CICEET Progress Report for the period 3/01/09 Through 8/31/09
Project Title: Promoting Innovative Stormwater Solutions for Coastal Plain Communities
Principal Investigator(s): Karen Cappiella
Project Start Date: September 1, 2008
Report Compiled By: Sadie Drescher
Contributing team members and their role in the project:
Karen Capiella (Co-PI), Program Director, Research
Sadie Drescher (Co-PI), Watershed Planner
Deb Caraco (Core Team Member), Senior Watershed Engineer
Dave Hirschman (Core Team Member), Program Director, Stormwater Services
Julie Schneider (Core Team Member), Watershed Planner
Kelly Collins (Core Team Member), Water Resources Engineer
Cecilia Lane (Core Team Member), Watershed Technician
A. Project Objectives for This Reporting Period
Project Objectives
The objective of this project is to improve the tools available to coastal stormwater managers for the design implementation and evaluation of these practices in order to meet the larger goal of increasing the widespread implementation of low impact development (LID) practices in the coastal plain.
This project involves a multi-dimensional approach to increasing implementation of LID practices in the coastal plain. The four major objectives involved with this project include:
Objective 1. Get the designs right. Collect information about successful coastal LID case studies where technical barriers to managing stormwater on coastal sites were overcome using specific design or construction modifications. Highlight these case studies in a coastal stormwater design book that features designs, photos, cost and effectiveness data, and design tips.
Objective 2. Make sure they are allowed in the community. Identify common regulatory and programmatic barriers to implementing LID practices in coastal areas, and develop a set of benchmark principles for LID in coastal regions. Using these benchmark principles, develop an audit for coastal communities to use in evaluating their codes and ordinances governing development to identify potential barriers and opportunities for change.
Objective 3. Demonstrate their effectiveness in improving the health of local watersheds. Update the Watershed Treatment Model (Caraco, 2001) to include more LID practices, updated pollutant EMCs and pollutant removal data specific to coastal watersheds.
Objective 4. Educate local officials about their benefits using successful local case studies. Develop a two-part education campaign that accomplishes the following tasks: a) educate local officials about the benefits of LID in coastal areas and b) package the tools described above and promote them to the intended users: local government planners, engineers and watershed managers in the coastal plain.
Tasks to meet objectives
Task 1. Hold a kickoff meeting to develop project approach with Coastal Plain Watershed Network
Task 2. Develop coastal stormwater design book
Task 3. Develop coastal LID COW
Task 4. Adapt the Watershed Treatment Model for coastal areas
Task 5. Conduct coordinated education campaign for local governments
Progress on Tasks
This project has accomplished the following tasks:
Task 1. Hold a kickoff meeting to develop project approach with Coastal Plain Watershed Network
During the reporting period, Mike Novotney handed off a co-PI role to Sadie Drescher and this request was formalized with CICEET on 7/1/09. The Center conducted several internal meetings to develop a strong core team. This core team met to brainstorm and determine the best methods to accomplish these tasks. The Project Manager has outlined a more detailed project plan and the Center’s core team is beginning to work toward each of these tasks.
The Center’s process for project management includes designating a project manager (P) and quality control person (Q) for management of the overall grant as well as for each major task. The P and Q hold frequent (e.g., usually monthly) meetings with either the entire team or smaller subset teams to report on progress and brainstorm ideas. Meetings are organized around a set agenda with meeting minutes that clearly note all action items. Project deliverables are reviewed by the project Q as well as any identified external reviewers (e.g., experts or intended users), and regular budget updates are provided with monthly invoices to ensure the project budget is on track. For this project, the CWP P is Sadie Drescher and the CWP Q is Deb Caraco. The Center conducted several internal meetings to develop a strong core team. The first full team meeting was conducted and included the project’s core team members. This core team met to brainstorm and determine the best methods to accomplish the project’s tasks. Team meetings will be conducted bimonthly.
The Coastal Plain Watershed Network project yielded vested coastal practitioners that are building base knowledge, locating new research, identifying potential case studies, and building collaborative relationships for this project. The Project Manager has outlined a more detailed project plan, timeline, and budget and the Center’s core team is beginning to accomplish these tasks.
This task is ongoing.
Task 2. Develop coastal stormwater design book
Using the Coastal Plain Watershed Network contacts, additional coastal contacts, and research the project’s case study’s continue to be identified. The Center has produced three draft case studies.
