SMC

This Leader in Stormwater played an integral part in Ecosystem Services' creation of the first P3 for water quality improvements related to TMDLs in Virginia, and the first nutrient bank that utilizes stream restoration as the pollutant reduction practice - Kip Mumaw, PE, Co-Founder/Principal Engineer, Ecosystem Services, LLC. Raised in Floyd County, Kip regularly spent his childhood exploring the forest and creek around his family’s property. His love for the natural world translated to a career as an Engineer specifically solving issues in the hydrology and hydraulics field as applied to natural systems. In a market dominated by large multi-service firms, Kip saw an opportunity for a small natural resource consulting firm dedicated specifically to stormwater and ecological restoration challenges; and in 2011, together with Jon Roller, Kip co-founded Ecosystem Services, a firm focused on helping localities address the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. Kip explains, “Restoring natural environments tend to avail more significant ecological uplift than other stormwater infrastructure which is rewarding…seeing how a natural system responds to an intervention. It’s an astounding and enriching experience to see old ecological wounds start to heal.” He goes on to say, “We do occasionally work in more developed watersheds involving conventional drainage systems. These environments require approaches that typically have different goals associated with them. Working in urban areas is enjoyable because it tends to be about social engagement and envisioning how people will interact and benefit from our services.” Kip is inspired by making a difference in the landscape of a community, and providing those within the numerous benefits ecosystems have to offer. Most of Kip’s day is oriented around supporting and facilitating the work of his employees. He manages projects and feels fortunate to participate in the associated field work. His days are diverse and, like most of his colleagues, he wears many hats which keeps things interesting. Kip explains that the complexity associated with designing stormwater and natural resource interventions is something that will always inspire and attract him to the field. The discipline is still relatively new for an applied science, and since it’s an active area of research, the field is constantly adapting to incorporate new information. He gives a nod to the character of those working within the stormwater industry - specifically to Richard Starr and Joe Berg for their generosity with their time and knowledge towards him early in his career; and David Hirschman for modeling exemplary leadership and humility towards subject matter, clients, and colleagues. Outside of work, Kip occasionally volunteers with regional environmental non-profit organizations and sponsors local and regional groups advancing environmental missions. Beyond that, he stays active with his wife, Sarah and their dog, Mala with all sorts of outdoor adventures.

This LEADER IN STORMWATER was contracted by CIS to design, implement, and manage The Clean Water Partnership's (CWP) Mentor-Protégé Program, which has created and nurtured significant capacity for local small and minority owned businesses (SBE/MBE); he is a founding partner and certified leadership coach of the John Maxwell Leadership Group, an internationally known career development leadership program; and he owns a consulting business helping companies and their leaders reach their highest levels of professional growth - Michael Burke, President, Quest2 Consulting, LLC / Director of Business Inclusion & Capacity Development, CWP. Michael has an impressive career in sales and general management, with 20 years focused on advocating for and developing SBE/MBE capacity. The stormwater world discovered Michael in December 2015, when CIS approached him to spearhead the development of a mentor-protégé program to grow Prince George's County's SBE/MBE capacity in green infrastructure. Michael joined the CWP and, more than eight years later, is proud of the program's success. Michael and the CWP team have improved the SBE/MBE contractor capacity through the education, coaching, support, and training of businesses capable of competing in the green infrastructure industry. He says, "Sixty protégé companies have participated in the mentor program, most have competitively bid CWP projects, and 25 have constructed ~$50MM in green infrastructure BMPs". Michael's work day is tailored to the specific needs and goals of the 6-10 companies enrolled in any given cohort for an 8 to 12 month period. His team assesses each firm and creates a development plan with established objectives, providing ongoing coaching for its leaders to ensure goal attainment. The program also has monthly workshops for the entire cohort on suggested topics selected based on the protégé assessment. Michael is deeply inspired by the success of the protégés whose achievements have kept dollars within the community and created job opportunities for residents. The program provides a platform for firms to engage in stormwater projects locally and in neighboring communities, offering opportunities for larger-scale project partnerships. Michael grew up in Boston, MA, before moving to Milford, NH, as a teenager. He attended the University of Connecticut; and in the 1980s, moved down to Washington, DC, searching for a more diverse experience and milder winters. Today, Michael resides in Mitchellville, MD, with his wife. They have two daughters and a grandson. Michael has been a panelist at environmental conferences to include StormCon, One Water Summit, and the Water Environment Federation. He also holds environmental board positions at the Low Impact Development Center, Inc. and ecoLatinos; and is the Board Chair of Prince George's County's workforce development organization, Employ Prince George's.

