Call for Abstracts

CASQA 2023 Call for Abstracts: Information and Requirements (PDF)

Thoroughly read the information in this document before submitting your abstract via the button to the online submittal form provided at the bottom of this web page. The document includes:

• Conference theme and description
• Track descriptions
• Presentation/session type definitions
• Abstract submission evaluation criteria
• Abstract submission requirements and guidelines
• Speaker, panelist, and poster presenter registration information

The Call for Abstracts is open to technical presentations, posters, panel discussions, and training workshops. Track descriptions and presentation/session type definitions are provided on this page and in the PDF document. To integrate the conference all presentation/session types will be incorporated throughout the conference agenda. Submissions will be reviewed by the Technical Program coordinators and track-specific review teams.

To be considered, an abstract (5,000-character maximum including spaces) must concisely describe the proposed technical presentation, poster, panel, or training workshop. Abstracts must be relevant to the conference theme and the track to which submitted. The abstract itself is the sole basis for selection; supplemental data will not be accepted. Abstracts must meet all CASQA abstract submission requirements.

Submitter Requirements

The abstract submitter must be one of the following depending on the presentation type for which you are submitting:

• Primary Speaker (Technical Presentation)
• Poster Presenter (Poster)
• Moderator (Panel or Training Workshop)

All speakers and/or panelists and their details are required to be provided at the time of submittal or the submission will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Adhere to the limits as given in the ‘Presentation / Session Type Definitions’ on this page and in the document PDF. Substitution of speakers and panelists following both submittal and selections is not allowed without advance approval from CASQA.

Tracks

BMP Effectiveness

This track will focus on advances in BMP performance and in BMP effectiveness assessment methods for treatment control and source control practices. Assessment methods include performance monitoring, benchtop special studies, innovative assessment methods, operation and maintenance practice assessments, challenges, and solutions, and/or lessons learned/case studies.

Climate Change, Resiliency, and Sustainability

This track will look at climate resiliency, sustainable practices, legal requirements and barriers, opportunities for collaboration, and programs that connect stormwater and other environmental sectors. Important topics will be discussed such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, water supply, water rights, groundwater recharge, energy, watershed management, integrating climate resiliency with green stormwater infrastructure, and wildfire planning.

Construction General Permit

This track will focus on the newly adopted 2022 CGP and will include discussions on permit changes and address construction stormwater challenges including: innovative BMPs and controls; TMDL implementation; passive treatment; challenges and solutions to site management; implementing cost controls; resolving monitoring and sampling issues; dealing with the different challenges of linear underground and overhead projects; and other implementation challenges with the newly adopted permit.

Equity and Environmental Justice

This track will focus on the connections between the business of water management and its direct and indirect impact on underserved communities and will include: discussions of current programs; lessons learned; and how to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of our work in stormwater communities.

Funding

This track will address stormwater program and infrastructure funding and financing, including asset management—both tracking for capitalization and schedule for replacing aging infrastructure, its role in full stormwater program integration, and funding and financing mechanisms that may be available to the regulated community.

Industrial General Permit

This track will cover various aspects of the Industrial General Permit such as pollutant source assessments, monitoring and reporting, Exceedance Response Action requirements, Best Management Practices (BMPs), Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), water quality based corrective actions, compliance options, permit participation initiatives (e.g., SB 205), and Clean Water Act citizen lawsuits.

Looking Beyond California

This track will focus on advances and practices developed outside of California that California’s stormwater practitioners may benefit from. Examples include water management practices, climate/coastal resiliency examples, scientific advances, or any other stormwater practice relevant to California!

Modeling and Data Tools

This track will focus on modeling of all types, including hydrologic, water quality, and geographic information systems (GIS). Innovative data collection, visualization, assessment tools, and quantification methods and metrics. This track will also include how data tools from other industries may be repurposed for use in the stormwater arena.

Monitoring and Special Studies

This track will highlight innovations in monitoring methodologies or monitoring programs and the development and implementation of special studies such as those investigating pollutant source, fate, and transport, including how monitoring results can be used to inform stormwater management..

Municipal Programs

This track will focus on the challenges and solutions faced while implementing a municipal stormwater program for Phase I and Phase II agencies, The track will also address emerging issues for municipalities such as planning activities for permit compliance, workforce development, operations and maintenance, permanent post-construction BMPs, monitoring program challenges and unique solutions, and transient encampments.

