The City of Hampton, Virginia, this month became the third U.S. community to issue an Environmental Impact Bond (EIB). The other bonds were issued in 2016 and 2019. Hampton’s EIB ...
Spotlight
New NACWA Permit Screening Program Provides Regulatory Clarity
As the stormwater sector grows in complexity with new the rise of ...
Researchers Look to the Stars for Insight on Wildfires, Mudslides
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are performing both ...
Studies Explore Complex Relationship Between Stormwater and Groundwater
U.S. scientists are working to better understand the complex relationship between coastal ...
Latest News
Experts Identify Long-Sought Stormwater Contaminant Behind Salmon Deaths
When it rains during salmon-spawning season around Seattle, Washington, as many as 90% of the coho salmon arriving in freshwater streams to reproduce will not survive the journey. Local environmental scientists, such as Jenifer McIntyre at Washington State University (WSU; Puyallup) and University of Washington (Seattle) engineering professor Edward Kolodziej, have spent years working alongside […]
Water Leadership Institute Builds Better Stormwater Professionals
The Water Leadership Institute (WLI) program developed by the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia) is an intensive, 7-month training seminar, aiming to teach management skills to the water workforce and help lay the groundwork for strong professional networks. The curriculum incorporates lessons about both managing personnel and addressing broader water-sector challenges. While most of […]
Study: New Trees Bring Stormwater Benefits Even Before Full Maturity
Planting native trees en masse can help prevent flooding by enhancing soil’s ability to absorb rainwater and provide a multitude of additional benefits, such as new wildlife habitats, greater carbon sequestration, and higher property values. For these reasons and more, seeding new forests and woodlands is a staple of green infrastructure approaches around the world. […]
U.S. DHS Develops Low-Cost, High-Accuracy Flood Sensor Networks
Predicting major flood events before they occur can mitigate loss of life and better protect critical infrastructure, and so the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) considers flood-risk mitigation a crucial aspect of public safety. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), flooding ranks highly among the nation’s most costly natural disasters. […]
USACE Floats $26 Billion Plan to Flood-Proof Texas Coastline
On October 30, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Texas General Land Office (GLO) released new recommendations based on a 2015 study on how to build multiple lines of flood defense along the Texas coastline. The Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study — also known as the Coastal Texas Study — seeks to achieve its goals by building large infrastructure as well as restoring and utilizing natural ecosystems. […]
Report: Green Infrastructure Helps Preserve Access to Transportation
Green infrastructure can help improve flood resilience in low-income communities at typically lower costs than conventional pipes and pumps, but it is not the best fit for every neighborhood. It is the job of stormwater and transportation professionals to identify specific areas where implementing green infrastructure can make a crucial difference for public safety and […]
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Offers $500K for New Streamflow Forecasting Methods
Predicting how runoff from heavy storms will affect the amount of water flowing through streams, rivers, and other surface waters is critically important for stormwater professionals and watershed managers. Accurate streamflow forecasting helps the water sector prepare for flood events, develop water supply plans, design infrastructure that suits the unique hydrological conditions of its surroundings, […]
EPA Seeks Feedback on Major Update to Financial Capability Assessment
Among the greatest challenges for stormwater management organizations is their need to finance new infrastructure to comply with Clean Water Act requirements while also keeping service fees on ratepayers reasonable. Lacking a robust understanding of their community’s financial capability, or their ability to pay stormwater fees and other utility related bills without causing undue financial […]
WEF Stormwater Institute Honors Outstanding MS4 Permittees
Recognizing extraordinary efforts to protect local health and safety, detect and eliminate environmental hazards, and build support for stormwater management through extensive public outreach, the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia) Stormwater Institute recently announced winners of its 2020 National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards. The awards program, developed in partnership with the U.S. […]
New Outreach Campaign Promotes Green Infrastructure in Public Parks
During the last few decades, the concept of green infrastructure (GI) has risen to prominence in the stormwater management sector. Driving the trend are countless researchers, practitioners, and advocates who demonstrate GI’s potential to meet multiple community goals at typically lower costs than traditional approaches to flood control. However, institutionalizing GI as a standard component […]
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