The document outlines Onondaga County's 'Save the Rain' initiative aimed at improving water quality by utilizing green and gray infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff. Key components include construction of over 50 green infrastructure projects, reductions in ammonia and phosphorus levels, and community engagement in compliance with the Amended Consent Judgment. The plan emphasizes sustainability, environmental responsibility, and cost-effectiveness while enhancing the overall quality of life in the region.

1. Save the Rain: Controlling the
Good Water/Bad Water
Dilemma
Joanne M. Mahoney, County Executive
Onondaga Lake Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ) Compliance Program
New York State Association of Counties
2012 Fall Seminar
Tom Rhoads, Commissioner
OCDWEP
Matthew Marko, Vice President
CH2M HILL

2. 2/6/12
Onondaga County, City of Syracuse
2
New York Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Creek
• 7,660 acres
• 49 CSOs
• ~1 Billion gallons/year CSO Harbor Brook

3. 2/6/12
• 1988 – Atlantic States Legal Foundation
History
3
files lawsuit against County
• 1989 – Litigation settled through
METRO consent judgment Onondaga Lake Facts
• 1998 – METRO consent judgment
replaced with Amended Consent Watershed: 285 Square Miles
Judgment (ACJ)
1 Mile Wide – 4.6 Miles Long
• 1st ACJ amendment May 1998
• 2006 ACJ Amended to include Average Depth: 35 feet
consolidation of ammonia and
phosphorus treatment and Harbor Max Depth: 63 feet
Brook conveyances and RTF
1940 – Swimming Banned
• 3rd Amendment April 2008 (Extension)
• 2009 ACJ amended to authorize use of 1970 – Fishing Banned
Gray and Green infrastructure

4. 4th
ACJ Amendment Authorized a
2/6/12
4
Balanced Approach to CSO Abatement
Regulatory Goals Community Impacts/Goals
• Capture and Treat 95% of the • Improve quality of life through
Annual CSO Volume via environmental responsibility
Gray & Green Infrastructure • Promote sustainability
• Achieve water quality • Ensure cost effectiveness in
standards in tributaries compliance with ACJ milestones
and lake • Community revitalization
Major Milestones
• 89.5% capture/elimination by 12/31/2013
• 95% capture/elimination by 12/31/2018

5. Gray Infrastructure Program Builds on
2/6/12
5
10 Years of System Improvements
Ammonia decreased from 8,000 pounds
per day (ppd) to less than 50 ppd
Phosphorus decreased
from 300 ppd to 50 ppd

6. Midland Regional Treatment Facility (RTF) 6
2/6/12
Advanced Despite Community Opposition
2009-2010 Performance
Flow to Facility 228.8 MG
Treated/Creek 123.2 MG
Discharge
METRO 99.6 MG
Treatment
Bypassed 6 MG

7. County Transitions from RTFs to Storage
2/6/12
7
and Strategic Gray Projects
• Harbor Brook Interceptor (ARRA)
• Midland Conveyance (CSO 044)
• Sewer separation projects
• CSO 022, CSO 045
• Clinton Storage Facility
• Harbor Brook Storage Facility
Facilities Planning:
Floatable Controls
And, All New Gray
Projects Include Green Elements!

8. Clinton Storage Facility
2/6/12
8
 Design Challenges
 Underground Storage
Required
 Gravity In, Pump Out
 High Chloride
Groundwater – 80,000
mg/l
 ACJ Milestone – Tight
Schedule
 Downtown Syracuse –
noise, construction
traffic, parking
mitigation, coordination
with businesses
May 2012

9. Clinton Storage
2/6/12
August 9

10. Harbor Brook Storage Facility
2/6/12
10
 Design Challenges
 Underground Storage
Preferred
 Gravity In, Pump Out
 High Chloride
Groundwater
 Contaminated Soils
 Limited Site
 Hydraulics – CSO
Overflow
Weirs, Brook
Elevation, Flood
Elevation

11. County Executive Mahoney Announces “Project 50!”
2/6/12
11
“Onondaga County will construct fifty distinct green
infrastructure projects to return rain water and snow
melt to the ground instead of our sewer system.”
Joanne M. Mahoney, State of the County Address,
March 1, 2011
Syracuse
becomes one
of first ten
Green Cities
Paradigm shifts from
planning to construction

