Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association Untitled page

2025 Annual Conference Call for Abstracts

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:20:28 GMT

Call for Abstracts
2025 Annual Conference

July 17, 2025
Younes Conference Center North
Kearney, Nebraska

The Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NeFSMA) is pleased to announce the call for abstracts for our Annual Conference. NeFSMA is seeking professional and student abstracts for oral presentations that are applicable to one of the conference topic areas listed below. The conference welcomes presenters from students and professionals in Nebraska and across the United States.

· Floodplain: Risk Management, Mapping and Flood Risk Mitigation: All aspects of floodplain management and mapping relevant to the local floodplain manager, planner, or engineer including but not limited to: minimum floodplain compliance standards, higher standards such as no adverse impact, floodplain mapping and related activities such as LOMCs, flood insurance, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, NFIP reform, activities or projects related to flood risk mitigation either pre- or post- flood event, or the NFIP’s Community Rating System.

· Stormwater: Quantity and Quality Management: All aspects of stormwater management relevant to regulators, consultants, and developers. This includes discussion on policy, regulations, science, best practices and projects related to stormwater quantity, quality, and/or related infrastructure.

Instructions for Submitting Abstracts:

Most of the presentations will be 30 minutes in length (25-minute presentation and 5 minutes for questions). However, we may have the opportunity for some longer presentations, if you are interested in a 60-minute presentation (55-minute presentation, 5 minutes for questions) make sure to request that option on the form. Please note that all presentations may be posted to our website at www.nefsma.com following the conference.

Abstracts must be received by 5:00 P.M. Friday, May 9, 2025. You will be notified no later than May 30, 2025 and will receive further guidelines for preparation of presentations. The registration fees for one presenter per presentation will be waived. No other expenses will be covered. If you have any questions please contact Committee Co-Chairs, Kellan Strauch at kstrauch@usgs.gov and Carrie Romero at cromero@olsson.com.

Conference Logistics:

The conference will be held at the Younes Conference Center North (map) in Kearney, Nebraska on July 17, 2025. Be on the lookout for more information including registration details in the coming weeks.

If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor, please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

Please feel free to forward this to any colleagues or other interested groups who would consider presenting at the conference. We're always looking for great speakers!

National Municipal Stormwater Alliance Update

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:22:20 GMT

SECOND NATIONAL STORMWATER DAY CELEBRATED BY NMSA -  NMSA has officially established Nov 16 as National Stormwater Day in recognition of the day the MS4 program was established (Nov 16, 1990). To honor this occasion, NMSA is hosting a free webinar on Fri, Nov 15 from 1-2:30pm (Eastern) and continues to support a website dedicated to National Stormwater Day - https://stormwater.day/. This website provides access to media toolkits associated with National Stormwater Day including logos, flyers and short videos associated with National Stormwater Day - all are welcome to use these resources to spread the word! Additional resources are available from other stormwater awareness efforts from around the country at the website as well.

National Stormwater Day Webinar Information

Overview: This webinar will bring together stormwater professionals to recognize leading stormwater champions, celebrate various stormwater awareness efforts across the country, share priorities and activities on stormwater led by EPA, provide an overview of the newly established EPA Stormwater Centers of Excellence for Stormwater Infrastructure Technologies (CESITs), share updates on the 2025 ASCE Infrastructure Report Card for Stormwater, and celebrate the Water Environment Federation (WEF) 2024 MS4 Award winning program in the City of Alexandria, VA.  This event will also celebrate the life and contributions of John Whitescarver who was instrumental in the development of the EPA NPDES program and who established the National Stormwater Center after his tenure with EPA.

Date: Friday, November 15, 2024

Time: 1:00-2:30pm (Eastern)

Speakers:
- Scott Taylor, Atkins, Chair, NMSA (Moderator)

- Rachel Urban, Water Permits Division, USEPA

- Jamie Houle, Ph.D., Director, University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center, Vice Chair, WEF Stormwater Community, Vice Chair, NMSA

- Darren Olson, President and Assistant Water Resources Department Head, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd., ASCE Committee on America’s Infrastructure, Chair

- Jesse Maines, Chief, Stormwater Management Division, City of Alexandria, VA

- Seth Brown, Ph.D., Executive Director, NMSA

Registration: To register, go to:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2551433666049222751

Notes:
- 1.5 PDHs will be awarded for attending this webinar.

- Supporting organizations include the Water Environment Federation, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the National Stormwater Center.

Notice of Proposed Changes to Bylaws

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:57:09 GMT

When NeFSMA was formed in 2004, bylaws were adopted to help govern the organization. Those bylaws were then updated in 2005, but haven't been touched since then.

The Board of Directors has worked with an attorney to make some updates to this document. In accordance with those bylaws, any changes to this document require a two-thirds majority vote of the members at our Annual Membership Meeting.

Please click here to review a redline version of the proposed bylaws. We are requesting comments be submitted no later than November 11, 2024. Any changes will be communicated via email and our website no later than November 14, 2024.

Click here to provide comments on the proposed bylaws.

Our Annual Membership Meeting will be held on November 21, 2024 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus. Registration will be open soon.

Save the Date! 2024 Annual Conference

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:10:04 GMT

Our Annual Conference is all set for July 18, 2024 in Kearney!

In addition to the conference, we've also got a great line up of events scheduled for July 17th. Start the day off with a Silver Jackets Nature Based Solutions Workshop at Central Community College (map). In the afternoon join us for our third annual Stormwater Scramble at Awarii Dunes.

Our annual networking event will again occur in the evening after the July 17th events. We'll have appetizers and drinks for everyone! This event is free with your conference registration.

For the first time, we will enjoy the facilities of Younes Conference Center North (map), an addition to the original Younes Conference Center that we have used for many years.

