City presents stormwater and river program update; cites $4M completed projects and $18M in design
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Summary
Parks & Open Space staff updated the committee on the stormwater utility and river/arroyo projects, reporting roughly $4 million in completed construction, about $18 million of projects in design, and $6.3 million in outside funding; staff warned of more stringent MS4 requirements under state primacy for water permitting.
Santa Fe — Staff from the Parks and Open Space division updated the Public Works and Utilities Committee Monday on the city’s river and watershed work, highlighting recent project completions, funding won, and preparations for more stringent state and federal stormwater requirements.
Zoe Isaacson, river and watershed manager, and Director Melissa McDonald (introduced by Director Wheeler) presented program accomplishments since the 2019 Stormwater Strategic Master Plan, current projects and regulatory priorities. Isaacson said the city has completed roughly $4 million in stormwater construction projects (construction costs only, excluding design) and currently has about $18 million in construction projects either being designed or at 100% design.
Funding and partnerships: Isaacson told the committee the program has secured approximately $6.3 million in outside funding to date, including a major share from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and several hazard-mitigation awards. She said roughly $2 million of the SRF funds have already been spent and the remainder is earmarked for upcoming projects. City staff described partnerships with the Santa Fe Watershed Association, the Office of Emergency Management and other local groups to match grants and leverage capacity.
Project examples and priorities: Staff described bank stabilization and channel repair, drainage and culvert improvements, green stormwater infrastructure (including an Ashbaugh infiltration gallery funded in part by FEMA), trail repairs and vegetation management along arroyos. Upcoming projects Isaacson cited by name included Santa Fe River repairs at Crystal Balcon and the Arroyo Chamizos urban-trail repair project, both planned to go to bid soon.
Regulatory context: Isaacson summarized the city’s MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) compliance program and said recent state legislation transferring primacy to the New Mexico Environment Department will likely lead to a new, more stringent MS4 permit and higher monitoring requirements. Staff are already drafting a water-quality testing protocol and expanding program capacity.
Public outreach and operations: The stormwater team has expanded asset mapping (roughly 7,000 mapped assets), improved GIS and asset-management tools, and increased outreach: staff reported website visits to stormwater pages rose from 614 to 1,240 in four months and about 1,500 views for the river-talk series; the team also conducted river talks, tours and community amnesty/green-waste events.
Why it matters: Isaacson and Wheeler said increased intense rainfall events and erosion risks make the stormwater program a higher priority for property protection, flood risk reduction and environmental stewardship. The program’s capital workload, staff said, exceeds in-house funding and requires outside grants and partnerships.
Next steps: Staff are finalizing updates to the Stormwater Strategic Master Plan (five-year update planned) and intend to present an updated strategic plan in early next fiscal year. The committee heard details about an upcoming Arroyo Torreon early neighborhood notification meeting scheduled for Nov. 6 and discussed coordination with capital improvements planning.
No formal action was taken; the presentation informed committee deliberations on capital projects and related land-use code changes.