12. Green (and Gray) Infrastructure Program Management
2/6/12
12
Need Increases with Approval of 4th Stipulation
• Green Infrastructure (GI) is an emerging technology and
mostly new to Onondaga County Departments
▫ Need for a trusted advisor on program implementation
▫ Department can focus on existing operations, and Gray
Program projects, while learning to integrate with GI
• Role of the Green Program Manager
▫ Develop strategy that meets ACJ milestones
▫ Provide GI expertise on applications, design
standards, construction, and maintenance
▫ Prioritize opportunities based on diverse, dynamic factors
▫ Transition to a fully County operated GI Program by 2018

13. 2/6/12
13
Project 50!
Construction

14. Onondaga County 2/6/12
14
Civic Strip
OnCenter Convention Center
66,000 Square Foot Green Roof

15. 2/6/12
15

16. 2/6/12
16

19. Onondaga County 2/6/12
19
Civic Strip
War Memorial
Cistern Reuse System

20. War Memorial Cistern Reuse System
Reusing rainwater appears to allow the ice making to occur one to two degrees
warmer than using potable water resulting in energy savings

21. 2/6/12
First Commercial Green Street: Harrison Street 21
BEFORE: Stormwater enters catch AFTER: Stormwater is diverted to
basins and is directly connected to Green Streets and only overflows to
sewer sewer when necessary

23. 2/6/12
First Commercial Green Street: Harrison Street 23

24. 2/6/12
OnCenter Surface Parking Lot: 290 green spaces 24
GI Technology:
Perimeter porous
asphalt and tree
infiltration trench
Project Owner:
County
Capture Area:
134,000 square feet
Runoff Reduction:
2,360,000 gallons/year
Construction Cost:
$812,000 (bid)
$/gallon: $0.48

25. Installation of Stone Storage Bed

26. 2/6/12
OnCenter Surface Parking Lot 26
Porous
Asphalt
Perimeter

27. 2/6/12
OnCenter Municipal Parking Garage 27
GI Technology:
Roof leaders to rain
gardens
Project Owner:
County
Capture Area:
72,500 square feet
Runoff Reduction:
1,277,000 gallons/year
Construction Cost:
$234,000 (bid)
$/gallon: $0.26

28. 2/6/12
28
OnCenter
Municipal Parking
Garage
Bio-Infiltration

29. 2/6/12
29

30. 2/6/12
30
Before
Townsend Parking Lot (“Lot B”)

31. 2/6/12
31
Vegetated Infiltration
Beds, 90 Trees Planted

32. Base Course Asphalt Installed prior to winter shutdown

33. Volume capture: 975,000 gallons/year

34. 2/6/12
34
Project 50!
Beyond the Civic Strip:
Green Streets

35. 2/6/12
Linking with Major Transportation 35
Reconstruction Creates Green Progress
Phase 1: Contracts 1 and 2
Image – Barton & Loguidice

36. Connective Corridor
2/6/12
36
Capture Area: 6.75 ac
Run-off Reduction: 5.16 MG/Year
Construction Cost: $948,700 (bid)
$/gallon Runoff Capture $0.18
$/gallon CSO Reduction $0.26

37. Connective Corridor
2/6/12
37
Image – Barton & Loguidice

38. Connective Corridor
2/6/12
38

39. 2/6/12
City Road Reconstruction: Pavement Removal 39
at Geddes Street
GI Technology: Bioretention
Project Owner: City of Syracuse
Capture Area: 29,700 square feet
Run-off Reduction: 523,000 gallons/year
Construction Cost: $203,000 (bid)
$/gallon: $0.55
Status: completed

40. 2/6/12
40
Project 50!
CSO Treatment Wetlands

41. CSO Treatment Wetland Project
Compensatory Storage Project Completed in 2011
CSO 018
Proposed
Constructed
Wetland
Harbor
Brook

42. Treatment Wetland Eliminates CSO 018
2/6/12
42
(up to design storm)
• 144 Acre CSO basin
• 40 overflows / year
• Significant Nutrient Removal
• Partner with SUNY ESF

43. 2/6/12
43
Project 50!
Green Parks

44. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Elephant Exhibit, 2011
GI Technology:
6,000 sq.ft. Green roof
Green Roof Project Owner:
County
Capture Area:
Porous 6,000 square feet
pavement, Runoff Reduction:
and rain 114,000 gallons/year
barrels for
stormwater Construction Cost:
reuse $183,900
$/gallon: $2.27

45. Creekwalk Project Greening: Jefferson to Walton
Porous Asphalt
Strip in Parking Lot
Before
Bioretention
Rain Garden
Flexi-pave
Porous Walkway
Porous Asphalt Volume capture: 135,000 gallons/year
Parking Lot

