MS4 & TMDL PERMIT SOFTWARE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN FOR NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

Pam Cowher, GISP

Advisor: Barry M. Evans, PH.D.

GEOG 596A – Summer 2013

Agenda

•Background•Why is an MS4 Software Needed•Project Goals•Methodology•Timeline•Expected Outcomes

Introduction

•What is an MS4?▫Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System

(MS4)▫Water conveyance system:

1. Owned by public entity2. Collects and discharges stormwater3. Not a combined sewer4. Not part of sewage treatment system

• Limit pollution from suburban / urban stormwater

Introduction (cont.)

•MS4 Types▫Phase 1 (Large MS4)

Urban area Population greater than 100,000 Approximately 100 in nation (11 in Virginia) Permits are customized to each jurisdiction

▫Phase 2 (Small MS4) Urban area as defined by U.S. Census Less than 100,000 residents General permit for all

Introduction (cont.)

•Chesapeake Bay TMDL▫Established in 2010 to

clean-up the Bay▫Largest TMDL▫“Pollution Diet”▫Sets allocation goals for

VA that must be met by 2025 Nitrogen Phosphorus Sediment

Bay TMDL Progress Reporting• Progress towards TMDL Goals tracked by

BMP implementation▫Urban▫Agricultural

• How?▫Number of BMPs▫Drainage Area to BMP combined with land use

to determine loading• Why?

▫ If MS4 cannot show progress towards goals may have financial consequences

Why do MS4s need management software?•New permits issued in Virginia

▫Require large amount of data tracking and reporting

▫TMDL requirements for Chesapeake Bay Watershed

▫MS4s required to inspect facilities and BMPs that discharge into their system

▫Annual reporting requirements

Existing COTS MS4 Software

•Many available•MS4 specific

▫MS4 Permit Manager / MS4 Web▫PermiTrackMS4▫Operation MS4

•Full City Asset Management Software▫Azteca Cityworks – Stormwater Module▫Cartegraph▫Accela

Why are commercial software not being used?•Asked 2 local cities this question.•Similar responses:

▫Not customizable enough for individual needs

▫Inputs are required from too many departments

▫Duplicated entry into many systems▫High cost of implementation

Study Area •Norfolk, VA•Phase I MS4•Approx. 33,000 ac•MS4 Area =

23,000 ac (70% of land area)

•42% of land area is impervious

•Drains directly to Bay

Project Goals

•Design a relational database to store data related to Bay TMDL and MS4 Permit

•Design front-end system for data entry and attribute reporting and querying

•Front-end system must:▫Have an interactive map▫Be web based▫Be customizable

Methodology

•Conduct user group interviews▫Norfolk Storm Water managers▫Field inspectors▫Customer service agents▫GIS Staff

Methodology (cont.)•Design Database Schema

▫Over 25 sections in MS4 permit that must be tracked – Data are both spatial and non-spatial

▫Tables will include: Land Cover (spatial) BMPs (spatial) E & S Inspection (non-spatial) BMP Inspections (non-spatial) Nutrient management areas (spatial/non-spatial) Dry and Wet weather monitoring data (spatial/non) And many others….

Methodology (cont.)

•Data schema result will be UML diagram or similar documenting tables and relationships.

Methodology (cont.)

•Prototype application▫Design web forms

Input Reports

▫Forms will not be linked to “back-end” data at this point

▫City of Norfolk staff will review and comment

Methodology (cont.)

•Create "Tie-ins" from the Prototype application to the database▫Database to GIS Services▫Database to Web applications▫Link data to forms and reports

•Start to create ArcGIS for Flex Application

•Finalize Application with input from Norfolk staff

Methodology (cont.)

Web Application Server

SQL Server

Express Database

GIS Server(ArcGIS for Server)

Mapping ServicesGeoprocessing

Other data hosting

MS4 & TMDL Permitting App

– Mobile Application

Web forms, editing, report creation. MS4 & TMDL

Permitting App – Desktop Internet

•Design System Architecture

Timeline• Prior to August 14: Conduct user interviews

• August 14 - 21: Develop data schema that will be the basis of the project

• August 22 - 31: Provide schema to City of Norfolk staff to review

• September 1 - 8: Develop sketch of application design (non-working prototype)

• September 9 - 15: Create tie-ins between data and application

• September 17: Present prototype at the Virginia GIS conference (Williamsburg, VA)

• September 18 - October 4: Continue development (working prototype)

• October 4 - October 11: Working prototype to City of Norfolk staff for review and comments

• October 12 - 23: Finalize application to acceptable research grade quality, write final report, and provide research grade application to the City of Norfolk.

Expected Outcomes

•Working web application to:▫Manage the MS4 / TMDL portion of

Stormwater program▫Allow multiple tabular edits▫Allow map inputs and spatial edits▫Report on progress towards TMDL goals▫Report on MS4 Annual Report

requirements•Application will be considered research

grade and not production ready

Acknowledgements

•Barry M. Evans, PH.D.

•City of Norfolk Storm Water Department

•Penn State University MGIS Program

References• Accela, Inc. (2013). Accela, Inc. Better Government through Civic Engagement.

Retrieved 6 28, 2013, from Accela, Inc.: http://www.accela.com/• ASSIST. (2006). ASSIST - Comprehensive Asset Management. Retrieved 6 28, 2013,

from ASSIST: http://www.asist.net/• Azteca Systems, Inc. (2012). Home. Retrieved 6 28, 2013, from Cityworks:

http://www.cityworks.com/• Butler, Fairman, and Seufert. (2013). Home. Retrieved 6 28, 2016, from Operation

MS4: http://www.operationms4.com/• Cartegraph. (2013). Cartegraph. Retrieved 6 28, 2013, from The Operations

Management System: http://www.cartegraph.com/• CBI Systems. (2013). Home. Retrieved 6 28, 2013, from MS4 Web MS4 Permit

Manager: http://www.ms4web.com/• Committee on the Evaluation of Chesapeake Bay Program Implementation for

Nutrient Reduction to Improve Water Quality. (2010). Achieving Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Goals in the Chesapeake Bay: An Evaluation of Program Strategies and Implementation. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.

• Houston Engineering, Inc. (2012). MS4Front.com. Retrieved 6 28, 2013, from MS4Front: http://www.ms4front.com/

• SEH Technology Solutions. (2013). PermiTrack. Retrieved 6 28, 2013, from PermiTrack: https://www.mypermitrack.com/sehsvc/

Questions?Contact:Pam Cowher, GISPpjc256@psu.edu