Speaker Bio

Van Clothier has a degree in physics. His firm, Stream Dynamics, Inc., turns runoff and erosion problems into water harvesting opportunities. He has completed the River Restoration and Natural Channel Design courses taught by Dr. Dave Rosgen. He is the co-author with Bill Zeedyk of a book called Let the Water Do the Work: Induced Meandering, an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels , published November, 2009. He received his Water Harvesting Certification from Watershed Management Group in 2011. Stream Dynamics, Inc. has built many wildland and urban projects, including building water harvesting features at 84 sites in Silver City, NM.

Abstract

Urban stormwater runoff comes from hardscape, poorly drained properties, and natural areas upslope from the city. Typical drainage design accepts stormwater from private property, then keeps this growing flood of water on the public right-of-way until discharging it erosively into the nearest arroyo, blowing it out with polluted stormwater and sediment. Traditional street design with curb and gutter has dried out the neighborhood blocks, and kept the streets flooded. A satellite photo of your city will show that most of the greenspaces available for water harvesting are on private land blocked by curbs. Stream Dynamics, Inc. has been turning nuisance stormwater into a water resource in our town. We have legally diverted urban stormwater onto private property at 20 locations in Silver City, NM. More and more people want us to cut their curbs and redirect this water to flow into their orchards, gardens and landscaping, irrigating for free!