August 14, 2023 | National Stormwater Trust

37th Annual Environmental Permitting Summer School Recap

This year’s event in Marco Island was a resounding success, with participants gaining valuable insights into cutting-edge environmental solutions.

In particular, we’d like to highlight the remarkable presentations by Mark Thomasson and Jack Fiveash, which delved into the fascinating realms of “Stormwater Nutrient Credit Trading, Smart Ponds and Resilience in Florida.”

Mark Thomasson, P.E.,

Executive Vice President, Director of Engineering and Science – Chief Stormwater Engineer

Water Quality Credit Trading

Mark Thomasson served on a panel of experts that examined some recent examples of innovative nutrient trading, evaluated the legislation filed in 2022, and discussed some new approaches to managing nutrients in impaired watersheds.

Mark took attendees on a journey into the world of “Smart Ponds” and how they are revolutionizing water quality management with the stormwater nutrient credit market in Florida.

He shed light on how the integration of sensors, data analytics, and real-time monitoring can transform these ponds into intelligent systems. These “Smart Ponds” can autonomously adjust water levels, optimize treatment capacity, and their operation to achieve maximum effectiveness.

Webinar: A Year in the Life of a Smart Pond

For the first time, the National Stormwater Trust, Inc. live-streamed a webinar directly from Marco Island. A total of 71 attendees joined the presentation led by Mark to gain case study insights from a look back at the first year of a smart stormwater pond.

John “Jack” Fiveash

CEO and Co-Founder of NST

Does Florida Need a New Resilient Approach to Development?

Jack Fiveash was on a panel that delved into the critical topic of resilience in Florida’s complex environmental landscape. His presentation was focused on “Water Quality and Flood Resiliency: Becoming Fixers.”

Jack discussed the National Stormwater Trust’s work for Babcock Ranch and the Florida Department of Transportation, initiatives aimed at managing and mitigating the impacts of stormwater runoff by investing in ‘Smart Pond’ infrastructure.

Lessons Learned…

The audience came prepared with ideas and ready to participate in what was a lively and thought-provoking discussion!

As we move forward, we’re excited to see how these concepts will shape the future of stormwater management and sustainable development not only in Florida but across the globe.

Whether in-person or on the live-stream, presentations left attendees inspired by the prospects of merging stormwater technology for a more sustainable future.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of our engaged community!

More News

Resiliency Grants Available Now!

The Resilient Florida Program is a State grant program available to government entities to address impacts of flood and sea level rise. The National Stormwater Trust, Inc. is partnering with local governments to pursue grant funding for several stormwater improvements. For more information, please Click Here to See Florida Resilient Grants Website.

For assistance qualifying your project or meeting grant deadlines, please contact Erin Klores at eklores@nationalstormwater.com.

ENGINEERING TIP: Follow the New Rule!

Get ready, there’s a new rule coming!

In 2020, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 712, also known as the Clean Waterways Act, that included a wide range of water-quality protection provisions aimed at minimizing the impact of known sources of nutrient pollution and strengthening regulatory requirements. As directed by section 5 of the Act, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and water management districts (WMDs) initiated rulemaking to update the stormwater design and operation regulations for environmental resource permitting.

FDEP and the WMDs formed a Technical Advisory Committee that met 13 times from December 2020 to November 2021, resulting in a Recommendations Report that was released in March 2022. FDEP and the WMDs held a series of rule workshops from May 2022 to March 2023 to present and discuss proposed rule language. The rule was adopted April 14, 2023 but, due to the cost of implementation, requires ratification by the Florida Legislature. It is anticipated the rule will be ratified during the 2024 legislative session and will be effective no later than July 1, 2024.

The rule is long and complex, including Chapter 62-330, Florida Administrative Code, and the incorporated Applicants Handbook I, effective statewide, and the respective Applicant’s Handbook II for each WMD. Most of the rule remains unchanged; however, significant change is proposed that will affect the design, construction, and operation of stormwater treatment facilities, making most facilities larger and more complex to operate and maintain.

A very brief overview of the most notable proposed changes is presented below.

1. Increase treatment requirements across the board:

a) BMP presumptive treatment will be discontinued.

b) All new development must meet the maximum of:

i) Post nutrient discharge less than pre nutrient discharge

ii) 55%/80% reduction of post development TN/TP load

iii) Greater reductions for discharges to OFWs or impaired waters

c) Redevelopment

i) 45%/80% reduction of TN/TP for all sites

ii) 60%/90% reduction of TN/TP in OFW watersheds

2. Expand criteria for compensatory and off-site treatment removing the “last resort” and “less than 10%” criteria, enabling the new treatment requirements to be achieved in any combination of on-site and off-site treatment.

3. Increase monitoring, inspection, and reporting requirements for all facilities.

4. Provide for inspector training and certification along with an inspection checklist.

5. Require as-builts, an O&M plan, cost estimate, and more documentation of financial capability to transfer to O&M phase.

The implications to development are significant. Utilizing conventional stormwater BMPs, it is estimated that stormwater facilities could increase in size 2-3 times. This may not work in many locations, requiring the consideration of off-site treatment, more advanced treatment technologies, or a combination of these.

For current projects that already require some enhanced treatment, such as those discharging to impaired water bodies, or future projects under the proposed rule, we recommend increasing the efficiency of standard wet detention and retention BMPs with Smart Pond Technology provided by NST. Ponds equipped with that technology can meet requirements under the new rule for all new development.

WEBINAR: Smart Ponds 101

Join the National Stormwater Trust, Inc. for a complimentary webinar, “Smart Ponds 101,” featuring Jeff Littlejohn, P.E., and special guest Dayton Marchese, P.E., from OptiRTC.

📅 Date: Thursday, August 24

🕒 Time: 11 AM to 12 PM (EDT)

🔗 Register Now: Click here

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with industry leaders shaping the future of water management!

We’ll share case studies on a traditional pond versus a Smart Pond, plus insights on how you can save money and land, while better protecting people, property, and the environment.

National Stormwater Trust, Inc. is an approved Florida Board of Professional Engineers Florida Continuing Education Provider. Registered P.E.s can earn 1 Professional Development Hour (PDH) for attending the live webinar.

For more information, please contact Erin Klores at eklores@nationalstormwater.com.

Day: August 14, 2023