MOA EPA NPES Permit
This NPDES permit to discharge storm water was issued by Region X EPA in 1998 jointly to the MOA and DOT and provides the basis for the MOA’s storm water management program. New permit conditions are currently under draft by EPA and are expected to be available in public draft sometime in summer 2005.
MOA EPA NPDES Permit (PDF: 82k - 42 pages)

Erosion and Sediment Control and Materials Containment Guidance Manual
Most construction activities within the Municipality must comply with specific Municipal storm water permitting requirements. MOA’s requirements for storm water controls for construction activities are outlined in this guidance document.
Erosion and Sediment Control and Materials Containment Guidance Manual

Anchorage Storm Water Treatment in Wetlands: 2002 Guidance
Natural wetlands can provide an important service through filtration of storm water and can be an effective and economic design element in permanent storm water controls. The Municipality's preliminary design guidance for discharge of storm water to wetlands is contained in this document and its appendices.
Main text (PDF: 2,279k - 40 pages)
Appendices (PDF: 941 - 54 pages)
Appendix A - 2002 Wetland Field Survey
Appendix B - Wetlands Storm Routing Model
Appendix C - Sedimentation Basin Sizing and Cost Model
Appendix D - Example Model Output for Select Wetlands
Appendix E - Bibliography

Stormwater Treatment Plan Review Guidance Manual
Land development design within the Municipality must incorporate Municipal requirements for permanent storm water treatment controls. MOA’s general requirements for permanent storm water controls for new land development are detailed in this guidance document.
Stormwater Treatment Plan Review Guidance Manual

Anchorage Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves Update
Updated intensity-duration-frequency curves have been generated for precipitation in Anchorage for use in drainage studies. This document provides the background on how these curves were generated, based on data from October 1965 through August 2002
Anchorage Intensity-Duration-Frequency Curves

Anchorage OGS and Street Sweeping as Storm Water Controls: Performance Analysisysis
The Municipality and DOT rely principally on application of sand to winter roads to enhance trafficking safety, resulting in large sediment loading on Anchorage streets. This document summarizes a comparative analysis of grit separator and street sweeping performance efficiency at Anchorage and includes recommendations for Anchorage street sweeping practices.
Anchorage OGS and Street Sweeping as Storm Water Controls: Performance Analysis (PDF: 3,021k - 112 pages)

Anchorage Parking Lots: 2002 Best Management Practices Guidance
Parking lots, public and private, are a primary source of pollutant generation. This document provides preliminary design and maintenance management guidance for all parking lots.
Anchorage Parking Lots: 2002 Best Management Practices Guidance (PDF: 1,553k - 51 pages)

Anchorage Street Sweepings Management Plan
This document assesses the environmental quality of waste sand and detritus swept from Anchorage streets and provides recommendations for their safe disposal.
Anchorage Street Sweepings Management Plan (PDF: 1,587k - 20 pages)

Guidance for Design of Biofiltration Facilities for Stream Water Quality Control
Swales can be a desirable storm water control because of opportunities for filtration and infiltration, but have some limitations in cold climates. This document provides WMS guidance for design of biofiltration storm water treatment facilities in the MOA.
Guidance for Design of Biofiltration Facilities for Stream Water Quality Control (PDF: 229k – 29 pages)

Seeding and Re-Vegetation
Re-vegetation is a critical element in the Municipality's off-site snow disposal design criteria. This two documents provide recommendations for seeding and re-vegetation at a specific Anchorage site but are likely to be generally applicable in construction or retrofit of other local off-site snow disposal facilities.
Seeding Report for Snow Disposal Site ( PDF: 14k - 4 pages)
Seeding Specification for Snow Disposal Site (PDF: 9k - 2 pages)

Snow Disposal
The Municipality has developed an innovative ‘V-swale’ design for control of pollutants from public (i.e., any off-site) snow disposal sites. This document describes the critical processes, siting, design and operational elements of an effective off-site snow disposal facility at Anchorage.
Snow Disposal Sites - Siting, Design and Operational Controls (PDF: 3,096k - 11 pages)

This summary provides guidance for operation of private, on-site snow storage in Anchorage.
Snow Disposal Sites- Private Operations Guidance (PDF: 28k - 4 pages)


This document provides specific engineering guidance for siting, design and operation of the Municipality’s V-swale off-site snow disposal design. 
Snow Disposal Design Criteria (PDF: 490k - 10 pages)

Anchorage Watershed Science Primer
A non-technical overview of how an Anchorage urban watershed works and how what we do in a watershed affects it. It also describes some limits, or thresholds, to how much we may want to change our watersheds and some basic guidance in deciding where to start first in improving our watersheds.
Anchorage Watershed Science Primer (PDF: 2,9333k - 34 pages)