You can contact the Crown Plaza Hotel at (308) 238-7000 if you plan to stay overnight. A block of rooms is available for $169.95 until June 17, 2024. Just tell them you're with NeFSMA!

If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor, please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

Agendas and registration information coming soon!

2024 Annual Conference - Call for Abstracts

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:02:50 GMT

Call for Abstracts
2024 Annual Conference

July 18, 2024
Younes Conference Center North
Kearney, Nebraska

Instructions for Submitting Abstracts:

Abstracts must be received by 5:00 P.M. Friday, May 3, 2024. You will be notified no later than May 24, 2024 and will receive further guidelines for preparation of presentations. The registration fees for one presenter per presentation will be waived. No other expenses will be covered. If you have any questions please contact Committee Co-Chairs, Kellan Strauch at kstrauch@usgs.gov and Carrie Romero at cromero@olsson.com.

Conference Logistics:

The conference will be held at the Younes Conference Center North (map) in Kearney, Nebraska on July 18, 2024. Be on the lookout for more information including registration details in the coming weeks.

If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor, please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

Please feel free to forward this to any colleagues or other interested groups who would consider presenting at the conference. We're always looking for great speakers!

2023 Annual Conference Call for Abstracts

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:41:09 GMT

Instructions for Submitting Abstracts:

Abstracts must be received by 5:00 P.M. Friday, April 21, 2023. You will be notified no later than May 12, 2023 and will receive further guidelines for preparation of presentations. The registration fees for one presenter per presentation will be waived. No other expenses will be covered. If you have any questions please contact Committee Co-Chairs, Kellan Strauch at kstrauch@usgs.gov and Carrie Romero at cromero@olsson.com.

Conference Logistics:

The conference will be held at the Younes Conference Center (map) in Kearney, Nebraska on July 20, 2023. Be on the lookout for more information including registration details in the coming weeks.

If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor, please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

Please feel free to forward this to any colleagues or other interested groups who would consider presenting at the conference. We're always looking for great speakers!

ASFPM Foundation 12th Annual Collegiate Student Paper Competition

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 19:57:09 GMT

ASFPM Foundation 12^th Annual

Collegiate Student Paper Competition

Deadline Rapidly Approaching on January 29, 2022!

Since 2011, ASFPM Foundation has sponsored a student paper competition as a way to engage the next generation in the important conversations about the floodplain management profession. This year's competition will be a part of the program at the 2022 ASFPM Annual National Conference on May 15-19, 2022. Three student paper finalists are invited to present their papers at the conference where they will also have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of topics relevant to their future career.

Teams consisting of one or more graduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled in a college or university are encouraged to submit abstracts on subjects relating to floodplain or stormwater management no later than January 29, 2022. The abstracts will be judged by a panel of floodplain management professionals and three finalists will be invited to submit their papers in April 2022. The three finalists will receive free registration to the ASFPM Annual National Conference and travel expense assistance to present their papers at a special student conference session on May 17^th.

A panel of floodplain management professionals will judge the papers and presentations. Winners will be announced at the awards luncheon on Thursday, May 19^th.

First Place: $1,000 scholarship

Second Place: $500 scholarship

Third Place: $250 scholarship

Visit the ASFPM Foundation’s Scholarships web page for information on eligibility, submission process and timeline, topic areas of consideration, and abstract criteria.

You can also download a flyer to help get the word out to your colleagues, family members, and friends who may know of an up and coming student interested in the competition.

ASFPM Future Leaders Scholarship

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 19:54:21 GMT

Association of State Floodplain Managers Foundation

Announces Opening of

2022 Future Leaders Scholarship Application Period!

We are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2022 to Spring 2024 Future Leaders Scholarship. We continue to look for the best and brightest to make sure we sustain a strong floodplain management community into the future. If our current and past Future Leaders Scholarship (FLS) recipients are any indication, we are well on our way. To ensure full consideration, students wishing to apply will need to submit their applications and all required attachments in time to be received by the ASFPM Foundation no later than midnight EST on Tuesday, February 1, 2022.

In 2018, ASFPM Foundation established the FLS to provide direct, financial assistance, mentoring, and support to a deserving college student interested in pursuing a career in a field related to floodplain management. The FLS is a two-year scholarship awarded every other year to a college student entering their junior year of undergraduate studies or the last two years of a 5-year or dual degree undergraduate program. Learn more.

§ As many of you know, the inaugural scholarship was awarded to University of Arizona engineering student, Jesus Mulgado. Jesus completed his master’s degree in 2020, and is currently working as a flood risk management professional with Atkins in Arizona. Please visit the Foundation website to watch Jesus speak at the 2019 ASFPM Annual National Conference and share how the FLS has had a profound impact on his life.

§ The 2020 FLS recipient, Elizabeth Lacey, is an honors student in civil engineering at Colorado State University. Elizabeth’s inspiration to study in the floodplain management field was influenced by her experiences early-on. You can also see Elizabeth’s acceptance remarks on the Foundation website.

Duration of Scholarship:

This scholarship is awarded for up to a two-year duration and to a student entering their junior year in a 4-year undergraduate degree program or entering the last two years of a 5-year or dual degree undergraduate program.

