Prioritizing Stormwater Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Projects

Prioritizing Stormwater Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Projects — Lincoln, Nebraska

Jha, Lalit / Biesecker, Devin / Jones, Jonathan / Johnson, J. D.

All communities are faced with the challenge of identifying and prioritizing stormwater capital improvement program (CIP) projects each year and over an extended period of years. Which drainage system needs to be upgraded, rehabilitated or need system extension? Which drainage problem area should be addressed first? Where is the "real" source of drainage problems or flooding complaints? Are we causing problems downstream by resizing a structure upstream? Lincoln is faced with these questions, and the difficult task of setting priorities and implementing an appropriate capital improvement program (CIP). Historically, municipalities have developed CIPs by relying on a "reactive" approach, where the problems that draw the most complaints get the attention first. But these reactive responses often do not address the "root" cause of the stormwater problems and can exacerbate problems elsewhere. The City of Lincoln in coordination with its consultant (JEO Consulting Group, Inc., Wright Water Engineers, Inc., and Black and Veatch) went through a rational and multifaceted approach to develop a "proactive" system to set priorities and implement a stormwater CIP each year. Objectives of the process included: (1) Develop a "proactive" prioritization methodology, (2) Identify and prioritize stormwater CIP projects, and (3) Create GIS coverage and enhance the City's stormwater database. The CIP stormwater projects identified and prioritized through this process have allowed the City to prepare a proactive stormwater CIP, rather than a program that merely reacts as problems occur. The prioritization methodology and criteria used to select stormwater improvement projects were very helpful for the City staff in explaining the short and long term need for these projects to the elected officials as well as the general public. A similar process of identifying and prioritizing stormwater CIP projects may also prove very useful for many other communities.