owl summit: new orleans spotlight

Spotlight on New Orleans:

Creating a Comprehensive Water Management Strategy

One Water Leadership Summit

Los Angeles, CASeptember 2013

Agenda

Facilitator Michael Drennan

Black and VeatchWatershed Management

Practice Leader, West Region

IntroductionMary L. Landrieu

United States Senator

Thomas Strategies Waggonner & Ball Architects

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Story of New Orleans

Marcia A. St. MartinSewerage & Water Board

Executive Director


Historic City on the Mississippi Delta

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Mississippi River Drainage Basin

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New Orleans Founded in 1718

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New Orleans: A Shining City in a Bowl

Constructed to sit atop of wetland and silt soil, cross-sectioned with canals to have water move through the city to drain into the lake; and have neighborhoods situated on top of it all.

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One Water

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Water SystemFacts and Figures

2 Water Treatment Plants

260 MGD Capacity

1,600 Miles of Water Mains

143,600 Service Connections

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Sewer SystemFacts and Figures

2 Sewer Treatment Plants

220 MGD Capacity

83 Sewer Pump Stations

Federal Consent Decree since 1998

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Drainage SystemFacts and Figures

150 Miles Covered Canals

100 Miles Open Canals

200 Miles Pipes > 36”

24 Drainage Pump Stations with 119 Pumps

51,000 CFS Capacity

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Pumping Capacity

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System’s pumping capacity is over 29 billion gallons perday, enough to empty a lake 10 square miles by 13.5 deep every 24 hours.


Two Different Drainage System Design Philosophies

Acres Pumping Drained Capacity

Metro New Orleans 28,000 Acres 39,000 CFS

New Orleans East 19,000 Acres 6,000 CFS

New Orleans East uses lakes for rainwater retention.

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Power SystemFacts and Figures

25 Cycle Power Plant

61Megawatt Capacity

Provides Power During Storm Events

Provides 4 MW on continual basis for purification and pumping processes

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Multi-Level ProtectionInternal Water Management

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Reliance Upon Pumps, Canals, Levees and Floodwalls


Investing Towards a More Resilient Water System – Bolstering the Underground Network of Stormwater Canals

The Army Corps of Engineers and local New Orleans government is investing nearly $1 billion to widen and fortify the city’s network of underground canals.

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Investing Towards a More Resilient Water System – Advanced Hurricane Risk Reduction

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The Army Corps of Engineers invested over $14.6 billion to create the Greater New Orleans Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, which includes 133 miles of levees, floodwalls, floodgates and pump stations surrounding Greater New Orleans.


Living Below Sea Level

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Sustainable Storm Water Management through Integrated

Urban Redevelopment

Cedric S. GrantCity of New Orleans

Deputy Mayor


New Orleans Landscape:Urban Line of Defense

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Problems1. Flooding

2. Subsidence

3. Water Assets Wasted

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Opportunities1. Improved Safety

2. Economic Vitality

3. Enhanced Quality of Life


Next Steps: Marrying Resiliency with Sustainability – Integrating Water/Land-Based Water Management

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Cholera andYellow FeverOutbreaks


Creating a One Water Solution for a More Sustainable and Resilient New Orleans

Complimenting ongoing water infrastructure investment, New Orleans is working to create water-based community development:

Aligning and streamlining water-related governance, policy, and funding.

Harnessing public space to safely detain stormwater and recharge sinking soils.

Leveraging water investment to spur economic and community growth.

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The Goal: Aligning and streamlining water-related governance, policy, and funding.

The Challenge: Decades of deferred maintenance funding; inconsistent system-wide strategic planning; and multiple governmental entities managing aspects of a single water system.

The Opportunity: Approval of a framework for drainage service fee; enacted governance reform legislation; and first-time comprehensive stormwater management zoning and permitting regulations.

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The Goal: Harnessing public space to safely detain stormwater and recharge sinking soils.

The Challenge: Damage to the City’s aging drainage pipe system in exacerbated by subsiding soils. The estimated cost of a pipe-only solution is simply unaffordable.

The Opportunity: The City is beginning to identify green infrastructure investment opportunities among ongoing post-Katrina street, park space, and blighted property renovation projects.

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The Goal: Leveraging water investment to spur economic and community growth.

The Challenge: Most of the City’s canals and other waterways provide little value as spaces for public life and commercial attraction. Existing surface level water infrastructure is unsightly, dangerous, and walled off.

The Opportunity: The City recently partnered in the development of the Urban Water Plan that identifies short- and long-term pilot projects and economic development strategies to increase community access and private-sector investment surrounding water and green infrastructure.

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The Goal: Leveraging water investment to spur economic and community growth

The Challenge: Most of the City’s canals and other waterways provide little value as spaces for public life and commercial attraction. Existing surface level water infrastructure is unsightly, dangerous, and walled off.

