Water Conservation: half-empty or half-full?

Population increase and new real estate development largely determine the water use and stormwater runoff trends in southern states. Can extension programs make a difference in planning of new subdivisions? How can extension programs be designed to target such audiences as planners and developers? And what types of information will these audiences need? These are some of the questions that were discussed in this webinar.

Note: The webinar was recorded on April 26, 2011.

Topics Discussed:

A Florida Perspective on Water Conservation for Developers – 101

Presenter: Pierce Jones, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Program for Resource Efficient Communities, University of Florida (bio)

Dr. Jones discussed the potential impacts of urban development on Florida water resources. He also presented a specific case study, the master plan for the community of Restoration. The changes to the master plan allowed for significant annual reduction in water use for landscape irrigation with corresponding cost and energy savings.

To access the presentation slides, click here (.pdf, 2.7 MB)

Additional Resources:
• Canin B. and P. Jones. 2010. Measuring Sustainable Community Design. Case Study: Restoration. By Design: a Cann Associates Publication. 27(1): 1 (.pdf)
• Program for Resource Efficient Communities – Homepage

Water Conservation and Stormwater Management for Developers: extension programs in Oklahoma

Presenter: Jason Vogel, Ph.D., P.E., Assistant Professor and Extension Stormwater Specialist, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University (bio)

Dr. Vogel discussed the methods used by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service to reach new target audiences: development consultants, planners, designers, engineers. These methods include workshops, demonstration sites, and on-line resources (including the atlas of low impact development sites).

To access the presentation slides, click here (.pdf, 2.5 MB)

Additional Resources:
• Oklahoma Low Impact Development (library of resources available from the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University)
• Oklahoma Low Impact Development: bioretention cells and rain gardens
• Oklahoma Low Impact Development: pervious pavement
• Oklahoma Gardening show about pervious concrete (click here for more videos)
• Oklahoma Low Impact Development: green roofs
• National Low Impact Development database

Sustainable Urban Water Systems: Diversity, Adaptation, Resilience

Presenter: Paul W. Lander, PhD, ASLA, LEED AP; Principal, Dakota Ridge Partnership; Lecturer, University of Colorado (bio)

Dr. Lander presented an overview of the opportunities available for developers to better serve their customers and reduce resource impacts through water conservation.

To access the presentation slides, click here (.pdf, 1.4 MB)

Additional Resources (.pdf)

Recording:

The webinar recording is available in the following formats:
• Audio recording with complimentary presentations.
  You can listen to audio only recording using Windows Media Player by clicking here. Complementary set of presentations is available here (.pdf, 5.7 MB).
• Elluminate Live! on-line collaborative environment.
  Elluminate Live! recording is available here.
• Narrated presentations.
  Narrated webinar presentations are available upon request. Contact Tatiana Borisova tborisova@ufl.edu

Question and Answer Session:

Responses to the questions received during the webinar are available here (.pdf) .