Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. MahoneyOnondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Onondaga County Save the Rain: Monitoring and Adaptive
Management
Madison Quinn & Adam WoodburnOnondaga County Dept. of Water
Environment ProtectionNYSDEC Green Infrastructure Workshop
March 17, 2016
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Presentation Overview
• Background
• Save the Rain Program Overview
o Gray & Green Infrastructure
• Harbor Brook Wetland
• Stormwater Management Model as a strategic planning tool
• Beyond projects – program management, public outreach, & multiple community benefits
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
America’s First Green Infrastructure Consent Order
• 7,660 acres
• 6.1 Billion Gallons Total Annual
Combined Sewage Generated by
the Metro Combined Sewer
Service Area
City of Syracuse
Onondaga CreekHarbor Brook
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Save the Rain Program Overview
• County Executive Joanie Mahoney wanted a better way to meet environmental goals without building more Regional Treatment Facilities (RTFs)
• Combined approach –gray and green infrastructure
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Green GraySTR
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Green Infrastructure Technologies
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. MahoneyOnondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Harbor Brook Constructed WetlandsPilot Treatment System
• 3 types of wetland cells capture & treat flow from CSO018
Floating Island System
Vertical Downflow System
Surface Flow System
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Harbor Brook Constructed WetlandsPilot Treatment System
• Partnership with SUNY-ESF for wet weather monitoring
• Preliminary sampling results from 2015:
o Fecal coliform: 98.9%
o Biological Oxygen Demand (5 day): 81.9%
o Ammonia: 53.3%
o Total Phosphorus: 80.4%
o Total Suspended Solids: 35.1%
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
University Research Partnerships
• SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry
• Syracuse University L. C. Smith College of Engineering & Computer Science
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Beyond Projects
• Unit Price - Quantity Based Construction Procurementso Civil Site Work Contract
o Landscape Installation and Maintenance Contract
o Post-Warranty Maintenance Contracts(Green Roofs, Porous Pavement Vacuuming, Landscaping)
• Asset Management and Maintenanceo Maximo for Work Order and Cost tracking
(integrating with Community Workforce)
• Legislative Agenda: City Stormwater, Tree Ordinances
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Net Environmental Benefit Analysis
• 169 green infrastructure projects 2010-2014• Approximately $225,000 quantifiable economic
benefits for 169 projectso Total value of $9 million after 40 years
• Highest average annual economic benefit from Connective Corridor Phase 1, Contract 1 with an annual value of over $8,730
• The largest beneficial category is carbon dioxide equivalents reduction at an average of greater than $54,000 per year.
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Multiple Community Benefits
• CSO Reductions
• Water Quality Improvements
• Regulatory Compliance
• Sewer Infrastructure Rehabilitation
• Civic Infrastructure Rehabilitation
• Community Interest and Support
• Voluntary Community Infrastructure Contributions (Rain Barrels, Rain Gardens, Tree Planting)
• Saving Money
• Integrated planning process consistent with EPA vision
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Stormwater Management Model (SWMM)
• USEPA developed publicly available software that estimates stormwater runoff within sewersheds
o Tracks individual CSO’s and drainage areas
• Evaluation method for measuring ACJ compliance
• Onondaga County Model significantly updated in 2012
o Upgrade to software version 5.0.022
o Incorporation of the Low Impact Development (LID) module
o LIDAR topology, an aerial survey of imperviousness, USDA soil survey parameters, ArcHydro sub‐catchment delineation and intra‐sub‐catchment routing, real time control (RTC) programming, and more
• Models all system components in one model, including the benefits of storage systems
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
SWMM Evolution – 2013
• Onondaga County Model updated again in 2013
o Incorporated 2012-13 weir survey elevation data
o Incorporated 2010-2013 green infrastructure projects
o Calibrated model using 2012 -13 flow monitoring data
o Minor Combined Sewer Catchment Boundary Adjustments Based On Field Data
o Added: Clinton Storage Facility (6.5 MG), Lower Harbor Brook Storage (4.9 MG), Metro New Screen and Grit flow control improvement project
o Trees were added as Green Infrastructure
o Coordinated 3rd party review and incorporated comments
o Identified priority GI project areas for 2013 focus
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
SWMM Evolution – Annual Revisions
• Incorporate green infrastructure projects from previous year
• Calibrate model using flow monitoring data from previous year
• Minor combined sewer catchment boundary adjustments based on field data
• Identified priority GI project areas for the coming year
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
SWMM as a Toolfor Strategic Planning
• A better understanding of runoff and CSO volumes translates to a more strategic abatement approach
o Public Projects and GIF grant incentives are more strategically located
Some CSO-sheds are abated and thus restrict future projects
For CSO’s that remain active, funding incentives are prioritized (High, Medium, Low) based on CSO volume, event frequency, and GI efficiency
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Water Quality Improvements
• Remarkable recovery, greatly improved water quality in Onondaga Lake
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. MahoneyOnondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Onondaga Lake as an Asset
• Remarkable recovery of the ecosystem
• Recreational and environmental resource
– Fishing tournaments
– Rowing/boating
– Trails at Onondaga Lake Park, Creekwalk, & West Shore Trail
• Lakeview Amphitheater
Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney
Please visit our website: www.SaveTheRain.usFollow @SaveTheRainUS on Twitter
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