Welcome to the August edition of Stormwater magazine. Summer is in full swing up here in the northeast, although you wouldn't know it from the weather. Some parts of New England saw more than a foot of rain in July. In fact, for many local communities, it's been the wettest July on record; and for many others, it's darn close. I'm grateful for the assuredly very busy stormwater folks working hard to monitor, assess and mitigate the impacts.
Stormwater management programs are a critical component of healthy, resilient communities, but they are also complicated. It can be a challenge to develop a program that is effective, compliant with regulations, and affordable. In the feature article on page 10, our own Jeremy Wolfe explores the role of community-based public private partnerships (CBP3) with an in-depth look at Prince George's County, Maryland. Here, the Clean Water Partnership forged new approach to meeting MS4 and TMDL objectives that is serving as a model to other communities across the country.
In our resiliency feature on page 14, author Amanda Kohn writes: "Climate resilient projects that are informed by data-driven analysis and community input will have a far higher chance of success than those that have been planned behind closed doors." Here, she outlines eight simple steps to success that communities can follow — or adapt — to create an environment where decisions around climate change action can be based on science.
Discussion about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is dominating the water industry news cycle, and understandably so. In a follow up to a previous article exploring the state of our knowledge about PFAS in stormwater (SW, August 2020), Brandon Steets et al. offer a California-focused update on the regulatory implications of PFAS in stormwater for permitted dischargers under the Clean Water Act. Read more on page 18.
Pests and invasive vegetation — the bane of many a stormwater professional's existence, am I right? In this edition, Roger Dickens offers some helpful tips for evaluating aquatic vegetation and pest management needs. He reminds us to assess, anticipate and assemble. Turn to page 22 to read more.
In this issue, we are excited to share two project profiles with you. On page 24, read about how the Porter Ranch community is using an engineering grade of thermoplastic pipe for stormwater drainage. On page 26, learn how the fast-growing community of Coeur d'Alene is reducing the volume of untreated stormwater entering its waterways with an award-winning program.
One final note: StormCon is just around the corner! We at Stormwater magazine are proud to be the official supporting publication of this time-honored event, now in its 20th year. We hope you'll join us in Milwaukee in September. Turn to page 30 for a sneak preview of what's in store! SW
Published in Stormwater magazine, August 2021.
