Welcome to the February (Winter) 2021 issue of Stormwater Magazine. As we head with cautious optimism into a new year, we nonetheless recognize that 2020 was fraught with change — from the complexities of how we conduct business to the ordinary, seemingly simple habits of our daily routines. The lingering impacts of these changes are likely to be felt for some time.
One change, obvious to you at this point in your reading, is an unfamiliar name and face gracing this page. In mid-December, we bid a very fond farewell to Rachel Sim, who met the challenge of being Stormwater's editor head on. Over the past nearly two years, Rachel endeavored to continue the tradition of compelling editorial excellence that Stormwater is known for. We wish her every success as she embarks on a new adventure. In her stead, I'm proud to step in and carry the mission forward.
In the spirit of adapting to change, Stormwater will now be coming to you four times a year. By focusing our efforts on winter, spring, summer and fall editions, we believe we can deliver more concentrated, seasonally relevant coverage of the topics you care about.
Which brings me to the current issue at hand. Despite Rachel's departure, her legacy continues with her final bylined article, which takes an in-depth look at the relationship between stormwater management and public health. Based on her fascinating interview with Elva Yañez of the Prevention Institute, Rachel examines how parks and open space (vital components of a comprehensive stormwater management approach) contribute to the overall well-being of a community and how we can ensure that marginalized and disinvested communities not be left behind.
The benefits of green infrastructure are well understood by stormwater managers for addressing drainage issues and mitigating pollution within our communities, but for many highway agencies charged with the management of roads and bridges, these strategies are not a standard part of their planning. To address that, a team of experts from several state departments of transportation embarked on a project to identify the most important characteristics of a successful GI program. Read more about what they identified as the eight steps to success on page 18.
In the spirit of change, our Technology Highlight on page 22 imparts helpful tips for organizing public outreach events in the age of social distancing. Julie Mulzoff describes how several stormwater agencies have found success turning in-person community education programs into engaging, interactive online webinars.
Don't miss our Project Profile on page 26 — it's a story brimming with 'flex appeal.' Here, a massive port expansion project in South Carolina met challenges with regard to underground shifting and settlement by designing a stormwater drainage system that could flex with the terrain.
In our July 2020 issue, we spoke with experts about the benefits and challenges of implementing a stormwater monitoring program. In this edition, a follow-up Q&A with StormSensor CEO Erin Rothman explores how the past year has impacted the monitoring industry and set the stage for an optimistic future.
One final note: plans are well underway for StormCon 2021, which will take place Sept. 13–15 in Milwaukee, Wis. Registration is now open. Visit StormCon.com for details and watch for more highlights and coverage in future editions of Stormwater magazine. SW
Angela Godwin
Angela Godwin is the previous editorial director for Endeavor Business Media's Process/Water Group.
