Lunch & Learn with Marjorie Wolfe: Stormwater, Stream Power, and Stage Zero

DATE: Wednesday, April 26th
PLACE: Hopworks Brewery (2944 SE Powell Blvd)
TIME: 11:30 Networking, 12:00 p.m – 1:00 p.m
Presentation TOPIC: Stormwater, Stream Power, and Stage Zero
SPEAKERS: Marjorie Wolfe, PE, CFM, President – Wolf Water Resources

We all know that changes watershed development and specifically increased impervious area increases runoff to streams. As a result, these streams adapt by deepening and widening through erosion. Traditional stormwater management methods have focused on controlling run off on site or through regional detention with the hope that restored hydrology will restore streams. The resilient stream corridor approach looks at restoring stream/floodplain connectivity and channel/floodplain complexity directly instead of controlling hydrology alone.  This reconnects natural processes that dissipate stream power through increased connected width and roughness.  Working with nature to accommodate higher flows whether due to development or climate change. Stream resilience fast forwards stream evolution to a more sustainable natural future state rather than trying to fix in place the streams of the past. Wolf Water Resources is working with CWS to develop a framework to practically implement resilient stream corridors as a hydromodification strategy using the stream power connection. The tool will help CWS assess, quantify, and track urban runoff impacts, identify stream enhancement needs, and evaluate the efficacy of stream resilience measures in offsetting hydromodification impacts.

About Marjorie Wolfe, PE, CFM, President Wolf Water Resources
Marjorie brings an integrated engineering / ecological approach to guide and oversee habitat restoration. Her technical background includes stream and wetland restoration, watershed planning, surface water management policy, floodplain management, and stakeholder involvement. With two decades of experience, Marjorie has built her career in public service and private consulting. This work has shaped her philosophy that successful projects require not just a sound understanding of technical aspects, but also creating solutions that work for all stakeholders and community residents. In 2014 she founded Wolf Water Resources on the principals of working with nature and partnering with people. Her firm has grown to 30 people working across disciplines to develop innovative solutions to water resources issues. Our projects range from large scale floodplain reconnection (1000 acres at Stiegerwald Wildlife Refuge) to innovate stormwater management strategies to address erosion in urban watersheds. Currently she, is working on many projects that promote resilient stream corridors to reduce hydromodification impacts in steep landscapes with tight soils.