September 2023 - Issue #106
Project Update: Building Capacity for Low Impact Development in Washington, DC
Stormwater runoff is problematic throughout the District of Columbia. Since most land within the District has already been developed, improvements to stormwater management rely, for the most part, on voluntary installation of “low impact development” or LID practices as retrofits.
CWP Board Profile: Meet Michael Freeburger
Marlyn Argueta interviews Michael Freeburger, CWP's Board Treasurer.

Where are you from and what do you do?
I grew up in Baltimore County, Maryland, and am now raising my children in Harford County, Maryland. I have a career in accounting and finance and run a small tax and accounting practice on the side.

Why did volunteering on the CWP Board of Directors interest you?
My favorite part of working with the Center for Watershed Protection is their dedication to clean water, because growing up in Maryland the waterways were a meaningful part of my life, and I would love to see them restored to the best of our abilities.

Which sea creature is your favorite?
Seahorse

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
Accounting, as a side business

If you could have any one superpower, which would you choose?
Teleportation (that way I do not have to waste time traveling to see the world)

If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
Pay off my mortgage, investments, and then probably a 2025 Mustang GTD

What do you want to make sure you do before you die?
See as much of the world as possible
CWP Staff Profile: Meet Paige Buzard
Marlyn Argueta interviews Paige Buzard, the Center's new Landscape Designer.

How did you get started working on watersheds?
I grew up doing beach and river cleanups on Long Island, volunteering my time for ornithology research, and writing thank-yous to landowners and parkland who maintained open space for equestrian recreation, so I think I have always been interested in the environmental realm. After working in the private design sector for many years, I took a chance with a public planning position and loved it.

What is your favorite part about working for the Center?
I enjoy working on a variety of projects for local and state governments and I am enjoying learning about larger scale projects that protect our regional resources.

At which store would you like to max-out your credit card?
NO store!! The thought of maxing out a card or being in debt is too stressful. Low waste/low consumption lifestyles is where it's at.

What was your favorite TV show when growing up?
Law and Order SVU

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
Get lost examining maps with topography, geology, and boundary lines. Using maps to discover new trails, places to kayak or cave, and then looking up the information of the area/geology/tributaries and history of land ownership and/or maintenance.

What is your favorite river?
Pemigewasset River in New Hampshire.

If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
A huge plot of land, perhaps with a tiny cabin on it, in New Hampshire and donate it to land preservation. But I would also want to write the deed restrictions myself and be very clear that the land could not be traded for development credits in the future, etc.
CWPA Member Spotlight: Contech
Contech Engineered Solutions provides site solutions for engineers, contractors, architects, and owners. Our portfolio includes bridges, drainage, erosion control, retaining wall, sanitary sewer, and stormwater management products. Through cost-effective engineered solutions, we help build, support, and sustain land development projects while protecting the environment.

Our reputation as an industry leader comes from world-class design, manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution. Through our industry-leading sales, marketing, and engineering organizations, we maintain a competitive advantage and sustain relationships throughout the site development ecosystem, including land owners, regulators, contractors, and specifiers.

Headquartered in West Chester, Ohio, we have over 1,400 employees and 60 facilities strategically located across North America. Our footprint spans every major U.S. city and all 50 states, allowing us to provide unmatched customer support. 
CWPA Member Spotlight: In-Situ
Take a look at the latest content from CWP Member In-Situ. A new customer story explores how continuous monitoring helped maintain water quality during marsh restoration projects on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. A two-part story on AquaPod follows Los Angeles County’s Water Replenishment District as they work for aquifer recharge and greater sustainability of the region’s resources. And two new resources from application experts answer important questions: how to expand on the “Big 5” to get the full picture of your water quality, and what to consider when choosing a vented or non-vented pressure sensor.
CWP News
We are hiring for a GIS/MS4 Specialist!
Join the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) team and use your skills to make a substantial difference in watershed practices across the nation. We are looking for a self-motivated individual with a strong technical foundation, excellent communication skills, and 5 to 8 years of related experience. This position will include opportunities to work on a wide variety of CWP projects in a fast-paced environment that requires individuals that can work efficiently, produce high quality deliverables on-time and on-budget, and have excellent communication skills. This is a mostly remote position; however, the candidate should live in proximity to the CWP office due to the intermittent need for field work in this area and occasional travel to the office and may be asked to come into the office as needed to facilitate communication and efficient work progress.

