HomeMy WebLinkAboutComments- LUA19-000293 PR19-000453 Heather Downs detention pond improvements (SEPA #201906515).msgHello,
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on the NOA/ODNS <https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/separ/Main/SEPA/Record.aspx?SEPANumber=201906515> for the proposed Heather Downs detention
pond project. We have the following comments:
Critical Areas. The project site is overlain by a wellhead protection area (WHPA) associated with the City’s own water system (see details below), which is shown as high susceptibility
area. The WHPA is depicted as a wellfield associated with three separate sources. Per RMC 4-3-050.B.1.e, WHPAs are regulated critical areas. The SEPA checklist (Q.B.8.h) does not identify
the critical area, & the NOA indicates that City maps show no critical areas on the project site.
The SEPA checklist discusses the possibility of ground water flowing into the pond (Q.B.3.b.1) but does not evaluate the impact of the pond upon groundwater quality. From the description
in Q.B.3.c.1, it appears the pond is & will continue to be tightlined to a Cedar Creek outflow; yet the overall project is described as benefitting surface water. It isn’t clear from
the information included whether any form of infiltration is included. Nevertheless, the overall project appears to include actions that come under the “Activites to Which These Regulations
Apply” in RMC 4-3-050.B.2, & surface water improvements in WHPAs do not appear to be exempt from critical areas review in the table under ss. C.3 of that same section. Please evaluate
the project for compliance with critical areas regulations & WHPA considerations.
City of Renton, 10-year modeled time of travel, Source #11, Well #11; Source #12, Well #17; Source #15, Well #12
Map source: https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/eh/maps/SWAP/index.html <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffortress.wa.gov%2Fdoh%2Feh%2Fmaps%2FSWAP%2Findex.html&data=02%7C01%7
Cdavid.bussard%40kent.k12.wa.us%7Cbd024096d1f64d43e42508d7386b54b6%7C773029edd6c2480ba5a2281c6d30235e%7C0%7C1%7C637039905953704399&sdata=HWNnt884Gi8we8xx3VomymR%2BSbtg3CsHowuybJQN9ZQ%3D&reserved=0>
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This concludes our comments. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.
For distribution of future SEPA notices, please note that our email is SEPA.reviewteam@doh.wa.gov.
Deborah Johnson
Wellhead Protection Specialist
Office of Drinking Water
Environmental Public Health Division
Washington State Department of Health
deborah.johnson@doh.wa.gov
360-236-3133 | www.doh.wa.gov
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