TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Adam Lindsay, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Sheila Thomas-Ambat, Public Services Director
Alicia Lanier, Stormwater Project Manager Special Projects
DATE: May 28, 2024
RE:
Title
Watershed Master Plan Blounts Creek Watershed Study
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Safe and Secure Community
Goal 3: High-Quality Built Environment
Goal 4: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
Executive Summary:
The Watershed Master Plan program was initiated in FY 2019 to provide a comprehensive City-wide evaluation of the flooding issues in Priority 1 areas and to develop proposed solutions. The first watersheds completed for this round of Priority 1 studies include Little Cross Creek, Little Cross Creek Pilot, Beaver Creek 3, Cape Fear 2, and Rockfish Creek. The final deliverables were presented in detail to City Council at the September 5, 2023 Work Session under agenda item 4.01 and approved to move forward on consent at the September 25, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting.
The proposed solutions for the Blounts Creek watershed were presented in detail to City Council at the September 5, 2023 Work Session under agenda item 4.02 and approved by consent to move forward at the September 25, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting. These final deliverables include the watershed study report and dam study, and have now been submitted, reviewed, and accepted as complete by staff. Staff is now bringing for Council consensus the final deliverables for this watershed study: Blounts Creek.
Background:
The watershed study for Blounts Creek has been completed. This watershed covers 12.3 square miles of the city, of which 6.5 square miles have been studied. Through the study, over 100 proposed solutions have been developed for an estimated total cost of $312,620 M. These proposed solutions collectively mitigate 34 miles of impacted lane length, 2 road-crossing risks, over 200 disconnected structures, and over 200 impacted structures. In addition, a dam study has been completed to evaluate selected dams in the watershed. A conceptual proposed solution was developed to evaluate the possibility of using Lake Walter for dry detention, and attendant downstream impacts and benefits. This proposed solution is estimated to cost over $35M and includes an earthen dam installation, stream restoration, and several culvert upsizes including under MLK. The study found that the overall benefit cost ratio (BCR) was significantly less than 1.0 as required by FEMA regulations on BRIC funded projects. This proposed solution is not recommended at this time for further consideration.
Council has previously approved adding the Blounts proposed solutions to the CIP to design from the watershed study and has advanced one project (the Russell Person Street Bridge Replacement and Stream Enhancement project) for design and construction. Final deliverables have been submitted for this watershed and have been reviewed and accepted as complete by staff.
Budget Impact:
No budget impact
Options:
1. Council provides consensus to approve the final deliverables for the following watershed study: Blounts Creek
2. Council does not provide consensus to approve the final deliverables for the following watershed study - Blounts Creek - and remands back to staff with additional guidance.
Recommended Action:
Council provides consensus to approve the final deliverables for the following watershed study: Blounts Creek.
Attachments:
Blounts Creek Watershed Study Report, Arcadis (‘BLN Watershed Study Report May 2024’)
Blounts Creek Watershed Dam Study Report, Arcadis (‘Tech Memo on Fayetteville Blounts Creek Dam Study - May 2024’)