Anchorage Watershed Catalog Map Series: Chester Creek
WMS has prepared draft watershed characterizations for Ship, Chester, Little Campbell and Rabbit Creek watersheds. In these documents, storm drainage and receiving water characteristics of a watershed are mapped and analyzed with the intent to identify specific opportunities and constraints for storm water management strategies within that watershed. A sample series of maps graphically summarizing results for Chester Creek are available below. All watershed characterization documents can be reviewed at WMS offices.
Biotic Quality: Chester Creek (PDF: 401k - 1 page)
Channel Quality: Chester Creek (PDF: 387k - 1 page)
Impervious Surface: Chester Creek (PDF: 312k - 1 page)
Outfall Basins: Chester Creek (PDF: 449k - 1 page)
Pollutant Washoff: Chester Creek (PDF: 387k - 1 page)
Riparian Quality: Chester Creek (PDF: 536k - 1 page)
Chester Creek Watershed (PDF: 435k - 1 page)
Storm Water Runoff Surfaces (PDF: 418k - 1 page)

Anchorage Climate Characteristics for Use in Storm Water Management
WMS has analyzed NWS climate data using the EPA program SYNOP to statistically characterize storm events and seasonal precipitation characteristics (snowfall and rainfall) for the Municipal Bowl area. These statistics provide the basis for seasonal storm water hydrology and pollutant models. The following document summarizes results.
Anchorage Climate Characteristics for Use in Storm Water Management (PDF: 506k – 78 pages)

Anchorage Street Deicer and Snow Disposal: Best Management Practices Guidance
In 1998 WMS began a 5-year program investigating snow melt and snow disposal processes and impacts. Each year the results of the preceding investigations were summarized in guidance documents. Annual guidance generally include tabulation of annual winter deicer and sand materials applications, snow and snow meltwater processes and quality summaries, and recommendations for changes in winter street maintenance practices and snow disposal. The guidance for 1998 and 2003, available below, are representative of these documents.

Anchorage Street Deicer and Snow Disposal: 1998 Best Management Practices Guidance
Main text – Section 1 (PDF: 2.98Mb – 35 pages)
Main text – Section 2 (PDF: 2.69Mb – 22 pages)
Appendices A-B (PDF: 7.85Mb – 43 pages)
Appendices C-E (PDF: 8.27Mb – 121 pages)

Anchorage Street Deicer and Snow Disposal: 2003 Best management Practices Guidance (PDF: 2.56Mb – 30 pages)

Street Sediment Impacts: Data Report
In 2001-2002 WMS developed a detailed SWMM storm water runoff and pollutant model to estimate storm water hydraulic and pollutant loading to Anchorage receiving waters. The model uses SWMM 4.4h and includes elements that allow ‘cascade’ of runoff from indirectly connected impervious surfaces across pervious surfaces. This allows much more representative modeling of the effects of pervious rural roadside ditches and urban landscaping on Anchorage storm water hydrology. The basic 2001 model logic and parameters and results for Chester Creek are summarized in this technical document—model updates were incorporated in 2002 and are available through WMS.
Street Sediment Impacts: Data Report (PDF: 6.74Mb -454 pages)

Fecal Coliform in Anchorage Streams: Sources and Transport Processes
Fecal coliform periodically occurs at elevated concentrations in many Anchorage streams. This document provides a technical discussion of the suspected sources and transport mechanisms for fecal coliform in Anchorage streams and includes recommendations for controls and monitoring.
Fecal Coliform in Anchorage Streams: Sources and Transport Processes (PDF: 2,397k - 62 pages)

Identification of Sediment Sources in Little Campbell Creek
The purpose of the Little Campbell Creek Sediment Source Study is to identify methods for reducing sediment input which has been linked to negative impacts on water quality and fisheries in Little Campbell Creek.
Identification of Sediment Sources in Little Campbell Creek (PDF: 96MB - 158 pages)

Municipal Stream Classification: Anchorage, Alaska
WMS identifies and maps hydrographic features for the Municipality based on a classification system reflecting national definitions and Municipal code. This document summarizes definitions and distinguishing criteria used in identifying Municipal hydrographic features, particularly streams and drainageways.
Municipal Stream Classification: Anchorage, Alaska (PDF: 49k – 9 pages)

Municipality of Anchorage Stream Mapping Standards
Watershed management, site drainage design, code enforcement and other Municipal business functions require maps of streams and other drainage features prepared at small scales. To assure map quality and collect consistent attribute information, WMS develops, periodically updates, and applies standard mapping methods. This document describes the latest WMS hydrography mapping standards.
Municipality of Anchorage Stream Mapping Standards, Ver. 1.03 (PDF: 80k -13 pages)