2025 Annual Conference Agenda

FSA Community Service Project [Free to Participate, Registration Required]
FSA is proud to announce our partnership with Keep Lee County Beautiful to support their mission of enhancing and preserving our environment. We are excited to invite you to join us for FSA's Service Project in Ft. Myers, where we will be conducting a beach cleanup. Beach cleanups play a critical role in protecting our oceans, wildlife, and our coastal communities from the harmful effects of debris.  Participants will be walking the beach and remove trash and large debris. All necessary materials will be provided, and there is no cost to participate. However, space is limited so participation is limited to FSA delegates only and we encourage you to register early to secure your spot. Don’t miss this chance to give back to the community that has graciously welcomed us to their city!

Pre-Conference Workshop [Additional Fee, Separate Registration Required]
Revolutionizing Flood Forecasting for Resilience and Recovery: Statewide Insights
Flood forecasting is essential in mitigating the destructive impacts of flooding, yet many regions struggle to fully harness this technology. This panel session will explore the current flood forecasting initiatives including real-time strategies, future projects, and the crucial factors for successful implementation. Panelists will offer valuable insights on how flood forecasting can offer substantial benefits for floodplain and emergency managers, as well the general public.

Warren McKinnie, PE, CFM, GISP, Senior Manager, Streamline Technologies
Muthu Narayanaswamy, PhD, Director of Coastal and Compound Flood Risk, The Water Institute

Panelists
(Moderator) Nick Charnas, PE, CFM, Director of Water Resources, Halff
Lisa Foster, CFM, Floodplain Administrator, Pinellas County
Thomas Frick, Chief Resilience Officer, SJRWMD
Kenneth Kohn, PE, Senior Project Engineer, Manatee County
Scott Letasi, PE, PMP, Engineering & Project Management Bureau Chief, SWFWMD
Ed Torres, PE, LEED AP, Utilities Director, Orange County

Welcome, Keynote & Excellence Awards Ceremony

Join us for a keynote presentation to learn about the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s efforts to combat pollution entering the Bay. From wastewater to stormwater, the program collaborates with local governments to identify and address the most significant sources of pollution. Additionally, you will hear about the encouraging progress made thus far, which is already having a positive impact on our environment.

At the conclusion of the session, FSA will recognize outstanding stormwater programs, projects, and public education efforts across the state!

Melissa Long, 2024-25 FSA President
City of Jacksonville

David Tomasko, PhD, Executive Director
Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

TRACK A – 2025 Legislative Session Review
Florida water policy continued to receive a lot of attention in 2025.  Join us for a review of legislation that introduced concerning policy and local government preemption, what passed and failed in 2025, and what might be reconsidered in 2026. The session will also discuss how federal leadership changes are impacting Florida water policy.  Attendees will have a chance to review the future of water policy and how water quality improvement programs may change in Florida. 

Kevin Coyne, Director of Regulatory Affairs
Florida Stormwater Association

Diana Ferguson, Lobbyist
Florida Stormwater Association                  

TRACK B – Innovating Shoreline Resilience: Real-World Solutions for Florida’s Coastal Communities
Florida’s coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, highlighting the importance of enhancing shoreline resilience.  This session will explore the significance of shoreline inventories in flood modeling, project prioritization, and adaptation efforts, while considering the intersection of engineering, policy, and funding. Participants can expect to gain valuable insights into innovative shoreline solutions that align with the ever-changing landscape of policy and funding opportunities.

Jenna Phillips, Senior Director
Cummins Cederberg

Jordon Cheifet, Director
Cummins Cederberg

TRACK A – Fast, Accurate Benefit-Cost Analysis: A Cloud-Based Evaluation of Stormwater Projects
Demonstrating cost-effectiveness is critical, yet traditional benefit-cost analysis (BCA) methods can be time-consuming, inconsistent, and prone to errors. This session will demonstrate how Pasco County significantly streamlined and improved BCA through a powerful, easy-to-use, cloud-based tool. In addition to calculating property-based flood damages, this innovative approach can normalize structure values shifting the focus from dollars to people and capturing resilience to broader societal impacts.

