Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), in partnership with the New Orleans Chamber, the Urban Institute, and over 30 other partners, is preparing to host The Urban Water Series: Strategies That Work in New Orleans.
Four of the sessions will focus on a topic relating to water and water challenges. The fifth and final session will be the culmination, a discussion of how the city can take its place among the, “vanguard of the green infrastructure movement.”
Attendance to the five-week series is free but space is limited. Attendees will hear from experts in hopes to jumpstart the conversation about water challenges and possible solutions.
The series will take place at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center from 4:30 to 6:00 pm on the following dates:
- May 15 – Stormwater Challenges: Local and National Perspectives
- June 5 – Metropolitan and Comprehensive Green Stormwater Strategies (Michael Talbott, Houston Harris County Flood Control District; Julie Slavet, Philadelphia’s Tookany/Tacony – Frankford Watershed Partnership)
- June 19 – Green Alleys, Streets, and Neighborhoods (Karen Sands, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District; Bill Owen, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services)
- June 26 – Innovative Financing Options for Green Stormwater Infrastructure (Brian Van Wye, District of Columbia’s Department of the Environment; Charlotte Kaiser, The Nature Conservancy)
- July 10 – Creating Local Change: Making a Commitment to Next Steps (Jeff Eger, Water Environment Federation; David Waggonner, Waggonner & Ball Architects)
“New Orleans has long been defined by its relationship to water,” says GNOF. “But now more than ever, issues of flooding, subsidence, aging infrastructure, and financial sustainability demand fresh perspectives and new approaches.”
Events such as Idea Village’s Water Challenge during Entrepreneur Week highlight the ever-growing need for an understanding and possible solutions for these problems. The Water Challenge awarded $50,000 to Pierce Industries for its patented coastal protection and restoration system designed by Webster Pierce. His venture is one of many local entrepreneurial solutions that apply innovative approaches to how we live with water.
To register for the Urban Water Series, click here. The full program is available here.