CASQA Recognizes Excellence in Storm Water Quality Management

The California Stormwater Quality Assn. (CASQA) presented six awards at its 10th annual CASQA Stormwater Conference awards luncheon Sept. 16, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, Calif. CASQA’s annual conference is held each year for experts in the storm water field and includes an awards program recognizing creative approaches, outstanding projects, best practices and exemplary accomplishments in the field of storm water quality management.

“The CASQA Awards Committee evaluated the creativity and innovation of organizations as they addressed storm water and environmental challenges in their communities,” said Jeff Endicott, CASQA Awards Program chairman. “These award recipients embody creativity and sustainability in storm water management. CASQA wishes to recognize their success, innovation and dedication to the improvement of storm water quality in California. We strive to recognize greatness where it occurs”

This year’s award recipients received recognition for excellence in the following categories:

• Outstanding Local Stormwater BMP Implementation Award: City of Aliso Viejo- Wood Canyon Emergent Wetland Project. The city constructed the Wood Canyon wetland habitat to collect storm drain runoff from 298 acres of residential areas and restore the pristine nature of the Wood Canyon Creek area.
• Outstanding Regional Stormwater BMP Implementation Award: City of Ontario- Mill Creek Wetlands Project. The project enacts a regional approach to water quality enhancement in Prado Basin, improving groundwater quality for downstream water users while protecting the viability of native habitat.
• Outstanding Programmatic Stormwater BMP Implementation Award: Orange County Transportation Authority- Orange County M2 Environmental Cleanup Program. The program improved water quality in Orange County by mitigating transportation-related pollution through allocating additional county funds on a countywide, competitive basis.
• Outstanding Sustainable Stormwater Project Award–City of Los Angeles: Echo Park Lake Rehabilitation Project. This innovative project restored the iconic lake within the surrounding 29-acre scenic Echo Park.
• Outstanding Local Stormwater News, Information, Outreach and Media Award: City of Malibu– Keep it Clean Campaign. Keep it Clean is a multi-platform educational campaign designed to positively and proactively encourage people to think about polluted runoff that enters storm drains and harms the ocean environment.
• Outstanding Regional Stormwater News, Information, Outreach and Media Award: Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Assn. – Be the Street Public Education Program. Be the Street encouraged youth to take ownership of the state of their community and actively shape their environment.

Source: California Stormwater Quality Assn.