Managing Storm Water in Peshastin Currently, periodic flooding from storm water is a problem primarily
for one small area of Peshastin along a drainage ditch that was originally built back in the 1930s by the railroad, with help
from the County of Chelan, but subsequently turned over to the local property owners for care and maintenance. The ditch is
shallow and of very slight grade, with a few dips in places which cause water to pool and overflow, rather than run "up
hill." It's a long-standing problem, especially for a few home owners along Lee Street. The ditch runs across numerous
private properties and is no longer owned by the county, which has no money mandated to do anything about it anyway.
Horizontal Elevations of Peshastin Drainage Ditch (click for larger image)
As our community grows, it's believed that water runoff will
become an important issue to more than just the few people on Lee Street, but to the entire community. So, what do we do about
it? In a presentation to the Community Council in March of 2009, a suggestion was made to investigate the possiblity of creating
a "Storm Water Utility" district to collect funds to develop and implement a comprehensive plan encompassing the
entire Peshastin area, now that we've established our new UGA (Urban Growth Area). The Chelan County Department of Public Works and Chelan County Board of Commissioners helped the people of the Sunnyslope
area of unincorperated Wenatchee create a similar utility district, the details of which may be read at the county web site
by clicking here. Why create a Peshastin Storm Water Utility? - It Fills a Funding Void
- It Gets Implemented by the County Commissioners
- Is a Fee Based Program, rather than a percentage tax
- The Fees are Assessed Through
the County Treasurer's Office
- The Funds are Dedicated for use within a Defined Boundary
What are the
Basic Benefits?
- Fix
Known Storm Water Problems
- Enhance Existing Systems
- Develop
a Comprehensive Communinty Plan
- Compliment Developer Improvements
- Fees
are based on Determined Needs
What might a Storm Water Utility do for Peshastin?
- Fix the "Ditch Problem"
- Perform a Peshastin-wide Drainage Study
- Develop a Capital Improvement Plan
- Help the Community Convert to a more "Urban"
Infrastructure
Click the links below to see some
"possible" short-term solutions to the water problem along the existing Peshastin drainage ditch. Enclosing the
entire ditch in drain pipe might run $150,000 - $200,000. Enclosing smaller sections would cost less, and replacing the ditch
completely with a new solid pipeline in a different location would cost considerably more. The below illustrations are for
discussion purposes only. They are not design plans. The elevations
were surveyed several years ago.
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