Amount of Scholarship and What It Covers:

The scholarship will be in the amount of up to $20,000 per year for two years. The funds will pay the recipient’s college or university directly for any tuition costs which exceed any existing financial aid or scholarships up to $20,000 per year. Funds remaining after tuition payment may be used for other educational expenses, room and board in a college dormitory, or an equivalent stipend if living off-campus. The precise amount of the stipend will be negotiated by the Foundation with the scholar prior to the beginning of the academic year. The successful recipient will also receive assistance finding a paid summer internship in a relevant professional setting.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

In order to be eligible for consideration, the FLS applicant must satisfy the following requirements:

§ Be a U.S. citizen or have U.S. permanent resident alien status

§ Have graduated from high school prior to August 2020

§ Have completed a minimum of one year of studies at a college or university on or before January 2022

§ Be entering their junior year or entering their 4th year of a 5-year dual degree program in Fall 2022

§ Have a cumulative, minimum GPA of 2.5 (or equivalent) at the completion of the Fall Semester 2021

§ Be attending an accredited public or private college or university in the United States or its territories

§ Be pursuing a course of study related to the missions of the Association of State Floodplain Managers and ASFPM Foundation , which entail flood risk management or any of its related components

To learn more and/or apply, visit the ASFPM Foundation website. Any questions may be directed to asfpmfoundation@floods.org.

Your help is appreciated! We are asking that you use your networks within the floodplain management community including your relationships with colleges and universities to share information about this incredible opportunity. We believe our hope for a strong and resilient future begins with the support the Foundation provides through the Future Leaders Scholarship. Help us find our next rising star!

ASFPM Scolarship

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 16:11:51 GMT

Elizabeth Lacey, ASFPM Foundation Future Leaders Scholarship Recipient, shares her experiences as a 2021 Summer Intern with Michael Baker International

This summer I had the opportunity for an in-person internship with Michael Baker International that came through my professional networking with members of the ASFPM Foundation. This was only financially possible because the Foundation invited me to stay in its DC-based corporate apartment for the months I was there. Travelling to and living in the historic Washington, D.C. area this summer was one of the most positive and fascinating experiences that I have had. That, coupled with the tremendous team I worked with at Michael Baker and my mentor, Allison Andrews, reinforced my desire to pursue Civil Engineering. I am profoundly grateful to the ASFPM Foundation for the opportunity to expand my knowledge and learn how my degree can be applied in a real-world setting.

The two main projects that I worked on were determining the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for a 100-year flood in different areas and working on the hydraulics and hydrology of a bridge project. I learned much about the different types of programs and analysis methods that can be used to determine the BFE, and how to determine whether a structure or property was above or below that BFE. I also learned how to use HEC-RAS and the process of determining the impact of a bridge on water surface elevations and pier scour. Learning hydraulics and hydrology in a practical setting this summer has helped prepare me for my senior classes at Colorado State University. My on-the-job understanding of hydraulics and hydrology has transformed the theoretical knowledge of the textbook. Equally exciting was the opportunity to travel to downtown Washington to see firsthand FEMA Headquarters (see photo).

Throughout this summer, I was able to go in person to my internship and explore the Washington area, paying close attention to the COVID requirements that kept me safe. One of the most meaningful places to me was the National Mall, with the profound writings of those who walked before me and are honored in all the memorials and monuments. Experiencing the view at the top of the Washington Monument was one of my favorite things in that it showed me the bird’s-eye view of our Nation’s beginnings in the form of the beautiful City of Washington, and how it still thrives today. It was especially interesting to learn about the different ways that flooding has affected the monuments and memorials and how floodplain management has helped prevent some catastrophic events.

As I toured Washington and floated on the Potomac River on the ferry, the bridges and water management projects were a site to behold. Touring around Alexandria, VA and going to the Wharf to look out over the Potomac River was a fulfilling experience as I contemplated the older technology and methods that have been displaced by the current civil engineering methods.

I am looking forward to continuing to work with Michael Baker for the depth of projects they manage for their clients, and count it a privilege to be a part of the ASFPM Foundation. My partnering with both these organizations has allowed me to learn more about floodplain management than I would have merely in a college textbook! I am grateful to the ASFPM Foundation for the tremendous opportunity and the scholarship, which allowed me to take my desire to help others, which sprang from my family’s challenges with Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago, and see it come to fruition.

ASP Enterprises - Job Opportunity

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 17:17:29 GMT

ASP Enterprises is currently seeking candidates for Outside Technical Sales Representative. Click here for more information.

We're Looking for Virtual Tour Stops

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:16:46 GMT

In conjunction with our Annual Conference, we will have a Virtual Tour featuring some of the best projects to manage flooding and stormwater.

How it works: we'll play a video of each project, narrated by the project designers and owners. These videos can be either 25 minutes or 50 minutes in length. Then at the end of the video, we'll have a live Q&A session.

Do you have an amazing project? Do you have the ability to film it? Then we would love to include you as part of the tour. If you have an idea but are unsure about the technical details of filming, let us know and we can work through it with you.

The live event will be held on July 21. We are looking for sites to be submitted no later than May 1. You will be notified if you are selected no later than May 21, 2021 with final videos submitted by July 12, 2021. Click here to submit your project.

NeFSMA 2021 Annual Conference - Call for Abstracts

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 20:46:23 GMT

The Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NeFSMA) is pleased to announce the call for abstracts for our 2021 Annual Conference on July 22, 2021. NeFSMA is seeking professional and student abstracts for oral presentations that are applicable to one of the conference topic areas listed below. The conference welcomes presenters from students and professionals in Nebraska and across the United States.

Floodplain: Risk Management, Mapping and Flood Risk Mitigation: All aspects of floodplain management and mapping relevant to the local floodplain manager, planner, or engineer including but not limited to: minimum floodplain compliance standards, higher standards such as no adverse impact, floodplain mapping and related activities such as LOMCs, flood insurance, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, NFIP reform, activities or projects related to flood risk mitigation either pre- or post- flood event, or the NFIP’s Community Rating System.
Stormwater: Quantity and Quality Management: All aspects of stormwater management relevant to regulators, consultants, and developers. This includes discussion on policy, regulations, science, best practices and projects related to stormwater quantity, quality, and/or related infrastructure.
Real World Projects: We would like to have a particular focus placed on project results, successes including beneficial partnerships, and lessons learned overall rather than the project process. Additionally, higher consideration will be given to abstracts and presentations that include input and participation from the project sponsors (i.e., communities or agencies involved).