This LEADER IN STORMWATER lives and breathes MS4 permit compliance and has managed Frederick County’s compliance with annual permitting reporting requirements for the last 7 years - DON DORSEY, Frederick County Dept. Head of Stormwater, Division of Energy and Environment (DEE). Don found his passion for stormwater while obtaining his Biology (freshwater) degree at St. Mary's College when he had the privilege to work with MD DNR on a grant project focused on biological monitoring of local streams in St. Mary's County. This strengthened his dedication to the stormwater field and, more specifically, to the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit efforts that play a crucial role in environmental conservation. Upon graduation, Don gained immeasurable experience working with Montgomery County for 17 years; and then in 2017, he joined the Frederick County DEE where he continues to work with an amazing team that oversees a significant portion of the County’s MS4. Don’s day is threaded with dialogue and decision making related to stream monitoring through the County Stream Survey while managing staff responsible for dry weather flow screenings (IDDE program); stormwater management (SWM) design; reforestation; and stream restoration projects seeking MS4 credits. Don is also involved with public outreach (tabling, litter cleanups, storm drain marking). Throughout his career, Don has been inspired by the dedication of the government, consulting/construction industry, and constituents working together to improve the health of our streams within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Don explains, “In such a divided society, it's crucial that we return to the fundamentals of dialogue, understanding diverse viewpoints and seeking common ground. Watersheds have suffered from 400 years of neglect, and [while] those responsible for improving them are dedicated, we must prioritize time, patience, and mutual understanding in all of our efforts.” ??? ? Don enjoys working with both natural and infrastructure systems, “driven by project goals aimed at improving past decisions”. He gives a nod to a project he completed that received the 2023 2nd Place County Engineers Association of Maryland Award for its cutting edge design - the Catoctin Creek Watershed Restoration - four climate resilient stormwater pond retrofits that upgraded a road culvert to safely convey larger storms and reduce temperatures to receiving streams, and 1500LF of associated stream restoration. Don has a deep regard for streams as they sparked his passion for wanting to work in the MS4 field in the first place.?Born and raised among the waterways of Keedysville, MD, Don still lives there with his wife Jenni and their children where they enjoy a variety of water sports "to decompress from life’s stressors”. Don also serves on the MD Municipal Stormwater Association Board where they stand for clean waters and safe infrastructure based on sound science and good public policy.

This LEADER IN STORMWATER spearheaded the development of the Fairfax County Stormwater Management (SWM) Program - Karlee Copeland, Chief, Stormwater Facilities Branch, Maintenance & SWM Division, Fairfax County DPW and Environmental Services. Karlee has always been drawn to nature having grown up on land situated against a sizable pond in Montgomery, AL; and spending weekends with her family at the lake and amongst the vast expanse of her grandparents’ 1,300ac property surrounded by towering trees and lush grasses where she hunted, rode horses, and bonded with her dogs. Her love for the environment was further inspired by her father - an outdoorsman who embraced the open air with an unyielding energy and built many successful companies with an unwavering work ethic - leaving a legacy that Karlee carries with her. ? Early on, Karlee joined the U.S. Coast Guard, gaining firsthand experience inspecting oil and HAZMAT transfers and recognizing the crucial balance between commerce and environmental protection. Once discharged, she pursued an environmental science degree at Auburn University; and upon graduation in 2006, joined Fairfax County Government as a consultant in the SWM field where she witnessed its evolution both organically and through technological enhancements. She says, “The transition from traditional hard infrastructure to innovative, nature-based solutions represents a significant shift in our approach to SWM challenges. By blending [the two], we're not only enhancing its effectiveness but also promoting sustainability - mimicking natural processes to absorb, filter, and store stormwater runoff thereby mitigating flooding, reducing pollution, and ultimately improving the ecosystem and the community.” Karlee was hired by the County to grow their operations and maintenance (O&M) program. Today, she has the privilege of leading the very program she played a pivotal role in establishing, aligning it with emerging best practices and industry standards. Her days include inspections/maintenance; capital improvement projects; and asset inventory management where she's excited about an overhaul on the horizon that will improve cataloging, tailor inspections/maintenance, integrate technology and data analytics, and implement predictive lifecycle planning. She explains, “We're on the brink of transforming the way we make decisions; a transition that optimizes SWM infrastructure resilience.” Karlee is proud to have shaped the trajectory of this program and driven positive change in the SWM field. She says, “It's rewarding to know that we're contributing to a healthier planet for future generations.” Karlee is also a founding partner and council member of the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program. Her most important role, however, is being a mom to two energetic boys and two pups with whom she and her boyfriend enjoy traveling with, tracking their destinations and enjoying the beautiful surroundings that each pitstop brings.

