Horsepark Sewer Drainage System

Horsepark Sewer Drainage System

The Horsepark property is owned and operated by the State of California 22nd District Agricultural Association (DAA). The Del Mar Horsepark, located two miles east of the Fairgrounds between Via de la Valle and the San Dieguito River, functions year round as a public equestrian facility used for training and stabling horses, as well as hosting competitive events. The Del Mar Horsepark offers two grass jumping stadiums with seating for 2,500, a covered and lighted arena, four show rings, cross county jumping course, dressage ring, four training rings, operations office trailer, and a show season office trailer. Horsepark provides temporary stabling for approximately 8,040 horses during the show season and approximately 230 horses in permanent box and pipe stalls for year-round boarding and professional training. The Horsepark property is boarded on the north by Via De La Valle with residential uses north of the road, the San Dieguito River and agricultural land to the south, Camino Real to the east, and an undeveloped parcel to the west. Due to its location within the San Dieguito River Floodplain, and the need for flexibility to arrange a variety of events, the structures on the Horsepark property are temporary (movable) in nature. Currently, main horse wash areas at Horsepark drain into existing bio-swales in the center of the site that filter urban pollutants prior to discharging into the San Dieguito River. The bio-swales are sloped to reduce runoff velocity such that runoff is absorbed by the plant-life and ground to avoid potential runoff impacts to the River. In addition to two permanent restroom buildings on the north side of the property, which are connected to the San Diego Municipal sewer system, Horsepark currently utilizes portable toilets that are serviced by the Fairgrounds every Monday and Friday. When Horsepark hosts an event during the weekend, the portable toilets are serviced on Saturday and Sunday. Maintenance staff is notified of upcoming events at Horsepark and arranges the portable toilets to be serviced each day of an event. Servicing involves pumping the holding tank contents into a pump truck, which empties the contents into the existing sewer system. The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), in a letter dated October 11, 2002, alleged the DAA was in violation of waste discharge requirements at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack and recommended that all drainage areas and restrooms on the Horsepark property be connected to a sanitary sewer system and all portable toilets be removed from the property. In response to this recommendation, the DAA proposes to extend the sanitary sewer drainage system and remove all portable toilets from the site. The proposed sanitary sewer system at Horsepark will connect all horse wash rack areas and restrooms to an extended sewer line in the Horsepark property. Figures 1a and 1b illustrate the proposed sewer project, which will not exceed one-mile in total length. The new sewer lines will connect to an existing sewer main line in Via De La Valle. Due to the site's lower elevation, a sewer lift station will be installed at the south end of the property to allow the system to function effectively. In order to service the current discharge capacity at the Horsepark property, the proposed sewer system will utilize pipelines that are no greater than six inches in diameter. The pipeline diameter has been sized to support the current discharge capacity of existing Horsepark operations only. As such, the proposed sewer system will not result in an increase in sewer capacity of the site or surrounding development. The proposed sewer alignment lies completely within the developed portions of the project site. As such, direct environmental impacts will not occur from long-term operation of sewer project. Due to the location of the adjacent San Dieguito River, a wetland delineation report was prepared by Rocks Biological Consulting in January 2004. As illustrated in Figures 1a and 1b, the proposed project is situated outside jurisdictional wetlands. Furthermore, all construction will observe a minimum 110-to 150-foot setback from mapped wetlands, thereby avoiding short-term construction impacts to adjacent jurisdictional wetlands. Therefore, the proposed sanitary sewer system will not result in a significant impact on the environment.

San Diego

San Diego