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A Watershed(External link) is an area that drains rainfall and snowmelt to a specific creek, stream, river, or lake. A 360-acre watershed in northeast Redmond drains to a stream we call Monticello Creek. More than 393 million gallons of rainfall onto this watershed each year, draining to that creek.
The City recently completed a Draft Monticello Creek Watershed Restoration Plan to protect people and the environment by:
- Addressing issues influencing the quality and quantity of water flowing to the creek.
- Manage potential flooding issues in the watershed.
- Encouraging people to take action to help protect the creek.
- Partnering with King County ensures our actions are consistent with the region's watershed restoration and other conservation efforts.
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When building neighborhoods, we alter how rainfall flows to our streams. In forested conditions, the land soaks up and slowly releases water over time. Roads, roofs, and parking lots reduce the land's ability to soak up water, generating stormwater runoff. This runoff flows quickly to creeks during storms. If not managed properly, it can cause flooding, erosion, and other problems that harm the stream's biology.
Although Monticello Creek is a relatively healthy stream for a developed area, there are still impacts from development. With thoughtful planning, we can address some of the issues causing impacts and ensure its health in the future.
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In 2021, the City started a pilot project using an innovative stormwater management technology called Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC). CMAC is a cost-effective cloud-based software system that controls a valve placed on the outfall of stormwater detention ponds. Using this technology, the City can protect Monticello Creek by releasing water from the ponds in a way that more closely mimics how water flows in forested conditions. These projects are designed to have minimal visible impacts on neighborhoods.
The City has installed CMAC technology at two stormwater detention ponds in Monticello Creek Watershed. In 2023, the City Plans to install two additional systems. As part of this pilot project, King County will also install systems at two different ponds they own and manage within the upper portions of the watershed.
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King County and the City of Redmond are working in partnership to restore the areas that flow into Monticello Creek. We find the best environmental outcomes occur when we manage resources together.
View King County's 2018 Bear Creek Watershed Management Study here.