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Clean water is crucial to our region's environment, economy, and quality of life. The Clean Waters Initiative (CWI) program offers workshops that help local governments, landowners, and residents develop effective strategies to reduce pollution in area waterways.
Upcoming Workshop
Check back here to learn more about the next Clean Waters Initiative workshop.
Past Workshops
Stormwater
Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Management
February 24, 2024
Welcome and Event Kick-off
Justin Bower, Director, Community and Environmental Planning, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Green Infrastructure Overview
Steven Johnston, Principal Planner, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Low Impact Development (LID) Construction and Performance Evaluation in the City of Houston – Phase II
Ryan Bare, Ph.D., CAPM Research Scientist and Nature Based-Solutions Program Manager, Houston Advanced Research Center
Presentation
Floating Treatment Wetlands: A pilot-study and large-scale field trial of the stormwater treatment potential in urban catchments in a subtropical environment
Kaylei Chau, Research Associate, Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake
Presentation
Green Infrastructure Efficacy Project
Steven Johnston, Principal Planner, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Presentation
Sustainable Solutions: Learnings from Navigating the Green Infrastructure/Low Impact Development Landscape
Isham Khan, Director of Product Management, Stormwater Products, Greenrise Technologies
Presentation
Stormwater Programs and Impaired Waters
August 16, 2023
Welcome and Event Kick-off
Onyinye Akujuo and Todd Running, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Presentation
Recipe for Success! A Joint Stormwater Management Program Story
Liz Stone, CPESC, and Camila Biaggi, ENV SP, CFM, Quiddity Engineering
Presentation
City of Austin MS4 and TMDL Programs
Julie White, City of Austin
Presentation
Collaboration Between Agencies that Assembled a Funding Method to Successfully Abandon Failing Septic Tanks in Underserved Communities
Susan Santos, P.E.
Presentation
Making a Splash with MS4 Compliance: Navigating the Waters of Environmental Responsibility
Alexandra O’Connor, CISEC, and Rachel Henderson, CISEC-IT, City of San Marcos
Presentation
TPDES MS4 Permitting and Impaired Water Bodies
Macayla Coleman, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Presentation
Conservation and Riparian Areas
Banking on Conservation: Riparian Areas and Water Quality
April 4, 2023
City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative
Kelli Ondracek, Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Hanson Park: How Inter-Agency Partnerships Can Benefit Everyone
Bryan Frazier, Brazoria County Parks Department
The Upper San Jacinto River Basin Regional Sedimentation Study
Briana Gallagher, San Jacinto River Authority
Education, Outreach, and Volunteer Coordination
June 16, 2022
Agenda and Speaker Information
Engaging the Public In Education, Outreach, and Volunteering for Water Resources Protection
Presentation Notes
Meeting Recording
Better Public Engagement Practices
October 24, 2017
Agenda and Speaker Information
Engaging the Watershed Community:Asking the Public to Care about Water Quality
Charriss York,TAMU Texas Coastal Watershed Program
Presentation
Cease the Grease:Utilizing Multifaceted Community Outreach Programs to Engage the Public
Kaitlin Grable, Galveston Bay Foundation
Presentation
Engaging, Inspiring, and Educating the Public Through Unique Coastal Experiences
Amanda Rinehart, Artist Boat
Presentation
Estuary Programs and Freshwater Inflows
November 28, 2017
Agenda and Speaker Information
Fish, Shrimp, Crabs and Freshwater – Life in a Dynamic Estuary
Dr. George Guillen, Environmental Institute of Houston
Presentation
From Droughts to Floods: An Overview of Freshwater Inflows to the Trinity-San Jacinto Estuary
Caimee Schoenbaechler, Texas Water Development Board
Presentation
Galveston Bay: Changing Land Use Patterns and Nutrient Loading
Rachel Windham, Texas A&M - Galveston
Presentation
Evaluation of Adopted SB3 Flow Standards for the Trinity River
Webster Mangum, Trinity River Authority
Presentation
Estuary Programs and Freshwater Inflows
November 28, 2017
Agenda and Speaker Information
Fish, Shrimp, Crabs and Freshwater – Life in a Dynamic Estuary
Dr. George Guillen, Environmental Institute of Houston
Presentation
From Droughts to Floods: An Overview of Freshwater Inflows to the Trinity-San Jacinto Estuary
Caimee Schoenbaechler, Texas Water Development Board
Presentation
Galveston Bay: Changing Land Use Patterns and Nutrient Loading
Rachel Windham, Texas A&M - Galveston
Presentation
Evaluation of Adopted SB3 Flow Standards for the Trinity River
Webster Mangum, Trinity River Authority
Presentation
Funding Sources for Water and Wastewater-related Infrastructure
February 26, 2019
Event Program and Speaker Information
H-GAC Wastewater Assistance (OSSF SEP) Program
Brian Sims, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Gulf Coast Economic Development District Program
Joshua Owens, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Sabrina Glenn, US. Department of Agriculture
Scott Galaway, Texas Water Development Board
H-GAC’s Effort To Improve the Region’s Water Quality
August 26, 2021
Agenda and Speaker Information
Meeting Recording
H-GAC’s Effort To Improve the Region’s Water Quality
H-GAC staff provided overviews about the water quality programs H-GAC is supporting to improve the region’s waters.
