• Stormwater Management
• Grand Valley Stormwater Management Plan Summary
• Community Presentations
• Getting Organized
• Grand Valley Stormwater Management Study/Steering Committee
• Secure Funding

• The term Stormwater Management is a catch all phrase for many complex facets associated with handling runoff from rain events. The first broad category has to do with handling the quantity of stormwater generated from any storm. Flood control, floodplain/floodway management, and maintenance fall in this category. The second broad category has to do with handling the quality of stormwater that discharges into the local washes, creeks and rivers. There are state and federal regulations that the local stormwater/drainage managers will need to address. Presently, the City of Grand Junction is a party to state proposed major quality standards in the Grand Valley washes.
• With the multitudes of entities involved in stormwater / floodplain / drainage management in the Grand Valley, there is no one entity responsible for stormwater. Many of the existing drainages are choked full of trees and debris as entities have argued over who is responsible for maintenance. Capital construction of detention basins and outfalls is also a jurisdictional issue. Due to the lack of any recent significant rain events, most of the entities have become complacent in maintenance of their facilities. Furthermore, City and County stormwater master plans, completed in 1999, have identified over $44 million worth of improvements to existing stormwater facilities in order to increase capacities in those systems to accommodate up to the 100-year storm event. It is essential to organize the managing entities into a unified consortium.

• The intent is to update various entities on stormwater management issues in the Grand Valley including floodplain, pending federal and state water quality regulations, and infrastructure needs. The primary focus will be on efforts the City of Grand Junction, City of Fruita, Grand Junction Drainage District and Mesa County staff are making toward organizing the various Grand Valley stormwater handlers into a more efficient operation and meeting various Federal and State regulations that are pending.

• City of Grand Junction and Fruita, Mesa County and Grand Junction Drainage District staff have given presentations to the various civic groups and organizations as well as the various irrigation district boards to help increase community awareness of stormwater issues. Although no conclusions will be drawn as to funding sources, staff believes education and awareness will help ensure future success and community support for future stormwater projects.

• With the multitudes of entities involved in managing storm and drainage water in the Grand Valley, it makes sense to try and organize the entities into a more cohesive group and minimize duplication of efforts. However, each entity has a different agenda with different missions. In regards to the NPDES Phase II regulations, City of Grand Junction, City of Fruita, Grand Junction Drainage District and Mesa County are up to speed on regulations. However the irrigation districts are just now coming up to speed on the impact.

• The Steering Committee completed developed its final recommendation which will be published in August. The committee has come to consensus that there are significant problems with stormwater systems in the Grand Valley and with the cooridnation of the different responsible entities. They have agreed that a valley-wide Stormwater Authority is needed to coordinate the many problems associated with water flowing from one jurisdiction to another as well as provide for a dedicated stormwater funding source. The advisory committee will also propose various implementation ideas. A joint meeting on the committee's findings with the various Councils / Boards is proposed this fall. This is a multi jurisdictional effort of each of the Grand Valley's stormwater agencies: City of Fruita, Grand Junction Drainage District, City of Grand Junction, Town of Palisade,Mesa County, and Orchard Mesa Irrigation and Drainage District..

29 Road and I-70B

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