Description

1) Developing watershed resilience with nature-based solutions
Garrett Altmann, M.Sc., Department of Forestry at Santa Clara Pueblo, galtmann@santaclarapueblo.org
Co-presenters: Chelsea Morganti, cmorganti@wittobriens.com

Abstract: Santa Clara Pueblo is a federally recognized Native American tribe located along the Rio Grande River in northern New Mexico, USA. Over the past 25-years, severe wildfires have cumulatively burned over 80% of Santa Clara forested lands. Compounding these disasters, post-fire flooding devastated the Santa Clara Creek and Canyon, an area historically relied upon for recreation, economic revenue, and spiritual sanctuary. The result is five Federal Presidential Disaster Declarations to date, over $200M in infrastructure damages, and 100% fish kill in this 31,481-acre watershed. Santa Clara Pueblo has embarked on a collaborative recovery strategy, prioritizing natural stream function in its flood mitigation and restoration approach. Utilizing indigenous traditional ecological knowledge (ITEK) and combining this with expertise from federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and specialized consultants, the Tribe is able to implement ‘a naturalistic approach to flood mitigation and watershed restoration.’ This approach recognizes naturally occurring processes that mitigate disturbances, and then facilitates these nature-based processes to mitigate hazards and maximize ecosystem services. We will describe the specific techniques utilized by the pueblo, already showing progress to restore and maximize ecosystem services, increase biodiversity and freshwater habitat, increase resilience to future disasters, and support tribal and recreational use of area. We will also discuss the implementation of several successful collaborative efforts, including the 2022 Tribal Resiliency Summit hosted by Santa Clara Pueblo, and the grant funding opportunities leveraged to make these events possible. Discussion will not only cover the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance family of grants (BRIC, FMA, PDM, HMGP, and HMGP-PF) but also a variety of other programs that can be utilized to accomplish these and similar goals.

2) Case Studies for Creating High Functioning, Lower Maintenance Stream Corridors
Drew Beck, PE, CFM, PMP, Matrix Design Group, drew.beck@matrixdesigngroup.com
Co-presenters: None

Abstract: Incorporating the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains in project planning, design, and construction doesn’t have to be a battle. Presented here are two case studies of floodplains which were preserved, re-designed, and adaptively managed in collaboration with the developer, local municipality, and the Mile High Flood District. The primary goal of each project was to create high functioning systems that created resilient infrastructure, thriving ecosystems, and recreational corridors. In addition, a long-term vision of a lower maintenance, and primarily self-maintaining system was established to benefit residents and the maintenance entity for years to come. The Preble Creek floodplain was designed to be contained within a Stream Management Corridor (SMC) including a bankfull channel, flood terrace and flood bench. The flood bench was designed to manage 100-year flows while also incorporating regional/water-quality detention, open-space, and recreation amenities as a linear park through the community. In addition, the SMC is also a designated pollinator corridor which aims to enhance the overall ecological benefit. The existing stream corridors throughout the Sterling Ranch development varied greatly in their condition. This required a thoughtful approach in determining the design approach for the overall system. Some corridors were completely rehabilitated, while others preserved, instead relying on an adaptive management plan to provide stability, while others used a combination of these two approaches. This presentation will demonstrate to attendees how they can incorporate the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains into development projects and how creating collaborative teams with shared goals and visions from the onset of the project is vital for project success. Development projects from inception through construction don’t have to be a constant battle between agencies and developers. Providing streams with the space that they need, beyond flood conveyance, leads to better overall outcomes and thriving ecological infrastructures.

3) Stream Restoration: Nature-Based Solution for Flood Risk Mitigation and Watershed Resiliency
Josh Allen, PE, CFM, SWCA, SWCA, Environmental Consultants, joshua.allen@swca.com
Co-presenters: None

Abstract: Nature-based solutions (NBSs) are increasingly a requirement and/or focus of federal natural disaster recovery and mitigation funding programs. Further, they provide valuable tools toward resiliency of the affected communities and watersheds in the face of more frequent and intense weather-related disasters caused by climate change. However, federal guidance on NBS for flood risk mitigation and watershed resiliency in fluvial settings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the two primary federal funding agencies for flood disaster mitigation and recovery, has focused only on prescriptions external to the stream channels themselves, such as land conservation, wetland restoration, onsite stormwater management, regional stormwater parks, and floodplain reconnection/restoration. In 2021, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center published “International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management”, which for the first time presents river/stream restoration as an appropriate NBS measure for fluvial flood risk management. However, even in this guidance, stream restoration is presented as one of many NBS prescriptions that should be considered in fluvial flood risk management, based on a holistic, watershed approach, and may not be emphasized or prioritized to the extent warranted for the alluvial systems that provide the primary drainage and flood control infrastructure for the majority of the U.S. cities. This presentation will present and discuss stream restoration’s place within the current federal NBS guidance documents and make a case that stream restoration should be the highest priority in the use of NBS in flood risk mitigation and watershed resiliency efforts for a majority of U.S. cities. Examples of successful applications in various urban and suburban watershed settings will then be presented to support the position.