Submitted by Lee Sherman, P.E., M.ASCE & Sarah Waickowski, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE to the Spring EWRI Currents.

OMSW attendees enjoy the solar eclipse.

We are delighted (and relieved!) to announce that the Operation & Maintenance of Stormwater Systems Conference was successfully held in Austin, Texas from April 7th to 10th. In addition to the great presentations, the conference hosted three pre-conference workshops, four panels, and one epic solar eclipse watch party, bat boat cruise, and walking tour of the Waller Creek Tunnel project. We also had a special performance by the LID Band, now known as Monkey Junction, at the Opening Welcome Reception.

The pre-conference workshops focused on asset management, inspecting green stormwater infrastructure during construction to ease maintenance burdens, and transforming vegetation in stormwater infrastructure into assets. The panels focused on (1) the operation and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure in Texas, (2) asset management, (3) nature based solutions, and (4) the practitioners’ perspective on maintaining stormwater control measures or best management practices. Special thanks to our panelists for participating: Heather Ashley-Nguyen, Kristen Buccier, Morgan Byars, Edward Coleman, Kevin Critendon, Leah Gibson, Derek Heyn, Paul Kovalcik, Barbara Moranta, Jim O’Donnell, Tom Pullaro, Janna Renfro, Roberto Reyna, and Mateo Scoggins. Conference attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors were treated to a solar eclipse watch party hosted by the University of Texas.

While Mother Nature did not quite cooperate with us, we were able to see some of the eclipse occur. We also exorcised the boat demons from the 2022 Operation & Maintenance of Stormwater Control Measures Conference in Wilmington, North Carolina (if you know you know!) While we experienced rain during our maiden voyage, we did enjoy fajitas, beverages, and saw some bats. We certainly got to hear and smell the bats during our excursion!

Those who attended the Waller Creek Tunnel tour got a behind the scenes tour of the facility that controls and maintains the tunnel. We also got to hear how the City of Austin partners with non-profit organizations to host events in the parks surrounding the Waller Creek Tunnel. Overall, it was a great conference, and we could not have done it without several individuals.

We would like to thank our sponsors for making this conference a success: Porous Technologies, LLC, City of Austin Department of Watershed Protection, Freese and Nichols, Geosyntec Consultants, Halff, Tetra Tech, CDM Smith, HDR, K. Friese and Associates, and Keller. We would also like to thank the steering committee for dedicating their time to organizing this conference: John Chapman, Andy Erickson, Elizabeth Fassman-Beck, Charles Felipa, Leah Gibson, Brandon Klenzendorf, Katie McNeal, Amanda Sullivan, and Ryan Winston. We could not have done it without you!