Page 269 - Fort Worth City Budget 2019

Enterprise Funds

Management Certification aiming to enhance rehabilitation of aging Stormwater Management infrastructure
and reduce maintenance backlogs.

The Greater Fort Worth Builder’s Association presented an award to the Stormwater Development Services
team in recognition for improvements in processes for private development permitting to increase flexibility and
reduce time in permitting activities.

The following capital projects were completed, improving drainage capacity and mitigating flood hazards:
• Concho Trail Culvert Improvements
• Dorothy Lane S. Drainage Improvements Gadsden Avenue Storm Drain Extension
• Revere Drive Storm Drain Extension
• Judkins and Nies Drainage Improvements
• Ludelle Channel Concrete Rehabilitation
• Lower Como Creek Erosion Protection
• Arundel Drainage Improvements
• Eastern Arlington Heights Drainage Improvements
• Keller Haslet Culvert Rehabilitation

In May 2018, the Stormwater Management Program Master Plan was adopted by City Council. The key goals of
the master plan update initiative were to: consolidate information gathered and lessons learned since the
Stormwater Program's inception in 2006; define and prioritize service gaps; optimize the use of resources to meet
community needs; develop direction for policy decisions on key issues with significant implications on the general
public; and create an implementation plan for the next ten years. The process to update the master plan included
stakeholder meetings that were open to the public, a dedicated website, social media outreach, a detailed peer
community review, and consideration of prioritization tools to inform program priorities and strategic direction.
The major outcomes of the master plan update are clearly identified strategic directions for the Program's next
10 years regarding system maintenance, hazard mitigation, hazard warning, and review of private development.
The master plan update process also identified key considerations for policy development in the following areas:
voluntary buyouts of flood prone or high erosion risk properties; designation/ communication/regulation of local
(non-FEMA) floodplains; addressing severe erosion in privately owned creeks and channels; and the level of review
of private development. Separate future stakeholder engagement processes will be conducted to develop and vet
policies in each of these areas. The resulting policy recommendations will be brought to the City Plan Commission
and City Council as appropriate. The master plan outlines an implementation strategy that consists of prioritized
initiatives, ongoing stakeholder engagement to understand evolving community needs, and an annual business
plan to document progress on strategy implementation.

Significant progress was made on the first master plan initiative to develop a policy for local floodplains. Local
floodplains are areas of known flood risk that have not yet been mapped or made readily available to Fort
Worth residents. Although communicating known flood risks can help residents, home buyers, and private
developers protect themselves from hazards, some have expressed concerns about potential impacts on
property values and new permitting requirements. The initiative to develop a policy on how to identify,
communicate, and regulate these areas is using a public stakeholder engagement process to balance the
pros/cons to optimize the value of the information.

Significant enhancements were made to the city’s flood warning system. This initiative was partially funded by a
Texas Water Development Board grant, and includes regional cooperation with the Tarrant Regional Water
District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Central Texas Council of Governments, National Weather Service,

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