46. Creekwalk Project Greening: Walton to Fayette
Porous Concrete
Porous Asphalt
Strip in
Parking Lot
Before
Re-established
Natural Stream Bank
Volume capture: 119,000 gallons/year

47. 2/6/12
Rosamond Gifford Zoo Entrance Enhancement 47
•GI Technology:
Rain gardens
•Project Owner:
County/City
•Capture Area:
39,000 square feet
•Run-off Reduction:
680,000 gallons/year
•Construction Cost:
$300,000 (bid)
•$/gallon: $0.62
Green Infrastructure Concept for the Zoo Entrance

48. 2/6/12
Rosamond Gifford Zoo Entrance Enhancement 48
Bio-infiltration
Systems
capture
runoff from
surrounding
streets

49. 2/6/12
49
Project 50!
Green Schools

50. 2/6/12
Hughes Magnet School 50
New Parking
Lot captures
runoff from
school roof
and upper lot

51. 2/6/12
51
Project 50!
Green Parking Lots

52. 2/6/12
Sunnycrest Park Arena Parking Lot 52
GI Technology:
Porous pavement
Rain garden
Project Owner:
Syracuse Parks
Dept.
Capture Area:
107,000 square feet
Run-off Reduction:
1,876,000
gallons/year
Construction Cost:
$303,000 (bid)
Map of Proposed Sunnycrest Arena Parking Lot Project $/gallon: $0.22

53. Installation of Storage and Infiltration Systems

54. 2/6/12
54
Combination of
bio-
retention, por
ous
asphalt, and
subsurface
storage and
infiltration
systems

55. 2/6/12
Project 50: Shifting the Paradigm
55
Planning for Widespread Implementation of GI
▫ Opportunity/Idea Coordination
 New Project Form
 Database and GIS Management
Projects include: Parking Lots, Parking
Garages, Schools, Libraries, Parks, Firehouses, Post
Offices, Streets (commercial and residential), Water
Reuse, Wetlands, Roofs, Vacant Lots
▫ Concept Development
 Site Visit, watershed identification, BMP Identification
 Calculator (capture and preliminary cost estimate)

56. 2/6/12
Project 50: Shifting the Paradigm
56
Planning for Widespread Implementation of GI
▫ Landowner Endorsement
 Bi-weekly City-County Coordination Meeting
(if you think you can do this without a lot of coordination and
meetings - you can not)
▫ Field Work and Permitting
 Survey (including utility identification)
 Soils Testing (infiltration)
 Environmental Analysis (Phase 1, Analytic Testing, etc.)
 SERP (SEQR, SHPO, SWPPP/NEPA/Landmark Preservation, etc.)

57. 2/6/12
Project 50: Shifting the Paradigm
57
Designing 50+ Projects
▫ 50% Plans
 Design Guidance Manual
 Design Workflow (flow chart)
▫ 90% Plans and Specifications
▫ Final (for Construction) Plans, Specifications, and Bid Forms
 Comment Adjudication/
Quality Assurance
▫ Cost Estimating
 At Concept and 90%
▫ Design Coordination
 WEEKLY Design and Construction Review Meeting

58. 2/6/12
58
East Water Street Gateway: Case Study
Project Features:
▫ Bike Boulevard
▫ Traffic Calming
▫ Private/Commercial collaboration
▫ Porous Paver Parking Lanes
▫ Curb Extensions
▫ Robust Tree Planter systems
• Challenges Include:
▫ Mid-street pedestrian crossing
▫ Snow plow considerations
▫ Turning radii for tractor trailers

59. 2/6/12
59
Water Street Gateway Project Concept
GI Technology:
Infiltration trench
and porous pavers
Project Owner:
City of Syracuse
Capture Area:
53,000 square feet
Runoff Reduction:
924,000 gallons/yr
Construction Cost:
$920,000 (bid)
$/gallon: $1.00

60. Water Street Gateway Project
2/6/12
60
Before

61. Water Street Gateway Project
2/6/12
61
During

62. 2/6/12
62
After

63. 2/6/12
63
After

64. 2/6/12
64

65. 2/6/12
Project 50: Shifting the Paradigm
65
• Procurement
▫ Contract Documents: Bundling projects as appropriate
▫ Advertisement: Pre-Bid Meeting, Addendum, Bid
• Construction
▫ Services During Construction
 Clarifications, RFIs, Modifications, Change Orders, etc.
▫ Construction Inspection
 PrimaVera Construction Manager
▫ Project Completion Reports
 $/gallon accounting
 Post-project communication on challenges/successes

66. 2/6/12
Other Program Elements
66
• Legislative Agenda
▫ Existing City Ordinances (Stormwater, Tree, Sidewalk)
▫ New and Innovative City Ordinances: Permission
• Enhanced Street Tree Program: 8500 new street trees
• Rain Barrel Program: 650 and counting (Goal: 3600)
• Vacant Lot Program
• Grant Funding: Federal/State successes
• Green Improvement Fund: Onondaga County’s
Public-Private-Partnership for Incentivizing GI
▫ Grants up to $200,000
▫ Stay tuned for a presentation on this, next year!

