Douglas County Hosts Two Stormwater Master Plan Public Workshops
Flooding has a widespread impact on the entire community in Douglas County, ranging from road closures and school shutdowns to delayed emergency vehicle responses. The repercussions extend beyond individual neighborhoods, affecting the entire region.
Douglas County organized two public workshops in February with the aim of adhering to best practices in stormwater management and flood response. The purpose is to enhance transparency and seek public input on the County's stormwater master plan. The plan was adopted by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on March 21, 2024.
The Stormwater Master Plan can be viewed here.
Douglas County's Stormwater and Floodplain Management Program is comprised of:
The Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a science-based plan to restore Lake Tahoe's famous clarity. This program was initiated to better understand the causes of clarity loss, determine how much pollution needs to be reduced, and develop a realistic implementation approach to restore historic clarity. Each jurisdiction around the Lake is responsible for reducing the amount of fine sediment particles (FSP) that reach Lake Tahoe. This can be accomplished in three ways: road operations, private parcel best management practices, and large-scale water quality improvement projects.
Polluted stormwater is often discharged into local rivers and streams without treatment. Common pollutants include oil and grease from roadways, pesticides from lawns, sediment from construction sites, and carelessly discarded trash, such as pet waste, cigarette butts, paper wrappers, and plastic bottles. Once these pollutants make it into the Carson River, they can contaminate drinking water supplies, degrade recreational uses, and interfere with habitat for fish, other aquatic organisms, and wildlife. Douglas County is mandated by the EPA and the State of Nevada to implement a stormwater program under the Small MS4 permit to reduce the discharge of pollutants, protect water quality, and satisfy the water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act.
The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions. Douglas County participates in the program, and as a result, flood insurance premiums are discounted by 20%.
Public Counter Hours:
Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
The Public Counter is located on the second floor of the Minden Inn in Room 202. You must sign in at the kiosk in the lobby.
Appointments are now available and encouraged. To schedule an appointment online to visit the Public Counter, click here.