A New Approach to Protecting Water Quality in Gallatin County through Better Site Design Tammy Crone, Water Quality Specialist

Why A Watershed Group? Work with community Understand local needs, issues Bring diverse interests together to find solutions Collaborative environment

Greater Gallatin Watershed Council Mission: Promote conservation and enhancement of our water resources while supporting the traditions of community, agriculture and recreation. Strategic Plan Goal for Habitat & Water Quality: Facilitate Collaborative water resource projects Action: Identify stormwater management & development recommendations for municipalities & county

SO….WHY GET INVOLVED IN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT?

A Changing Landscape… Gallatin Co population rate increase = 28.8% An increase of 67% since – (U.S. Census 2000) people = development = impervious surfaces = water quality without prevention & mitigation people = development = impervious surfaces = water quality without prevention & mitigation

Impacts to Aquatic Resources Due to Impervious Cover Higher peak discharge rates & greater flooding Lower stream flow during dry weather Greater streambank erosion Decline in streambed quality (sedimentation)

Warmer stream temperatures Greater loading of stormwater runoff pollutants to streams Aquatic species diversity declines And more…

Gallatin Valley Impaired Streams 16 streams/stream segments Not meeting beneficial uses for recreation, irrigation, fisheries, etc. Stormwater runoff can be a factor Numerous small streams in our urban area…feed into East Gallatin River

Good Intentions…Unintended Consequences? Some development rules may be creating needless impervious cover – Subdivision codes – Parking & street standards – Zoning regulations Leads to wide streets, expansive parking lots, large-lot subdivisions that crowd out natural areas. A development containing 1-acre lots, where each lot has % impervious surface, could expect runoff to double from pre-development status. (EPA 1993)

Ready, Set,…Need Funding! Received Gallatin Assistance Planning Grant from Sonoran Institute and Montana Smart Growth. – Contract with Montana Watercourse to facilitate – Create a work group to look at stormwater and development issues… – Then make recommendations to decision-makers. Work begins…

GGWC Stormwater Work Group Jennifer Boyer, Sonoran Institute Tammy Crone, Gallatin Water Quality District & GGWC Debbie Earl, Montana Watercourse Jackie Flikkema, JTL Group Candace Hamlin, GGWC Randy Johnson, Gallatin County Planning Bart Manion, GGWC Tom Rogers, Gallatin County Planning Simon Trautman, Moonlight Basin Karin Boyd, GGWC Buddy Drake, Drake & Associates Andy Epple, City of Bozeman Sharlyn Gunderson-Izurieta, GGWC Stuart Jennings, Reclamation Research Group Al Lien, Association of Gallatin Agricultural Irrigators Tom Milesnick, GGWC William Pond, Montana State University Joe Skinner, Gallatin County Commissioner Bob Zimmer, Oasis Environmental, Inc.

Focus and Goals Minimize negative impact of development on local surface- and ground-water resources. – Encourage “hydrologically functioning lots” Explore feasibility of implementing LID designs locally. – Cold weather climate

Desired Project Outcomes Development of water quality BMP guidelines for new development. Provide the guidelines to planning boards with information on innovative development that can be utilized to mitigate impacts to water resources locally.

The Process Met several times over the course of a year. Focus on new construction vs. retrofit Focus on final site design…not construction stormwater BMPs Researched various BMPs currently out there. Identified those best suited to Montana climate. Based on:

Created a guideline document – Background info on basic hydrology & LID concepts – General LID Strategy Checklist Planning Boards can use to provide a quick overview of what to look for in a design using LID – Focus on 7 LID Designs: Constructed Wetlands Parking Lot Design Bio-retention On-lot Infiltration Infiltration Systems Filter Strips

– Diagrams for 7 different LID designs BMP Background Advantages & Limitations of each BMP design Specific BMP Design Guidelines/Considerations checklist – Reference to online resources for LID

Getting the Word Out Presentations made: – Gallatin County Planning Department’s “Contractors/Developers Luncheon” – Gallatin County Planning Board Response has been positive Bozeman Creek Watershed Tour

Next Steps Continue public presentations of the Guidelines – City Planning Boards – City & County Commissions Encourage adoption of GGWC LID Development Guidelines. Host a Stormwater Tour – MT Stormwater Conf.

Kitzbuhel, Austria THANK YOU The Palatino, Ancient Rome - Italy