Instructions for Submitting Abstracts:

Abstracts must be submitted online by clicking here and filling out the form. Submissions in other formats will not be considered. You will be asked to provide a brief abstract of your project (please limit to 400 words) and your bio as well as contact information. The form will also request input for virtual presentation preference if we must transition the conference to a virtual format.

Abstracts must be received by 5:00 P.M. Wednesday, April 14, 2021. You will be notified no later than April 23, 2021 and will receive further guidelines for preparation of presentations. The registration fees for one presenter per presentation will be waived. No other expenses will be covered. If you have any questions please contact Committee Co-Chairs, Kellan Strauch at kstrauch@usgs.gov and Rocky Keehn at rocky.j.keehn@commonsensewre.com, or NeFSMA Chair Paul Woodward at pwoodward@papionrd.org.

Conference Logistics:

The conference will be held at the Younes Conference Center (map) in Kearney, Nebraska on July 22, 2021. Be on the lookout for more information including registration details in the coming weeks.

COVID-19 Information:

The safety, health and well-being of our attendees has always been the top priority and we will continue to monitor CDC and local city/state guidelines. At this time, we are unsure if we will have a full, in-person conference, a virtual conference, or a hybrid event. We will be making the decision no later than May 1, 2021.

If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor, please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

Please feel free to forward this to any colleagues or other interested groups who would consider presenting at the conference. We're always looking for great speakers!

Environmental Service Program & Development Manager Job Opening

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 19:44:14 GMT

The City of Sioux City, Iowa has a job opening for an Environmental Service Program & Development Manager. The selected candidate will be responsible for the review and development of plans, stormwater management and MS4 permit oversight, stormwater pollution prevention plan reviews, solid waste contracts and recycling. The person selected will develop and oversee an operating budget in excess of $5 million. Experience with budgeting and project oversight is preferred.

Click here for more information.

ASFPM Foundation Annual Report

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 16:40:45 GMT

The ASFPM Foundation is the non-profit organization that assists the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) with education and outreach. Since becoming the Nebraska state chapter of ASFPM in 2010, NeFSMA has supported the foundation in various ways.

Click here for the 2020 Annual Report to see what the Foundation accomplished last year.

Help with Funding Stormwater Projects

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:23:48 GMT

Attention NeFSMA members! We need your help reporting implementation ready stormwater projects for consideration of inclusion in the next stimulus bill by July 3rd. See message below.

Important Message from NMSA's (National Municipal Stormwater Alliance) Seth Brown for all MS4s

Please read Seth Brown's message below, it may be applicable to a project you are working on.

"NMSA Members and Friends of NMSA,

The National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (NMSA) is requesting information about local stormwater projects. Specifically, NMSA needs your assistance to prepare an estimate of the total value of “implementation-ready” stormwater projects across the U.S. in an effort to advocate for funding for these types of projects at the federal level. A web page has been established to enter information about your projects - see link below.

http://nationalstormwateralliance.org/implementation-ready…/

The total value of implementation-ready projects will provide information needed by the U.S. Congress as they consider funding of public infrastructure projects as part of an economic stimulus bill likely to be finalized in late summer or early fall of 2020.

It is common practice to utilize state revolving fund project lists when estimating funding needed for water sector infrastructure projects across the country. Stormwater projects, unfortunately, are chronically underrepresented in these lists. Therefore, NMSA is using the established online portal to create a list of ready-to-go stormwater projects to address this gap in information. This information will be compiled and sent to key Congressional contacts to be incorporated into the anticipated stimulus bill. Please submit your information by July 3. Also, please feel free to share the website link and information to as many others as you can to help us capture the full estimated value of implementation-ready projects across the country."

Seth Brown, NMSA

Maintaining Your CFM Certification

Tue, 26 May 2020 16:37:50 GMT

Due to limitations on in-person gatherings, the Association of State Floodplain Managers has provided some alternate ways to gain your required continuing education credits (CECs). Please check out the Training Tab on ASFPM's website if you are in need of CECs prior to your renewal date.

Additionally, ASFPM maintains a calendar of events that includes events by other ASFPM Chapters and organizations that may be useful to you.

We will continue to forward other opportunities to you as we become aware of them.

12th Annual Conference Cancelled

Thu, 07 May 2020 21:34:34 GMT

This week the NeFSMA Board of Directors made the decision to cancel the 12th Annual Conference, originally scheduled for July 23, 2020. With so much uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 virus, we felt that this was the right course of action for the safety of our members and conference guests.

At this time, we are continuing to plan for our Annual Membership Meeting on November 19, 2020 at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum.

For Certified Floodplain Managers, we know you may be concerned about meeting all your continuing education requirements. We will be sending information regularly over the next few months about online training opportunities. Additionally, we will look to expand the number of credits available at the Annual Membership Meeting and are considering if we may be able to offer webinars to help you maintain your certification.

Please watch your emails and our website for more information about upcoming events. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

NeFSMA 12th Annual Conference

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 19:08:58 GMT

During this time of uncertainty, NeFSMA's board of directors is continuing to monitor guidelines issued for meetings and gatherings. Currently our 12th Annual Conference is scheduled for July 23, 2020.

However, we will be meeting on May 5, 2020 to make a final decision on whether to move forward with that date or consider an alternate date that would combine our conference and our membership meeting.

