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52 A Handbook for Addressing Water Resource Issues Affecting Airport Development Planning
Airport master plans and other conceptual plans typically identify high-level airport improve-
ment or expansion projects for a single airport, potentially with information from state or
regional airport system plans as a basis. As described in the FAA AC 150/5070-6B, an airport
master plan is a "comprehensive study of an airport and usually describes the short, medium,
and long-term development plans to meet future aviation demand" (6). Airport master plans
may vary significantly in scope and level of detail from one airport to the next, depending on the
unique challenges and issues faced by individual airports. An airport master plan generally iden-
tifies and considers several possible development alternatives to meet improvement or expansion
goals, as well as the potential financial, socioeconomic, and environmental impacts associated
with each alternative. A variety of other airport planning documents may be developed to
describe conceptual planning efforts not associated with a master plan.
Multiple stakeholders contribute to the conceptual planning process: representatives from air-
ports and airport authorities, airlines, tenants, consultants, community entities, regulatory agen-
cies, and other local entities that have an interest in the long-term development at the airport.
The outcomes of the Conceptual Planning Phase include
· Identification of capacity needs,
· Concepts for means to achieve capacity needs and other airport development needs,
· Intended project function,
· Identification of potential sites,
· Conceptual sizes and capacities for major project components,
· Conceptual footprints and layouts of the major project components, and
· Conceptual level opinion of probable cost.
3.3.2 Water Resource Issue Management
in Conceptual Planning Phase
The Conceptual Planning Phase is an ideal opportunity to identify and begin management of
potential water resource issues since it is the time of maximum flexibility in project design and
location. It is also the time when steps can best be taken to avoid significant issues later in proj-
ect implementation. Important planning actions related to water resource issues in this phase
include
· Identifying the features for projects documented in conceptual planning efforts that might
result in significant water resource impacts,
· Using the Water Resource Inventory as a starting point and soliciting feedback from water
resource experts on additional level of detail needed to characterize water resources for cru-
cial development areas,
· Performing, if necessary, risk-based cost analysis to justify additional data collection,
· Revising project concepts and locations to avoid significant water resource impacts,
· Revising project concepts and locations to minimize water resource impacts if they cannot be
avoided, and
· Identifying major control and mitigation features that might require significant infrastructure
additions and land use such as detention basins or treatment facilities.
The Conceptual Planning Phase is also the time to develop project-specific Water Resource
Issue Management Plans based on the plan developed for base Water Resource Issue Manage-
ment Program. The plan developed at this time can be adapted, expanded, and refined for indi-
vidual development projects as the implementation proceeds.
A significant question that airports face in this phase is the degree to which water resources
and other environmental issues are considered. As discussed above, the upside to a more rigor-
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Strategies for Integrating Water Resource Issue Management with the Project Implementation Process 53
ous assessment of water resource issues at this stage is the opportunity to revise the development
project plan during a time of maximum flexibility. Revisions to the development plans at this
time can reduce the potentially costly project revisions later in the implementation process. The
downside to providing significant consideration to water resource issues at this phase is that the
project characteristics may be subject to further change during later project phases and may
require that water resource issues be reassessed at a later date--which may entail additional costs
and possible schedule delays. Several factors need to be managed to contain costs while still pro-
viding useful information:
· Prioritizing the sites and alternatives for which water resource issues will be evaluated (as nec-
essary, beyond the Water Resource Inventory discussed in Section 2);
· Deciding upon the appropriate extent and level of detail for water resource issue assessment
to be performed at this phase through use of risk-analysis techniques;
· Understanding the sensitivity of the conclusions on the effects of water resource issue man-
agement on development project implementation to the level of detail of water resource infor-
mation that is acquired; and
· Facilitating coordination between those considering water resource issues and those planning
other aspects of the development project implementation.
Another important factor in the Conceptual Planning Phase is establishing the mechanisms
of coordination amongst stakeholders, including airport staff, airlines, consultants, regulators,
and community entities. These stakeholders can play a large role in facilitating or complicating
the management of water resource issues affecting airport development projects. A lack of con-
sistent coordination can result in missed opportunities to combine efforts and can ultimately
lead to project impacts if the project design or compliance measures are unacceptable to one or
more stakeholders.
The following stakeholder involvement strategies are recommended for consideration in
development of overall water resource management strategies:
· Defining roles and responsibilities.
· Coordinating activities among airport staff and their representatives--a lack of coordina-
tion among airport staff or groups, as well as consultants representing them, on simultaneous
or consecutive development projects may lead to missed opportunities to share resources and
collaborate on comprehensive solutions. Regulators are currently placing a greater emphasis
on site-wide, cumulative water resource issues; a lack of consideration for these may compli-
cate regulatory approvals. Inconsistent or uncoordinated regulatory submittals among mul-
tiple airport projects can also cause regulatory delays.
