The Technical Program comprises conference thematic sessions with technical presentations, panels, and training workshops in the tracks listed below, as well as a poster display.
BMP and Control Measure Effectiveness Assessment
This track will focus on structural and non-structural BMP performance assessment planning, methods, and guidance for treatment and source control practices. Performance assessment may include performance monitoring, operation and maintenance practices, data-gap analyses, special studies, or other novel approaches.
Climate Change, Resiliency, and Sustainability
This track will look at climate resiliency, sustainable practices, and legal requirements and opportunities. Topics include climate change adaptation and mitigation, water supply, water rights, groundwater recharge, energy, watershed management, integrating climate resiliency with green stormwater infrastructure, and wildfire planning.
Construction General Permit
This track will focus on the current Construction General Permit and will include discussions on stormwater-related construction challenges including: innovative BMPs and controls; Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation; passive treatment; challenges and solutions to site management; implementing cost controls; resolving monitoring and sampling issues; navigating the different challenges of linear underground and overhead projects; and other implementation experiences.
Equity and Environmental Justice
This track will focus on the connections between the business of water management and its direct and indirect impact on underserved communities and will include: discussions of current programs; lessons learned; effective engagement of underserved communities; and how to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of our work in stormwater management.
Funding
This track will feature approaches to funding and financing stormwater programs and infrastructure. The track will also include asset management – tracking for capitalization, schedule for replacing aging infrastructure, and its role in full stormwater program integration.
Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions Design and Maintenance
This track will highlight innovations in the design and maintenance of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions that improve water quality, protect natural waterways, prevent flood impacts, recharge groundwater supplies, and/or capture stormwater. Topics will focus on planning efforts, pilot studies, design lessons learned, operation and maintenance challenges / solutions, and adaptive management strategies after installation.
Industrial General Permit
This track will cover various aspects of the Industrial General Permit (IGP) such as pollutant source assessments, monitoring and reporting, Exceedance Response Action requirements, BMPs including stormwater capture, treatment, reuse, and infiltration, TMDLs, water quality based corrective actions, compliance options (e.g., IGP Attachment I), permit participation initiatives, and Clean Water Act citizen lawsuits. This track will also provide updates on the next IGP reissuance and draft Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII) Permit.
Modeling and Data Tools
This track will focus on modeling of all types including hydrologic, water quality, and geographic information systems (GIS). Innovative data collection, visualization, assessment tools, and quantification methods and metrics will be presented, including how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data tools from other industries may be repurposed and/or applied for use in the stormwater arena.
Monitoring and Special Studies
This track will highlight innovations in monitoring methodologies or monitoring programs and the development and implementation of special studies such as those investigating pollutant source, fate, and transport, including how monitoring results can be used to inform stormwater management.
Municipal Programs
This track will focus on the challenges, solutions, and lessons learned while implementing a municipal stormwater program for Phase I and Phase II agencies. The track will address everyday and emerging issues for municipalities as they relate to stormwater such as workforce development, monitoring program challenges, unsheltered communities, cost reporting, asset management, inspection and enforcement, municipal operations, permitting, and opportunities for collaboration.
Outreach, Engagement, and Education
This track will share ideas for creating and implementing innovative stormwater outreach projects/programs that are designed to educate the community about stormwater as a resource and what we can do to protect local waterbodies and watersheds; lessoned learned; and opportunities to collaborate. Projects/programs can include efforts such as educational programs for residents, youth, and multicultural communities; social media strategies; collaborative or innovative approaches; passive/direct outreach engagement strategies; themed campaign approaches (i.e. Rain Ready California, Creek Week, etc.); paid or earned media campaigns; engaging underserved communities; rebate programs; and metrics of success and effectiveness for outreach and education activities in increasing awareness and changing behavior.
Policy, Permitting, and Legislation
This track will include discussions of policy and legislative initiatives and their impacts on stormwater programs (or managment), updates from regulators and legal experts, opportunities for leveraging partnerships, examples and case studies of legislative engagement, and innovative ways that regulatory obligations can be met. The track also includes strategies to address new regulatory requirements and developments around the new commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) Permit.
Pollutants of Concern and True Source Control
This track will focus on priority pollutants, contaminants of emerging concern, and true source control activities, including regulatory opportunities and constraints, new scientific advancements, and management methods. The topics may include bacteria, current use pesticides, trash, biointegrity and biostimulatory substances, microplastics, PFAS, copper, zinc, PCBs, 6PPD, and other constituents of concern.
Stormwater Capture and One Water Collaborations
Stormwater capture protects and enhances water resources while providing community benefits such as flood control, green spaces, street beautification, and climate resilience. This track focuses on how stormwater capture builds partnerships across entities including water districts, wastewater agencies, municipalities, businesses, community development organizations, industrial entities, schools, and Non-Traditional permittees. The track includes successes and lessons learned from existing and developing One Water programs, and discussions on how different interests and agencies can work together to maximize multiple benefits.
Wildfire Preparation and Management
This track will explore the critical nexus between wildfires and stormwater management. Sessions will focus on strategies for mitigating the impacts of wildfires on water quality, erosion control, and infrastructure development and design, as well as effective monitoring techniques to assess watershed health before and after wildfire events. Additionally, this track will explore innovative post-wildfire responses and share best management practices (BMPs) for post-fire recovery, soil erosion control, alongside innovative approaches to engage communities and stakeholders in resilience planning, outreach efforts, and navigating the complex challenges wildfires pose to stormwater systems.
Field Tour
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