2026 Seminar Agenda

Welcome and Opening Remarks

John Butler, President
SESWA

Danielle Hopkins, Executive Director
SESWA

Session 1: Breaking Ground: Defining Shifts Reshaping Stormwater Management in the Southeast
Stormwater management in the Southeast is at an inflection point,  driven by climate volatility, aging infrastructure, and growing community demand for flood resilience. This session explores  emerging shifts that will redefine practice over the next five years including how predictive analytics and AI are improving rainfall, runoff, and water quality forecasting to support smarter operations and capital planning, while  collaborative delivery models are replacing low-bid approaches with outcome-focused programs. It also examines the integration of stormwater into broader city infrastructure planning and the transition from passive conveyance to actively managed systems using real-time monitoring and control. Together these shifts reflect a broader move from  compliance-driven programs toward community-led priorities centered on equity, asset renewal, and resilience returns on investment.

Shandor Szalay, Stormwater Resilience National Practice Lead
Arcadis, PA

Session 2: Aligning Stormwater Assessment with Needs in the City of Gaffney 
The City of Gaffney, South Carolina is facing growing challenges with its stormwater infrastructure, driven by insufficient capacity and deteriorating materials that have reached the end of their service life. These conditions have lead to erosion, sinkholes, and system failures across the city.   With a population of approximately 13,000 and no dedicated stormwater utility, the City must prioritize limited resources to address these issues. This session highlights a grant-funded assessment of 15 distinct problem areas where engineering evaluations considered system capacity, structural integrity, and erosive conditions.  The project produced concept-level improvement alternatives, construction cost estimates, and a prioritization framework to guide future funding decisions and phased implementation.

Molly Brown, Project Manager
Woolpert, SC

Session 3: Barberry Woods: Nature-Based Flood Management Advancing Public Safety, Ecology, and Community Resilience 
Barberry Woods, Charleston South Carolina’s largest ecological infrastructure project, demonstrates how nature-based solutions can reduce chronic flooding while improving public safety, environmental health, and community connectivity on Johns Island. By integrating wetland creation, floodplain storage, and stream enhancement, this supports long-term community and economic resilience as the system matures. This session explores how the design balances technical requirements with neighborhood context and community expectations and highlights lessons learned from implementation challenges, including permitting, property encroachment, and public engagement.  Attendees will gain insights into practical strategies for advancing nature-based flood management in Southeast communities.

Marc Horstman, PE, PH, BC.WRE, Group Leader
Ardurra, NC

Session 4: Dunwoody Nature Center Stream and Wetland Restoration with a Nature-Based Boardwalk 
Nancy Creek runs through the Dunwoody Nature Center in Dunwoody, Georgia, and has been heavily altered by past agricultural practices, leaving the creek and wetland degraded. This session highlights efforts  to restore the creek and wetland to a more natural state while enhancing habitat and water quality. The project includes reinforced creek banks, ecological improvements, and flood resilient, ADA-compliant boardwalk that allows educators and visitors to safely experience the site. Attendees will learn how restoration, public access, and sustainable design were integrated to create a resilient, educational, and ecologically vibrant community resource. 

Javier Sayago, Stormwater Project Manager
City of Dunwoody, GA

Afternoon Break

1:45 PM - 2:30 PM
0.75 PDH

Session 5: Integrating Trash Capture Devices and Constructed Floating Wetlands for Urban Water Quality Improvement 
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s (CRK) Trash Trap Program began as a small initiative to reduce litter in the Chattahoochee River basin and has grown into a network of 17 in-stream devices that capture floating garbage from stormwater runoff. To date, the program has removed over 20,000 pounds of trash and 5,000 pounds of recycling, supporting cleaner waterways and data-driven community engagement. Building on this success, the Southeast’s first floating treatment wetland  trash trap was installed in Columbus, Georgia, combining trash capture with native  plantings that enhance habitat, support over 100 butterfly and moth species, and improve water quality. This session will share program evolution, monitoring results, and lessons learned for municipalities interested in scalable, nature-based stormwater pollution solutions.

Ashley Desensi, Technical Programs Specialist
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, GA

Session 6: Raleigh's Gipson Play Plaza - A Showcase of Green Infrastructure in the Heart of the City
As Dix Park transformed into Raleigh North Carolina’s “Park For Everyone, Built by Everyone,” Gipson Play Plaza was designed to reflect the City’s commitment to people, communities, and nature. Integrating both active and passive flood protection using green stormwater infrastructure into 13-acre adventure playground required  constant collaboration among park planners, landscape architects, engineers, and contractors. The plaza features permeable pavement, bioswales, a water garden, tree preservation, and native pollinator plantings, demonstrating how green infrastructure co-exist with recreation and ecology. This session will highlight the innovative engineering, design collaboration, and sustainable strategies that allow Gipson Play Plaza to provide year-round flood protection while celebrating Raleigh’s natural Piedmont ecosystem. 

Hunter Freeman, PE, LEED AP, Sr. Advisor, Green Stormwater Infrastructure
McAdams, NC

Wrap Up and Adjourn

Danielle Hopkins, Executive Director
SESWA