Submit your abstracts for the 2024 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference
The Center for Watershed Protection, Inc. is now accepting abstracts from those interested in presenting at the 2024 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference. The Conference will take place Monday, April 8th – Thursday, April 11th, 2024, in Kansas City, MO. The National Conference’s central theme is: Evolving stormwater technology and data for changing watersheds.

Join our FREE BMP Webcast with Endeavor Media
Join Travis Ostrom and Lisa Fraley-McNeal from the Center for Watershed Protection as they present, "Exploring Stormwater BMP Co-Benefits to Reduce Stressors of Stream Health"

Funding Opportunities on grants.gov:

Upcoming Events
2023 Back to the Basics Training Series: Stormwater Funding and Financing
October 3rd, 2023, 1:00 PM EST
Description: Learn about a variety of options to fund stormwater projects, including operation and maintenance.

FREE Webcast with Endeavor Media: Exploring Stormwater BMP Co-Benefits to Reduce Stressors of Stream Health
October 11th, 2023, 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST
Description: Upon completion of this course, attendees should be able to:
  • Analyze the relationship between specific BMPs and their effectiveness in mitigating different stressors affecting stream health
  • Evaluate co-benefits of BMP’s
  • Explain existing research gaps and apply a roadmap for enhancing monitoring efforts

Speakers: Join Travis Ostrom and Lisa Fraley-McNeal from the Center for Watershed Protection

Lunch and Learn Series (CWPA MEMBERS ONLY): Eric Seidl from Envirolok presents "Lessons learned in designing, installing and maintaining vegetative retaining walls"
October 12th, 2023, 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST
Description: Vegetative retaining walls are excellent alternatives to traditional hardscape walls. In addition to being a sustainable choice and providing pollinator habitat, they can be more cost effective, easier to build and last longer than traditional hardscape walls. And don’t forget the WOW factor!! It’s an aesthetic like no other. We’ll look at project examples including slopes in along critical habitat zones and a couple fun residential homes. Then will focus on a 4,000 sf wall at Kromery Middle School, for many lessons learned in design, installation, soils, vegetation and maintenance.
 
Please note this will note be a sales focused Lunch and Learn on Envirolok. We are going to explore multiple products and approaches and focus on what it takes to select species and successfully grow vegetation on a steep slope (even without reinforcement).

2023 Webcast 8: Methods to Address Pollution Sources from Municipal Practices
October 25th, 2023, 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST
Description: Pollutant impact reduction often leans heavily on treatment practices which capture and retain contaminants. This is a viable approach for many stormwater quality parameters, especially those which are chemically reactive. Chloride is a notable exception. Our industry lacks an approach for chloride removal. Instead, source reduction has become the key method for addressing chloride as a local and regional water quality concern. This portion of the webcast will highlight aspects of successful chloride source reduction initiatives in municipal settings, including training for operations and maintenance personnel, encouraging community-wide public buy-in, facilitating more advanced maintenance practices, and even implementing source reduction by design.

Speakers: Andy Erickson from the University of Minnesota and Doug Klimball from Bolton & Menk, Inc.

2023 Webcast 9: Stakeholder Engagement
November 15th, 2023, 1:00 - 2:30 PM EST
Speakers: Rob Woodman from Ferguson Waterworks and Trey Burns from Anderson Regional Joint Water System

2024 National Watershed and Stormwater Conference
April 8th - 11th, 2024
Join us in Kansas City, Missouri
Learning Links
The Center for Watershed Protection | www.cwp.org