Detroit’s First Green Decade – A review of the City of Detroit’s Stormwater Management Efforts Over the Last 10 Years and a Discussion of Future Goals and Opportunities

Date: Presented at StormCon 2024 in Reno, Nevada on August 28, 2024
Speakers: Barry Brown & Anna Timmis
Credits: 0.75 PDH / Approved for all Envirocert International, Inc. (ECI) Certifications: Approval #PDH-0042

Over the past decade, the City of Detroit has made significant strides in enhancing its stormwater management efforts to mitigate combined sewer overflows (CSO) and reduce the risk of flooding. During this period, the city faced many challenges underscored by economic changes and aging infrastructure and climate change. A proactive strategy undertaken by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) since 2013 was the adaptation of a comprehensive Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) strategy to meet the regulatory requirements of the NPDES permit. This session examines the existing strategies and future goals of DWSD’s GSI portfolio. The most recent project will provide stormwater management for more than 200 acres. While DWSD has surpassed the GSI spend mandate, the challenges associated with urban stormwater management persist, therefore DWSD is actively strategizing for future large-scale stormwater management solutions to meet regional and local goals including CSO reduction and flooding mitigation. DWSD’s GSI portfolio, with its current successes, forms the foundation for future endeavors in large-scale stormwater management.

Session duration: 45 minutes

About the Presenters

Barry L. Brown II is an Assistant Manager for Compliance Engineering with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). He facilitates and oversees the DWSD Green Stormwater Infrastructure projects for compliance with the State of Michigan’s Environmental, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) department permit compliance. As part of the stormwater ordinance implemented in 2018 (City of Detroit), Barry has performed continuous outreach efforts with the residents, design consultants and contractors for administering compliance with the ordinance and understanding the design requirements and threshold requirements for triggering the ordinance compliance. Barry has a Bachelors Degree from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Anna Timmis is a Project Engineer with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, involved in citywide NPDES compliance efforts. Her responsibilities include managing green infrastructure capital improvement projects through design and construction, permitting stormwater management designs, and collaborating with nonprofit partners to maintain the Detroit Stormwater Hub. She holds a BSE in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.