FY2022

STORMWATER OPERATIONS

The Iowa City Stormwater utility exists to provide safe, clean, and healthy waterways for our community. We do this by using education, outreach, community involvement, volunteers, capital projects, and enforcement of our City’s Ordinances that provide for and protect our watersheds. When it rains in Iowa City, water passes over roofs, streets, parking lots and other land surfaces picking up pollutants such as oil, chemicals, pesticides and eroded soil along the way. Any pollutant that is directed into the Stormwater drainage system bypasses any treatment and flows directly into our waterways and to those downstream from us. This creates hazards for people, wildlife, and the environment. Protecting Stormwater quality keeps our waterways healthy and preserves wildlife habitat. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a federal program that regulates Stormwater discharge into waterways. To comply with the federal requirements, the City of Iowa City received a permit to discharge Stormwater and develop programs to reduce the discharge of pollutants carried by Stormwater into our local waterways. The local Stormwater Program is administered by the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department. Revenue to support its mission is derived from monthly Stormwater utility fees collected from local residents and businesses.  Hosted 22 events, where volunteers logged 1,836 hours of service to clean up the City’s watersheds, waterways, wetlands, prairies, and other natural spaces in calendar year 2019  The Stormwater Quality Best Management Practices Program participated in a total of 25 projects aimed at improving Stormwater runoff water quality throughout the community, providing approximately $31,000 toward total combined project costs in fiscal year 2020  Initiated 15 creek repair projects totaling approximately $110,350 to repair damaged areas along Willow Creek and Ralston Creek in fiscal year 2020  Completed design and construction of projects to repair damaged storm sewer infrastructure at various locations within the City  Completed Court Hill Stormwater Facility (Cayman Street) cleanup  Completed a study of areas within the Riverfront Crossings District to identify Stormwater infrastructure needs and proposed projects  Participating in the Your Best Lawn campaign with the cities of Coralville and North Liberty, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Upcoming Challenges:  Extended periods of saturated soils coupled with more frequent and more intense rainstorms have contributed to increased streambank erosion and failure across the City in recent years. The City’s Creek Maintenance Program remains a valuable tool in helping address these issues  Design and construction of the North Westminster Storm Sewer Upgrades Project  On-going maintenance and repair of aging Stormwater infrastructure 468 HIGHLIGHTS Recent Accomplishments: