Day: February 14, 2023

Seaport executives, energy leaders and environmental experts gathered in Tampa Bay for the inaugural summit of the American Association of Port Authorities Port Opportunities with Energy, Resilience and Sustainability (POWERS) summit for a deeper dive on emerging sustainability solutions in the port industry.

Florida stormwater and water resources expert Jeff Littlejohn took center stage during the summit to share how National Stormwater Trust (NST) is helping Florida seaports improve water quality while also protecting against flooding with smart stormwater management technology.

In Florida, resiliency is key to protecting seaports.

Sunshine, beaches and low taxes often attract new residents and visitors to Florida, but this southern, peninsular state also receives some of the nation’s most extreme weather events. From heat to raging hurricanes like Hurricane Ian, extreme weather events are a threat that stretches from Florida’s sandy white beaches to the global supply chain.

Understanding that seaports are the gateway for America’s economy, many Florida seaports have seized upon opportunities to further strengthen their resiliency against extreme weather events, and they’re doing so while ensuring that nearly 100 percent of their available land can continue to be used to meet the unprecedented expansion of containerized cargo calling on these ports.

For example, Port Tampa Bay, JAXPORT, SeaPort Manatee, and Port Canaveral, all members of the Florida Ports Council, have teamed up with NST to utilize Smart Pond stormwater technology to improve water quality and flood protection.

Here’s how it works: a Smart Pond is connected to live weather forecast data and uses that information to control valves to lower its water level before a storm arrives. While the sun is still shining, it can drain itself to increase its flood storage capacity.

“During Hurricane Ian, the water level in our National Stormwater Trust Smart Pond was automatically lowered by almost four feet before the first hurricane bands began to impact the region. That extra storage enabled the capture of over 175,000 cubic feet of untreated stormwater, preventing its discharge into the neighboring community and nearby Tampa Bay,” said Paul Anderson, CEO, Port Tampa Bay.

With port executives from around the country attending the American Association of Port Authority (AAPA) Port Opportunities with Energy, Resiliency and Sustainability (POWERS) summit at host seaport Port Tampa Bay, National Stormwater Trust, Inc. revealed the recent installation of a second Smart Pond to further strengthen water quality and flood protection near the port and Tampa Bay.

Resilient and sustainable, Smart Ponds allow seaports to protect the environment from untreated stormwater and shield against extreme weather events, while also ensuring that nearly 100 percent of a port’s available land can be dedicated to meeting expansion demands for cargo calling on ports.

“Seaports are the gateway for America’s economy, and resilient, green infrastructure that protects America’s ports is essential,” said Jeff Littlejohn, P.E., Co-Founder of National Stormwater Trust (NST). “Port Tampa Bay is leading by example and embracing the future of stormwater management with two Smart Ponds that are improving water quality while also providing flood protection.”

Installed at the beginning of January, the second Smart Pond is located near Port Tampa Bay on State Road 676. It joins Port Tampa Bay’s first Smart Pond, installed near the entrance of Port Tampa Bay on South 22^nd Street last June. The first Smart Pond quickly demonstrated its value, successfully capturing more than 175,000 cubic feet of stormwater during Hurricane Ian, reducing flooding in neighborhoods and businesses surrounding Port Tampa Bay and preventing this untreated runoff from flowing into Tampa Bay.

The inaugural Smart Pond at Port Tampa Bay was recently awarded an Environmental Stewardship Award from the Florida Recycling Partnership for its protection of preventing untreated stormwater from flowing into Tampa Bay during Hurricane Ian.

Here’s how NST’s Smart Ponds work: They use real-time weather forecasting and automated control system from OptiRTC to lower water levels before a storm arrives. While the sun is still shining, a Smart Pond can drain itself to increase its flood storage capacity. A Smart Pond is also in constant communication with professional stormwater managers and can even be remotely controlled. These innovations result in dramatic improvements to water quality treatment and flood protection performance.

NST Smart Ponds have been installed at Florida Department of Transportation Ponds as part of a multi-year program to improve stormwater management across Florida. NST has also installed Smart Ponds for the award-winning Babcock Ranch, and Smart Ponds are in development at JAXPORT, Port Canaveral and The Villages, among other locations.

New stormwater rules aimed at reducing the impact of nutrient pollution in Florida’s waterways are on the horizon, and they’re the most significant stormwater rules in a decade. The new rules stem from the 2020 Clean Waterways Act, which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Following a year of Technical Advisory Committee meetings and an additional year of rule development workshops, the new rules are near the end of the rulemaking process.

National Stormwater Trust co-founder and former Florida Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary Jeff Littlejohn, P.E. will lead an in-depth discussion on the new rules on Thursday, February 16 for the Florida Engineering Society and American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida.

Be sure you’re ready for the new rules, and register for this webinar today.