Stormwater & Urban Forestry Division

Stormwater Standards

The City of Snoqualmie references the 2021 King County Surface Water Design Manual as its primary guidance document for stormwater design. Additionally, all new development and redevelopment projects in the City of Snoqualmie must follow the stormwater standards from the 2021 City of Snoqualmie Addendum to the 2021 King County Surface Water Design Manual.

This update includes terminology, code, and drainage review guidance, as well as revised water quality, flow control, temporary erosion and sediment control (TESC), and other requirements. Construction and development parties are responsible for determining whether a construction or industrial NOI is required from the Department of Ecology.

Water Quality

The Snoqualmie Addendum lists various amendments to the 2021 King County Surface Water Design Manual regarding water quality treatment requirements. The City will also accept all water quality treatment facility-types identified in the 2019 Ecology Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington, though emerging technologies are considered on a case-by-case basis provided that the product has received a level of use designation from the Washington Ecology Technical Assessment Protocol Ecology (TAPE) program.

Stormwater Flow Control

Flow control amendments are listed that provide consistency with the 2021 King County Surface Water Design Manual. Refer to the 2021 City of Snoqualmie Addendum for more specific information.

Urban Forestry

Snoqualmie maintains a robust urban forestry program with 1,051 acres of open space and a tree canopy of 47%, one of the largest in the region.  In addition, the city has a street and park tree population of 9,306 trees representing 122 different species, and more than 6,000 street trees lining sidewalks, or about one tree for every two people. It

One aspect of urban forestry is the installation and management of street trees in urban areas, an increasingly popular program across many U.S. cities. As populations grow, higher densities in urban areas are inevitable. Urban forests are an important way to support surrounding ecosystems while minimizing the impact of expanding urban centers.

Urban Forestry Program Benefits

Urban forestry programs across the nation provide cities with many benefits:

• Reduced temperatures by shading streets and buildings
• Lower heating and cooling costs for surrounding buildings
• Reduced levels of pollutants released during high summer temperatures
• Absorption of “greenhouse” gases
• Release of chemicals that support ozone formation
• Wind barriers
• Less water runoff, reducing the changes of erosion flooding
• Shade and cooling for fish-bearing streams
• Protected wildlife habitat
• Improved air quality
• Increased property values

Get involved through the Green Snoqualmie Partnership, which continues the region’s forest legacy and invites people of all ages to get outsides, have fun, and engage in helping restore green spaces.