Post Construction Stormwater Management

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Inspection and Maintenance

Stormwater Facility Maintenance and Inspection Report

This measure involves stormwater management of new land development and redevelopment. The threshold of applicability for new development is a minimum of one acre of land disturbed or 10,000 square feet of impervious area. The threshold of applicability for redevelopment is one acre of impervious coverage. The City of Ames Post Construction Stormwater Management Ordinance (Chapter 5B) has both water quantity (runoff rates) and water quality criteria that must be met.

As part of the Planning Process stormwater plans are reviewed for conformance to the Ordinance. After construction as-builts are prepared by the owner and are approved by City staff to ensure that measures are installed as designed. After construction stormwater management facilities are regularly maintained by the owner to keep them functioning properly. On some sites the City performs long term maintenance and repair of the facilities.

The Stormwater Management Ordinance encourages Low Impact Design and Green Infrastructure and requires that the rates of runoff from the site are equal to or less than the runoff prior to development of the site (pre-developed conditions). Designs are also required to contain water quality measures which remove pollutants from runoff prior to leaving the developed sites. These measures reduce the impact of runoff from urban development on the downstream receiving waterbodies.

ch biocell spring 2020

Maintenance Responsibilities

In accordance with the Post Construction Stormwater Management Ordinance, the owner of approved stormwater management facilities shall inspect and maintain the facilities as stated in the approved Maintenance Plan. Records shall be kept for a minimum of 3 years and be made available by request of City during inspection of the facility.

For consistency and for your convenience, the City of Ames has developed an Annual BMP Maintenance Report Form and BMP Inspection Checklists. The report form and the inspection checklists are not mandatory for use by BMP owners and are being provided as templates to ensure compliance with minimal maintenance requirements. Links to both can be found be on this page. Use of the inspection checklists provided here, will not exempt BMP owners from design and maintenance requirements specified in the approved Stormwater Management Plan. If the system in place is a proprietary system, please contact the manufacturer for the inspection checklist for the specific system. The City of Ames does not have a preferred BMP vendor list for BMP inspections, maintenance and/or annual reporting.

BMPs that are located on a homeowner's lot(s) and are maintained by a homeowner association are not required to submit an annual report. However, a City of Ames inspector will not periodically inspect the BMP.

In order to further protect an area of the Skunk River Watershed, proposed residential development north of Bloomington Road and within the Ada Hayden Watershed are also required to meet the City of Ames Conservation Subdivision Ordinance: Municipal Code Chapter 23.6. The intent of Conservation Design Development is to preserve the existing natural features of the site, to preserve the natural drainage features and hydrologic characteristics of the landscape, and to reduce the impacts of development on the landscape; and

To maintain and protect in perpetuity Ames area natural character by preserving these important landscape elements including but not limited to those areas containing unique and environmentally sensitive natural features as prairie, woodlands, stream buffers and corridors, drainageways, wetlands, floodplains, ridgetops, steep slopes, critical species habitat, and by setting them aside from development;
To promote interconnected greenways and environmental corridors throughout Ames;
To provide commonly-owned open space and conservation areas for passive and/or active recreational use by residents of the development and, where specified, the larger community;
To permit various means for owning conservation areas, preserved landscape elements, and to protect such areas from development in perpetuity;
To provide greater flexibility in site dwellings and other development features than would be permitted by the application of standard use regulations in order to minimize the disturbance of natural landscape elements and sensitive areas, scenic quality, and overall aesthetic value of the landscape;
To protect and restore environmentally sensitive areas and biological diversity, minimize disturbance to existing soils, vegetation, and maintain environmental corridors, and
To preserve significant archaeological sites, historic buildings and their settings.

City Watershed Projects

College Creek Stream Buffer (2009-2011): A native prairie plant and tree buffer was planted along the edges of College Creek near Wilder to stabilize the stream and enhance habitat. A small buffalo grass buffer was added in 2011 as a joint effort with Public Works, Parks and Recreation, ISU School of Natural Resources, and EPA Region VII.

Aerial view of Daley Park Urban Riparian Buffer

College Creek Streambank Restoration Project (2010): Streambank restoration was done on College Creek between Thackeray Drive and South Dakota. Highlights include slope regrading, rip rap, fish habitat, and native vegetation in select areas. These practices will improve the quality of College Creek. The project was funded in part by the City of Ames and the Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) funds.