This task is ongoing.
Task 3. Develop coastal LID COW
The three Intended Users (April Turner, SC Sea Grant Consortium; Scott Thomas, James City County, VA; and Dan Ahern, Beaufort County, SC) were contacted and their initial feedback is being built into Task 3: Develop coastal COW.
This task is ongoing.
Task 4. Adapt the Watershed Treatment Model for coastal areas
Research began to identify researchers and databases to build in more information to the Watershed Treatment Model that will better represent and serve coastal areas.
This task is ongoing.
The Core Team will meet bi-monthly to discuss task and project progress and share information bilaterally. The Core Team will build in outside team members, as needed. The Center values and practices open communication between and among team members and this project will build on and benefit from this standard operating practice. The Core Team and team members will develop and refine the project approach as needed and will seek CICEET’s guidance and input, where appropriate. Team members will review the draft products and the key findings will be included in the final report to CICEET. The Coastal Plain Watershed Network, which is a primary source of information for this project, recently provided an updated and vested pool of coastal practitioners to form a knowledge and capability base for this project. Therefore, the timeframe for project completion will be later than anticipated. We will work with CICEET to follow and plan for a more realistic timeframe based on these unanticipated issues.
B. Knowledge Dissemination Activities
None
C. Original Approach Changes
We would like to extend the northern geographic range northward from New Jersey to Connecticut in order to include the CT NEMO and their local projects. We plan to collaborate extensively with CT NEMO to carry out Task 5: Conduct coordinated education campaign for local governments.
D. Stakeholder Collaboration: Activities, Project Changes, and/or Project Relevance Confirmation
Core Team contacted the Intended Users and asked for preliminary COW feedback.
E. Future Work Plan and Objectives
Work plan to meet objectives
Over the next six months, work will begin or continue on the following tasks in support of the objectives outlined in section A above (Project Objectives):
Task 1. Hold a kickoff meeting to develop project approach with Coastal Plain Watershed Network
Task 1.1. Identify key members of the Coastal Plain Watershed Network and other appropriate coastal researchers, planners and watershed experts to include in project work sessions. (Continue)
Task 1.2. Hold formal project kickoff meetings with project team members to discuss the overall project approach. (Continue)
Task 1.3. Develop a detailed research work plan with specific assignments, roles and deadlines as a result of project meetings and conversations with other coastal researchers, planners and watershed experts. (Continue)
Task 2.Develop coastal stormwater design book
Task 2.1. Conduct research to identify specific examples of coastal LID practices across a range of coastal plain communities. (Continue)
Task 2.2. Conduct site visits to up to 12 selected case study sites to collect necessary documentation, photos, life history, and data for each case study. (Continue)
Task 2.3 Hold a work session to discuss the case study content and synthesize findings into a series of design guidelines or tips for coastal LID practices. (Begin)
Task 2.4 Develop draft coastal stormwater design book and send to network for review. (Begin)
Task 3.Develop coastal LID COW
Task 3.1. Conduct interviews with coastal researchers, planners and watershed experts to identify common local regulatory barriers to implementing LID. (Begin)
Task 3.3. Develop a draft codes and ordinance worksheet for coastal communities and share with appropriate coastal researchers, planners and watershed experts. (Begin)
Task 3.4 Develop a draft codes and ordinances worksheet for coastal LID and send to network for review. (Begin)
Task 4. Adapt the Watershed Treatment Model for coastal areas
Task 4.1 Hold a work session of WTM users and potential users to identify elements required for update and recommended revisions for coastal areas (Begin)
Task 4.2 Compile data for updates and make revisions to the WTM (Continue)
Task 4.3 Pilot test the revised WTM with up to two coastal communities (Begin)
Task 5. Conduct coordinated education campaign for local governments
Task 5.1. Meet with NEMO to discuss how to best integrate the coastal stormwater tools into NEMO education programs for local elected and appointed officials. (Begin)
Task 5.2. Develop a slideshow to educate municipal officials about the benefits of LID. (Begin)
Task 5.3 Develop slideshows to promote and/or provide technical guidance on each of the coastal stormwater tools. (Begin)
Expenditures
As of August 6, 2009, $18,884.19 of the project budget had been expended. This is within the range anticipated for the work accomplished to date.