2017 Spencer Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Spencer, Iowa  2017  Comprehensive Plan

LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES The Clean Water Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the regulatory control over cities and governments to control stormwater that is discharged into waterways. Much of the City of Spencer provides for natural and controlled stormwater drainage and runoff into the Little Sioux River or its tributaries. The concept behind low impact development and stormwater management practices is to capture excess stormwater at the source point instead of trying to manage and control or direct the flow of water into natural drainage ways or waterways. The controlled flow of excess storm water promotes the collection of sometimes harmful waste products and materials that are intentionally directed and dumped into our natural waterways; thus promoting the pollution and contamination of sources of drinking water and or recreational waterways within the immediate vicinity of the community or downstream. Low impact development is a management approach and set of best practices promoted by the EPA intended to reduce runoff and pollutant discharges. These suggested practices are intended to help a community comply with EPA stormwater management rules by managing excess stormwater runoff as close to the source as possible. Low impact development (LID) practices include a variety of suggested methods of capturing stormwater runoff including small scale stormwater collection and management approaches, the implementation of natural storm water infiltration into the ground, areas to collect and allow evaporation or transpiration, and the harvesting and use of collected rainwater. According to the USDA NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service), there are several examples of best practices in the management of storm water in lieu of traditional storm water sewer. Some of these low impact development examples include:

NATIVE LANDSCAPES – these plantings add beauty to any landscape and once established native landscapes become minimal maintenance areas that provide great habitat for birds and insects. Additional environmental benefits include the retention and filtration of stormwater through the root architecture of native plant species. PERVIOUS PAVING – This low impact development practice allows stormwater to infiltrate into subsurface layers and eventually into the groundwater below. By containing the stormwater on-site, this reduces the amount of pollutants flowing into storm sewers and directly into natural rivers or lakes. The City of Spencer should determine the feasibility of implementing this practice in older neighborhoods near the downtown or within the Riverfront District. This method of low impact development serves two purposes. First, it saves on stormwater management costs by alleviating storm sewer infrastructure in lieu of natural groundwater drainage; and secondly, it serves as an aesthetically pleasing look that creates the appearance of old cobblestone roads.

Native Landscapes - Source: judynauseeflandscapedesign.com

Photo of pervious paving streets in Charles City, Iowa Pervious Paving - Photo Source: Iowaagriculture.gov

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NW Iowa Planning & Development