A Journey to a Smart Watershed

Urban stormwater management represents one of the most pervasive, significant environmental issues in the U.S. Due to shifts in the frequency and intensity of rainfall events, increasing economic development, and urbanization, cities and communities are faced with growing challenges around flood risk management and protection of property, public health, and safety. 

With advancements in technology, communities are starting to better understand the behavior of their sewersheds, improve utilization of new and existing infrastructure, and cost-effectively achieve regulatory compliance and public safety. Successful adoption and growth of such technologies requires consideration of changes to procurement, project delivery, operations, culture, and partner and public engagement.

This presentation will focus on the benefits of a digitally connected watershed and the lessons learned from cities and utilities along their journey. Case studies highlighted will include Fairfax County, Howard County, and Albany, NY and their approach in leveraging technology to mitigate the impacts of flooding (and combined sewer overflows in Albany). Presentation topics will include:

 

  • Getting started
  • Procurement
  • Project implementation and sewershed optimization
  • On-boarding
  • Operations and maintenance
  • Managing the data landscape

 

Learning Outcomes for “A Journey to a Smart Watershed”

  1. Navigating the digital landscape
  2. Understanding scaled adoption – from procurement to operations and maintenance