· Coordinating development and mitigation efforts with airlines--airlines have a vested
interested in development projects from both a financial and operations perspective. The level
of airline involvement at different airports and airport projects can vary, but developing a
means to inform and seek input from airlines early in the project implementation process can
reduce impacts to schedules and budgets late in the project.
· Understanding and addressing public receptiveness--underestimation of potential public
involvement or resistance can lead to unforeseen delays and design rework to obtain regula-
tory approvals. Airports sometimes present design alternatives that could have been foreseen
as potentially infeasible or challenging if public resistance over potential water resource issues
had been better understood.
Table 4 summarizes planning items and planning actions for the Conceptual Planning Phase
that are frequently associated with each of the four recurring steps in assessing water resource
issues in development projects.
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54 A Handbook for Addressing Water Resource Issues Affecting Airport Development Planning
Table 4. Planning items and actions for Conceptual Planning Phase.
Step 1: Characterize Water Resource and Water Resource Impact
Planning Item Planning Actions
Water Resource Data Acquisition · Obtain recommendations from water resources
expert based on sensitivity analysis
considerations
· Assess cost and risk if sufficient information
cannot be obtained from properties not owned
by the airport
· Update Water Resource Inventory
Development Project Siting · Create prioritization plan for data acquisition if
needed for multiple sites, based on likelihood
of use
· Develop mapping to superimpose development
project layouts on water resources boundaries
· Plan for acquiring water resources information
on sites not yet owned by airport
Timing for Data Acquisition and Analysis · Allow at least 6 months prior to the time the
information is needed for use in the Conceptual
Planning Phase
· Coordinate master plan and water resource
assessment timing
Costs for Data Acquisition and Analysis · Consolidate data collection needs from various
water resource categories to identify common
data
· Obtain quotations from qualified entities
Stakeholder Coordination · Identify stakeholders, their areas of interest,
and their desired level of engagement
Step 2: Assess Compliance Requirements
Planning Item Planning Actions
Applicable Regulations and Regulating · Refer to Core Regulatory Requirements
Agencies for Identified Issues Worksheet
Compliance Requirements Determination · Solicit key compliance requirements from
assessment by water resource experts
Timing for Actions · Initiate after initial siting of projects and after
Water Resource Inventory has been updated
· Complete prior to final siting on master plan
Regulatory Coordination · Coordinate with regulators to clarify
interpretations of regulations for permitting
· Coordinate with the FAA to develop the NEPA
processing strategy
Stakeholder Coordination · Solicit feedback from stakeholders, including
the NEPA team, to identify key water resource
issues and potential compliance requirements
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Strategies for Integrating Water Resource Issue Management with the Project Implementation Process 55
Table 4. (Continued).
Step 3: Assess Effects on Development Project from Individual Water Resource Issues
Planning Item Planning Actions
Issue Avoidance · Assess whether any water resource issues can
be avoided by changes to the project
Potential Controls Outside of Project · Assess possible types and scope of
compliance measures that wouldn't directly
affect project
· Assess need for additional sites and property
acquisition
Potential Modifications to Project · Assess if project changes may be necessary to
achieve compliance or reduce overall costs
Potential Effects on Other Airport Operations · Qualitatively assess interactions with airport
operations and among multiple development
projects
Timing of Actions · Initiate after significant water resource impacts
are identified and compliance assessment is
completed
· Complete prior to finalization of master plan
layout
Regulatory Coordination · Coordinate with regulators for questions on
viability of controls/mitigation
Stakeholder Coordination · Present options for controls/mitigation
measures
Step 4: Consolidate Effects of Water Resource Issues on Development Project
Planning Item Planning Actions
Issue Consolidation · Consolidate information on avoidance,
controls, and modifications to achieve
compliance from individual issues
Issue Avoidance · Assess whether consolidated information
presents a greater driver for avoidance than
drivers from individual issues
Potential Controls Outside of Project · Assess whether controls for multiple issues
can be integrated
Potential Modifications to Project · Identify project modifications that would benefit
compliance for multiple issues
· Compare benefits to reductions in project
functionality
Potential Effects on Other Airport Operations · Identify any combined effects of water resource
impacts and mitigation on airport operations
Timing of Actions · Initiate after compliance options for individual
issues have been assessed
· Complete before master plan finalization
Regulatory Coordination · Coordinate with regulators and the FAA as
appropriate on viability of mitigation
Stakeholder Coordination · Present options for controls/mitigation
