[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: BVCP Groundwater Policy

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Young, Mary

Dear Colleagues on Council and Planning Board,


Regarding a BVCP Groundwater Policy, below are background information and language proposals.


Request from Planning Board:

The BVCP needs a new groundwater policy that reflects the potential for new development to impact the flow, elevations and distribution of groundwater that might result in negative impacts to surrounding properties. It should direct the city and county to create development standards that address these impacts.


Staff's proposal and description of WRAB recommendation:

Policy 3.28
 Surface and groundwater are part of an integrated environmental system that will be protected as a resource.   Land use and development planning and public land management practices will consider the interdependency of surface and groundwater and potential impacts to these resources from pollutant sources, changes in hydrology, drilling, mining, and dewatering activities.  Subsurface construction requiring ongoing dewatering shall be minimized to limit environmental impacts.  Impacts of dewatering on surface water quantity and quality, groundwater recharge, wells, and ecosystems along with associated energy use, shall be appropriately mitigated.  Dewatering systems shall be designed to protect life, safety, and property.

As part of the ongoing utility rate structure study, the WRAB (Water Resources Advisory Board) has identified, “Encourage low-impact development to decrease stormwater impacts” as a guiding principle.  Low impact development can include techniques to promote infiltration and groundwater recharge which are considered to have positive environmental impacts.  While continuing to recognize groundwater as an important natural resource and protecting against negative impacts of development are not mutually exclusive, there would likely be considerable complexity to drafting regulations that would effectively accomplish both objectives.



Proposed amendment to staff's draft, amendment in brackets:

Policy 3.28
Surface and groundwater are part of an integrated environmental system that will be protected as a resource. Land use and development planning and public land management practices will consider the interdependency of surface and groundwater and potential impacts to these resources from pollutant sources, changes in hydrology, drilling, mining, and dewatering activities. Subsurface construction requiring ongoing dewatering shall be minimized to limit environmental impacts. Impacts of dewatering on surface water quantity and quality, groundwater recharge, wells, and ecosystems along with associated energy use, shall be appropriately mitigated. Dewatering systems shall be designed to protect life, safety, and property [of both existing and new structures and their inhabitants. New structures shall be designed and constructed in a manner that will minimize adverse hydrologic impacts on existing structures and environmental systems. Impacts could include increased risk of flooding from stormwater runoff or other surface water flows; increased risk of basement or other subgrade areas due to changes in groundwater flow directions or increase in water levels; loss of riparian and/or wetland habitat due to changes in historic water quality, runoff or changes in groundwater levels. Low-impact development, which includes techniques to promote infiltration and groundwater recharge and which are considered to have positive environmental impacts, is strongly encouraged for all new development and should be implemented in a manner that will not lead to adverse impacts to existing structures or environmental resources.]


Recognizing that the above language may exceed a reasonable policy length, the key issues should include at least: application to areas with a high water table, impacts include changes to flow, elevation and distribution of groundwater, impacts to surrounding structures and inhabitants, impacts on environmental systems.

Thank you.


Mary Dolores Young
Boulder City Council
303-501-2439

"All ethics . . . rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts . . ." - Aldo Leopold