David Jones, PE, GISP, Client Service Manager
Jones Edmunds

Joseph Amoah, PhD, PE, Assistant Public Works Director - Engineering Division
Pasco County

Tracy Dayton, PE, CFM, ENV SP, Senior Project Manager
Jones Edmunds

TRACK B – Navigating FEMA Standards: Success Using Modeling for Floodplain and Floodway Development
The Mill Creek Watershed Management Plan focuses on advancing flood resilience through state-of-the-art integrated 1D/2D hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, tailored to meet FEMA floodplain and floodway standards. This session will detail the project’s technical approach, which involves developing a robust model that combines both 1D and 2D surface water modeling methods, as well as accurately mapping floodplains and floodways. The model incorporates precise field data, LiDAR-based terrain information, and extensive calibration using flood data from Hurricane Irma. Attendees will gain insights into the innovative methodology used to delineate dynamic floodplain transitions, capture sloping water surfaces, and implement refined floodway encroachments.

Rebecca Harris, PE, CFM, Team Leader
Halff

Kenneth Kohn, PE, Senior Project Engineer
Manatee County

Rahman Davtalab, EI, CFM, Technical Manager
Halff

TRACK A – Emerging Technologies: Shark Tank Style!
FSA’s practice of highlighting the latest developments in stormwater technologies and services from the private sector will be continued this year and features the leading firms in Florida and across the nation. This year, the Emerging Technologies session will be a Shark Tank Style session where attendees will vote to select their favorite pitch and product.

TRACK B – Florida DEP Water Restoration Assistance Grant Funding
This presentation will offer a comprehensive overview of the funding opportunities provided by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water Restoration Assistance. The grant programs that will be covered include Springs Restoration, Water Quality Improvement, Nonpoint Source Management, Alternative Water Supply, and the State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program. The presentation will delve into project eligibility, funding considerations, and include a focus on stormwater projects with examples of recently funded Green Stormwater Infrastructure Projects. 

Nathan Jagoda, Environmental Administrator
Florida Department of Environmental Protection

TRACK A – Investment in Stormwater Data Pays Dividends in Mapping Flood Risk across the City   
Over a decade ago, the City of Orlando began a trailblazing project to inventory its stormwater infrastructure. This project involved surveying all accessible storm sewers, structures, and channels throughout the city and integrating the data into a GIS framework. This investment, which was considered unusual in terms of both its scope and scale at the time, has since yielded numerous unforeseen benefits. This session describes how this survey dataset played a crucial role in the rapid development of a city-wide flood model. This model was created efficiently, with an aggressive schedule, and with a level of detail that was previously unattainable due to advancements in high-performance computational models. The flood model is currently being used to support a Vulnerability Assessment as part of a Resilient Florida Planning Grant.

Max Wallace, PE, CFM, Senior Engineer
Drummond Carpenter

Brett Cunningham, PE, ENV-SP, Managing Director
Jones Edmunds

TRACK B – Tips and Tricks for State and Federal Infrastructure Funding
There is an unprecedented amount of funding available for a variety of stormwater mitigation and resiliency projects, especially for underserved communities and those affected by climate change. Even though acquiring funding sounds daunting, it doesn’t have to be. This presentation will explore external state and federal funding opportunities for aspects such as green and grey infrastructure, pre disaster mitigation, resiliency projects, aging infrastructure, planning, design, and construction projects. This session will share tips and tricks for utilities to utilize in their funding pursuits so that critical stormwater projects can become a reality.

Emily Platt, Lead Grants Analyst
Carollo Engineers

TRACK C – How Do You Solve a Problem Like McCoy's Creek? Urban Stream Restoration
The vision for the McCoy’s Creek Restoration Project transcends the simplistic “build a bigger ditch” approach to flood mitigation and resiliency. Multiple stakeholders, including the City of Jacksonville, local non-profits, environmental activists, and an engaged community, have come together to collaborate on this transformative project. Through the implementation of self-organizing natural channel design, the project will not only expand the floodplain but also improve water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitats, create a more resilient ecosystem, and create opportunities for recreation and economic growth. In addition, careful consideration has been given to the long-term maintenance needs of the stream to minimize the future burden on City resources. We will discuss how McCoy’s Creek was changed from a hazard to an asset, including the lessons we learned the hard way.

Nikita Reed, PE, Engineering Operations Manager
City of Jacksonville

Rebecca Vanderbeck, PE, Vice President / Senior Project Manager
WSP

Lisa Sterling, PE, BCEE, PMP, Associate Environmental Engineer
CDM Smith

Sanibel is a 12-mile-long barrier island located off the coast of Lee County, near the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. Its low-lying profile and status as a barrier island make it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and storm surge. This session will share how the City of Sanibel is updating its Surface Water Management Master Plan to reflect the current conditions of the stormwater management system following Hurricane Ian, which includes an island-wide analysis of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from satellite imagery before and after the storm. The master plan will also serve as a guide for the future by establishing long-range strategies focused on sea level rise, flood mitigation, reliability, and sustainability.

