The City of Hamilton faces many stormwater challenges, including failing corrugated metal pipes (CMP), sink holes, historic stone sewer infrastructure, and localized street and neighborhood flooding. To address these challenges, the City wanted to prepare a Stormwater Master Plan, utilizing funding in a manner that provides the greatest benefit to the community. Our holistic assessment of the City’s stormwater program included:
- Inventory and analysis of the City’s existing natural and built resources
- Gap analysis and updates to the City’s GIS data
- Asset management risk ranking of storm sewer infrastructure based on the probability and consequence of failure
- Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of neighborhood flooding issues using XP-SWMM software to evaluate flood reduction alternatives
- Evaluation of problem areas through review of resident complaints and discussions with City staff and field crews
- Review and update of City stormwater standards, ordinances, policies, and procedures, including recommendations for target level-of-service
- A cost of service analysis to assist with budgeting for operations and maintenance (O&M), staffing, equipment, and capital project expenditures
- Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) support, including updates to the City’s Stormwater Management Plan and review of MS4 National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) annual reports
- Development of public outreach material and a drainage issue standard operating procedure flow chart to allow for consistency in response
- Development of a final synthesized 20-year capital improvement plan and dynamic planning tools to guide the City’s stormwater expenditures and assist with project prioritization