This LEADER IN STORMWATER was involved in stormwater legislation passed by the VA Virginia General Assembly, and wrote the first MS4 permits that included Chesapeake Bay TMDL requirements - Ginny Snead, PE, CFM, Director of Environmental and Water Resources with AMT Engineering (AMT). Ginny began her career in the stormwater industry 30 years ago and has dipped a toe into each of what she calls the environmental “3-legged stool” - government, private, and nonprofit work. She says, “All three serve roles in furthering positive movement for water resources, and it is important for [them to] thrive and collaborate together when possible.” Ginny has worked in smaller and larger engineering firms as well as in state government. These experiences have brought her to a place of appreciation for the opportunity that her current role with AMT brings. AMT - a mid-sized civil engineering firm specialized in stormwater, floodplain management, and resilience - gives her team a flexible platform to handle a variety of clients and project types. In addition to the day-to-day collaboration, she oversees industry committees and workgroups, and manages focused client support. Occasionally, she’ll also find herself in the field to stay connected to her projects. Ginny says, “The stormwater field is a playground for applied science [as it is] so varied and our understanding is ever evolving.” Ginny’s interests are piqued by stormwater complexities and how the industry continues to learn more on how to best manage it. She stresses stormwater resilience is an important priority in need of our attention - resilience to climate change and its effects on increased frequency and duration of rain events and the impact on property, infrastructure, water quality and implemented BMPs. And she is drawn to engineering solutions that maximize natural systems, using infrastructure to best allow those systems to function over time. ? Ginny has immersed herself in nonprofit work throughout the span of her career. Early on, she spoke at the Race For The Baltic’s Scandinavian conferences, comparing efforts here in the Chesapeake Bay to those in the Baltic Sea. She also served on the board of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for many years - working with watershed residents to achieve clean streams and rivers. And more recently, she’s spent time on the board of VIRGINIAFOREVER, a diverse coalition advocating for increased water quality and land conservation funding. Throughout her stormwater career, Ginny has been inspired by Jim Lape, her first boss who diligently worked to move the needle forward in the industry and always stressed that “the relationships with the people we work with are the most meaningful part of what we do.” Ginny and her family live in downtown Williamsburg, Virginia, in the home that her great-grandparents built. When home restoration projects aren’t taking up their time, they enjoy outdoor sports, traveling, and quality time with their dog, Libbie.?

SMC's Jonathan Ridolfi, Associate, and Justin Seigel, Director, attended the Environmental Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Operation & Maintenance of Stormwater Systems (OMSW) Conference earlier this month - a gathering highlighting advances in O&M of stormwater infrastructure, including maintenance design and approaches, training programs, municipal program management and implementation, life cycle cost analysis, lessons from the field, etc. They had a very positive experience at the event, taking away the following insight, "As various municipalities, jurisdictions, and agencies across the country embark on their journeys towards cleaner stormwater, learning how to properly maintain their facilities becomes a major hurdle that must be accounted for. Developing innovative ways to obtain funding and create 'Green Collar Jobs' becomes a key discussion point, with many looking to the P3 of the Clean Water Partnership in Prince George's County as a model to learn from. With a unique ability to provide extensive contractor training on how to properly maintain various stormwater facilities as well as provide valuable opportunities for both County Located Small Businesses and Local Resident work hours, the program has become a model for success across the Country. "Furthermore, as funding becomes a greater need for proper O&M, implementing a stormwater utility tax, often referred to as a 'rain tax', is quickly being brought to the forefront. By following a 'teach & treat' model to engage the community, accounting for community desires and needs before implementing a stormwater utility tax, appears to be a potential path forward to remedy the O&M funding issue while reducing confrontation & resistance from the community. By following the 'teach & treat' model, the goal becomes to demonstrate that Green Infrastructure can be more than just a utility to clean stormwater runoff, but rather a positive asset to local communities for years to come." - Jon Ridolfi "Technology, specifically AI, can play a major role in maintaining BMPs. Stormwater infrastructure continues to expand, and we'll need to figure out how to best allocate limited resources to maximize the benefit of existing and future stormwater control measures. Ideally, inspections and maintenance firms can leverage AI to predict both routine and non-maintenance needs and allocate resources effectively." - Justin Seigel Click on the following link to learn more about future events hosted by the EWRI: https://lnkd.in/daAp2FaT

As we celebrate ?? EARTH DAY ?? , we shine a light on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as they bring attention to restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay! What will you be doing on Saturday, June 1st?!