At this time, we ask that you still submit your conference abstracts by 5 pm on April 22, 2020. Click here for more information about the conference and abstract submittal.

We hope that you are all staying safe during this difficult time.

NeFSMA Board of Directors

Facebook Fundraisers

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 16:54:24 GMT

In light of the recent flooding events in Nebraska, several fundraisers have been set up on Facebook. NeFSMA has not had any part in these fundraisers; they have been coordinated by people who are wanting to help with recovery efforts. From discussions with Network for Good, a company that helps Facebook to process online donations, it appears that some of them are legitimate fundraisers and that NeFSMA will receive the funds. HOWEVER, we cannot guarantee that all of them are. Please use caution if you see one of these on Facebook.

While we are very grateful for the support that has been shown through Facebook fundraisers, we are not an aid or relief organization. Our main focus is on educating Nebraska’s professionals who work in all aspects of floodplain and stormwater management. Any funds that we receive through these fundraisers will be donated to American Red Cross or similar local aid organization to make sure that they are used to help people in Nebraska.

Call for Abstracts - NeFSMA 11th Annual Conference

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 15:32:45 GMT

Call for Abstracts

Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association

Eleventh Annual Conference

“What Can Green Do For You?”

July 11, 2019

Lied Lodge

Nebraska City, NE

The Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association (NeFSMA) is pleased to announce the call for abstracts for our Eleventh Annual Conference. NeFSMA is seeking professional and student abstracts for oral presentations that are applicable to one of the three conference topic areas listed below. This year’s conference theme is: “What Can Green Do For You?”. Presentations with an emphasis on green space and green infrastructure links to stormwater and floodplain management in riverfront and community space development will be given priority in abstract selection. The conference welcomes presenters from inside and outside Nebraska.

Ø Floodplain: Risk Management, Mapping and Flood Risk Mitigation: All aspects of floodplain management and mapping relevant to the local floodplain manager, planner, or engineer including but not limited to: minimum floodplain compliance standards, higher standards such as no adverse impact, floodplain mapping and related activities such as LOMCs, flood insurance, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, NFIP reform, activities or projects related to flood risk mitigation either pre- or post- flood event, or the NFIP’s Community Rating System.

Ø Stormwater: Quantity and Quality Management: All aspects of stormwater management relevant to regulators, consultants, and developers. This includes discussion on policy, regulations, science, best practices and projects related to stormwater quantity, quality, and/or related infrastructure.

Ø What Can Green Do For You?: This year we would like to highlight successes and lessons learned in addressing stormwater and floodplain challenges and implementation successes in community-wide riverfront (including other major drainageways through communities) and community green space development. What programs or projects have been implemented at the local level? Have partnerships among communities and other organizations been helpful to implement programs to address issues unique to your area?

Instructions for Submitting Abstracts:

Abstracts must be submitted online by clicking here and filling out the form. Abstracts in other formats will not be considered. You will be asked to provide a brief abstract of your project (please limit to 400 words) and your bio as well as contact information.

Most presentations will be 30 minutes in length (25-minute presentation and 5 minutes for questions). However, we may have the opportunity for some longer presentations, if you are interested in a 60-minute presentation (55-minute presentation, 5 minutes for questions) make sure to request that option on the form. Please note that all presentations may be posted to our website at www.nefsma.com following the conference so we will save a copy of your PowerPoint for posting on our webpage.

Abstracts must be received by 5:00 P.M. Friday, April 5, 2019. Authors of abstracts accepted for presentation will be notified no later than April 19, 2019 and will receive further guidelines for preparation of presentations. The registration fees for presenters will be waived. No other expenses will be covered. If you have any questions please contact Committee Co-Chairs, Kellan Strauch at kstrauch@usgs.gov and Rocky Keehn at rocky.j.keehn@commonsensewre.com or NeFSMA Chair John Callen at jcallen@jeo.com.

Conference Logistics:

The conference will be held at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center (map) Nebraska City, Nebraska on July 11, 2019. Be on the lookout for more information including registration details in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can contact the Lied Lodge at 800-546-5433 to take advantage of the special NeFSMA room rate if you plan to stay overnight.

Sponsorship opportunities are available that support the conference and hospitality events the evening before. If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor, please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

Please feel free to forward this to any colleagues or other interested groups who would consider presenting at the conference. We're always looking for great speakers!

NMSA Update - Senate Passes WRDA Bill

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 15:25:57 GMT

On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, the Senate approved the biennial Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which included a provision that originated with, and was supported by NMSA. The bill, known as America's Water Infrastructure Act (S. 3021), was previously passed by the House of Representatives.

The bill includes a new stormwater financing federal taskforce.. The WRDA sets up a task force, "composed of federal, state, and local governments and private (including nonprofit) entities to conduct a study on, and develop recommendations to improve, the availability of public and private sources of funding for the construction, rehabilitation, and operation and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure to meet the requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.)”

NMSA is dedicated to assisting permittees in implementing their stormwater programs. The task force created under the WRDA bill will assist permittees in improving funding for stormwater and helping to fulfill NMSA’s vision of providing clean water for the nation.

This is a great step forward. Thank you for your continued support.

Scott Taylor, P.E., D.WRE, FASCE

Chair, National Municipal Stormwater Alliance

Kearney Stormwater Tour

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 20:14:24 GMT

Laurel Badura with Fish and Wildlife Service, Funk Nebraska Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District, has been added as a speaker on the Kearney High School Outdoor Learning Area (KOLA) Site Tour. She will highlight the role of the Fish and Wildlife on this project, what they see as the future benefits to this project, and how the FWS can support these types of projects in the area. To hear Laurel and all the other great speakers we have lined up for the tour and conference click here to register.

