Krousel, Elizabeth

Ms. Krousel is the stormwater and miscellaneous environmental compliance manager for Michael Baker International’s Virginia Beach, Virginia...

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About Krousel, Elizabeth

Ms. Krousel is the stormwater and miscellaneous environmental compliance manager for Michael Baker International’s Virginia Beach, Virginia Office. She has 30 years of experience in the water quality management and environmental compliance field assisting local, state and federal clients. Specific technical experience includes stormwater program planning, sustainability initiatives, environmental compliance, regulatory negotiation, permitting, watershed assessments, waste-load allocation studies, public outreach and involvement, stakeholder meeting facilitation, erosion and sedimentation control plans, funding feasibility and stormwater utility studies. Ms. Krousel earned her BS in Civil Engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA and her MS in Civil/Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin, TX. She holds a PE license in VA, GA and LA and is an NCEES record holder

Krousel, Elizabeth

Titles from this speaker

Maintaining Stormwater Control Measures To Protect The Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

Background:
Many water, wastewater and stormwater systems are working on improving the management of their built infrastructure. One approach being used is asset management. However, in this program, the assets are all man-made (pumps, tanks, pipe, wells, treatment units, etc.) There are other organizations working on green infrastructure and how green infrastructure can help:
a. Reduce pollution entering storm drains
b. Reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff
c. Reduce the size of the built infrastructure
d. Protect source water e. Encourage aquifer recharge
There are major concerns related to the decaying (often erroneously called 'aging') infrastructure and the cost that operating, maintaining, and replacing this infrastructure will entail. The affordability of maintaining a high standard of treatment for both water and wastewater is also a question, particularly in low income communities and communities of color.
Asset management and capital improvement plans help utilities plan for the realities of decaying infrastructure but do not incorporate natural assets (forested lands, buffer zones, green infrastructure.) These assets can be an integral part of the treatment process given that the environment naturally absorbs and filters water via soils and plants. It acts as a purifier, a barrier and a reservoir. Pollution of our water systems continues to be a problem particularly in large cities. As stormwater drains through gutters and storm sewers it is ultimately discharged into nearby waterways. These waters contain trash, bacteria, oil, heavy metals and other pollutants. These floodwaters can also cause property, infrastructure, and habitat damage.
Water scarcity/security â€“ increasing temperatures, reduction of ground water, reduced snowpack cause concerns regarding sustainability of communities. Natural systems can help encourage water retention or aquifer recharge.
All of these issues intersect in the concept of mixing green and gray infrastructure in a single asset management program. Often, the green and gray infrastructure are thought of and managed by different entities, governmental agencies, or different departments within a community. This approach has the negative affect of creating barriers to greater implementation of green or natural infrastructure. When capital projects are considered, the focus may be solely on the gray infrastructure, not the holistic picture that includes green options. If both the green and gray infrastructure were considered in the same asset management program, different decisions could be made. The green infrastructure could be valued appropriately for the benefits it provides. This combination of green and gray into a single asset management framework is not meant to value green over gray but rather to value green with gray so that holistic effective, data-driven decisions can be made. The benefits of Green Infrastructure include but are not limited to: - Can help meet regulatory requirements - It's above ground and highly visible, aesthetically pleasing â€“ good PR for cities, can sway public opinion - In asset management we talk a lot about preventative versus reactive maintenance/ management but adding green infrastructure will also create an adaptive management approach. - Generate public awareness - Cost reduction - Improved water quality - Reduces risk management - Improved water quality and efficiency improves water security Green Gray AM Framework: The SW EFC has developed an asset management approach that blends green and gray infrastructure. Each component of asset management incorporates green infrastructure. Some examples: - Inventory of green components of the overall system, which may include buffer zones on rivers, recharge zones, parks, pervious pavement, bioswales, biortentention - Development of level of service goals that incorporate goals related to source water protection, reduction of stormwater, retention of stormwater, improved stormwater quality - Examine the criticality of the green infrastructure in the same way that the gray has always been considered - Create a balanced set of performance metrics using the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) of social, financial and environmental that incorporates green infrastructure and sustainability concepts - Funding â€“ consider environmental and social benefits, in addition to financial benefits, for future investments The green gray asset management framework also includes a green asset database which provides an introduction to the types of green infrastructure or natural systems that can be included in an asset management plan for water, wastewater, and stormwater. It also includes general information about each of these types of assets. The green gray asset management framework and database are free, on-line resources available to anyone. The links to these resources are provided below.
Green Gray Asset Framework: https://swefc.unm.edu/iamf/ Green Asset Database: https://swefcapps.unm.edu/gardb
Purpose of the Talk:
This talk will introduce attendees to the benefits of incorporating green assets into asset management, discuss the considerations of incorporating green assets into each phase of asset management (current state of the assets, level of service, criticality, life-cycle costing, and long-term funding.) The talk will also include examples from case studies for systems implementing green asset management. Lessons learned from these communities in incorporating green assets will also presented. Additionally, the talk will tell the attendees about the resources available to them to improve their ability to implement a green gray asset management program. What attendees will get out of the talk: - Attendees will understand why green assets should be incorporated within a gray asset management program. - Attendees will learn how to incorporate green assets into their gray asset management programs. - Attendees will understand some of the special considerations related to incorporating green assets into their existing strategies. - Attendees will learn about free resources available to help utilities implement this approach.

