Workshop aims to develop better ways to utilize stormwater

Workshop aims to develop better ways to utilize stormwater

(Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)


8 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — New guidelines are being developed to help change the way Utahns develop property with storm water in mind, including along one of the Wasatch Front's key waterways.

Officials say a new guide in the works would help developers identify how storm water runoff and future development could be managed in an effort to best conserve and utilize this precious resource.

During a "lunch and learn session" Friday organized by the Jordan River Commission, the Utah Division of Water Quality and Utah's arm of the U.S. Green Building Council, local stakeholders learned about the new water quality guide being developed for "low impact development." After, interested participants also joined in a three-hour mobile workshop that included a paddling canoe tour on the Jordan River.

The presentation included an introduction to the framework for new urban and suburban development regulations that will go into effect in the spring and autumn of 2019, explained Jordan River Commission executive director Soren Simonsen. The regulations apply to municipalities with permits for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s).

"Our role is more as an education and outreach entity while the Division of Water Quality is formally leading this process," he said. "Part of our goal is to raise awareness that this is going to be beneficial."

Soren Simonsen, executive director of the Jordan River Commission, leads an educational tour on the Jordan River in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
Soren Simonsen, executive director of the Jordan River Commission, leads an educational tour on the Jordan River in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

"It's going to improve recreation on the river, it's going to improve habitat and improve water quality for a lot of beneficial reasons," he added.

He said enacting any legislation or implementing any measures aimed at enhancing water quality will benefit the "entire hydrology system" in the greater Wasatch area. He noted the new regulations are minimum standards focused on upgrading the character of the water that flows into the Jordan River.

During September, 16 municipalities across three counties situated along the Jordan River have joined other entities working to promote and preserve the river duirng the annual Get Into the River Festival.

He said that part of the reason the river is "underutilized" is people's concerns about the quality of the water flowing in it.

David Lewis and Janette Lewis canoe up the Jordan River during an educational tour in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
David Lewis and Janette Lewis canoe up the Jordan River during an educational tour in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

"As many people that live close to the river, we want them to have positive recreational and outdoor experiences," Simonsen said. "It's good for the mind, good for the body and it's good for our souls."

The drafted low impact development guidelines are available for public review and comment on the state's Department of Environmental Quality website. Public comment may be submitted through Oct. 25. For more information, email Lisa Stevens at lstevens@utah.gov.

"We want people to be anticipating and planning for this in advance," Simonsen said. The regulations are scheduled to be implemented in March and September of next year, he added.

Meanwhile, Jeanne Riley, storm water section manager for the state Division of Water Quality, said one of the goals of the new rules will be to change the way Utahns think about storm water collection and usage today and in the future.

"As opposed to collecting it and thinking of storm water as a waste product we need to get rid of, we should try to keep a portion of it on site so that it could be beneficially used on site," she said.

She noted that a great deal of storm water is directed into storm drains that eventually make their way to waterways, thereby going unused in the most beneficial manner. That runoff could be better utilized with low impact development, she said.

Charlie Woodruff and Lindsey Larsen paddle by invasive phragmites during an educational tour on the Jordan River in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
Charlie Woodruff and Lindsey Larsen paddle by invasive phragmites during an educational tour on the Jordan River in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)

Low impact development principles utilize storm water as a resource to retain precipitation on site, according to the DEQ website.

"The idea is by reducing the volume of storm water that is reaching out state's water(ways), we're also improving our water quality," she said. "Storm water carries with it so many pollutants (such as) oils, sediments and trash. So if you're reducing the storm water that is reaching our receiving water bodies, you're thereby enhancing the water quality."

Riley said the state is beginning to shift away from its previous habit of "collect and convey" systems and impervious surfaces that fail to conserve water and instead waste it.

"People can begin to think about the way they are generating storm water and managing it," she said. "Just consider that all of the water that hits our streets and ultimately our storm drain system is untreated and it's going straight into the Jordan River (for example)."

Developing better ways to utilize storm water will minimize waste and be beneficial in the long term, she said.

Photos

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahOutdoors
Jasen Lee

STAY IN THE KNOW

Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

KSL Weather Forecast