BACKGROUND: The City of Vancouver is located in southwest Washington along the north side of the . Two primary watershed basins drain the majority of land within city limits. The Columbia Slope watershed is composed of terraces and old river plain areas draining multiple streams that spring from the hillsides to the Columbia River. Vancouver’s stormwater system is separate from the sanitary sewer system and was designed to minimize storm event impacts to sewer treatment facilities and ensure no combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges to the river. Municipal drinking water is supplied from three aquifers, including the deep bi- state Troutdale aquifer with the federal designation of a Sole Source Aquifer.

West of the Columbia Slope and just outside of the city limits lies Vancouver Lake and surrounding lowlands of the Columbia River floodplain. The large shallow lake remains connected to the river by tidally influenced flows in and out of the lake through ; the 14-mile slough also transports flow from the Salmon Creek watershed (about 90 square miles) and other smaller waterbodies, before connecting to the Columbia River near Ridgefield. In the 1980s a flushing channel was constructed in the Vancouver Lake’s southwest corner to increase water inputs from the Columbia River. Two 7-foot-diameter culverts direct water into the lake. Operating gates were installed to limit backflow.

North of the Columbia Slope basin is the Burnt Bridge Creek watershed, a basin which covers 28 square miles basin, 70 percent of which is within city limits. The creek originates near the northeast boundary of the city from that historically drained from agriculture. It flows almost 13 miles through a relatively broad flat valley in alternating artificial and natural channels before flow is dispersed through wetlands to Vancouver Lake. Flow volume from Burnt Bridge Creek is relatively insignificant (2 percent) to the 2,300-acre lake ecosystem. Three tributaries supplement base flow in the main stem from shallow groundwater and precipitation.

Impervious surfaces cover more than 40 percent of the area within city limits. Drywells and infiltration facilities are interspersed with piped stormwater systems that eventually discharge to shallow groundwater or surface water. On the east side of the city there is significant capacity for stormwater infiltration; rainfall and stormwater infiltrate into sand and gravel deposits that are up to 250 feet thick. Increasing awareness of the impacts of untreated stormwater to both surface and ground water resources has led to changes in the way stormwater is managed as new development and redevelopment takes place.

EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR WATERWAYS: Today, the many public and private water quality treatment facilities in Vancouver are being supplemented by green infrastructure improvements as funding allows and development occurs. The City of Vancouver has also purchased critical properties along riparian corridors. and has created or expanded its many programs to manage and protect vital water resources. Please see: www.cityofvancouver.us/waterallaround.

In 2005, a significant portion of the central Burnt Bridge Creek watershed was transformed through the Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway Improvement Project, designed to improve water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, control flooding, treat stormwater drainage, increase and diversify shrub and tree canopy, and expand educational and outdoor opportunities. The City’s Greenway and Sensitive Lands program continues to increase riparian shade and expand natural habitat through the ongoing planting of hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs. An 8-mile trail follows Burnt Bridge Creek’s path as it winds through neighborhoods, forested riparian areas, open meadows and past wetlands, water quality treatment ponds and enhanced upland and riparian habitats.

Vancouver’s Urban Forestry Program works to increase tree canopy cover citywide and improve tree health. Our community’s trees - quantified as tree canopy - provide numerous environmental benefits, including reductions in stormwater runoff, air pollution and greenhouse gases. For example, nearly 1,400 new trees planted through the program in 2016 can be expected at maturity to intercept approximately 1,050,000 gallons of stormwater annually, equal to more than five Marshall Center swimming pools, and absorb more than 13,780 lbs. of pollutants each year from the air we breathe. According to the City’s Tree Canopy Report, in 2010 there were 5,579 acres of tree canopy in Vancouver. Vancouver’s tree canopy covers 18.6 percent of the city, helping to preserve watershed health and reduce runoff while improving the livability of our neighborhoods. Strategies for reaching a goal of 28 percent citywide canopy cover by 2030 continue to be implemented. In 2017, the increase in tree canopy coverage was estimated at 17,225

square feet. Please see: www.cityofvancouver.us/urbanforestry.

Water quality in Burnt Bridge Creek has been monitored by various agencies and organizations since the 1970s. Monitoring data show impairments typical to most urban streams, and the creek has not met state standards for temperature, dissolved oxygen, bacteria, and occasionally pH. Nutrients are also a parameter of concern, as they are across the nation, due to increased phosphorus and nitrogen in streams contributing to excess plant and algal growth. Through the City’s long-term Water Quality Monitoring Program, collected data has shown some improvement in nitrogen and bacteria concentrations, with temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen remaining stable over the past 10 years. Ongoing stormwater management strategies continue to focus on lowering stream temperatures through increased riparian shading, and reducing nutrient and bacteria concentrations through outreach on responsible pet waste disposal and decreasing in landscaping.

See: www.cityofvancouver.us/publicworks/page/stormwater-management-plan.

To protect water quality and keep stormwater collection systems clean, the Stormwater Control and Erosion Prevention Program works to ensure best management practices are applied when carrying out any land disturbing activity. In 2016, the City revised those associated ordinances as part of a comprehensive program to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff from new development, redevelopment, and construction activities. Grading plan review and construction site inspections continue to be key in preventing surface water contamination by sediment. Standard operating procedures for private stormwater facilities continue to be developed and integrated into the City’s GIS and information tracking system. The City has expanded its private stormwater facility inspection program and hired additional inspectors, made possible through a grant.

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Development Standards and Stormwater Management Practices have been undergoing a significant transition as regulations attempt to keep up with the best available science for minimizing impacts to water quality while balancing the needs of a growing community. The City revised several municipal code sections to incorporate Low Impact Development (LID) code, effective December 31, 2016. These standards are used by local engineers and designers for development plans. The City’s Stormwater Control Ordinance requires water quality treatment for new development and redevelopment activities which create or replace impervious surfaces. Because Vancouver has highly permeable soils which are conducive to infiltration, the City has used drywells and other infiltration systems extensively. Currently more than 4,700 Underground Injection Control (UIC) wells are used to infiltrate runoff from streets and right-of ways and many more have been installed on private property. LID is now the preferred and commonly-used approach to site development. Under City codes, developments are to be designed to minimize impervious surfaces, native vegetation loss and stormwater runoff in all types of situations.

The Water Resources Protection (WRP) program was initiated in 2003 to identify and eliminate existing and potential illicit discharges to the stormwater system and reduce risks to surface and groundwater. Under this program, the City actively inspects and monitors industrial facilities, commercial operations and residences for water quality compliance and best management practices. The program is designed to provide technical assistance and initiate enforcement procedures to bring a site into compliance when necessary. The City also works with local, state and federal agencies and departments to locate, assess, characterize, trace and remove sources of illicit discharges. Field assessments and outfall inspections take place throughout the year with targeted screening during the dry weather months to locate and accurately map storm system features and look for indicators of illicit discharges. Please see: www.cityofvancouver.us/waterprotection.

The City has an on-going Stormwater Operations programs, including video inspection to identify problems such as unknown connections; pipes and structures in need of cleaning, rehabilitation or replacement; and to verify/correct stormwater utility maps. For several decades, Vancouver staff has also routinely performed street sweeping and catch basin cleaning. In addition, water quality facilities designed to treat stormwater runoff from City streets and right-of-ways are also maintained by the City. Please see: www.cityofvancouver.us/streetsweeping.

The City’s Solid Waste and Recycling Services provides education and assistance to citizens in managing household waste and proper disposal of yard debris. Residents in the city of Vancouver have access to various options for disposal of household hazardous waste, including through three regional transfer stations, curbside collection of household batteries, and a paint recycling and collection program. The City has also partnered with local businesses to respond to the amount of plastic film in the environment and encourage reduction of plastic film in the waste stream. The Beyond Bags Program promotes collection of plastic film and bags, which are returned to local grocery stores and ultimately are sent off to be turned into composite lumber. Information about these opportunities is included and promoted through a variety of communications and outreach materials and approaches. Please see: www.cityofvancouver.us/solidwaste.

Page 3 |June 2018 Vancouver’s Sewer Connection Incentive Program (SCIP) was developed to serve citizens and protect watershed resources from failing and aging septic systems by providing an easy, affordable solution to change to public sanitary sewer. The program was established in the 1980s when there were over 8,000 septic systems within Vancouver’s sewer service area, with the vast majority of those outside city limits at that time. SCIP extends public sewer main lines to neighborhoods where septic systems were initially installed because public sewer wasn't available when those properties originally developed. SCIP’s goal is to ultimately eliminate all septic systems within the City’s sewer service area. As of 2017, there were just over 1,300 parcels left to be provided sewer service through the SCIP program. SCIP is anticipated to make sewer available to the rest of those parcels by 2024. The City’s SCIP program works closely with Clark County Public Health, which established an ordinance in 2007 requiring mandatory septic tank elimination and maintenance for property owners. See: www.cityofvancouver.us/scip

Public Outreach and Education efforts have been incorporated into all of the programs listed above as a means of elevating awareness and encouraging individual responsibility for protecting and improving surface water and groundwater quality. Stewardship, pollution prevention and awareness are also the primary mission of the City’s Water Resource Education Center, which provides environmental education and hands-on involvement through programs, exhibits, events, and volunteer opportunities for the community. The Water Center is a popular place for people of all ages to learn how to use water wisely and protect our resources. Among its many visitors, the Water Center reaches more than 4,000 school children annually. The Center’s waterfront includes a 3,000 square foot viewing platform with a view of one of the few remaining natural Columbia River riparian areas in the Vancouver-Portland Metro region. These vital wetlands are under the stewardship of the Water Center. Please see: www.cityofvancouver.us/watercenter

In 2007, the non-profit organization, Vancouver Watersheds Alliance was established to promote community engagement, support environmental restoration, encourage volunteerism and care for water resources. Among its many activities, the Watershed Alliance partnered with the City’s Urban Forestry Program and Public Works Sensitive Lands Team in 2017 to plant 4,500 native shrubs on National Make a Difference Day (Oct. 22) along Burnt Bridge Creek to restore the natural plant community and increase shade. The Watershed Alliance also works with volunteers to educate and raise awareness about the need to reduce pollutants from entering stormwater drains with storm drain murals. Most recently, the non-profit organization began working with the City and other local agencies on a “Don’t Drip and Drive” campaign to reduce pollution from vehicle oil leaks. Please see: www.thewatershedalliance.org.

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