Client logo Regional Watershed Improvement Planning Using Customized GIS Tools to Support Diverse Stakeholder Groups Erik Rourke - USACE Gray Minton, P.E., GISP - AECOM May 22, 2012

Client logo Program Overview Stakeholder Outreach Identification/Prioritization of Hot Spots Development of GIS Decision Support Tool Future Steps

Client logo Program Overview Authorized by Section 566 of WRDA 1996 Provides design and construction assistance to non-Federal interests for water-related environmental infrastructure, resource protection, and development projects All projects are cost-shared 75% Federal / 25% Non-Federal Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection non-Federal sponsor May 22, 2012Page 3 Southeastern Pennsylvania Environmental Improvement Program

Client logo Project Phases May 22, 2012Page 4 Phase 1 Public Coordination and Involvement Phase 2 Data Collection, Organization, and Analysis Phase 3 Identify Priority Areas for Watershed Improvements (Decision Support Tool) Phase 4 Project Alternatives Development Phase 5 Preliminary Project Design Phase 6 Final Design and Permitting Phase 7 Construction

Client logo Project Area – Approximately 1,000 Square Miles May 22, 2012Page 5 Chester, Delaware, Montgomery Counties (parts of Lancaster & Philadelphia)

Client logo Project Challenges Objective - identify and prioritize regional issues of highest concern Large study area Highly fragmented political framework Building consensus among stakeholders  Federal & State agencies, Counties, municipalities, watershed organizations Overcoming USACE stigma (just another study…) Creating and promoting objectivity and transparency May 22, 2012Page 6

Client logo Project Solutions Outreach to stakeholders  Establish Steering Committee  Hold stakeholder and outreach meetings o 4 steering committee meetings o 3 community outreach meetings in each of the 3 Counties Listening to steering committee/stakeholders! Development of a solution based on data Development of a GIS based decisions support tool Presenting findings to stakeholders May 22, 2012Page 7

Client logo Stakeholder Outreach

Client logo Steering Committee Regional representation from different levels of government and academia Forum for discussion and consensus building Providing local focus to federal process Gathering feedback from key stakeholders and partners May 22, 2012Page 9

Client logo Outreach Meetings Consisted of break out sessions; hands on; coffee and doughnuts Gathered input and feedback Provided project updates and demonstrated progress May 22, 2012Page 10

Client logo Outreach Meetings Response technology used for feedback May 22, 2012Page 11

Client logo Benefits of Using Response Technology Avoids having meetings hijacked by most outspoken participants… Ensures that silent majority gets its say Is democratic/ instantaneous/ entertaining Helps direct discussion Ensures that participants feel that their opinions were heard Generates buy in into the process! May 22, 2012Page 12

Client logo Key Findings Issues facing each watershed and priorities in each watershed are very different Solid solutions exist but often lack funding & support Desire to move away from the band-aid approach Desire to address problems collaboratively using integrated regional solutions May 22, 2012Page 13

Client logo Project Website May 22, 2012Page 14 Overview Project Summary Meeting Minutes Prioritization Report DST Installer User Manual

Client logo Identification & Prioritization of Hot Spots

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 16 Why Identify & Prioritize Hot Spots? Limited funds imperative to prioritize where investment is most needed Prioritization 1 st step in leveraging USACE resources Provide objective assessment of existing conditions and issues facing the project area Provide consistent decision-making framework Keys to Prioritization

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 17 Prioritization Methodology Develop objective indicators to quantify key issues. Outreach identified 3 indicator categories:  Flooding  Watershed Health  Water Quality

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 18 Prioritization Customization Provide customizable weighting factors to account for differences in priorities and issues facing the watersheds Create unique default prioritization lists for each major watershed area for both Individual Indicators and Indicator Categories

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 19 Example Prioritization Process NFIP Claims Risk Deciles HAZUS AAL Sediment Loading Phosphorous Loading Nitrogen Loading Percent Stream Miles Impaired Percent Stream Miles w/ TMDL Prioritization FLOODING Prioritization WATER QUALITY % % % % % % % % % % Erosion Potential % Comprehensive Prioritization Example Water Quality Input Data Example Flooding Input data 100% User Input Weight User Input Weight User Input Weight User Input Weight Percent Impervious Population Density Percent Wetlands Percent Tree Cover Critical Habitat Quality Prioritization WATERSHED HEALTH % % % % % Example Watershed Health Input Data 100% User Input Weight % User Input Weight Population in Floodplain % Site Specific Issues % % %

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 20 Data Assembly Compiled best available data from Federal, State and local agencies for the study area Geodatabase can be used to calculate indicators

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 21 Data Normalization Developed normalization methodology to rank individual datasets

GIS Decision Support Tool

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 23 Decision Support Tool Goals DST Developed for Two Reasons: 1.Identify and prioritize areas where the USACE could assist in design and construction of priority regional watershed improvement projects 2.Provide useful planning too to assist local entities in regional watershed planning

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 24 Decision Support Tool Design Goals Simple user interface Documented methodology Customizable weightings Open to user-supplied data Scalable

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 25 Decision Support Tool Specifications ArcGIS 10 extension Microsoft Visual Basic.NET Development Environment 27 indicators considered User-defined analysis areas User-defined weighting factors All data included in provided Geodatabase

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 26 Initial Tool Load

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 27 User Input and Weighting Options

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 28 DST Results Examples Tabular Results Graphical Results Simulated results for purposes of presentation only

Client logo DST Results Examples May 22, 2012Page 29 Simulated results for purposes of presentation only

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 30 Advanced User Customization Users can use updated or more detailed data if available Users can adjust default weighting factors based on local knowledge and needs

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 31 Documentation Manual and User Guide Results Report

Client logo Future Steps May 22, 2012

Client logo May 22, 2012Page 33 Future Steps Phase III prioritizations are not final, they are a starting point to understand the watershed network The DST tool can be used to support local, State and Federal officials in decision making Phase IV will develop Project Alternatives  Suite of feasible alternatives for priority issues  Preferred option for Preliminary Project Design (Phase V) Improvement Project Implementation Phases V – VII

Client logo Thank You May 22, 2012