Disk Golf - Cottonmill Park - July 18, 2018

Wed, 23 May 2018 20:03:58 GMT

The "Pre-Social" Social!

If you are a disk golfer (Frisbee golf) and would like to play one of the premier disk golf courses in Nebraska please join Chuck Chase, Outreach Coordinator, Floodplain Management Section, NE DNR, for 9 (maybe more) holes of golf at Cottonmill Park Disk Golf Course. There is no charge, you just need to bring your own disks or we will find a partner who will lend you a disk to play the course. After you are done playing disk golf, there is plenty of time to get back to the NeFSMA social at the Younes Conference Center which will go from 7 to 11 pm that evening!

More information for this event and registration for all of our conference activities will be available soon. If you're planning to attend the conference and will need hotel accommodations in Kearney, a block of rooms has been set up at the Fairfield Inn and Suites. Please call (308) 236-4200 and ask for the NeFSMA group rate.

Hydrology Workshop (Pre-NeFSMA Conference Event)

Tue, 22 May 2018 20:18:37 GMT

Please join us for a free workshop on Hydrology from 9:00am to noon on July 18, 2018 at the Central Community College in Kearney. This workshop will cover the most common methods of calculating the 1% Annual Chance (100-Year) flow values. The content of the course is designed to be approachable to local floodplain managers as well as insightful for engineers. Registration is required and limited to 40 individuals. Information for this and all of our conference activities will be available soon.

If you're planning to attend the conference and will need hotel accommodations in Kearney, a block of rooms has been set up at the Fairfield Inn and Suites. Please call (308) 236-4200 and ask for the NeFSMA group rate.

Kearney Kayak Tour

Thu, 03 May 2018 13:49:50 GMT

Have you ever wanted to see a stormwater outfall up close and personal? If the answer is yes, you're in luck!

On July 18, 2018 (just one day before our 10th Annual Conference) you can join NeFSMA in a kayak tour of Kearney Canal. This canal is a major drainage way in Kearney. The NPPD Tailrace joins with Turkey Creek which is the beginning of the North Channel of the Platte River.

On the tour, you will see clean-up efforts undertaken by the Kearney Whitewater Association and much of Kearney's stormwater system.

The tour will start at 6:00 pm on July 18, 2018 and take about 1.5 hours. No kayak experience is needed. The cost of the tour is $30 per person and space is limited to the first 30 people who register. Registration information for this and all of our conference activities will be available soon.

2018 NeFSMA Stormwater Tour

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:21:42 GMT

Mark your calendar for July 18, 2018! In conjunction with our Annual Conference in Kearney, we will be offering a great green infrastructure tour.

The tour will include four sites in Kearney, including projects at Kearney Public Works, Central Community College, and Kearney High School.

All the tour details and registration information will be available in early May. You don't want to miss it!

Call for Abstracts - NeFSMA 10th Annual Conference

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 15:30:00 GMT

NeFSMA is pleased to announce the Call for Abstracts for our Tenth Annual Conference, "Nebraska's Water: Management at the Local Level" on July 19, 2018 in Kearney, Nebraska.

Click here for abstract submittal information.

Abstracts must be received by 5:00 P.M. Friday, April 13, 2018. Authors of abstracts accepted for presentation will be notified no later than April 26, 2018 and will receive further guidelines for preparation of presentations. The registration fees for presenters will be waived. No other expenses will be covered. If you have any questions please contact Committee Co-Chairs, Kellan Strauch at kstrauch@usgs.gov, Rocky Keehn at rocky.j.keehn@commonsensewre.com or NeFSMA Chair John Callen at jcallen@jeo.com.

Conference Logistics:

The conference will be held at the Younes Conference Center (http://www.younes.com/) in Kearney, Nebraska on July 19, 2018. There will be an educational workshop and a tour prior to the conference on July 18, 2018. Be on the lookout for more information including registration details in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can contact the Fairfield Inn and Suites at (308) 236-4200 to take advantage of the special NeFSMA room rate if you plan to stay overnight.

We also plan to have a hospitality room at the conference center the evening of July 18. If your organization or business would like to be a sponsor for the social please go to https://nefsma.com/Sponsorship for more information.

CFM Exam Offered January 31

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 21:29:48 GMT

The Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) exam will be offered in Omaha on January 31, 2018 at the Papio-Missouri River NRD (8901 S. 154th St., Omaha). We will offer a study session beforehand. The schedule is below:

8:30 – 11:30 – study session

11:30 – 12:45 – lunch on your own

1:15 – 4:15 – Exam

For more information on applying for and preparing for the exam, see the following links. Please note that all applications to take the exam must go through ASFPM and be received two weeks prior to the exam date. If you are not on the ASFPM approved list, you will not be able to take the exam. Applications need to be submitted by January 17, 2018 in order to be considered. Costs for the exam are lower if you are an ASFPM member, however, you do not need to be a member to take the exam.

Application Information: http://www.floods.org/index.asp?menuid=405&firstlevelmenuid=180&siteid=1

Exam Prep Guide: http://www.floods.org/index.asp?menuID=215&firstlevelmenuID=180&siteID=1- preparation materials

NFIP Desk Reference: http://www.floods.org/index.asp?menuid=388&firstlevelmenuid=180&siteid=1- preparation materials

Please contact Chuck Chase at Nebraska DNR at chuck.chase@nebraska.gov or (402) 471-9422 with any questions.

2017 ASFPM Conference

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 21:55:51 GMT

This year's ASFPM conference will be held in Kansas City and we'd love to see a great turnout from Nebraska!

