At scales ranging from the neighborhood and city to the watershed and basin, some communities are doing the work of breaking down the silos in water management to increase sustainability and equitably maximize benefits across the community and watershed. So, what does “Integrated Water Management” mean for your watershed and your community? Where has it been used and what are the benefits and challenges? Can it help your community achieve “triple bottom line” (environmental, social and economic) benefits?

Flooding can strike suddenly, having devastating impacts on communities and rarely confining itself to one political jurisdiction. And in many communities around the country, the frequency and magnitude of flooding events is expected to increase as a result of a changing climate, impacting not only businesses and residents located on the floodplain, but in low-lying areas impacted by stormwater. In this recorded webinar, cosponsored by the US Water Alliance, you’ll learn how two different utilities are using integrated water management to tackle flooding challenges and reduce future flood risks in their regions.

In Iowa, agriculture is a key economic driver and every single county has been affected by major floods. The Middle Cedar River partnership was formed to focus on preventative measures, disaster resilience, and watershed management in response to the urgent need to address increasing concentrations of nitrates and extreme flood events in the Cedar River.

Louisiana is no stranger to flooding issues – Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city and the homes and businesses of 1 million people in the region. The city has spent time rebuilding in a deliberate fashion with an eye to the future and an emphasis on green infrastructure – working with water instead of fighting against it. While investments in hard infrastructure have been critical, comprehensive urban water management is an equally important facet of their strategy.

This webinar, co-hosted by the US Water Alliance  and the Urban Waters Learning Network on December 1, 2016, was the fourth in River Network’s series on Integrated Water Management that covers multiple examples of how these approaches are taking root across the country. The speakers for this recorded session provide an overview of their work on Integrated Water Management including context, opportunities and application. View recordings of the first 3 webinars in the series and learn more about Integrated Water Management here.

Presenters:

• Steve Hershner, Utilities Director, City of Cedar Rapids
• Brad Klamer, Senior Planner, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans