Douglas County weighs stormwater utility, residents press for faster work after Smelter Creek flooding

Douglas County officials said the county’s stormwater program is preventing deterioration of drainage assets but lacks a sustainable funding source to meet growing maintenance and capital needs, and staff recommended creation of a dedicated stormwater utility to raise roughly $4–5 million a year.

The county manager and stormwater staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on the county’s obligations under the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program, the condition of county drainage infrastructure, and a prioritized list of capital projects. County Manager Jennifer Davidson and Stormwater Program Manager Courtney Walker said the county currently funds operations with about $1 million annually but faces projected operating needs of $4–5 million and identified roughly $140 million in countywide stormwater and drainage projects in the master plan.

Those projects range from area-wide treatment basins at Tahoe to conveyance repairs and culvert replacements in the valley. Walker said Douglas County has increased the share of ‘good’ infrastructure ratings from under 50% to more than 95% after standing up a small maintenance crew, but that continued progress requires capital investment and dedicated…