This is the world's largest and most comprehensive floodplain management conference. The conference will be April 30 - May 5, 2017, at the Kansas City Convention Center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

This year's theme is "Managing Flood Risk in the Heartland" and will feature several presentations from our very own members on a variety of topics. This conference isn't just for floodplain administrators. Engineers, planners, surveyors, stormwater managers and many others can benefit from the broad range of session topics and workshops.

We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to attend this national conference so close to home!

For more information about the conference or to register, please go to www.asfpmconference.org.

2017 Spring Stormwater Symposium

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 16:08:00 GMT

2017 Spring Stormwater Symposium

March 8, 2017

UNO Scott Conference Center, Omaha, NE

The 2017 Spring Stormwater Symposium brings together professionals from both public and private sectors to learn from local, regional and national experts. The Symposium will focus on examples of stormwater program funding & management, and also dive deep into the life cycle of a successful stormwater management project from a team that made it happen.

The Symposium is a collaboration of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Floodplain & Stormwater Managers Association (NeFSMA), and the Great Rivers Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association (GRIECA). Supporting sponsors include: UNO Center for Urban Sustainability, the City of Omaha Stormwater Program, Douglas County Environmental Services, and Nebraska H20.

Program Highlights:

Regional Water Quality Trading - Seth Brown, President of Storm and Stream Solutions, Inc.
Wichita MS4 Program: Pollutant Banking - Ron Graber, Watershed Specialist at Kansas State University
Spring Lake: A Case Study for Low Impact Development
- Jim Theiler - City of Omaha
- John Royster- Big Muddy Workshop
- Emily Holtzclaw - CH2M
- Rocky Keehn - SEH
- Ryan Bentley - Big Muddy Workshop
- Sorin Juster - Kirkham Michael
- Nina Cudahy or Andy Szatko - City of Omaha
- Pat Slaven - City of Omaha Parks Department
- Janet Bonet - Resident
- Steve Rodie - UNO
Panel Discussion: Finding Solutions to Municipal Stormwater Program Funding Challenges
- Seth Brown, President of Storm and Stream Solutions, Inc.
- Heath Mello, Former State Senator
- Donna Garden, Assistant Director of Public Works for City of Lincoln
- Dan Lillis, Stormwater Coordinator for City of Kearney
- Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Representative

Who Should Attend?

We can learn a lot from nature. Low Impact Development (LID) is an approach to land development and redevelopment that works with the local environment to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible. It focuses on preserving or creating natural landscape features and practices that mimic the processes we find in nature, which effectively manage stormwater.

Are you a member of the design, development or construction community? Are you interested in ensuring quality sustainable growth in your city? Do you want to learn how to turn a "waste product" into a resource? This symposium is for you! Architects, citizens, developers, engineers, government officials, landscape architects, landscape designers, students, researchers, teachers and all others interested in the broader acceptance of interdisciplinary design approaches critical to successful LID are encouraged to attend.

Click here to register for the Symposium.

Click here to secure exhibitor space.

Click here for the complete program.

For additional sponsorship opportunities and group rates please email iecagreatriver@gmail.com.

NeFSMA Members Featured in Stormwater Magazine

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 16:44:08 GMT

In the September issue of Stormwater, the City of Omaha's green infrastructure projects of their CSO program were featured.

Several members of NeFSMA were quoted in the article. Congrats to Nina Cudahy (City of Omaha), John Royster (Big Muddy Workshop), Katie Pekarek (UNL Extension), and Steve Rodie (UNO) for the national recognition of the great work you're doing!

You can read the article here.

2016 Omaha Green Infrastructure Tour

Fri, 19 Aug 2016 14:00:00 GMT

Registration is now open for the annual Omaha Green Infrastructure Tour.

On September 15, the UNL Stormwater Team, the City of Omaha Stormwater Program, and the UNO Center for Urban Sustainability will be sponsoring the annual Omaha Green Infrastructure Tour. This year’s tour will provide a great opportunity to see how people across the city are implementing porous pavements, bioretention gardens, green spaces, wetlands, green roofs, tree planters and more! More information is available at water.unl.edu/stormwater. Registration is available online at go.unl.edu/OmahaGreenInfrastructureTour

2016 Green Infrastructure Tour.jpg

Volunteer Opportunities!

Mon, 09 May 2016 15:30:40 GMT

One of NeFSMA’s core goals is to promote public awareness of floodplain and stormwater management. We are looking for volunteers from the NeFSMA community to help accomplish this important goal. We currently have three opportunities available for volunteers to help demonstrate NeFSMA’s floodplain model. We are looking for 2 to 3 volunteers to fill each available time slot. This is a very fun and rewarding way to help educate our community about floodplains.

Event #1 – Demonstrate Floodplain Model and discuss the importance of floodplain and stormwater management for visiting families at the Omaha Children’s Museum

Date: May 21st, 2016

Location: Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S 20th Street, Omaha, NE

Time Slot #1: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Time Slot #2: 12:00 P.M – 3:00 P.M.

Click here to sign up for this event.

Event #2 – Demonstrate Floodplain Model and discuss the importance of floodplain and stormwater management for visitors for Lincoln’s 2016 Waterfest

Date: June 4th, 2016

Location: Holmes Lake Park, 70th & Normal, Lincoln, NE

Time Slot #1: 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Click here to sign up for this event.

Event #3 – Demonstrate Floodplain Model and discuss the importance of floodplain and stormwater management for visiting families at the Omaha Children’s Museum

Date: August 13th, 2016

Location: Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S 20th Street, Omaha, NE

Time Slot #1: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Time Slot #2: 12:00 P.M – 3:00 P.M.

Click here to sign up for this event.

Training on the flood model demonstration can be provided. If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Mike McIntosh at 402-496-2498.

