Dude, Where’s my Parking Space? Retrofitting Neighborhood

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

The Pueblo Alto and Mile-Hi neighborhoods in Albuquerque, New Mexico, face recurring flooding that has persisted for decades. Constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, these neighborhoods have experienced flooding due to undersized storm drain infrastructure and high volumes of runoff from upstream areas. The City of Albuquerque (CABQ) has invested in construction of various traditional drainage improvement projects, but flooding continues. Beginning with a study phase in 2021, CABQ is developing a combined green/gray stormwater infrastructure project, the Pueblo Alto/Mile Hi Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Pilot Project, to mitigate flooding issues. The project includes modeling of existing and post-project conditions, using a sophisticated two-dimensional (2D) combined hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, including rain-on-grid methodology, to represent surface runoff and storm drain flows. This will be the first large-scale GSI project implemented by CABQ. Currently in the design phase, the education, outreach, and coordination activities by the project team continue.

Session duration: 45 minutes

About the Presenters

Vincent Steiner, PE, CFM, is a stormwater engineer and senior project manager with Bohannan Huston, Inc. He has 14 years’ experience planning and designing stormwater projects in the Southwest, including Arizona and New Mexico. He has seen the diverse benefits that green stormwater infrastructure delivers to our communities, beyond stormwater quality and quantity, particularly when implemented thoughtfully. As a result, he is passionate about bringing the benefits of green stormwater infrastructure to more neighborhoods and communities.

Shellie Eaton, PE, is the Storm Drainage Section Manager for the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Municipal Development. Ms. Eaton has a BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Riverside and a MS in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Norwich University. In her role, she plans, develops and oversees the management of storm drain improvement projects and manages the implementation of the MS4 Permit for the City of Albuquerque.