The 2009 CASQA stormwater conference was held in San Diego, CA on November 2-4, 2009 at the Hilton San Diego at Mission Bay.

The conference theme was “Stormwater Management: Challenges and Solutions” and featured a full day of concurrent in-depth workshops (November 2nd) and two full days of concurrent session presentations (November 3rd and 4th). Conference participants found an array of training, learning, and networking opportunities in the following stormwater areas:

• Regulations, Permits, and Policies – this track was intended for managers and practitioners interested in learning the latest developments related to the statewide general permits, effluent limitations, Receiving Water Limitations, the definition of Maximum Extent Practical, TMDLs and basin planning issues.
• Sustainable Development – this track focused on addressing the tension between current land use practices, integrated regional planning and watershed planning concepts. Alternative methods and case studies for addressing the incorporation of Low Impact Development, Smart Growth, and Hydromodification Mitigation into these various planning processes was also addressed.
• True Source Control – this track focused on current efforts to eliminate tensions between various state and federal regulations that result in the authorized use of products and chemicals that are known to pollute and impair streams, lakes and rivers. Topics included presentation of efforts and case studies addressing pesticide management and regulation, product substitutions, zero waste policies, runoff elimination and conservation.
• Stormwater Treatment – this track focused on presentations that feature the latest BMP designs, recommendations and studies. Topics included BMP design and implementation, BMP case studies, regional treatment and multi-purpose facilities.
• Polltants of Concern – this track focused on current approaches to addressing receiving water impairments. Topics included 303(d) listings, TMDL implementation, TMDL case studies and multi-jurisdictional approaches.
• Modifying Public Behavior – this track focused on the latest challenges and solutions related to public education, training, inspections, and enforcement.
• Program Assessment – this track focused on the challenges of program assessment, including Effluent Limits, Municipal Action Levels, and setting goals and targets; as well as the latest proposed solutions and/or alternatives. Program assessment addressed monitoring assessment, BMP Effectiveness Assessment, and Program Effectiveness Assessment.
• Scientific Advances – this track focused on the latest research into stormwater management. Topics included pollutant source tracking, emerging pollutants, new technologies, new monitoring and assessment tools, stormwater impacts and economic assessments.

Attendance at the 2009 two-day conference was over 500 participants including vendors and speakers. The one-day pre-conference workshops had over 300 participants. The Keynote Speaker was John Robertus, Executive Officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board.

PDF copy of the final 2009 Conference Program and Presentations

For a list of participants (general, speaker, and exhibitor) in the 2009 CASQA Conference in San Diego, in November, click here.

The mission of the CASQA Awards Program is to advance the stormwater quality management profession by identifying and recognizing exemplary leadership, outstanding projects, activities, and contributions to the field of stormwater quality management. At its fourth conference, CASQA made awards in the following categories: