Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 10-03-2023
Title:
title
Presentation of Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association, Ronald D. Flanagan, Gold Project Award for the Natural Rehabilitation of Stormwater Detention Facility - Park On Florence 2nd Regional Detention Facility
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Background:
On September 19, 2023, the City of Broken Arrow was awarded the prestigious Ronald D. Flanagan, Gold Project Award, from the Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association (OFMA) for the Natural Rehabilitation of a Stormwater Detention Facility at the Park on Florence 2nd Regional Detention Facility. This is the second stormwater Gold Project Award the City has received for its efforts to improve our community’s stormwater management as a whole.
On September 5, 2023, the City Council awarded a public construction contract to make modifications to an existing regional detention facility that includes converting a portion of it to a wet pond facility while incorporating several stormwater quality aspects to the facility. The primary purpose of any detention facility is to reduce flooding and maintain a peak discharge rates to levels that existed prior to the development of the property or even lower. In the case of the Park On Florence Detention Facility, Staff determined that the facility truly served as a regional facility by receiving stormwater runoff from off-site coupled with the stormwater runoff from the subdivision itself. Furthermore, Staff determined that the facility did not function adequately and needed certain improvements in order to maintain pre-developed discharge flows for the combined region.
In addition, the local residents expressed a strong desire for more natural aspects to be incorporated in any proposed improvement. Staff was able to incorporate stormwater quality features that will allow some of the facility to remain in a “natural wetlands” condition. Influent flows will be directed to drain through a grassy, wetlands swale that is bounded with specific hydrophilic flowering plants. This swale drains to a wet pond feature that will have specific hydrophilic tress and other vegetation planted in key location surrounding the wet pond. A new concrete outlet control structure will be erected to better regulate the effluent discharge flows, thereby, controlling the amount of released to the downstream conveyance system.
As a part of the overall goal, the City will work with Arts302 and/or the Broken Arrow Public Schools to hold an art competition to design a mural to paint on the concrete outlet works feature. The mural will need to tie into the theme of a natural-looking detention facility. We will work with the subdivision’s Homeowners Association and the local residents to select a winner. This competition will begin early next year.
This City is honored to win this award. It speaks to the vision of the Council and the implementation of the City Administration.
Cost: None
Funding Source: None
Requested By: Ethan J.L. Edwards, Director of Engineering and Construction
Approved By: City Manager’s Office
Attachments: Detention Facility Drawings
Recommendation:
recommend
As directed by Council
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