picture Renee Purdy, Environmental Program Manager Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Renee Purdy, Environmental Program Manager Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board A New Paradigm for MS4 Permits: Watershed Management Programs & Multi-Benefit Stormwater Projects A New Paradigm for MS4 Permits: Watershed Management Programs & Multi-Benefit Stormwater Projects

Drivers for a MS4 Paradigm Shift Watershed Management Programs Need to Implement 33 Watershed-based TMDLs Growing Recognition of Stormwater as a Resource Desire for Clear Compliance Pathways I m p r o v e d W a t e r Q u a l i t y

MS4 Permit Principles

2001 PERMIT NON-STORMWATER DISCHARGE PROHIBITIONS RECEIVING WATER LIMITATIONS SWMP/MINIMUM CONTROL MEASURES CURRENT PERMIT RECEIVING WATER MONITORING REQUIREMENTS TMDL PROVISIONS 2 TMDLs 33 SWMP/ MCMs/ LID RWL PROVISIONS NON- STORM- WATER DISCHARGE PROVISIONS WATER QUALITY DRIVEN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OUTFALL & RECEIVING WATER MONITORING

Watershed Management Program/ Enhanced Watershed Management Program Most significant change from old to new permit Municipalities have option to develop, either individually or as part of a group, either a WMP or an EWMP to implement permit requirements on a watershed scale Allows communities to address the highest watershed priorities, including complying with Receiving Water Limitations and TMDL-based requirements, by customizing their stormwater control measures EWMP = multi-benefit regional projects by retaining 85 th percentile, 24- hour event

Permittee Options 1.Watershed Management Program (WMP) a.Individual Basis b.Collaborative among Permittees within a watershed 2.Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) a.Assumes collaboration among Permittees and other partners (e.g., water suppliers) within a watershed 3.No Watershed Management Program

What is an Enhanced Watershed Management Program? … one that comprehensively evaluates opportunities … in a watershed management area, for collaboration … on multi- benefit regional projects that, wherever feasible, retain … all storm water runoff from the 85 th percentile, 24-hour storm event for the drainage areas … while also achieving other benefits including flood control and water supply...

Benefits of Watershed-based Permitting Tailor programs to address specific geographic priorities Prioritize and schedule projects to address water quality challenges Joint implementation programs developed by multiple communities that share common water quality concerns Reduce costs through economies of scale

Benefits of Watershed-based Permitting: Demonstrating Compliance Proactive, comprehensive, and cooperative planning and implementation effort at watershed level Requirement to demonstrate reasonable assurance up front through modeling Requirements and incentives for stormwater retention, infiltration, and reuse low-impact-development

Community Benefits of Watershed Management Programs Stormwater is a resource Local water resiliency & reduce imported water costs Provide community open space for recreation Green streets Improve water quality Reduce flooding Adapt to climate change Enhance wildlife PUBLIC USE FLOOD PROTECTION WATER QUALITY HABITAT RESTORATION OPEN SPACE WATER SUPPLY CLIMATE ADAPTATION JOBS

Locations of WMPs Portions of San Gabriel Valley Lower San Gabriel River Alamitos Bay/Los Cerritos Channel Lower Los Angeles River Portions of PV Peninsula

Watershed Management Program Prioritization of Water Quality Issues Reasonable Assurance Analysis Selection of Watershed Control Measures Implementation Monitoring and Adaptive Management

Watershed Control Measures Structural Non-Structural LID Regional Projects Green Streets Other MCMs Institutional Controls Source controls

Summary of State Water Board Decision on LA County MS4 Permit MS4 permits must require compliance with water quality standards & TMDLs Should incorporate an ambitious, rigorous, and transparent alternative compliance path that allows permittees appropriate time to come into compliance with receiving water limitations Should encourage watershed-based approaches and the use of green infrastructure, low impact development, and multi-benefit regional projects that capture, infiltrate, and reuse storm water and support a local sustainable water supply Should follow a robust adaptive management process, but with a finite path

Challenges and Concerns Forming partnerships among municipalities & other partners (water agencies, private entities, etc.) to successfully implement projects Funding stormwater projects & ongoing O&M through a steady stream of revenue

EWMP capital costs over 25 years

Lessons Learned & Next Steps New Level of Effort Importance of treating stormwater quality infrastructure as a municipal and regional asset that must be managed Importance of a Financial Strategy as a Next Step – Need for constant revenue stream to invest in, operate and maintain stormwater infrastructure Establishing Partnerships – Water agencies – Private corporations/foundations – Caltrans Cooperative Implementation Agreements

Questions? Renee Purdy Environmental Program Manager Regional Programs (213)