Colorado Stormwater Symposium

This symposium is designed to empower Colorado’s stormwater professionals by increasing their efficiency and effectiveness. Each module provides practical tools for improved stormwater management, focusing on key areas such as fostering collaboration through partnerships, leveraging data for proactive decision-making, and addressing complex contaminants like nutrients and salinity. The event will also provide strategies for navigating the new regulatory landscape after the Sackett v. EPA decision by promoting local ordinances and advocacy. To ensure a practical and interdisciplinary discussion, we are soliciting a diverse range of expert panelists from government, academia, and private industry.

SESSIONS

• Improving Stormwater Management Through Interagency Collaboration
  This session will explore specific models of interagency collaboration that directly improve water quality and manage flood risk. The discussion will show how different partnerships are structured to achieve specific goals: from regional districts and authorities that manage shared watersheds, fund capital projects, and provide critical technical services (like the Mile High Flood District and SEMSWA); to public-facing partnerships that coordinate education and outreach (like the Keep It Clean Partnership); and member-driven councils that provide resources and navigate complex regulatory issues (like the Colorado Stormwater Council).
• Improving Stormwater Management Through Data & Technology
  This module will explore the practical applications of data systems engineering for stormwater management. The panel will discuss field data collection and building effective data schemas to leveraging integrated data for asset management and MS4 compliance. Panelists will share real-world examples and look ahead to the future of stormwater data systems, focusing on how these tools help justify critical investments and improve long-term maintenance and system function.
• The E. coli Toolbox
  This module explores practical strategies for managing E. coli, a persistent pollutant driving complex Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for MS4s. Using the newly updated Mile High Flood District (MHFD) ‘E. coli Toolbox’ as a central case study, the panel will discuss its implementation. Topics include the challenges of source identification (human vs. non-human), developing effective control strategies, and navigating the associated regulatory landscape.
• Regulating Dredge & Fill Activities in State Waters
  This module, timed just after the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission’s (WQCC’s) final hearing, focuses on the immediate legal and practical impacts of Colorado’s new Regulation 87 (Dredge & Fill Program) for stormwater professionals.