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Proposed Alliance of Downriver Watersheds

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Locally Developed Guidelines for Voluntary Watershed-Based Storm Water Permit - 2000 ... flows to protect or reduce damage to riparian property and aquatic habitat. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Proposed Alliance of Downriver Watersheds


1
ProposedAlliance of Downriver Watersheds
  • Locally Driven Watershed Management Approach to
    Storm Water Permit Compliance

April 2006
2
Locally Driven Watershed Management Approach
  • Need
  • Continuing cooperation required to
  • Restore and protect the Beneficial Uses of our
    waterways
  • Meet Storm Water Permit Requirements
  • Cost Savings in Working Together

3
CONTINUING LOCAL INITIATIVE
  • Watershed-Based Storm Water Permit
  • Locally Developed Guidelines for Voluntary
    Watershed-Based Storm Water Permit - 2000
  • State Adoption of Voluntary Watershed-Based Storm
    Water Permit 2001
  • First Watershed Plans Developed for Seven
    Subwatersheds in neighboring Rouge River
    watershed 2002

4
CONTINUING LOCAL INITIATIVE
  • Watershed-Based Storm Water Permit
  • Watershed Advisory Groups for Ecorse Creek,
    Combined Downriver, and Lower Huron River
    Watersheds Formed
  • Inter-Municipality Committees Formed for each
    Watershed in 2003 to Develop Watershed Management
    Plans
  • Watershed Plans Submitted to State Nov 2005
  • IMC agreements expire 1st quarter 2006

5
Institutional Arrangements Watershed-Based
Permit
  • All have individual permits
  • Jointly developed watershed plans
  • 3 Tiers of Activity
  • Local Communities and Residents
  • Watershed Advisory Groups
  • Regional Activities


6
Review of Institutional Options
  • Evaluated alternatives for continuing Locally
    Driven Cooperative Watershed Management Approach
  • Voluntary
  • Organized
  • Reviewed other Watershed Organizations
  • Watershed Alliances (under new PA 517)
  • Drainage Districts (under Drain Code)
  • Watershed Councils
  • Other Authorities

7
Act No. 517 Public Acts of 2004 Watershed
Alliance Act
  • Passed unanimously by House and Senate in late
    fall 2004
  • Existing statutes did not meet needs
  • Designed for Other Purposes
  • Constrained Voting, Actions, etc.
  • Local Control Emphasized
  • Signed by Governor on January 3, 2005
  • First watershed alliance under new law Alliance
    of Rouge Communities (Oct 2005)

8
Watershed Alliance Law (P.A. 517of 2004)
  • Purpose - Designing and implementing projects and
    conducting activities to protect or enhance water
    quality and related beneficial uses, or manage
    flows to protect or reduce damage to riparian
    property and aquatic habitat.
  • Members - Municipalities, counties, county
    agency, public school districts, public colleges
    or universities, or other local or regional
    public agencies
  • Voluntary Membership
  • Equitable membership basis

9
Watershed Alliance Law(P.A.517of 2004)
  • Features
  • Assessments and Operating Procedures Determined
    by Members
  • No New Authority to Tax or Assess Fees to Public
    or Businesses
  • No New Regulatory Authority
  • Emphasizes
  • Local Cooperation and Control
  • Forum for sharing materials/information/idea
  • Reduced redundancy among communities and others

10
Watershed Alliance Law (P.A. 517 of 2004)
  • Authorizes
  • Developing /implementing watershed plans
  • Provides authority to
  • Manage own money, including receiving grant
    funding
  • Enter agreements (e.g., contract for services and
    staff)
  • Implement joint projects
  • Apply for permits on behalf of members
  • Advocate for its members

11
Alliance of Downriver Watersheds
  • Proposed Bylaws
  • Closely tracks successful MOAs for Watershed
    Inter-Municipality Committees
  • Provides umbrella organization for 3 watersheds
    for common permit activities
  • 1 payment per year if in 1, 2, or 3 watersheds
  • Outlines Voting Members
  • Cities, Townships, Villages, Counties,
    Authorities, Public Schools, College
    Universities, others with Storm Water Discharge
    Permits
  • Assessments to Members Based Upon Population/Area
    Within Watershed
  • Annual Member Approval of Budget/Assessments
  • Terminate Membership at Anytime

12
Alliance of Downriver Watersheds
  • Proposed Bylaws
  • Elected Officers
  • Standing Committees
  • Finance
  • Wayne County to provide fiduciary services for
    first year
  • Ecorse Creek Watershed Advisory Group
  • Combined Downriver Watershed Advisory Group
  • Lower Huron River Watershed Advisory Group
  • Cooperating Partners

13
PROPOSED ALLIANCE OF DOWNRIVER WATERSHEDS
VOTING MEMBERS Cities, Townships, Villages,
Counties Public Schools, Authorities, College
Universities With Storm Water Discharge Permits
COOPERATING PARTNERS Non-profit organizations,
businesses, residents, others
All meetings conducted in compliance with
Michigan Open Meetings Act
14
Alliance of Downriver Watersheds
Proposed Budget Supports
  • Permit Requirements
  • Water Quality Monitoring in All Watersheds
  • Measures Effectiveness of Permit Requirements
  • Select Public Education Activities
  • Select Illicit Discharge Elimination Activities
  • Select projects identified by Watershed Advisory
    Groups
  • Technical Assistance to Watershed Advisory Groups
  • Advocacy for Communities on Permit Issues

15
Alliance of Downriver Watersheds Storm Water
Permit Compliance
  • All have individual permits
  • Jointly developed watershed plans
  • 3 Tiers of Activity
  • Local Communities and Citizens
  • Watershed Advisory Groups
  • Regional Activities

16
Alliance of Downriver Watersheds
  • Benefits of Membership
  • Reduced Storm Water Permit Costs
  • Shared development of informational educational
    materials
  • Cooperative Monitoring Program (required)
  • Templates for required reports and plans
  • Watershed Group facilitation
  • Advocacy on Behalf of Members
  • Permit negotiation with MDEQ
  • Efficiently Addressing River Problems
  • Locally driven priorities

17
Remaining Impediments to Storm Water/Watershed
Management
  • Lack of adequate, secure long term funding at the
    local level
  • Lack of federal and state grants for
    implementation of watershed management plans
  • Separate permits, IDEPs, SWPPIs, and Public Ed.
    Plans
  • Duplication of effort and wasted limited
    resources that could be applied to addressing
    problems

18
Working Together Makes Sense
  • Communities and public agencies are obligated,
    under the terms of their storm water permit, to
    take actions to protect and improve our waterways
  • Everyone will save money by working cooperatively
    to meet the obligations of their storm water
    permit
  • Its working in other watersheds! River water
    quality continues to improve and people are
    returning to the river
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