Trends and Lessons Learned in Stormwater Master Planning

Originally presented at StormCon 2025 in Orlando, Florida.

Credits: 1.0 PDH | 0.1 CEU | Approved for all Envirocert International, Inc. (ECI) Certifications: Approval #PDH-0186

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Many communities across the U.S., especially in urban areas, suffer from routine and severe flooding. Before embarking on a significant capital improvements program, it is important for communities to balance this need with other stormwater program requirements including compliance with current and future regulations. To address all these needs, an up-to-date stormwater master plan is a necessity, but not all stormwater master plans are created equal. Some simply identify what assets and issues currently exist and prioritize a short list of critical capital improvements to mitigate long-standing repetitive flooding. More advanced plans include H&H modeling, asset inspection, financial/funding analysis and workforce evaluation, and better inform O&M of the stormwater program. Finally, there are master plans that address the entire stormwater program — from level and extent of service and water quality/TMDL assessments to MS4 compliance to evaluating sea level rise impacts and potential stormwater credit-trading programs. This presentation will provide case studies and lessons learned from a number of different communities — all with the goal of updating and evolving their stormwater management program.