Originally presented at StormCon 2023. Purchase all 28 sessions here.
A proactive stormwater planning effort seeks to address increasingly flooded roadways, neighborhoods and critical infrastructure as rapid development and intense rain events collide in North Central Texas. The study integrates stormwater, transportation, and environmental planning in an effort to reduce risk in a region growing by 150,000 people per year. The multi-year Transportation and Stormwater Infrastructure study is funded with more than $10 million from state and federal agencies. Study partners include the North Central Texas Council of Governments, US Army Corps of Engineers, Tarrant Regional Water District, academia and impacted communities. Study goals include: 1. Plan proactively to reimagine integrated flood mitigation resources and reduce risk to current and future infrastructure. 2. Reduce flooding within and downstream of rapid development areas and increase resiliency to flooding disasters. 3. Generate innovative tools and resources empowering communities to adopt higher standards and more readily assess potential costs and benefits. 4.Promote local-scale innovation through enhanced technical models, drainage/flood control optimization, implementation strategies and emergency management capabilities. 5. Provide a community roadmap as a transferrable menu of planning-level options for transportation design, stormwater detention and environmental features. The study team is engaging communities with meetings across the study area, a technical advisory group, training workshops, and a mobile app where communities can upload data. Funding partners include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Texas Water Development Board, Texas Department of Transportation / Federal Highway Administration, and Texas General Land Office. A proactive stormwater planning effort seeks to address increasingly flooded roadways, neighborhoods and critical infrastructure as rapid development and intense rain events collide in North Central Texas. The study integrates stormwater, transportation, and environmental planning in an effort to reduce risk in a region growing by 150,000 people per year. The multi-year Transportation and Stormwater Infrastructure study is funded with more than $10 million from state and federal agencies. Study partners include the North Central Texas Council of Governments, US Army Corps of Engineers, Tarrant Regional Water District, academia and impacted communities. Study goals include: 1. Plan proactively to reimagine integrated flood mitigation resources and reduce risk to current and future infrastructure. 2. Reduce flooding within and downstream of rapid development areas and increase resiliency to flooding disasters. 3. Generate innovative tools and resources empowering communities to adopt higher standards and more readily assess potential costs and benefits. 4.Promote local-scale innovation through enhanced technical models, drainage/flood control optimization, implementation strategies and emergency management capabilities. 5. Provide a community roadmap as a transferrable menu of planning-level options for transportation design, stormwater detention and environmental features. The study team is engaging communities with meetings across the study area, a technical advisory group, training workshops, and a mobile app where communities can upload data. Funding partners include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Texas Water Development Board, Texas Department of Transportation / Federal Highway Administration, and Texas General Land Office.
About the Presenters
Jai-W Hayes-Jackson is an Environment & Development Planner for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), where he is responsible for managing and coordinating floodplain management projects throughout the North Central Texas region. Jai-W supports the Upper Trinity River Basin Integrated Transportation and Stormwater Infrastructure (TSI) Initiative, a project that aims to assist communities in mitigating the impacts of flooding before they occur by integrating long-range transportation planning with stormwater planning.
Matthew Lepinski is a Lead Hydraulic Engineer in the Water Resources Branch at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fort Worth District, where he is responsible for Hydraulic and Hydrologic engineering initiatives that serve as the basis for numerous flood risk awareness and resiliency projects. He has more than 15 years of experience in the fields of water resources, civil engineering, project management, GIS, and intelligence analysis, including positions with USACE, FEMA, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Matt is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and holds an engineering degree from New Mexico State University and a Strategic Intelligence Master’s degree from the National Intelligence University. Matt currently resides in the Fort Worth area with his wife Danielle, and daughters Aria and Viola.