Surface Water Management Division
Urban Drainage Management Programs
Each year Surface Water Management staff respond to more than 325 drainage complaints called in by citizens. Visit this page to report a drainage problem in your neighborhood or request a drainage investigation. If you have trouble using the drainage investigation request form call 425-388-6467 or email d.seibert@co.snohomish.wa.us.
Since 1989 Surface Water management has overseen the construction of more than 450 drainage repair and water quality improvement projects.
One of the current programs is the Community Infrastructure Development Initiative (CIDI) program. The CIDI program was launched in 2006 to accelerate the construction of important infrastructure projects, including high priority drainage projects.
See highlights from previous construction seasons.
In order for the publicly and privately owned network of storm drainage facilities (e.g., detention ponds, biofiltration swales, detention vaults, etc.) to function properly, the individual facilities in the network need regular maintenance. This program helps ensure that both public and private drainage facilities are regularly maintained by their owners. The ultimate goal of the program is to help reduce flooding of private property and public roads, improve water quality, and protect aquatic habitat.
In 2009, the program was expanded to comply with recent changes to the County’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which is mandated by the federal Clean Water Act. To comply with these regulatory changes, the County must inspect public and private storm drainage facilities, determine whether the facilities meet performance standards, and require facility owners to correct any problems or deficiencies.
Surface Water Management is currently developing a Water Quality Facilities Plan to improve water quality in different areas of the county. The WQFP program will begin with a pilot study in the Silver Creek watershed, and will expand to other areas of the county in the future. The purpose of the WQFP program is to recommend specific drainage projects and maintenance actions that can be used to improve water quality, implement higher priority projects and actions as County funding allows, and help fulfill the requirements of the County’s NPDES permit.
Surface Water Management is planning drainage improvement projects in the Eastmont neighborhood. These projects will reduce road and property flooding.
The projects will be funded by surface water service charges and the Community Infrastructure Development Initiative (CIDI). CIDI is an initiative to speed the delivery of essential transportation, parks and surface water infrastructure improvement projects to fast-growing areas throughout Snohomish County. The Eastmont area has been identified as one of the surface water improvement areas. Projects will be constructed beginning in 2007.
Surface Water Management received a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to install Low Impact Development (LID) improvements at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe to better manage stormwater at key locations. A variety of LID techniques were installed in 2008, complete with interpretive displays as a demonstration for Fairground visitors.
The Drainage Needs Program began in 2000 with a comprehensive, two-year effort to assess impacts from surface water runoff within the urban growth areas of Snohomish County. In December 2002, at the conclusion of the assessment period, the Drainage Needs Report was published. The report contains a prioritized list of construction and acquisition projects to solve drainage problems, improve salmon habitat, improve water quality, and predict the impacts of development was published.
Summary Report and Eleven Individual Drainage Needs Reports
Map of the eleven study areas (146 KBPDF download)
2007 Status Report for DNR/MDP Flooding projects (Index to full document)
Online Drainage Inventory Maps