Storm water management improvements will be a major focus for La Crosse, Wisc., city officials in the years to come, according to Public Works Director Dale Hexom. Controlling area flooding and keeping compliant with state and federal storm water quality mandates are the main motivators.
La Crosse leaders estimate that improving the city's storm water management system would cost between $25 million and $30 million. La Crosse has 130 miles of storm sewer pipes, 5,800 catch basins, 3,000 manholes, 160 river outlets, 12 ponds and six lift stations.
Hexom said that the city, for financial reasons, will never be able to completely control flooding. One particularly problematic flooding site--the Johnson Street storm water outlet--would require more than $13 million of repair work for flood relief.
Reducing solids suspended in storm water is another requirement La Crosse officials are working to meet. A city of its size generates approximately 1,159 tons of total suspended solids, and La Crosse has reduced that number by about 14 percent. The city will need to demonstrate a 20 percent reduction by November 2008 and a 40 percent reduction by March 2013.
Having reached the reduction level it has, La Crosse will need to invest another $17 million to hit the 40 percent benchmark in 2013, according to an Earth Tech consultant's advice to city officials. Establishing new ponds, improving street cleaning and implementing biofiltration structures like rain gardens are steps in the right direction, said Earth Tech Project Engineer Kurt Schoen.
Source: La Crosse Tribune