Outreach, Engagement, and Education

This track will share ideas for creating and implementing innovative stormwater outreach projects/programs that are designed to educate the community about stormwater pollution, actions they can take to protect local waterbodies and their watersheds, and the importance of recognizing and utilizing stormwater as a resource. Projects/programs can include efforts such as media campaigns, social media strategies, educational programs for youth, rebate programs, engaging with underserved communities, and measuring the effectiveness of outreach and education activities.

Pollutants of Concern

This track will focus on statewide priority pollutants, in addition to contaminants of emerging concern: what we know or don’t know or need to learn, upcoming regulatory changes that may impact the stormwater community, and new advances in science that allow us to measure or characterize both human and environmental risk related to emerging contaminants. The topics could include trash, PFAS, mercury, pesticides, microplastics, and other constituents of concern.

Regulatory and Legislation

This track will provide a forum for updates from regulators, discussions of future policy and legislative initiatives, newly enacted legislation and its impacts on stormwater, updates from legal experts, and examples and case studies of legislative engagement and innovative ways that regulatory obligations can be met.

Stormwater Capture, Use, Green Infrastructure, and Nature-Based Solutions

This track will highlight examples of physical infrastructure for improving stormwater runoff quality, protecting natural channels from the effects of hydromodification, preventing flood impacts to property, recharging groundwater supplies, permanent post-construction BMPs, and stormwater capture and use. It will focus on planning efforts, pilot studies, design lessons learned, operation and maintenance challenges / solutions, and adaptive management strategies after installation.

True Source Control

This track will incorporate the practice of true source control, and how it relates to stormwater compliance and sustainability. Additionally, examples of how to implement true source control, how to expand true source control in stormwater, and considerations for permit compliance will be addressed.

Technical Presentation

A 20-minute oral presentation followed by a 5-minute Q&A. The presentation is limited to one primary speaker. Due to time constraints this presentation is also limited to one supporting speaker, if any. Technical presentations will be grouped into ~1-hour sessions based on related content within the Technical Program tracks.

Speaker(s):

• Limited to 1 primary speaker and 1 supporting speaker (if any)
• It is required to include all speakers and their details at the time of submittal

Poster

A research presentation that generally includes an Introduction and Background; Methods or Approach; Results; and the Conclusion and/or Discussion.

• Selected poster presenters will be sent detailed information about the required poster specifications (size, color, resolution, type size, fonts), file format and size, and components to include
• Posters will be displayed in the Poster Hall throughout the conference

Panel

An approximately 1-hour panel session featuring up to four subject matter experts responding to questions from a moderator on a specific subject, question, or issue affecting our field. CASQA may solicit audience questions prior to the panel. The moderator shall prepare their own questions to lead the discussion, as well as a brief opening statement (five minutes maximum) to introduce the panel and the subject. The panel is not a technical presentation, but rather a discussion of an issue or topic from multiple perspectives, and exploration of potential solutions.

Panelists:

• Limited to 4 panelists
• It is required to include all panelists and their details at the time of submittal

Training Workshop

An approximately 1-hour, 2-hour, or 3-hour interactive training designed to include attendee participation and engagement. The training workshop moderator will prepare concepts and techniques to be presented and discussed through a combination of visual materials, interactive tools (pending CASQA production team agreement), and demonstrations.

Panelists/Speakers:

• Adhere to these limits:
  • Training Workshop – (1) ~1-hour session: Limited to 4 panelists/speakers
  • Training Workshop – (2) ~1-hour sessions or (3) ~1-hour sessions: Limited to 6 panelists/speakers
• It is required to include all panelists/speakers details at the time of submittal.

The 2023 CASQA Awards will be announced during the Plenary Session at the conference. Awardees will be additionally recognized in the conference program and on the CASQA website.

• CASQA Awardees are guaranteed the option to present a poster at the conference and will be recognized as an awardee in the list of poster presentations.
• If a CASQA Awardee submitted an abstract during the Call for Abstracts for consideration as a technical presentation and was accepted for inclusion in the Technical Program, their presentation will be recognized as an awardee in the agenda.
  • Abstract submittal does not guarantee acceptance for a technical presentation.
  • If the awardee’s abstract submission is not selected as a technical presentation they may present a poster if they so choose.

All final speakers and panelists must attend in person. We are not offering an option to participate virtually. Speaker, panelist, and poster presenter registration will open following abstract selections and confirmations (mid-June). CASQA offers a reduced conference fee for eligible speakers, panelists, and poster presenters, as well as the CASQA Member discount. Visit the Attendee Registration page to learn more.