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the upper altamaha initiative:
fall 2007
Abstract Stormwater runoff is a severe problem facing many communities across the United States. Increases in impervious surface area due to low- and high- density development are causing incidences of flash-flooding, overflows at water-treatment plants, sedimentation, and pollution problems at levels that are historically unprecedented. Coastal areas are of heightened concern since excessive stormwater runoff can damage or even destroy salt marshes, coral reefs, mangroves, islands, and estuaries that provide fragile but essential habitats for a variety of different species. These problems create costs for local communities, which are incurred through increased social needs, environmental damage, and regulatory fines. Examples of expenses that are created from increased social needs include expensive stormwater infrastructure and damage to property, while habitat destruction and loss of species diversity are examples of environmental losses. Furthermore, municipalities have to acquire permits that are issued through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Stormwater Program. If communities are found to have excessive stormwater runoff, they can face possible fines from the NPDES. For all of these reasons, various communities are trying to limit the impact of stormwater runoff through mitigation and alternative policies that do not significantly hinder their social and economic well-being. Although no optimal solution exists, a relatively new method for stormwater mitigation, a stormwater utility system, has gained support for its effectiveness and feasibility in communities across the country. The idea behind a stormwater utility is that the necessary revenue for maintenance and upgrades to a community's stormwater system is funded through user-based fees. If implemented correctly, stormwater utility fees can help a community significantly reduce its storm water runoff to a degree that would otherwise not be economically feasible due to insufficient funding. The stormwater utility guidebook being created for the practicum is designed to help coastal communities in Georgia develop an understanding of how stormwater utilities work. Specifically, the handbook will provide information on estimating revenue requirements, establishing an equitable fee and billing system, designing an efficient administration system, providing public information programs, and working with legal authorities. It will also offer coastal communities information on the environmental and economic benefits of stormwater utilities, as well as a county-specific, temporal assessment of their percent of impervious surface and tree canopy and how these values relate to stormwater runoff. To supplement this handbook, an overview of stormwater utilities previously implemented in other communities will be provided. These case studies will highlight stormwater utility practices that have proven to be both successful and sustainable. The review will also look at potential pitfalls that other communities have experienced and how they can be avoided. Since this guidebook is specifically being developed for the coastal region, case studies and recommendations will be tailored made for the coastal audience such to provide them with information that will be beneficial and valuable to them. Overall, this guidebook is a stepping stone in enabling coastal communities in Georgia to properly assess and determine whether implementing a stormwater utility is economically viable and environmentally beneficial to them. After this guidebook is completed, it will be appended to a larger, more comprehensive guidebook, which will focus on more technical aspects of implementing a stormwater utility. Contributions to this guidebook are being made by the Center for Watershed Protection, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the River Basin Center at the University of Georgia's Odum School of Ecology. |
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