Sustainability Launchpad

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 16:47:29 GMT

The University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Urban Sustainability is hosting "Accelerating Innovative Urban Ideas in Water" a panel discussion about current critical regional water issues and how to address them.

You are invited to participate in a conversation with state and local water experts to discuss challenges and opportunities relevant to urban sustainability. Meet with other attendees to enjoy complimentary food and drinks, and participate in a dialogue on water quality, availability, policy, politics, and citizen engagement. In addition, this will be the LAST EVENING that the Kaneko Water Exhibit will be open.

This panel discussion will be held on April 22, 2016 at The Kaneko, 1111 Jones Street in Omaha.

Click here for more information or to RSVP.

NeFSMA Gear!

Wed, 20 Jan 2016 14:53:42 GMT

Have you been considering ordering a NeFSMA shirt? Well, now's your chance to order and save.

We will be putting in a group order at the end of January for a 15% discount. You can see all the items we have to offer here.

If you're interested please email Rocky Keehn at rkeehn@sehinc.com with your choice and size by January 29th.

2016 NeFSMA Photo Contest

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 21:27:56 GMT

It's hard to believe that 2015 is almost behind us. It's been a great year for us and we hope it was for you as well.

As we start to prepare for the new year, we are looking at doing a few new things. One will be a 2016 photo contest.

We're looking for the best pictures you can send of your projects. No project is too small, no flood too large. We want to see Nebraska and our members at their finest!

At the end of the year, we will choose the best photos to feature in a wall calendar to be available at our Annual Membership meeting in November.

Photos can be sent to nefsma@hotmail.com throughout the year. If you submit a photo, please provide a brief description of the subject, the names and professional affiliations of any persons in the photo, and the name and affiliation of the person who took the photo.

We want to wish you all a happy and safe holiday season and we can't wait to see what our members will do next year!

NeFSMA Made the News!

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 18:22:00 GMT

The Lincoln Journal Star was in attendance at our Annual Conference on July 30.

Here's a link to their write-up of our Keynote Address discussing the May 7, 2015 flooding in Lincoln.

Flood control dams did their job; four lakes set record storing May storm.

We Need Your Pictures!

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:57:19 GMT

There have been a lot of flooding events in Nebraska over the last year. And we know our members always have awesome projects in the works.

If you have some high-quality pictures of flooding or a new project that has been installed, or even an old project that's working well, we want to feature them at our upcoming Annual Conference!

These must be your original photos and by sending them you are giving us permission to display them publicly.

Please send your photos to Lori Laster at llaster@papionrd.org along with a caption describing the photo, the names of any people featured in the photo, and the name and employer of the person who took the photo.

They must be received by July 24 to be considered!

EPA Region VII Will Speak At Annual Conference

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 21:13:11 GMT

EPA Region VII has accepted our invitation to participate in the Clean Water Act Round Table discussion at our Annual conference. To aid in our discussion, a survey will be sent to those registered for the conference. This will allow us to group similar questions and try to cover as many questions as possible. We will also allocate time for questions during the discussion.

Thank you EPA Region VII for participating!

Click here for more information about our conference.

7th Annual Conference

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 14:12:09 GMT

We are excited to announce our 7th Annual Conference will be held July 30, 2015 at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City!

We are in the process of finalizing the agenda, but it's shaping up to be our best conference yet.

Once again, we will partner with Nebraska Silver Jackets to bring you a pre-conference workshop on July 29, 2015, also in Nebraska City.

And if you will be joining us for both events, we have a block of rooms at the Lied Lodge (800.546.5433).

Click here more information or to register.

Nebraska Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association Untitled page

2025 Annual Conference Call for Abstracts

July 17, 2025 Younes Conference Center North Kearney, Nebraska

National Municipal Stormwater Alliance Update

Notice of Proposed Changes to Bylaws

Save the Date! 2024 Annual Conference

2024 Annual Conference - Call for Abstracts

July 18, 2024 Younes Conference Center North Kearney, Nebraska

2023 Annual Conference Call for Abstracts

ASFPM Foundation 12th Annual Collegiate Student Paper Competition

ASFPM Future Leaders Scholarship

Duration of Scholarship:

Amount of Scholarship and What It Covers:

Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

ASFPM Scolarship

ASP Enterprises - Job Opportunity

We're Looking for Virtual Tour Stops

NeFSMA 2021 Annual Conference - Call for Abstracts

Environmental Service Program & Development Manager Job Opening

ASFPM Foundation Annual Report

Help with Funding Stormwater Projects

Maintaining Your CFM Certification

12th Annual Conference Cancelled

NeFSMA 12th Annual Conference

Facebook Fundraisers

Call for Abstracts - NeFSMA 11th Annual Conference

NMSA Update - Senate Passes WRDA Bill

Kearney Stormwater Tour

Disk Golf - Cottonmill Park - July 18, 2018

Hydrology Workshop (Pre-NeFSMA Conference Event)

Kearney Kayak Tour

2018 NeFSMA Stormwater Tour

Call for Abstracts - NeFSMA 10th Annual Conference

CFM Exam Offered January 31

2017 ASFPM Conference

2017 Spring Stormwater Symposium

2017 Spring Stormwater Symposium

March 8, 2017

UNO Scott Conference Center, Omaha, NE

Who Should Attend?

NeFSMA Members Featured in Stormwater Magazine

2016 Omaha Green Infrastructure Tour

Volunteer Opportunities!

Sustainability Launchpad

NeFSMA Gear!

2016 NeFSMA Photo Contest

NeFSMA Made the News!

We Need Your Pictures!

EPA Region VII Will Speak At Annual Conference

7th Annual Conference

July 17, 2025
Younes Conference Center North
Kearney, Nebraska

July 18, 2024
Younes Conference Center North
Kearney, Nebraska