 1995 Riprap - King of the Queen City! Worked for just about any engineering “solution” Fixes the stream horizontally Environmental consequences of “flush & gush” weren’t understood Environmental movement was in its infancy 1972 - Clean Water Act

Bio Engineering Irwin Creek (1998)

Natural Channel Design Hydraulic response ….. altered dimension A narrower thalweg forms in Briar Creek TWO months after placing SIX alternating rock vanes (2000). Briar Creek, August 12, 2000

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

Flood Mitigation Purpose Community Health and Safety Focus Area Reduce Injury

Flood Mitigation Planning History 1997 Floodplain Management Guidance Document 1999 Adopted original Watershed Plans 2000 Initiate Mitigation (Buyout) Program 2004 Adopted updated Watershed Plans 2004 Expanded Flood Mitigation Capital Program

Floodplain Management Elements Creek Maintenance Rainfall / Stream Gauges Flood Information and Notification System Floodplain Remapping Customer Service Requests Stream Restoration Flood Mitigation Planning Floodplain Buyout Program Not HOW Not WHERE But, WHY

3,000 - 4,000 structures in the floodplain Problem Definition Doral Apartments Briar Creek July 22-24, 1997 3,000 - 4,000 structures in the floodplain

Problem Definition Myers Park Manor Briar Creek July 22-24, 1997

Flood Mitigation Accomplishments Years 2000 - 2005 135 buildings removed from the floodplain (90% participate) 80 acres of deeded public open space Buyout Funding (Awarded) $14.1M - Federal Funds $1.7M - State Funds $8.9M - Local Storm Water Funds 35 additional buildings & 40 acres of open space within the floodplain through efforts with Real Estate Services

Buyout Program Issues Voluntary = No Condemnation Fair Market Value Prioritizing thru Mitigation Plans Demolition vs. Relocation Owners vs. Renters Hazardous Materials Vacant Land & What to Do With It

1938 1951 1956 Buyout Area Little Sugar Creek Little Sugar Creek Myers Park Manor Westfield Road Little Sugar Creek Little Sugar Creek Little Sugar Creek Park Road Shopping Center Myers Park Manor 1951 Future Park Road Shopping Center (1956) Future Myers Park Manor (1951) 1956 Future Park Road Shopping Center (1956) Future Woodlawn Road Brandywine Road

Buyout Area 1995 1997 2003

Buyout Area BEFORE - July 97 AFTER BEFORE AFTER High Water

Buyout Area Hidden Valley - Step 1 Property Acquisition (1) Fee Title (2) Deed Restriction (3) Voluntary (4) No Condemnation

Buyout Area Hidden Valley - Step 2 Structure Demolition (1) Relocation (2) Habitat for Humanity (3) Fire Dept. Training (4) SWAT Police Training

Buyout Area Hidden Valley - Step 3 Environmental Restoration (2) Water-Oriented (3) Open Space / Re-Forested (4) Greenway / Recreational

Buyout Area Hidden Valley Eco-Restoration Wetland $1± million acquisition cost $1.2± million construction cost $940,000 CWMTF grant 1½ sq. mile watershed 17 homes purchased & razed greenway planned additional vacant land purchases additional funds from Wetlands Restoration Program

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