Item A: Water Quality Protected Waterways

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Planning Commissioners who did not support the current proposal expressed the following concerns: ? The incremental water quality benefit does not pan out in comparison to the significant impact to a limited number of individual property owners. ? Applying restrictions to a relatively small number of properties versus the disproportionately large urbanized area from which stormwater runoff flows untreated into the local area waterways is inequitable. ? Vegetation removal and planting requirements in the draft ordinance are too restrictive. ? Goal 5 already achieves the majority of the water quality protection goals. Miles of Waterways and Acres of Land Affected The effects of the current proposal, reflecting changes made in response to Planning Commission testimony and related mapping changes on property owners, are as follows: Miles of Waterways and Acres of Land Affected by Water Quality Protected Waterways April 2008 Ownership Miles of Waterways Number of Affected Acres City UGB Total City UGB Total Private 3.63 3.52 7.15 44.53 33.60 78.13 2.63 0.80 3.43 24.44 6.96 31.40 Parcels Public 2.69 0.36 3.05 35.58 4.58 40.16 Right-of-Way 5.32 1.16 6.48 60.02 11.54 71.56 Subtotal TOTAL 8.95 4.68 13.63 104.55 45.14 149.69 ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND Eugene’s Waterways and Water Quality Eugene’s waterways are part of the larger Willamette River watershed system that provides many beneficial uses such as recreating, fishing, irrigation, and drinking. The main stem of the Willamette River flows through Eugene for approximately six miles. Surface runoff from Eugene’s urban growth boundary is conveyed to the Willamette River, either via direct outfalls, or via a combination of pipes and open waterways, including Amazon Creek, Willow Creek, the Amazon Diversion Channel, the A3 Channel, Fern Ridge Reservoir, and the Long Tom River. Several local area waterways are listed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as “water quality impaired,” or not meeting certain water quality standards for their designated beneficial uses, including the Willamette River, A3 Channel, Amazon Diversion Channel, Willow Creek, Amazon Creek, and Fern Ridge Reservoir. They are water quality limited variously for bacteria, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, mercury, arsenic, lead, dichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and temperature. Open waterways provide important water quality functions. Besides serving as drainage and flood control facilities, healthy, intact waterways intercept and slow down runoff, control erosion, filter pollutants, enhance infiltration and groundwater recharge, and moderate stream temperature. Waterways are also vulnerable to impact from certain uses and activities that, if conducted within and adjacent to open waterways, can lead to increased pollution in the downstream receiving waterways. Without protection for the area within and adjacent to these waterways, further degradation of downstream receiving water quality could result through increased erosion and sedimentation, increased pollutant loadings, and higher stream temperatures. Y:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080514\S080514A.doc