STORMS - Strategy

Prerequisite:

None

Project Objective:

Create a guidance document for local storm water permittees to develop asset management plans that assist municipalities to accurately estimate program assets.

Scope:

Evaluate existing storm water asset management methods and prepare a California-specific method for developing asset management plans.

Background:

The concept of an asset management plan for a watershed is a relatively new concept. An asset management plan is a long-range planning document used to provide a rational framework for understanding and planning the asset portfolio. In California, the City of San Diego has taken the lead on the concept of asset management by developing a Watershed Asset Management Plan (WAMP). The WAMP documents the current state of assets (e.g., asset inventory, valuation, condition, risk) and projects the long-range asset renewal (rehabilitation and replacement) requirements for the City’s Storm Water Division. The City has developed a WAMP for each of the six watersheds in the City’s jurisdiction; each WAMP identifies the assets owned and managed by the City provides an understanding of critical assets required to deliver the services, records the strategies that will be used to manage the assets, and documents the future investments required to deliver the committed services. This information is used by the City to develop more accurate and transparent cost information that can be provided to the public, which can also be used to demonstrate the need for more stable funding sources.

Products and Timelines:

1 Year: Review existing plans from City of San Diego, U.S. EPA Environmental Finance Center, and others. Develop statewide guidance document for State Water Board consideration of adoption, for storm water permittees to develop a storm water asset management plan.