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Lake County Watershed Management Board Funding Program Mike Prusila, CFM, Watershed Planner. Lake County Watershed Management Board (WMB).
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Lake CountyWatershed Management BoardFunding ProgramMike Prusila, CFM, Watershed Planner
Lake CountyWatershed Management Board (WMB) • Primary Role: Serve as a forum for the coordination and allocation of resources, to contribute to basin planning projects, and to solve interjurisdictional watershed issues. • Make recommendations to SMC on financial, institutional, and programmatic aspects of the drainage system and stormwater management services.
Funding Goals • Primary: • Flood Damage Reduction • Secondary: • Water Quality Improvement • Ecosystem Restoration • Education • Projects required by permit not eligible
Cost-Share Requirement • Minimum 50% applicant cost share requirement • Cash • In-kind services • Combination • Could be made up of several jurisdictions and/or use federal or state funds • $150,000 total available for last 3 years, divided into 4 watersheds (Fox River Watershed last year received $25,840).
WMB History • Began as 4 separate boards in 1995 • Fox River • Des Plaines River • North Branch of the Chicago River • Lake Michigan • Now operates as one countywide board
WMB Membership • Chief Elected Officials • Villages • Cities • Townships • Active Drainage Districts • County Board Members • Fox Waterway Agency CEO • Delegates of the above
WMB Project Types • Planning • Engineering Analysis • Alternate Solution Evaluation • Design • Capital Construction • Maintenance & Repairs
Project Selection • Project funding recommendations to SMC are made based on consensus agreement by the participating members and delegates. If a clear consensus cannot be reached, then all positions expressed by WMB members and delegates are presented to the SMC.
Application Process • Annual Application Schedule • Request for Proposals in July/August • Proposals due in September/October • Staff recommendations to WMB in December • WMB recommendations to SMC in January • Grant agreements done in March
Project Prioritization Criteria • Benefit multiple jurisdictions (25%) • Beneficial results for up to 100-year flood event (20%) • Alleviate structural flood damages (15%) • Reduce surface water quality problems using BMPs (15%) • Benefit environment w/emphasis on non-structural natural resource protection strategies (10%)
Project Prioritization Criteria (cont.) • Alleviate major nuisance flooding (5%) • Provide multiple use benefits such as recreation, public education, data collection, etc. (5%) • Utilize state and/or federal funding as much as possible (5%) • Bonus points for greater than 50% applicant cost share (5%)
Watershed Management Assistance Grants (WMAG) • Specialized type of WMB grant with primary purpose of supporting growth and sustainability (i.e., organizational capacity) of local watershed partnerships in Lake County. • $10,000 is set aside for these applications with no cost-share requirement.
U.S. EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) • SMC may receive special appropriations for projects and/or planning • Awarded through the U.S. EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grant program • U.S. EPA will match up to 55% of project costs through STAG program • SMC issues RFP at county level to solicit local projects and partners
U.S. EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) • Projects may include: • Stormwater system improvements & retrofits • Stream channel & floodplain improvements • Streambank and shoreline stabilization • Wetland enhancement • Requires local match of at least 45% (cash or in-kind)
U.S. EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) • SMC ranks proposals, applies to U.S. EPA for approval • STAG funds are usually allocated to multiple projects • Typical allocation $20K-$100K per project
U.S. EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) • May use local or State grants as match (WMB or C2000) • Cannot be matched with other Federal funding sources (319, NFWF) • Other caveats: • Not a regular source of funding for SMC projects • Can be a lengthy process (up to 2 years for approval, more for actual construction) • Project area may be geographically limited (e.g., DPR)
SMC Contacts for WMB • Des Plaines River and North Branch of the Chicago River watersheds: • Christine Gaynes • cgaynes@co.lake.il.us • 847-918-5275 • Fox River and Lake Michigan watersheds • Rasto Vrazda • rvrazda@co.lake.il.us • 847-918-7696