67. GIF: Porous Pavers at Hotel Skyler
2/6/12
67
Porous
Paver
Parking
Lot

68. 2/6/12
Public Education and Outreach 68
• STR Website: www.SaveTheRain.us
• Monthly Report: for ACJ Parties, County Legislature
• Coalition Partners / Stakeholders
 City of Syracuse (DPW, Engineering, Law, School
District, Parks, Zoning, Codes, etc.)
 ACJ Parties (NYS DEC, ASLF): Policy Committee
 Academic Community (SU, SUNY ESF)
 Community Groups / NFPs
 Business Community, Large Landowners (hospitals)
 General Public
 Manufacturers / Vendors / Suppliers
 Engineering Community
 Construction Community (M/WBEs), Bidders Wanted!

69. But… what about Maintenance?
2/6/12
69
The Paradigm Shifts Again
• Asset Management
▫ Asset Definition:
Location, quantity, make/model,
etc.
▫ Standard Maintenance
Procedures (SMPs)
▫ Computerized Maintenance
Management System (Maximo)
• Onondaga County is
committed to maintaining
its investment in Green
(and Gray) Infrastructure!

70. 2/6/12
Maintenance Training: March 2012
70
Developed GI Maintenance Manual
▫ Conducted 1st annual training session
 50+ participants, including
• Onondaga County Department of Water
Environment Protection (OCDWEP)
• Syracuse Department of Public Works
• Syracuse Water Department
• Syracuse Parks and Recreation
• Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
• Syracuse City School District
• Town of Geddes
• Syracuse University
• Onondaga Earth Corp.
• People's Equal Action and Community Effort
• Syracuse Downtown Committee
• Atlantic States Legal Foundation
• Central New York Community Foundation
• Syracuse Model Neighborhood Corp. (SMNC)

71. 2/6/12
71
What is GI Maintenance?
▫ 13 Standard
Maintenance
Procedures (SMPs)
have been prepared
for OCDWEP

72. Every GI Asset that needs maintenance
2/6/12
72
has an associated SMP

73. 2/6/12
73
Maintenance: Seasonal Considerations

74. 2/6/12
Maintenance Report Log(s) 74

75. 2/6/12
75
Maximo is the CMMS tool WEP is using
for Asset Management Program
• Work orders include:
▫ Maintenance activities/step by step directions
▫ Tools/equipment (including costs)
▫ Planned time to complete
▫ Actual maintenance info is loaded back into
Maximo after completion
• Example maintenance task for E-06 Porous
Pavement Vacuuming follows…

77. 2/6/12
Maintenance: Labor Costs
77
• Contracted with local non-
profit, Onondaga Earth Corps
• Fall 2011: 4 sites maintained under
pilot effort ($14,000)
• 2012: Annual Contract for $19,000
(4 sites)
▫ Spring and Fall, with periodic support as
needed (up to 3x)
▫ Major landscape activities –
weed, mulch, trim veggie, trash removal
• WEP Staff performs vacuuming of
porous pavements
▫ Spring + Fall
▫ Labor Costs being calculated

78. 2/6/12
Measuring Progress: Monitoring 78
• ACJ Compliance
▫ Annual Report: April
 SWMM : Volume Capture
 Goal: 246 MG/Yr by 2018
 Ambient Monitoring Program
(AMP): Water Quality
 Goal: Wet Weather Standards
• Net Environmental Benefit Analysis
• Funding Sources and Financial Tracking

79. 2/6/12
Save the Rain: 2012-2013
79
• Focus on Efficiency over Quantity
▫ Improved Constructability
▫ Lower Maintenance
• Utilize SWMM for prioritization of project location
• Unit Price - Quantity Based
Construction Procurements
▫ Civil Site Work Contract
▫ Landscape Installation and Maintenance Contract
▫ Post-Warranty Maintenance Contract, conducted by
Conservation Corps (Community Based Green Jobs)
• Asset Management Consultant contracted

80. Thank You!
Questions?
Please visit us at
www.SaveTheRain.us