A Plan to Get Savvy About Urban Watersheds

Dan Cloak, Dan Cloak Environmental Consulting

Beau Goldie, Santa Clara Valley Water District

Lorrie Gervin, City of Sunnyvale

The Santa Clara Basin

Santa Clara Basin Watershed Management Initiative

Started in 1996Stakeholders include:

USEPA & Regional Water Quality Control BoardState and Federal Resource AgenciesCities, Towns & CountySanta Clara Valley Water DistrictValley Transportation AuthorityEnvironmental AdvocatesCitizens GroupsBusiness Interests

Watershed Planning Process

Watershed Characteristics Report

Pilot Watershed Assessments

A Vision for Our Watershed

Subgroups created 112 Action Worksheets

Action Plan Technical Advisory GroupWhich of these actions are being done now?

Watershed Action Plan

For each of seven issues:An aspect of the watershed vision

Natural & social history of environmental issue

Existing law & regulation

Status of implementation

Watershed management objectives

1. Stream Protection & RestorationVision: Support salmon & steelhead - Restore seasonal flows and overbanking - Restore and maintain in-stream habitatHistory: Dams, flow diversions, channelizationScience: River continuum & stream equilibrium Policy: Flows, Permits, Sediment TMDLsStatus: Stewardship added to District missionObjective: Integrate flood protection & restoration - Commit to long-term Adaptive Management

2. Floodplain & Riparian PlanningVision: Continuous riparian corridors & floodplains - For flood management, habitat, parks, trailsHistory & Science: Ideas about flood control and floodplain management (Gilbert White, 1942) - Landscape ecology & riparian corridorsPolicies: NFIP, City & District, Trails PlanObjective: Integrated planning process

• Shared sense of place

3. Conserving BiodiversityVision: Comprehensive plan to preserve biodiversity (variety of habitats, organisms, & genetic makeup) Also provide for jobs & housingHistory: Open space preservation along with sprawlScience: What is critical habitat?Policy: ESA, HCPs, NCCPsStatus: HCP/NCCP in Santa Clara CountyObjective: Creation & management of habitat reserves

3. Conserving Biodiversity in WetlandsStatus: Acquisition of 15,000 additional acres - Expand the SF Bay National Wildlife RefugeObjective: Facilitate restoration of salt ponds, maintain flood protection, protect water quality - Comprehensive planning process

4. General Plans & Specific Area PlansVision: Protected corridors with intense developmentHistory: Modernism + incentives + economics = SprawlPolicies: California General Plan Law, “Smart Growth”Objective: Incorporate vision into General Plans - Reach out to “smart growth” advocates - Plan for designation & acquisition of habitat corridors

5. Site Development & Drainage Vision: Retrofitted drainage systems protect streamsScience: Imperviousness & effects on streams - Site and drainage design solutionsHistory: Cities’ slow changes in design standardsPolicy: Amended municipal stormwater permitObjective: Assist implementation of permit &

coordinate with other aspects of vision

6. Assessments, TMDLs, & Discharge Permits Vision: Waters fishable, swimmable, without pollutionHistory: Success in cleaning up wastewater discharges - New issues: Flow diversions, exotic species, nonpointScience: Sources, fate, transport, effects of each pollutantPolicies: Stormwater discharge permit, TMDLsStatus: Site-specific objectives for Cu & Ni - TMDLs for Hg, PCBs, CHCs, diazinon, dioxins/furans - Watch list for trash, pathogens, sediment/siltation,

PBDEs, EDCsObjective: Improve TMDL process, consensus-based

discharge permits

7. Water Conservation & Recycling Vision: Rely primarily on local sources, maximize

conservation & recycling, balance with other needsHistory: Overpumping, subsidence, dams & diversions,

water imports, salt marsh conversionPolicy: California conservation policy - Central Valley Improvement Act - Flow cap on wastewater dischargeStatus: 10% of wastewater flow is recycledObjective: Use state-mandated Integrated Water Resource

Planning to gauge & focus water conservation & recycling

A Watershed Plan is All About…A shared vision of the futureCollective discovery and learning

About watershed scienceAbout environmental policy & regulation

Aligning, coordinating & integrating existing environmental protection policies & programsCreating an effective long-term institutionfor adaptive management of watersheds

Watershed Initiative’s Future RoleFacilitate stakeholder groups

Genuine collaborationFresh technical & policy perspectives

Recommend solutions to policy-makersBring consensus to boards, managers, & funders

Educate and involve the publicDevelop indicatorsIssue reports