Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing an Amendment to the Interagency Agreement Between the Department of Ecology and the City of Olympia to Sponsor Bioretention Hydrologic Performance Studies
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the resolution authorizing an amendment to the Interagency Agreement with the Department of Ecology to sponsor Bioretention Hydrologic Performance Studies and authorize the Interim City Manager to sign the agreement.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a resolution authorizing the City to amend an Interagency Agreement that allows additional time for the City’s consultants to complete a Department of Ecology Stormwater Action Monitoring effectiveness study.
Staff Contact:
Eric Christensen, Water Resources Director, Public Works, 360.704.9570
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item
Background and Analysis:
Olympia pays into a collective fund to implement the Washington State Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM) Program. Administered by Ecology, the program is a collaboration between Western Washington jurisdictions with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Stormwater Permits. SAM identifies effective actions and tracks regional progress to reduce pollution and flooding associated with stormwater. One of SAM’s focus areas is studies to measure the effectiveness of stormwater management actions and communicating this information to jurisdictions.
Ecology requested City sponsorship of a study to evaluate bioretention facilities and engineered rain gardens designed to remove contaminants and sediment from stormwater. In October 2017, the City entered an Interagency Agreement to allow $526,026 in funding to pass from Ecology to City-contracted consultants performing the studies. The study is proceeding well, but initial challenges locating qualified study sites and inconsistent precipitation last winter resulted in the need to amend the contract to extend the term for completing the work.
Timing of the Interagency Agreement is critical. The current agreement expires at the end of 2019; therefore the City and Ecology need to sign the amendment by December 31, 2019.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There are no specific neighborhood and/or community concerns. Studies are being performed throughout Western Washington. Findings from the studies will benefit jurisdictions throughout the region.
Options:
Option 1: Approve the resolution authorizing an amendment to the Interagency Agreement with the Department of Ecology to sponsor Bioretention Hydrologic Performance Studies and authorize the Interim City Manager to sign the agreement. This will allow important studies of the effectiveness of low impact development practices to be completed.
Option 2: Do not approve the resolution and do not authorize the Interim City Manager to sign the Interagency Agreement with Ecology. This would likely result in the ongoing study not being completed.
Financial Impact:
This amendment makes no changes to funding. Under the existing agreement, the Department of Ecology is providing funding of $526,026 for the ongoing study.
Attachments:
Resolution
Amended Interagency Agreement