when I arrived at the construction site. They were standing in a small parking lot in front of what had been, some weeks ago, an expanse of four tennis courts. Now a smooth field of dirt was there, overlooking a private lake, in a country club, in the kind of suburb that is synonymous with… Continue reading There were eight men waiting for me
Category: Work Status
Programs and Purposes
I’ve been preparing comments and ideas and proposals for the up-for-reissuance San Francisco Bay Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit, and for the statewide NPDES permit covering small municipalities. NPDES permits are issued for 5 years, and this is, by my count, my fifth go-round. Here’s a challenge: Can anyone involved describe, in a few words,… Continue reading Programs and Purposes
Work Therapy
I was up into the wee hours this morning, crafting a database management structure for tracking land development projects, stormwater treatment facilities, and inspections of same. I’d been in bed about an hour shen the kid called out, needing me to come in there and cuddle her back to sleep. 3:30 is a special hour… Continue reading Work Therapy
Training Opportunity
Next Wednesday (January 20th) I’ll be presenting a half-day workshop in Sausalito on Low Impact Development and stormwater NPDES compliance for land development projects. The following day (Thursday the 21st), I’ll be repeating most of the same content in a workshop in Napa. Info and registration for the Marin workshop are here. Info and registration for… Continue reading Training Opportunity
CASQA Conference
The California Stormwater Quality Association’s annual conference is October 19-21 in Monterey. I’m delivering two presentations there. The first is at a special workshop on the Central Coast Post-Construction Requirements. For those interested, my Powerpoint is here. The second presentation, in a Wednesday session on green infrastructure, summarizes my work creating eight conceptual designs for drainage… Continue reading CASQA Conference
Green Infrastructure
I’m glad to see “Green Infrastructure” become au courant, although, as with “Low Impact Development,” it’s one of the those squishy terms that invites expansion, and drift. “Low Impact Development” is used to refer to everything from sensible urban planning to water conservation, and now “Green Infrastructure” shows up in conversations about everything from building with recycled… Continue reading Green Infrastructure
20 LID Lessons
I delivered this presentation today on “20 LID Lessons Learned” at the California Stormwater Quality Association’s (CASQA’s) quarterly meeting in Sacramento. The trip was just about perfect: I left the house at 6:28, BART at 6:30, Amtrak from Richmond at 6:47, beautiful views of the Carquinez Strait at dawn, a brilliant red sunrise over Suisun… Continue reading 20 LID Lessons
White Paper
I just received the final version of the Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association (BASMAA) MRP 2.0 Provision C.3 White Paper, including some final edits from my coauthor Jill Bicknell. The “White Paper” provides technical data, analysis, and rationales to support some key changes to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (RWQCB’s) stormwater requirements… Continue reading White Paper
Quick Draw
Cycling through downtown Oakland on my way to a meeting this morning, I got caught at the stoplight at 17th and Webster. Looking to my right, I could see water entering a stormdrain, and just around the corner, a dumpster. A classic stormwater pollution image. But could I whip out my phone and capture it… Continue reading Quick Draw
Cool Calculator
Last year I completed the BASMAA Post-Construction Manual, which applicants for development project approvals will use to design site drainage and incorporate rain gardens (bioretention facilities) into their projects. The manual implements requirements in Provision E.12 of the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Phase II Small MS4 General Permit. The manual will be used… Continue reading Cool Calculator