The Stormwater Report

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) earlier this month unveiled a newly renovated parking lot, featuring an array of green infrastructure measures and educational signage, at its headquarters in Reston, Virginia. ASCE Executive Director Tom Smith in a statement described the renovation as transforming a potential source of Chesapeake Bay water pollution into a […]

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. […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF; Annapolis, Maryland), stormwater runoff is the only major source of pollution still on the rise in the 166,000-km2 (64,000-mi2) Chesapeake Bay watershed. As development continues across the six U.S. states touched by bay tributaries, runoff from paved, urban centers annually contributes immense amounts of nutrients, heavy metals, and […]

At U.S. colleges and universities, tomorrow’s stormwater professionals continue to demonstrate how green infrastructure (GI) can protect water quality and mitigate flooding while improving local property values and quality of life. In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of its eighth-annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, which tasks teams of college students with […]

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is now accepting applications for the sixth annual National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards Program. Phase I and Phase II municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit holders are invited to submit a nomination by May 4, 2020. The National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards program, developed and introduced in […]

Because green infrastructure is decentralized by nature, infrastructure managers often depend on participation from community members to ensure these systems can successfully mitigate flooding and provide sought-after co-benefits. This could entail volunteering time and labor to help maintain neighborhood green infrastructure projects or contributing funding to support upkeep activities. According to a new study from […]

To help curb the effects of urban runoff on streambank erosion, the question municipalities must confront is whether to reduce flows or toughen channel banks. The best answer, according to Rod Lammers, lead author of a new University of Georgia (Athens) research article exploring ways to optimize erosion control, is both. The challenge is getting […]