Stormwater is the only growing source of water pollution in many watersheds across the country. Our urban area populations are expected to grow nearly 70% by 2050 and storm events are becoming more frequent and intense. In such a scenario, stormwater is perceived by some as a nuisance to be dealt with expeditiously rather than an increasingly valuable resource.
With many parts of our county experiencing the opposite — record-breaking drought — enlightened stormwater management needs to become the next big thing. Overcoming these challenges presents an opportunity for governments, industry, academia, and civil society to develop sustainable, resilient, and equitable solutions. These are the touchstones of The Stormwater Summit 2021: A Virtual Event, which will take place June 22 to 23, 2021.
Meeting these challenges requires a workforce with qualified individuals, teams, firms, and agencies who use cutting-edge practices and are capable of offering a toolbox of solutions to best meet today’s needs. This Summit is crafted to deepen the technical knowledge of professionals involved with stormwater management and provide virtual and in-person forums where leading issues in the sector are discussed.
The 2021 event provides online interaction, presentations by forward-thinking leaders with expertise in stormwater, introduction to innovative technologies, and virtual peer-to-peer networking.
This year’s Opening General Session spotlights three nationally prominent speakers providing insights into the results of the EPA Clean Watershed Needs Survey, responses to the most recent WEF 2020 National MS4 Needs Assessment, and findings from a nationwide analysis of green infrastructure incorporation into state MS4 permit programs. The Summit also offers two workshops – “Transforming Stormwater Infrastructure: Investing in Green for Scale” and “Impact and Building Resilience to Climate Change through Stormwater Management”.
The Stormwater Summit 2021 Virtual Event is being held on an interactive platform where you can access five Technical Sessions, a Technology Spotlight, and Networking. Technical Sessions will be presented both Live and Simulated-live (or simu-live) to provide optimal interaction and engagement between speakers and you.
The virtual platform offers a learning experience suited to the needs and schedule of anyone looking to earn continuing education units from a developed online program. Check out the conference program to plan how to achieve your professional development goals this year.
The official Stormwater Summit hashtag is #WEFStormwater.
Be sure to use it in your social media posts and RSVP to the Facebook event.
Nancy Ellwood is a Senior Environmental Scientist at CDM Smith and Chair of the Stormwater Summit 2021.