BIG CITY STORM WATER MANAGEMENT IN A GROWING TEXAS UNIVERSITY TOWN - THE METHODIST BRANCH TUNNEL PROJECT

摘要

The City of Stephenville, Texas, a growing university town located about 60 miles southwest of Fort Worth, has long taken a proactive approach to storm water management. The city -home to Tarleton State University and one of the few Hydrology degree programs in the country -implemented storm water detention requirements before many of its larger Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex neighbors. In 2002, the city enacted a storm water utility fee to fund an $18 million drainage capital improvement program as well as city drainage maintenance needs. The initial project in the capital program is the so-called Methodist Branch storm drainage project. This $7 million two-phase project is designed to provide drainage to a large portion of the central business district and the university area. Phase 1 of the project consists of a 90" reinforced concrete pipe drainage tunnel located approximately 40 feet below the city to avoid disruptions to utilities, homes, businesses and the city transportation network. Phase 2 of the Methodist Branch project consists of a more traditional cut and cover storm drainage network to serve the upper end of the drainage area. This paper details the City's storm water management program with an emphasis on the innovative Methodist Branch tunnel project and the generation of needed capital improvement monies in smaller cities via storm water utilities.