Presentation
Big Creek Breakout Room
Attendees discussed watershed-specific topics in one of three breakout rooms. The Big Creek breakout room was led by Justin Bower.
Presentation
Cotton Bayou Breakout Room
Attendees discussed watershed-specific topics in one of three breakout rooms. The Cotton Bayou breakout room was led by Rachel Windham.
Presentation
Watershed-based Plans Breakout Room
Attendees discussed watershed-specific topics in one of three breakout rooms. The general Watershed-based Plans breakout room was led by Steven Johnston.
Presentation
H-GAC Web Tools
April 28, 2022
Agenda and Speaker Information
Meeting Recording
Land Use Management
March 14, 2017
Conservation Easements
Suzanne Simpson
Bayou Land Conservancy
Habitat & Marsh Restoration
Philip Smith
Galveston Bay Foundation
Mitigation Credits
Mary Anne Piacentini
Katy Prairie Conservancy
MS4 Minimum Control Measures
April 4, 2017
Event Program and Speaker Information
Planning Ahead: Long-Term Planning for Stormwater Management
Michael F. Bloom, P.E.
R.G. Miller Engineers, Inc.
No Presentation Available
Stormwater Mapping & Successful Illicit Discharge Detection
Ryan Dixon
Port of Houston Authority
Presentation
Be Proactive: Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations and Maintenance
Ilana Harris
City of Sugar Land
Presentation
New Technologies for Operator Compliance
Robert Adair
Construction EcoServices
Presentation
MS4 Minimum Control Measures Workshop
May 16, 2018
Event Program and Speaker Information
Practical Housekeeping Measures for Municipal Utility Districts & Small Cities
Michael Gurka, Jones/Carter
Presentation
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program
Elaine Savage, Harris County Pollution Control Services Department
Presentation
Stormwater Pollution Minimization Plans
Robert Snoza, Harris County Flood Control Department
Presentation
Floatable Materials Control
Rick Masters, Jr., Contractor for City of Pasadena
Presentation
Navigating Texas Water Development Board Grants and Loans for Water and Wastewater
February 14, 2022
On-site Sewage Facility Remediation Projects
Trends & Technology in Wastewater Treatment
May 9, 2017
Event Program and Speaker Information
Flare Reduction Field Trial: Cost Effective Flare Gas & VOC Reduction
Loy Sneary, Gulf Coast Green Energy
Recycling and Re-Using Produced Water: Cutting Edge Technology Adapted for New Water Resources
David Burnett, Global Petroleum Research Institute (Texas A&M University)
Using WBPs to Improve Water Quality
September 26, 2017
Steven Johnston,Houston-Galveston Area Council
Status Update for H-GAC Total Maximum Daily Load Studies
Becki Begley, Houston-Galveston Area Council
Implementing Watershed-based Plans in Coastal Communities
Brian Koch, Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board
Demonstrating Water Quality Improvements through Agricultural Initiatives
Volunteer Monitoring
December 1, 2023
Water Quality and Public Health
June 20, 2018
Swimming-Related Health Risks and Recreational Water Quality Criteria
Kate Lavelle, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Waterborne Diseases and Public Health Implications
Elya Franciscus, MPH, Harris County Public Health
Public Health Protection Programs in the City of Houston – Water Quality
Lisa Montemayor, City of Houston Health Department and LaNiece Blue, City of Houston Health Department
Fight the Bite – Applying Remote Sensing Technologies to Detect Mosquito Breeding Habitats
Sarah M Gunter, PhD, MPH, National School of Tropical Medicine
Water Quality and Transportation
March 28, 2018
Adrienne Boer,Texas Department of Transportation
Results from First Statewide MS4 Annual Report
Nick Russo, Harris County Engineering Department
Stormwater Management Techniques for Urban Roadways
Vishu Lingala, Houston-Galveston Area Council
2045 Regional Transportation Plan