Stormwater projects featured among ACEC California 2021 Engineering Excellence Awards

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The American Council of Engineering Companies, California (ACEC California) announced the 2021 recipients of its annual Engineering Excellence Awards. Projects were recognized for demonstrating an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. Fourteen projects earned the prestigious Honor Award distinction, twenty-five were recognized with Merit Awards, and twelve Commendation Awards were granted.

Among the stormwater-related projects recognized, Cannon Corp. in San Luis Obispo received an Honor Award for its work on the Modjeska Park Underground Stormwater Detention and Infiltration System in Modjeska Park, Anaheim. According to Cannon, the "state-of-the-art underground system solves local flooding issues for the residents of Anaheim by diverting and treating up to 182 acre-feet of urban runoff per year. The system is located underneath a 37,000 square-foot parking lot in Modjeska Park. As part of Orange County’s Stormwater Resource Plan, the modular concrete system also protects regional water quality by collecting, treating, and infiltrating urban runoff, thereby recharging the groundwater supply. The finished project is engineered with drywells which draw water to deeper, more favorable soils, facilitating groundwater recharge. It also features a custom-designed pre-treatment system with a trash capture device to prevent clogging. The beautified parking lot was refinished with permeable, interlocking concrete pavers to enhance water conveyance to the system, and upgraded to increase accessibility for those with disabilities."

In November 2020, Cannon's Modjeska Park project was also named Project of the Year in its category by the American Public Works Association’s (APWA) Southern California Chapter.

ACEC also bestowed a Commendation Award on Michael Baker International in Santa Ana for several projects, including its work on the "NCHRP Research Report 918: Approaches for Determining and Complying with TMDL Requirements Related to Roadway Stormwater Runoff" in Orange County. This report describes how to evaluate TMDLs and develop a plan to comply with the requirements of a TMDL.

"In a year that has brought so much uncertainty to California's residents and economy, it is refreshing to step back and take a moment to honor the unwavering expertise and innovation in the Golden State," said Brad Diede, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies, California, in a press release. "The engineering and land surveying firms and infrastructure projects showcased in this year's award program emphasize California's commitment to resiliency, sustainability, and the delivery and enhancement of transportation, water, healthcare, education, and LEED design projects that protect the public and deliver amazing results to both public and private clients."

For a complete list of the winning projects, visit https://www.acec-ca.org/page/2021EEAWinners.