The Green Stormwater Revolution: What Have We Learned and What's Next?
**Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 9am - 11am**
In-person at St. Anthony Falls Lab (SAFL) & Virtual on Zoom
Abstract
What have we learned as a profession over the transition from detention ponds to resilient green infrastructure over the past 40 years? Dr. Rob Traver will focus on lessons learned based upon field and laboratory research at Villanova University. The discussion will focus on both the analytic side of representing the unit processes, to the practical design, construction, and maintenance lessons learned. Those involved with researching the performance of these sites have the unique opportunity to follow the site from design, through construction, and then to operation, and to contrast the performance of the site with others.
A focus of the research is how to build and maintain resilient green stormwater infrastructure. While BMPs have been with us for over twenty years, the tools that we use are still founded on past detention stormwater practices. SCMs from rain gardens to pervious pavements and green roofs are in engineering terms still relatively new, and there is much to learn. Villanova is authoring a new Stormwater Management Practice manual for Pennsylvania, and Dr. Traver will discuss that process during the presentation.
Further information on these research sites is available.