All Flows Lead to Lake Erie Stormwater Series
Erie regional nonprofit organizations and agencies recently teamed up to offer an event series focused on what Lake Erie Watershed communities can do to combat our greatest water quality challenge: stormwater runoff. Events this spring and summer will highlight what elected officials and leaders, property owners, and households can do to protect Lake Erie.
As water flows across the Lake Erie Watershed after rain or snowmelt, it can pick up many different pollutants such as litter, plastics, pesticides, fertilizers, sediment, sewage, and other harmful materials. The systems we design to move this water, typically built of concrete and other hard surfaces, speed water and these pollutants up, ultimately rushing into Lake Erie.
Many communities across the globe are rethinking how to manage their stormwater runoff, including using green stormwater infrastructure which introduces native plants and trees to built infrastructure. The series will start with a virtual event discussing global stories of water innovators, and consider how we may replicate these lessons in our watershed.
The series will then shift to in-person events throughout the summer showcasing Erie’s water experts and the diverse ways they work to address our regional stormwater challenges. Join us to explore how you can get involved in these efforts!
Event Schedule:
We will update this webpage periodically as registration opens for each event.
Thursday, April 25th - Water Always Wins: A Virtual Conversation with Science Journalist & Author Erica Gies
Location: Zoom Webinar
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Host: PennFuture in collaboration with Pressed Books + Coffee + Gifts
Author Erica Gies will discuss her book Water Always wins: Thriving in An Age of Drought & Deluge.
Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/tLJxiROfgEeieLQefjHiVA2
Saturday, May 4th, 9-11 am & Sunday, June 9th, 9-11 am - Community Rain Barrel Workshops (SOLD OUT)
Hosts: Asbury Woods, Millcreek Township, & Erie County Conservation District
Due to high demand, these community workshops have already sold out, but the hosts hope to offer more sessions in future years.
Join the waiting list for the May 4th workshop here and the June 9th workshop here.
Saturday, May 11th - Community Water Walk & Litter Clean Up
Location: Perry Square to Dobbins Landing
Time: 11-2 pm
Hosts: Groundwork Erie & Erie Water Works
This litter mitigation walk from Perry Square to Dobbins Landing will include fun for the whole family at Dobbins Landing including games, food, and watershed education.
Monday, July 8th through Friday, July 12 - Watersheds & Agriculture Week at the Neighborhood Art House: Community Storm Drain Stenciling
Location: Neighborhood Art House
Time: TBD
Hosts: Neighborhood Art House & Pennsylvania Sea Grant
One day of this week-long watershed education programming with students of the Art House will invite community members for a storm drain stenciling activity and a brief presentation about our stormwater systems.
More details to come.
Thursday, July 18th - Erie Stormwater Best Management Practices Walking Tour
Location: City of Erie including stops in downtown, the West Bayfront neighborhood, and the waterfront.
Time: 5-7 pm
Hosts: The City of Erie and its Environmental Advisory Council, PennFuture, and the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward Program with presentations from several environmental partners
More details to come.
Tentative: Wednesday, August 7th or Thursday, August 8th - Stormwater Management Guest Speaker Presentation
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
Hosts: Penn State Extension Erie, Crawford, & Warren County Master Watershed Steward Program & Pennsylvania Sea Grant
More details to come.
Wednesday, August 28th - Virtual Stormwater Policy Briefing
Location: Zoom Webinar
Time: 6-7 pm
Hosts: PennFuture, Our Water, Our Air, Our Rights, & Benedictines for Peace
Registration details to come.