The Opportunity: The City recently partnered in the development of $2.5 million 50-year Urban Water Plan that identifies short- and long-term pilot projects and economic development strategies to increase community access and private-sector investment surrounding water and green infrastructure.

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Post-Katrina Water Planning

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Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to

Achieve New Orleans’ Vision for Sustainable

Water Management

Jeffrey J. ThomasThomas Strategies, LLC

Principal


Harnessing Community Expertise to Define Mission and Build Support

New Orleans Sewer, Water, and Drainage System Citizen Task Force

Greater New Orleans FoundationUrban Water Series

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To help redefine stormwater management in Greater New Orleans, local business, civic, and neighborhood leaders initiated two major grassroots efforts to contribute expertise and build community support.


New Orleans Sewer, Water, and Drainage System Citizen Task Force

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Created at the behest of local government, the citizen task force included over forty business and civic leaders and organizations to review and make recommendations on all aspects of water management policy, financing, infrastructure and operations.


Citizen Task Force Recommendations to Improve Stormwater Protection

Governance: Consolidate all stormwater assets and policy under a single authority and enable increased regional and public-private strategic investment planning.

Policy & Operations: Institute a prorated drainage service fee and harness existing blight, housing, zoning, and economic development-related policies to mandate and incentivize green infrastructure investment.

Infrastructure Investment: Capitalize on ongoing post-Katrina public space and street projects to incorporate green infrastructure features.

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The goal of the task force was to identify stormwater governance, operational, and investment opportunities that leverage existing funds, projects, and policies.


Create a Comprehensive Water Management Regulatory and Investment Framework thatutilizes the City Master Plan, zoning, permitting, blight policy, property rehabilitation assistance,and other land use controls to incentivize and mandate runoff reduction from private property.

I. Implement Land Use Policies that Ease Stress on Drainage Infrastructure

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Governing Raindrops:A Tale of Two Drainage Systems

City Controlled Minor Drainage:1,288 Miles of Pipe 19,460 Inlets2012 O&M Budget $0.3 million

S&WB Major Drainage:235 Miles of Pipes and Canals2012 O&M Budget $40.1 million

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Utilize an expanded SWBO drainage department to manage all city drainage infrastructure and related policy development.

Institute a single, prorated drainage fee towards all city stormwater infrastructure based on property size, run-off potential, and property conservation features.

II. Consolidate & Integrate Local Stormwater Management

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Formalize intergovernmental coordination and inter-parish compacts to achieve regional-level stormwater management planning and infrastructure investment.

Establish a Stormwater Advisory Committee to advise SWBNO and City on long-term stormwater management policy and investment planning.

II. Consolidate & Integrate Local Stormwater Management

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Establish quantifiable performance and investment goals to guide implementation of integrated stormwater management advancements by SWBNO and the City.

Reduce stress on city drainage system by using federal hazard mitigation funds and other resources to add stormwater storage and other integrated water management safeguards to planned improvements to streets, canals, and public space projects.

III. Build on Existing Initiatives to Invest in Integrated Stormwater Protection Policies and Projects

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Enhance proposed SELA underground drainage culvert projects, still in design phase, to ensure adequate connectivity to city drainage pipes and include water storage features.

Design Monticello Canal improvements to ensure effective inter-parish drainage capacity.

IV. Modify Planned Improvements to Ensure Greater Effectiveness & Sustainability

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Leverage Existing Policy to Effect Community-Wide Improvements

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The task force identified several existing fee structures and public policies that could incentivize community green infrastructure investment. Establish a parcel-based drainage fee that

can be discounted based on onsite conservation measures.

Mandate minimum stormwater control measures for private properties above a prescribed size.

Incentivize enhanced stormwater control measures in awarding public financial assistance for private-sector housing and commercial development.

Establish minimum design standards for incorporating green infrastructure in public projects.


Leverage Existing Federal Drainage Infrastructure Projects…

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…to transform this… …into this.


Leverage Existing Public Street Projects…

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Leverage Existing Parks & Vacant Land…

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Greater New Orleans Foundation


Urban Water SeriesSession I

Stormwater Challenges: Local and National Perspectives

Broad understanding of New Orleans’ water challenges.

Current state of wetland loss, the EPA consent decree, Federal Clean Water Act, and plans to improve aging stormwater systems.

Overview of best practices in stormwater management nationally.

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Urban Water SeriesSession II

Metropolitan Comprehensive Green Stormwater Strategies

Controlling rainwater through bayous and rain gardens in Houston and Philadelphia.

Community involvement in raising funds and protecting watershed areas.

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Urban Water SeriesSession III

Green Alleys, Streets, and Neighborhoods

Affordable green solutions for managing stormwater in Milwaukee and Portland at the neighborhood level with permeable streetscapes, bio-swales, green roofs, and rain barrels.

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Urban Water SeriesSession IV

Innovative Financing Options for Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Incentives for businesses and homeowners to manage stormwater on site.