This Leader in Stormwater is the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay's 2023 Maryland Watershed Champion Award recipient - Jodi Rose, Former Executive Director, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC), and newly appointed Section Chief, Watershed Stewardship for Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. We’re excited to highlight Jodi’s dedicated work with IPC, and look forward to watching the impact she has in her new role with Montgomery County. Jodi was drawn to the environmental industry while volunteering with her church when she noticed there was a disconnect between environmental stewardship and the religious doctrine 'love your neighbor'. Jodi asked herself, 'Why are these things not one in the same?' At the time, she had a career as an environmental consultant, but grew disenchanted as she realized her efforts were simply assisting corporations achieve the minimum needed to comply with environmental regulations. Jodi felt compelled to do more. In 2013, Jodi became the Executive Director for IPC, growing the nonprofit into an organization recognized for its impact on the Chesapeake with 400+ partner congregations on a mission to inspire the connection between one's faith and caring for the Earth. Shortly after coming on board, the Rain Tax landed on Jodi’s desk, throwing her into a crash course on stormwater where she recognized the importance of guiding congregations to accept their role in reducing stormwater pollution. Her team worked tirelessly to reframe the narrative in a way that made sense. Jodi gave sermons and hosted information tables, communicating the need for congregations to be a part of the solution. Farmer/Poet Wendell Berry's quote, ‘Do unto those downstream as you’d have those upstream do unto you’, became IPC's mantra, framing human context to the importance of stormwater management. Jodi says, "Once you see how your property impacts those downstream, you can’t unsee that." Running IPC has been a labor of love for Jodi, time well spent contributing to something meaningful.?Jodi explains, “Stormwater is a beautiful metaphor of how we are all connected to one another”. IPC's network of congregations have translated the principles of loving one another into the way they care for the watershed we all call home. That said, stormwater maintenance is a challenge for those without access to assistance. Ultimately, the goal is to follow stormwater best management practices, but in a way that leaves congregations without feeling overwhelmed with burdensome tasks or in a cost prohibitive situation. Originally from Illinois, Jodi and her husband moved to Maryland in 2011 with their sons; now living as empty nesters able to travel internationally and enjoy time with relatives back in the midwest. Jodi also supports the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless - a nonprofit that successfully helped the County become the first in the nation to provide housing for every single veteran on the streets.

This month’s LEADER IN STORMWATER - WALTER CALDWELL, Chief & Environmental Protection Specialist, Construction & Maintenance Branch (CMB), District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) Inspection & Enforcement Division - is the proud producer of 3 highly regarded stormwater management (SWM) tutorials, two of which were screened at the DC Environmental Film Festival - RiverSmart; RiverSmart RoofTops; and The Operation and Maintenance of DC Water Quality Sand Filters. With a degree in Biology (Biology/Natural History of the Chesapeake Bay focus) from St. Mary's College of Maryland, Walter was thriving as an Environmental Sanitarian with the Anne Arundel County (AACO) Department of Health when SWM peaked his interest as he noted single family home construction site inspections required dry wells and infiltration practices. Simultaneously, under the Maryland Save Our Streams’ effort to target neighborhood stream protection, Walter’s work group's focus was on the impacts of parking lot runoff. Walter realized stormwater runoff was a problem in his field of work, a source of pollution and stressor to natural stream systems.???? In 1999, during his time with AACO, Walter moved to Washington, DC. While participating in community cleanup, he learned that the, then, DC Department of Health had its sights set on forming a SWM BMP maintenance inspection & enforcement program; and he was hired soon after to be a part of the program's development. Twenty-five years later, Walter oversees the quality control of 14 employees and stays busy with customer service efforts punctuated by the urgency circulating requests for inspections, enforcement actions, certificate of occupancy releases, and citizen complaints. In 2023, the CMB inspected 500+ construction sites for SWM compliance, totaling 2,295 SWM BMPs; and 500+ post-construction sites for O&M, totaling ~1,600 BMP inspections. Walter says, “...SWM is an important job [and while] it can be a source of pollution, SWM is a good problem to have as some parts of the world don't have access to a lot of water resources. When managed properly, stormwater is an important resource and being creative with its management inspires me.” Walter is galvanized by the leadership of DOEE’s former Directors George Hawkins, Keith Anderson, and Tommy Wells, and current Director Richard Jackson. He also draws inspiration from his wife and 3 children with whom he enjoys the company of while gardening and landscaping at home, and volunteering in his neighborhood trash pick-ups. Walter is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association and contributor to the Anacostia Watershed Society and Chesapeake Bay Foundation. His watershed ties date back to when he was a child as he is originally from Freetown, a historic African American community on the Patapsco River in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Looking for a Career Opportunity???? SMC is in the thick of career fairs this season! If you, or someone you know loves the Chesapeake Bay and wants to jump into the stormwater management industry, stop by and chat with us! University of Maryland at College Park - Wednesday, February 21 University of Maryland at College Park - Thursday, February 29 Towson University - Wednesday, March 13 Carroll Community College - Tuesday, April 16