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During his State of the County and Proposed 2021 Budget Address on September 29th, County Executive Dave Somers announced a proposal to form a new county department, called the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). The proposal would move Surface Water Management out of the Public Works Department into the new DNRC, together with the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, the Agriculture Program and the Office of Energy & Sustainability.
If adopted, the new department would be formed at the beginning of 2021, though full implementation of the department is targeted for the beginning of 2022. The formation of this new department will focus on environmental sustainability and resource management, while providing greater opportunities for collaboration and efficiencies by bringing these different county groups together into one organization.
Read the letter from Executive Somers which explains his vision for this new department.
 The new Department of Natural Resources and Conservation will work in support of sustainable and livable communities and a clean and healthy environment.
October marks the start of flood season in Snohomish County. Increased rainfall can wash leaves into storm drains and cause localized flooding in our neighborhoods. Now is the time to protect your property and prevent flooded streets by keeping storm drains near your home free of leaves and debris.
To report a drainage problem, submit a drainage investigation request, or call the SWM office, 425-388-3464.
 Leaves and debris can block storm drains and cause flooded streets.
With COVID-19 making it difficult and potentially unsafe to visit many local businesses, the SWM Pollution Source Control Inspection Program has focused more this year on institutional facilities, such as Snohomish County owned facilities, Paine Field, Schools, and local Utility District properties. Not only does this effort help ensure the best pollution management strategies are being used at these sites, it supports the county’s efforts to comply with their National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.
Visit SWM’s Drainage Services webpage to learn more.
 SWM’s Source Control Inspection team partners with businesses to prevent spills and protect water quality.
In addition to requiring field staff to wear masks and maintain social distancing, SWM quickly adapted to pandemic safety protocols – by deploying field staff directly to their worksite locations instead of requiring them to commute to headquarters in downtown Everett, twice per day. This new approach ensures field staff can get their primary work done while participating in virtual meetings without trips back to the office. This not only keeps employees safe, it improves efficiency. Instead of staff spending extra time in a vehicle driving back and forth, this direct dispatch approach will free up many labor hours this year for more critical tasks.
For the latest on Snohomish County’s response to the pandemic, visit the COVID-19 Response webpage.
 SWM staff use a stadia rod and laser range finder to measure depth and length on the East Fork of Woods Creek.
Lakes Goodwin and Shoecraft are popular destinations for fishing, swimming and boating. Unfortunately, these two lakes suffer from an infestation of invasive, Eurasian watermilfoil. Unlike beneficial native plants, milfoil grows aggressively creating large mats that harm lake health and interfere with recreation. Since the 1990’s, SWM has partnered with lake residents to control milfoil through diver hand-pulling and herbicide treatments. We are happy to share that in 2020 only 40 plants were found in Lake Goodwin and 1 plant in Lake Shoecraft, a record low number! This success will benefit lake users and the aquatic life.
See the project website for more details.
 Divers prepare to survey and remove invasive milfoil from Lake Shoecraft.
Working together, SWM and Sustainable Lands Strategy (SLS) partners recently introduced a new program called Community Floodplain Solutions (CFS) to address the complex problems that come with living and working in a floodplain. The goal of CFS is to protect people in frequently flooded areas while restoring fish habitat and protecting agriculture lands.
With the help of a $4.8 million award from the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Floodplains by Design (FbD) grant program, CFS outlines specific actions to reduce flood risks and protect natural resources along the lower Skykomish River, in the “Sky Valley” region near the City of Sultan.
To learn more and sign up to receive project updates and notices about future meetings, please visit the CFS project webpage.
 CFS is working together to keep local farms viable, restore habitat for fish and wildlife, and reduce flood risks for residents.
Did you know that under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, Snohomish County produces an annual Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) Plan? This plan describes actions and programs the county intends to carry out to meet permit requirements and protect clean water in the upcoming calendar year.
To learn more, visit the NPDES webpage. To report a water quality concern or potential water pollution, follow this link to request a water quality investigation, or call the SWM water quality hotline, 425-388-6481.
If you have ideas for new stormwater management activities, the county welcomes your input! To share your ideas or comments on the SWMP Plan, send an email to Contact-NPDES.
 There are many ways to reduce and control the pollution that stormwater runoff carries into our waterways.
Learn more about upcoming SWM co-sponsored events and workshops on our events webpage.
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Mann Rd / Ben Howard Rd Open House – Oct 20: Attend a virtual public meeting to learn about projects on Mann Rd & Ben Howard Rd, to reduce the potential of road flooding. See more details here.
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Septic System Care Workshop – Nov 17 or Nov 19: SWM is once again offering free, online Septic System Care Workshops. Register today for either Tuesday Nov. 17 or Thursday Nov. 19.
 Skykomish River flooding over Ben Howard Road (November 22, 2017).
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