Innovative public-private partnerships and charging people for letting stormwater runoff their property in Washington, D.C. helps pay for green infrastructure.

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Urban Water SeriesSession V

Creating Local Change and Making a Commitment to Next Steps

Discussion moderated by Jeff Eger, Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation, on what New Orleans can learn from other vanguard cities – and what they can learn from us.

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Comprehensive Water Management Strategy

Wm. Raymond ManningSewerage & Water Board

President Pro-Tem


Collaborations

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Planning Approach

Urban Fabric

Infrastructure

Soils + Water

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A New Approach: Principles

Living with Water

Slow and Store

Circulate and Recharge

Work with Nature

Design for Adaptation

Work Together

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Water and Urban Design

Canals as Green and Blue Corridors

Storage in Vacant Lots and Underutilized Properties

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Street Retrofits

Canals and Boulevards

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Peeling Back Pavement in Commercial Districts

Water Storage in Strategic Parklands

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New Water Features that Supplement Existing Lakes

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New Waterfront and Commercial Districts



Improved Connection to Bayou Sauvage

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Blueways,Parklands, and Wetlands



Wetlands Restoration

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A Gateway to the Wetlands and the Gulf


Regional Costs vs. BenefitsOver Fifty Years

Implementation CostsDetention/retention featuresStorage basinsDrainage improvements

Economic BenefitsDirect and indirect job growthReduced flooding-induced damagesReduced subsidence-induced damagesImproved insurabilityImproved property values

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Greater New OrleansUrban Water Plan

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Full report available at livingwithwater.com

Policy and Financing Issues

with Progress Underway

Robert K. MillerSewerage & Water Board

Deputy Director


Stormwater ManagementOrganization Missions

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City of New Orleans Department of Public Works

Minor System: Catch Basins and Street Drainage

Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans

Major System: Pumping Stations and Canal Drainage

US Army Corps of Engineers

Hurricane Protection System and Canal Closure Gates

Southeast Levee Flood Protection Authority East and West

River, Lake, and Canal Levees


Stormwater ManagementOrganization Missions

But who is responsible for…

Groundwater Monitoring?

Groundwater Stabilization?

Subsidence Control?

Green Infrastructure Construction?

Green Infrastructure Maintenance?

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Stormwater Management Funding

Currently funded by dedicated property taxes in each Community and Parish.

Significant amounts of tax-exempt properties owned by charter schools, public and private universities, and churches.

Need for drainage service charge to supplement property taxes.

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Drainage Service ChargePolicy Considerations

Which organizations and missions should the new drainage service charge cover?

Should drainage service charge collections be shared across political jurisdictional boundaries?

Should the drainage service charge be based solely on impervious surface area or a combination of total area and impervious surface area?

Should the cost allocation be differentiated upon which geographic areas are being drained?

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Should service to water system customers be turned off for non-payment of drainage charges?

What consequence should non-water customers face for non-payment of drainage charges?

Should revenue requirements, existing millage revenues, and impervious surface areas be allocated at the system level, at the customer class level, or at the individual customer level?

What properties should be exempt from drainage service charges?

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What is the basis for credits?

What level of public participation is necessary and appropriate in development of the new Drainage Service Charge?

What level of service will be provided from this Drainage Service Charge?

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Water Management Strategy:A Partnership Among and Between…

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Progress at the Nexus of Water and Power

Retrofit of power generation system through a $141 million Hazard Mitigation Grant.

Building smarter, with greater reliability, resiliency, and sustainability.

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“Recovery is about better handling the storms we face in the future, and about being a better place to live before, during, and after those storms. So, a recovery without resilience is not a real recovery, and resilience without sustainability is not resilience.

So it’s critical to our recovery that we invest in not only rebuilding back what we had before, but also investing in making sure that that rebuilding is safer, stronger, and smarter than we had before, with a better understanding of our relationship to the environment in which we live.

Sometimes “Safer, stronger, smarter” means a tweak to an existing idea; but at other times a tweak isn’t enough and we’re required to reimagine our very relationship with our environment and how we adapt to it.”

Pat Forbes Executive DirectorOffice of Community Development Division of Administration


Progress at the Nexus of Storm Surge and Coastal Restoration

Wetlands Assimilation ProjectProviding fresh water and nutrients needed to reduce salinity and encourage plant growth by redirecting and reusing treated wastewater.

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Progress at the Nexus of Green Infrastructure and Water Quality

Green infrastructure elements included in:

MS4 Permit

Wastewater system consent decree

Street and public space reconstruction.

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Progress at the Nexus of Stormwater Removal and Economic Development

Real Estate Development

Exporting Technology and Knowledge

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Progress at the Nexus of Zoning Regulations and Subsidence Control

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Come to New Orleans!

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Thomas Strategies Waggonner & Ball Architects 77

owl summit: new orleans spotlight

Environment

water solution

water investment

resilient new orleans

water assets

single water system

miles of water mains

water related governance

waterrelated governance