Jordan Varble, PE, Senior Project Manager
Johnson Engineering

Oisin Dolley, PE, City Engineer
City of Sanibel

TRACK B – Balancing Efficiency and Sustainability in Land Use
Who doesn’t want to make their job easier? Especially when you can also accomplish more with less! Continued population growth in Florida presents amazing opportunities to achieve resilient and sustainable development patterns which naturally include stormwater management. This presentation will provide an overview of a recent project that considered “Trend” and “Alternative” future development patterns for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, analyzing their respective impacts on stormwater volume and pollutant loading. Through engaging the public, valuable policy suggestions were gathered to promote more compact, sustainable development practices, while also helping to protect timber and conservation lands. When considering a 30% reduction in developed lands for the same population, a 75% reduction can be achieved in stormwater volume and pollutant loading.

Tricia Kyzar, PhD, Researcher, Spatial Analyst
University of Florida, Center for Coastal Solutions

Paul Owens, President
1000 Friends of Florida

TRACK C – Stream Restoration Primer: Project Approaches and Examples of Stream Restoration in Florida
Stream and ecosystem restoration can be powerful tools for urban stormwater and water quality management. Stream restoration approaches can be used to achieve erosion control, nutrient and sediment load reduction, and flood mitigation goals while also maximizing ecological, social, financial, sustainability, and resilience co-benefits. This presentation will introduce a high-level approach to Florida stream restoration planning and show project-specific examples of the suite of benefits that can be achieved through urban stream restoration projects.

John Kiefer, PE, PhD, Ecosystem Solutions Practice Lead
Black & Veatch

Join us to learn more about the Orlo Vista Water Yield project located in the Shingle Creek Watershed in Orange County. Learn how a Water Yield Analysis was conducted to improve an ongoing flood control project by assessing the feasibility of extracting 2.5 million gallons per day from the Orlo Vista stormwater pond system as a source of reuse water for Orange County Utilities. The goal was to pump a low base flow rate into Shingle Creek from the stormwater pond system in this land-locked basin, and then withdraw and treat the baseflow from the creek approximately seven miles downstream at the South Water Reclamation Facility. The excess water removed could be used for irrigation in other parts of the reuse service area, stored, or recharged into the aquifer. This presentation will discuss the project objectives, the water budget analysis for reuse availability and the flood protection benefits within the Orlo Vista neighborhood.

Ed Torres, MS, PE, LEED AP, Director
Orange County

Warren McKinnie, PE, CFM, GISP, Senior Manager
Streamline Technologies

TRACK B – Optimizing Nutrient Load Reduction Through Artificial Intelligence
Over the last decade, Florida MS4s have successfully implemented the nutrient load reduction projects through FSA and FDEP. These efforts have led to the spreadsheet-based nutrient-based load reduction tool that has provided significant nutrient load reductions across Florida based on standard maintenance practices.  The presentation will first provide a foundation of the nutrient load recovery practices and resulting nutrient load reduction tool that has been implemented by Florida MS4s.  With this foundation, the basis for a machine learning model will be introduced for the optimization of street sweeping. 

John Sansalone, PE, PhD, Professor of Engineering
University of Florida

TRACK C – Lower Peninsula Stormwater Improvements: A Nature-Based Solution to Urban Flooding that Improves Water Quality
This presentation will showcase a recent success story involving a nature-based solution for stormwater management in South Tampa, near MacDill Air Force Base. The project alleviates historic widespread flooding that has plagued the Lower Peninsula Watershed for decades, while reducing pollutant and nutrient loads to Hillsborough Bay. The project design brilliantly uses space within a previously unmanaged 48-acre forested site to alleviate flooding and improve water quality by storing and treating stormwater runoff from surrounding residential areas, while providing the community a beautiful passive park supporting an abundance of native wildlife.

Chris Chandler, PE, Senior Engineer II
AtkinsRealis

Daniel Parsons, PE, CFM, ENV SP, Division Manager
AtkinsRealis

Amanda Serra, PE, Senior Engineer, Florida Water Resources Group Manager
AtkinsRealis

It’s time to relax!  So get comfortable and join us in your favorite flip flops for snacks, drinks, and the chance to win a door prize.  Browse the Exhibit Hall to learn more about Florida’s emerging stormwater technologies!

