Association News

The Watershed Institute received the Our Water’s Worth It Award from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The nonprofit organization received the honor for its work on improving regional stormwater management.

The Highland Bridge Project (Minnesota) received a Project Excellence Award from the Water Environment Federation. The green stormwater infrastructure system, which cleans an estimated 64 million gallons of stormwater annually, transformed an industrial area into an inviting public space that supports both recreation and improved water management.

The town of Braintree (Massachusetts) received the Best Stormwater Idea in New England Award from the New England Stormwater Collaborative. Stormwater manager Hillary Waite developed the project.

Austin Watershed Protection received the Texas Rain Catcher Award from the Texas Water Development Board for its Rain Catcher Pilot Program. The pilot program was pivotal in equipping more than 40 North Central Austin residential properties with a range of water-saving installations, including 117 large cisterns, 65 rain gardens and 124 rainwater-irrigated street trees, which combined are capable of capturing up to 185,000 gallons of rainwater per storm.

The Arlington County Department of Environmental Services received a Silver Medal as part of the Virginia Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards for its retrofitting of Ballston Wetland Park, which improves stormwater flow and serves as a wildlife refuge.

The Water Environment Federation presented six Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Awards, which recognize outstanding innovation, program management and leadership in stormwater management. Recipients include:

Phase I Innovation and Program Management: Anne Arundel County (Maryland), Bureau of Watershed Protection and Restoration

• Phase II Innovation and Program Management: city of Alexandria (Virginia)
• Phase I Innovation: Howard County Government (Maryland)
• Phase II Innovation: Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (Michigan)
• Phase I Program Management: city of Dallas (Texas)
• Phase II Program Management: city of Mount Vernon (Ohio)

Trevor Teague of the LI Smith Engineering Firm (Tennessee) was named the inaugural recipient of the Jim Ayers Torchbearer Award from the Ayers Foundation. The award honors someone whose dedication and service exemplify the foundation’s mission of transforming rural communities. Teague specializes in stormwater and subdivision design. 

Calendar

Jan. 22

Texas Regional Stormwater Conference, Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel and Conference Center, San Marcos. Visit txphase2ms4.com.

Feb. 2-3

Stormwater USA 2026, Hotel Fera Anaheim, Orange, California. Visit usa.stormwater-summit.com.

Feb. 10-12

California Water Environment Association Pretreatment, Pollution Prevention and Stormwater Conference and Expo, Riverside Convention Center. Visit cwea.org.

February 16-19

Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Show, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis. Visit wwettshow.com.

March 1-4

International Erosion Control Association Annual Conference and Expo, Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas. Visit ieca.org.

March 11-12

Illinois Association for Floodplain and Stormwater Management Annual Conference, iHotel & Illinois Conference Center, Champaign. Visit illinoisfloods.org.

April 14-16

National Watershed and Stormwater Conference, Charlotte Marriott City Center, North Carolina. Visit cwp.org.

April 22-23

Iowa Stormwater Education Partnership IStorm 2026, Maucker Union, Cedar Falls. Visit iowastormwater.org.

April 26-29

American Society of Civil Engineers World Environmental & Water Resources Congress, Mobile Convention Center, Mobile, Alabama. Visit ewricongress.org.

May 31-June 4

Association of State Floodplain Managers Annual National Conference, Baird Center, Milwaukee. Visit floods.org.

Sept. 26-30

Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition & Conference, Morial Convention Center, New Orleans. Visit wef.org.

Oct. 26-28

California Stormwater Quality Association Annual Conference, SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, Sacramento. Visit casqa.org.