Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Management Authority Phosphorus Facilitator

Consultant Team
AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. (Lead Consultant) Design Workshop LLC (Urban Planner) Walsh Environmental Scientists and Engineers (Terrestrial Ecology)

Contact
Dr. F. Robert McGregor, P.E., 303.292.3503

Need
Storm water runoff in the Cherry Creek watershed is a significant source of pollution of the Cherry Creek Reservoir. The Reservoir does not meet the water quality standards established by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. Substantial additional urban growth is expected to continue to occur in the watershed. Conventional urban storm water management best management practices (BMPs) required by the state of Colorado will provide significant levels of storm water pollution control, but additional BMPs beyond those required by the state will be necessary to meet water quality standards.

A well-designed incentive program could encourage the development community to include storm water BMPs beyond the minimum requirements to enhance water quality in the Cherry Creek watershed.

Opportunities
BMPS that go beyond minimum state water quality requirements often produce additional benefits beyond enhancement of water quality. These include: enhanced property values, green space, enhanced wildlife habitat, recreation and open space.

Scope
Phosphorus Facilitator Team will work with the development community, land use agencies, Cherry Creek Basin Stewardship Partners, and other interest groups to identify mutually acceptable incentives that encourage the development community to include BMPs in their site development plans that go beyond the minimums required by the state to achieve a wide range of water quality and watershed management goals.

Potential incentives

1. Reduced development fees
2. Density bonuses
3. Accelerated review process
4. Land trades
5. Wildlife habitat mitigation credits
6. Open space credits
7. Phosphorus trading credits

The incentive-based process will be demonstrated at two potential development properties within the watershed. One property will be selected by the Town of Parker and a second will be at a yet to be selected location.

In 2005, the Phosphorus Facilitator team focused on addressing special considerations for managing stormwater quality from major transportation corridors, including:

• Researched and summarized the typical roadway cross-sections used in the watershed to determine the potentially available space for water quality BMPs,
• Evaluated the potential impact of the use of deicing agents such as magnesium chloride on major arterial streets on the potential phosphorus surface water loads in the watershed.
• Developed design guidelines for three BMPs that could be used to provide stormwater treatment and flood detention within roadway corridors,
• Provided recommendations for plant species to be used in transportation corridors that would be compatible with the Beyond BMP practices.

Smart Growth For Clean Water