Each year, Stormwater Solutions welcomes submissions for the Top Projects Awards Program, which seeks to honor the most remarkable and innovative stormwater and erosion control projects that have been in the design, construction or completed phases in the past 18 months.
This year, Stormwater Solutions’ editorial staff scored all submissions and chose five projects to be this year’s winners. The winning projects focused on collaboration and community efforts, while also tackling unique challenges.
Stakeholders from the Top Projects were recognized at StormCon 2024 on Thursday, August 29. These projects will also be featured in videos on stormwater.com and in the September/October print issue of Stormwater Solutions.
The number one project this year was the Santa Ana King Street Urban Greening Project. Below, learn more about this and the other winning projects, in no particular order.
City of Santa Ana King Street Urban Greening Project
This project transformed 9,000 square feet of unused public space into a community green space while diverting runoff from a drainage area of about 10 acres. The infiltration of this runoff helps recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin, and the project overall helps improve the water quality of the Santa Ana River.
Kingwood High School
Following three major flood events in three consecutive years, Kingwood High School needed updated flood control measures. Following a feasibility study, identifying vulnerability points and designing a proper flood protection system, the formal documentation of commissioning testing was finalized before the 2024 fall school term began.
Dufferin Vistas Subdivision, Phase 2 Stormwater Attenuation Tank
The Dufferin Vistas Phase 2 stormwater management project set out to provide stormwater quality and quantity control for a residential development with limited land area. With topographic and environmental constraints, the project team could not implement a conventional stormwater management pond, and instead, turned to a modular below-grade concrete storage tank system that met various criteria.
San Dieguito Lagoon Wetland Restoration
This California-based project sought to restore saltwater wetlands damaged by agricultural practices. The project also aimed to enhance and maintain the natural flood control channel and develop new pedestrian trails while amending the soil to create optimal growing conditions for salt marsh and brackish wetlands. The wetland is also connected to the Pacific Ocean, so the team needed to create an ecosystem and transitional areas that could handle sea level rise.
Hamilton Tackles Invasive Species to Keep the Stormwater Flowing and to Maintain Regulatory Compliance
In 2020, approximately 60 of Hamilton Water’s SWMFs were being infested by Phragmites. This species can form dense stands with up to 200 stems per square meter, which can reduce the water capacity of the ponds and can clog inlet and outlet drainage channels, increasing the potential for flooding. This project focused on managing and protecting approximately 148 kilometers of watercourses that flow into Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, ensuring they remained healthy and functional despite increasing urban pressures.
