American Council of Engineering Companies Recognizes Rockland Stormwater Mapping Project with Platinum Award

Submitted by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County

Stony Point, NY – The 2020 Platinum Award for Engineering Excellence was recently awarded to the Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County and H2M Architects + Engineers for an innovative stormwater mapping project. The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of New York annually recognizes engineering projects that meet stringent criteria. Funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the purpose of the mapping project is to geo-locate stormwater infrastructure including catch basins and outfalls and identify stormwater management practices. The project will allow H2M, the Stormwater Consortium, and Cornell Cooperative Extension to collaborate on locating the exact GPS coordinates of where stormwater runoff meets local water bodies, and to track the flow throughout the county, so to better understand and address pollution and surface water quality concerns in Rockland County from which we drink and recreate.

New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation Phase II Stormwater permit requires MS4s to map and routinely inspect stormwater outfalls and infrastructure. Recognizing the opportunity to improve regional consistency and efficiency, 23 of the 24 communities in Rockland County joined together to form the Stormwater Consortium of Rockland County to allow for a collaborative approach to addressing water quality concerns. H2M worked with the Consortium and Cornell Cooperative Extension to collect, consolidate, and standardize disparate outfall information from all 23 participating communities. Having access to each community’s outfall data allows the Consortium to see the “big picture” and implement standards for water quality improvements as one united entity; understanding that each community is connected by more than just pipes.

To celebrate the awarded projects, ACEC New York’s 53rd Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala will take place on April 4, 2020. ACEC New York is a proactive coalition of almost 300 firms representing every discipline of engineering related to the built environment – civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, environmental, geotechnical – and affiliated companies. Their shared goals are to further the business interests of their membership, enhance the quality and safety of the environment we live and work in, and help ensure the vitality of our communities.

  ACEC, American Council of Engineering, American Council of Engineering Companies, cornell