Stormwater Master Plan Update

Update: On October 12, 2020, the first phase of amendments to the Stormwater Master Plan was adopted by City Council. Please visit the Master Plan page to view the adopted Stormwater Master Plan amendments and basin plans for Battle Creek, Pringle Creek, and Mill Creek.


Mill CreekThe City’s original Stormwater Master Plan contains goals, objectives, and policies that guide how Salem can address challenges with stormwater runoff. Computer modeling has helped identify problem areas and provide recommendations in the plan to reduce flooding risks and other impacts.

The current plan was adopted by City Council in 2000. Since then, Salem’s population has grown, our urban landscape has been altered, and urban stormwater management practices have improved. For these reasons, the City has embarked on a long-term, multi-phase project to update Salem’s Stormwater Master Plan.

Salem’s Approach to Stormwater Master Planning

The Stormwater Master Plan will not be updated as a single effort as it was in 2000. The earliest phase of this project will establish the plan’s framework as follows:

  • Update information on the citywide planning area
  • Set comprehensive goals and policies
  • Identify the information needs for individual stormwater drainage basins
  • Determine hydraulic and hydrologic modeling methods

This framework will set the foundation for individual stormwater drainage basin plans that will be developed over time. The first update of the Stormwater Master Plan that will be submitted to Council will contain the results of three new basin plans:

  • Battle Creek
  • Pringle Creek
  • Mill Creek

The Stormwater Master Plan will then be updated as new basin plans are completed. Once this process has finished, the plans can be reviewed and updated as needed.

Contents of the Stormwater Master Plan
Stormwater Drainage Basins
Additional Resources