The Chesapeake Bay TMDL is the largest developed by the US EPA encompassing six states (DE, MD, NY, PA, VA, WV) and the District of Columbia (DC). The associated 'pollution diet' requirements are included in the MS4 permits of each state and DC. The permits require construction and maintenance of stormwater control measures (SCMs) to meet pollutant load reduction requirements. This paper presents the results of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network's survey on SCM maintenance and other MS4 permit is

SpeakerKrousel, Elizabeth

Presentation time

14:05:00

14:20:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

TopicIntermediate Level, Nutrients, Stormwater and Green Infrastructure, Utility Management and Leadership, Watershed Management, Water Quality, and Groundwater

Author(s)

Krousel, Elizabeth

Author(s)Elizabeth Krousel1; David Wood2

Author affiliation(s)Michael Baker International, Virginia Beach, VA1; Chesapeake Stormwater Network, Baltimore, MD 2

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2022

DOI10.2175/193864718825158648

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count10

Overcoming Industrial Stormwater Permit Challenges at a Large Naval Installation

Abstract

Industrial activities at Department of Defense installations, such as those operated by the Navy, include hazardous material handling/storage and vehicle (truck/ship/airplane) maintenance. These activities are often conducted outdoors and exposed to rainfall. Because rainfall runoff can transport pollutants to nearby waterways either directly or via a storm drain system, federal regulations at 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)(i)-(xi) require stormwater discharges associated with specific categories of industrial activity to be covered under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Although Phase 1 of the industrial NPDES stormwater permit has been in place since 1990, the regulated community would benefit significantly from sharing lessons learned on reducing regulatory burden and streamlining compliance activities. This paper and associated presentation address lessons learned while overcoming the challenges faced by Naval Station Norfolk (NSN) on complying with their industrial stormwater permit issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ). Objectives of the paper and presentation include:
- Identifying the current challenges with Phase 1 stormwater permit compliance which have evolved over the past 30 years.
- 2) Identifying logistical challenges associated with the annual update of an industrial stormwater pollution prevention program (SWPPP) for NSN, which covers several industrial sectors, numerous standard industrial classification (SIC) codes, over 100 tenant commands, and a transient work force: and###- 3) Sharing lessons learned on the most problematic programmatic best management practices (BMPs) that reduce regulatory burden, while maintaining good stewardship of the environment and associated water resources.

The following conference paper was presented at WEFTEC 2021, October 16-20, 2021. To read the full abstract, see "Abstract" tab below.

SpeakerKrousel, Elizabeth

Presentation time

8:50:00

09:10:00

Session time

08:30:00

10:00:00

SessionIndustrial Stormwater: Emerging Requirements, Historical Challenges, and Cutting-edge Treatment Technology

Session number408

TopicFundamental Level, Industrial Issues and Treatment Technologies, Policy and Regulation, Stormwater, Green Infrastructure, and Wet Weather

Author(s)

Elizabeth Krousel

Author(s)L. Webb3; M. Sauer5; E. Krousel1; J.S. Kelly2; T. Harris4;

Author affiliation(s)Michael Baker International, Virginia Beach, VA1,3,4Michael Baker International, Manassas, VA2NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, VA5

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct, 2021

DOI10.2175/193864718825158088

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count11

Base text size -

Krousel, Elizabeth

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