TRACK A – Local Fertilizer Ordinances: A Low-Cost Tool to Protect Our Waters
Fertilizer is a source of nitrogen to Florida waterbodies. Municipalities across the state have adopted local ordinances stricter than the statewide “model ordinance” to better combat fertilizer’s impact on water quality. Orange County’s local fertilizer ordinance was updated in 2022 and is a cost-effective tool in the waterbody protection toolkit. This session will discuss why fertilizer is an important source of nitrogen in Florida waters and how Orange County is using a local fertilizer ordinance to help protect their local waterbodies.

Nathan Holt, PE, Engineer
Drummond Carpenter

Emily Lawson, PE, Engineer
Orange County Environmental Protection Division

TRACK B – Rain Check Please!
This session will share how Sarasota County’s “Rain Check” program provides property owners a one-time incentive rebate to install approved Best Management Practices (BMPs) on their property. The Rain Check program provides property owners an incentive rebate to install specialized small-scale BMPs that improve water quality and increase stormwater infiltration, thus protecting our valuable water resources and reducing some of the burden on the county stormwater management system. By replacing the Flood Mitigation Credit program with the Rain Check Incentive Rebate Program, the county has generated an additional 4 million dollars of revenue annually. The Rain Check program has also provided a new avenue for public outreach and education as well as an opportunity to collaborate with other environmental stakeholders.

Holly Mathis, Supervisor, Stormwater Billing and Assessments
Sarasota County

Jen Rudolph, NEST Coordinator
Sarasota County

TRACK C – Low Impact, High Rewards: Using LID to Foster Growth and Meet ERP Requirements
Discover how Orange County is leading the charge in stormwater management with low impact development best management practices. This presentation will highlight the County’s efforts to assist County staff, developers, and other professionals in meeting Florida’s new stormwater water quality requirements. This presentation will review Orange County’s LID Manual, which features a comprehensive toolbox of County-approved practices designed to enhance water quality, manage stormwater effectively, and promote LID development.

Mike Hardin, PhD, PE, CFM, Principal Engineer
Geosyntec Consultants

Julie Bortles, Project Manager
Orange County

Mark Ellard, PE, CFM, BC.WRE, ENV SP, Senior Principal
Geosyntec Consultants

TRACK A – Water Quality and Flood Protection Regulatory Updates
In September 2024, the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners adopted the “Impervious Surface Ordinance” amending the County Code to enhance resilience, improve water quality, and reduce flooding risks. This presentation will explore the new code requirements, including the integration of state stormwater management regulations and enforcement of the Statewide Stormwater Rule under the County’s Environmental Resource Program (ERP) delegation. Learn how these efforts support sustainable stormwater management and reinforce the County’s commitment to a healthier, more resilient Biscayne Bay.

Marina Blanco-Pape, PE, RER's Deputy Director
Miami-Dade County

Marsel Fakhrutdinov, PE, Senior Professional Engineer, Manager of Water Control Section
Miami-Dade County

TRACK B – Water Quality Master Plan
Recognizing the crucial role that water quality plays in preserving and enhancing the natural environment within their community, the City of Tallahassee has implemented a local penny sales tax to provide dedicated funding for mitigating sources of surface water pollution. To effectively allocate this funding, the city has developed a comprehensive master plan based on sound data, science, and engineering principles. Known as the Tallahassee Master Plan – Surface Water (TMaPS), this plan focuses on 28 waterbodies in which the city is a stakeholder. It offers a detailed analysis of the hydrology and water quality of each waterbody, outlines historical restoration efforts, proposes best management practices implementation, and identifies capital improvement projects, future studies, and code updates necessary to enhance surface water quality. This presentation will provide an overview of the TMaPS Plan and its development.

Steve Peene, PhD, Senior Principal
Geosyntec

Mark Heidecker, Manager of Stormwater Quality Programs
City of Tallahassee

Mike Hardin, PhD, PE, CFM, Principal Engineer
Geosyntec

TRACK C – How Good is Your Credit?  Devising Water Quality Solutions
Lealman is one of several Pinellas County communities that is almost entirely built out, leaving minimal vacant land alongside a need to improve water quality. To incentivize urban redevelopment, a water quality credit system offers impervious acreage credits at lower costs than onsite water quality improvements. This presentation dives into the specifics surrounding the development of this credit system. Providing regional stormwater treatment facilities along with application of revised land uses can inspire redevelopment of underserved areas, and ultimately build resilient communities now and in the future.