Beyond the Basics 2026:
Navigating Stormwater Challenges in a Variable Climate
Thursday, February 26th
8:30am – 12:00pm
This year’s Beyond the Basics Stormwater Conference will delve into innovative strategies for managing stormwater in a variable climate. As communities face the multifaceted impacts of climate variability, urbanization, more frequent and intense storms, and prolonged drought, this conference will equip professionals with the knowledge to design resilient, forward-thinking stormwater infrastructure.
Targeted at stormwater professionals and decision-makers, expert speakers will share updates on tools for assessing and mitigating emerging risks, explore the latest technological advancements through real-world case studies, and discuss actionable solutions to shaping local and regional stormwater management.
This free, half-day virtual seminar is sponsored by DuPage County Stormwater Management.
Registration is required to secure your place in shaping the future of resilient stormwater systems.
Agenda
Welcome Remarks
Brook McDonald, President & CEO at The Conservation Foundation
Updates from DuPage County Stormwater
Jim Zay, Chair at DuPage County Stormwater Management Committee
Stormwater Management in a Variable Climate
Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist at Illinois State Water Survey
Intense rainfall and quick shifts between excessively wet and excessively dry weather are very challenging to manage across Illinois. We’ll discuss variability and non-stationarity in our precipitation climatology, and considerations for managing stormwater, flooding, and drought in this complex environment.
Strategies to Future-Proof our Communities for a Variable Climate
Kelsey Pudlock, Senior Planner, Regional Policy and Implementation at Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Kate Evasic, Program Lead, Climate Resilience, Regional Policy & Implementation at Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
Climate variability is fueling more frequent and intense storms, making flooding the most significant climate hazard to our region’s homes, businesses, and infrastructure. This session will introduce the latest updates to the Flood Susceptibility Index and Transportation Resilience Improvement Plan, offering new data and tools to communicate potential flood risk and identify solutions.
Enhancing Water Quality and Saving Money with AI-Driven Intelligence
Kevin Flis, Client Solutions Manager at Xylem Vue
The City of Richmond, Virginia has been working with stakeholders to improve water quality in the James River. One of the innovative solutions deployed by Richmond is the Xylem Vue real-time decision support system. The Xylem Vue solution allows Richmond to integrate data from distributed sensors and databases, visualize real-time performance, predict future conditions, and provide operational recommendations. It also provides Richmond the ability to share this data with their constituents through a public facing dashboard. With this innovative approach, the City of Richmond is progressing toward meeting their water quality requirements, will reduce their combined overflows by 182 MG annually, and has reduced the projected cost of future infrastructure improvements by $725M.
Journey to a Smart Watershed: Modeling Real-Time Controls in Carol Stream
Matt Vajdic at Opti
This presentation outlines Carol Stream’s journey toward a Smart Watershed by evaluating the performance and feasibility of Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control retrofits across its existing detention network. Using detailed hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, we quantify how real-time controls can increase effective storage, reduce downstream peak flows, and enhance water-quality outcomes without costly structural expansion. The results provide Carol Stream with a flexible, data-driven path to advancing stormwater resilience.
Ditch Your Ditch – Incorporate Bioswales into the Right-of-Way
Julie Lomax, PE, CFM at the Village of Downers Grove
Does your community have roadside ditches that are constantly wet or difficult to mow? Would you like to attract more birds, bees, and butterflies? Would you like to beautify your right-of-way? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, consider incorporating bioswales into your roadside ditches.
Bioswales can reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality, reduce mosquitoes, and replenish groundwater levels. Plus, the deep-rooted native plants are drought tolerant and require less overall maintenance. As an added bonus, bioswales can help achieve Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System goals.
In 2011, Downers Grove, Illinois, started the Green Streets Program, a public/private partnership for bioswales in roadside ditches. After a tenuous start, the program has gained popularity. With over 50 bioswales planted to date and an ever-growing waitlist, the bioswales are booming. Learn about the ups and downs of the bioswale program
– what has worked and what we “ditched.” Leave with tools to transform your roadside ditches into beautiful, beneficial bioswales.
Thanks to our sponsors:
