City of Celina Earns iSWM Gold

The City of Celina has been designated a Gold Integrated Stormwater Management (iSWM) Community by the North Central Texas Council of Governments Public Works Council (NCTCOG). iSWM Gold is the highest level of certification currently awarded by the NCTCOG, and Celina is the first iSWM Gold community in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. In preparation for the iSWM application process, Freese and Nichols worked with the City of Celina to update their engineering design standards and enhance their flood and water quality protection considerations, and our team helped address NCTCOG review comments to help achieve the Gold rating.

In May, the North Central Texas Council of Governments staff presented the Celina City Council and City Staff with a plaque and street signs designating their new iSWM status. Photo courtesy of NCTCOG and City of Celina.

About iSWM

iSWM is a regional program administered by NCTCOG that serves as a tool to help local governments meet or exceed state and federal requirements for stormwater management. iSWM helps municipalities implement best management practices and regulations that reduce runoff rates and volumes, improve water quality and encourage the use of holistic site designs that integrate both natural and constructed infrastructure. Communities can achieve Bronze, Silver or Gold iSWM implementation status by adopting higher standards and undergoing a detailed application and certification review process.

FNI’s Role in the Process

  • Through a series of workshops, Freese and Nichols and the Engineering Services and Development Services review staff at the City of Celina developed an enhanced set of drainage criteria with input from City leadership to meet the needs of the rapidly growing municipality.
  • The City submitted detailed iSWM implementation documentation, which was subject to review by the iSWM Implementation Subcommittee review board.
  • Freese and Nichols and City staff refined the drainage criteria to meet the thresholds for Gold certification while balancing the needs of review staff, developers and the community as a whole.