Hello,

We have curated several informative and entertaining news stories from the stormwater industry, as well as a few other items of interest. We appreciate you taking the time to read our ezine and hope that you find this stormwater related information as interesting and informative as we do.

Until next month, please work safe and stay well.

Sincerely,
The Construction EcoServices Staff

Gridlock at Sea, and Chaos Ashore, as Pandemic Snarls Global Trade Network
bizjournals.com

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted international trade, driving up the cost of shipping goods and adding a fresh challenge to the global economic recovery. Off the coast of Los Angeles, more than two dozen container ships filled with exercise bikes, electronics and other highly sought imports have been idling for as long as two weeks. In Kansas City, farmers are struggling to ship soybeans to buyers in Asia. In China, furniture destined for North America piles up on factory floors. Around the planet, the pandemic has disrupted trade to an extraordinary degree, driving up the cost of shipping goods and adding a fresh challenge to the global economic recovery. The virus has thrown off the choreography of moving cargo from one continent to another. At the center of the storm is the shipping container, the workhorse of globalization.

The Dodge Momentum Index Moved 1.7% Higher in March
construction.com

The Dodge Momentum Index moved 1.7% higher in March to 151.4 (2000=100) from the revised February reading of 148.8. The Momentum Index, issued by Dodge Data & Analytics, is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. According to the March data, the Index hit its highest level since the summer of 2018 as a result of an increase in institutional projects that entered the planning stage, and which came on the heels of a similar gain for the sector in February.

2021 Autodesk Construction Industry Outlook: Risks & Opportunities
constructionecoservices.com

Looking for information to make better decisions? The BuildingConnected analytics team worked with Edward R. Zarenski from Construction Analytics to develop the 2021 Autodesk Construction Outlook. This report combines external economic data with Autodesk’s own aggregated, anonymized BuildingConnected product data to uncover the evolving state of the industry. For instance, what does the bidding activity from Autodesk’s Builders Network of over 1 million construction professionals say about subcontractor backlog? How does the volume of RFIs and change orders on a project affect its success?

Stormwater Sector’s 2021 Legislative Priorities
wef.com

Municipalities need federal assistance to fix aging stormwater infrastructure, reduceflood risk, and comply with Clean Water Act requirements. Addressing long-term issues of funding, effective pollution control tools, and up-to-date environmental data necessary to make good decisions are reasonable and practical for Congress and the Executive Branch to enact in water resources and infrastructure stimulus bills. During Water Week 2021, April 25 through May 1, stormwater advocates will stress needs for dedicated funding streams for stormwater infrastructure, greater attention to stormwater pollutant source control, and local-scale resources to help stormwater managers plan for the effects of climate change. One example is to bolster the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Atlas 14 program, which provides regional estimates of precipitation duration, frequency, and depth.

Coastal Changes Worsen Nuisance Flooding On Many U.S. Shorelines, Study Finds
wateronline.com

Nuisance flooding has increased on U.S. coasts in recent decades due to sea level rise, and new research co-authored by the University of Central Florida uncovered an additional reason for its added frequency. In a study appearing today in the journal Science Advances, researchers show that higher local tide ranges, most likely from human alterations to coastal areas and estuaries, has increased the number of nuisance flooding days in many coastal locations in the U.S. Coastal nuisance flooding is considered to be minor flooding from the seas that causes problems such as flooded roads and overloaded stormwater systems, which can be major inconveniences for people and provide habitat for bacteria and mosquitoes.

LID Solutions at ASCE Headquarters’ Parking Lot

In this video, Tom Smith, Executive Director for the American Society for Civil Engineers, discusses the recent renovation of the ASCE headquarters’ parking lot. The new parking lot is a living case study of LID techniques. From biofiltration to permeable pavers, the ASCE can now show off its own parking lot to visitors, showing them exactly how simple and cost-effective LID can be.

Changing Times

In 1970, 85% of lake and stream pollution was from sewage and industrial sources. By 2010, 85% of lake and stream pollution was from urban and agricultural lands.

You Must Comply

The EPA estimates that more than 7,550 MS4 permittees (cities, towns and agencies) must comply with the MS4 stormwater provisions of the Clean Water Act.

Impaired Waters

588,000 miles of streams and 13 million acres of lakes have been identified as impaired (polluted) by the EPA.

Pesky Pollutants

The most common pollutant in the U.S. is pathogens, compromising the sanitary quality of surface waters.

Flood Damage

On average, the annual cost of damage from inland and coastal floods is higher than any other natural disaster event.

More Jobs

A recent study suggests that over 100,000 jobs can be created when meeting the $8.5 billon funding gap in the stormwater sector.

WEBINAR
Urban Green Infrastructure

The Opportunities and Challenges in Design & Maintenance, and the Need for Collaboration
You are invited to join a Lunch and Learn for the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority. Hosted by 3 Rivers Wet Weather organization, a non-profit environmental organization founded in 1998, listen and learn about Urban Green Infrastructure in a major metropolitan area with a combined sewer overflow problem.

Bonus: Earn 1-PDU for attending.

Urban Green Infrastructure

April 20, 2021
12:00pmEDT
Microsoft Teams
Join on your computer or mobile app

Let’s Talk

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