National Conference on Retrofit Opportunities for Water Resource Protection in Urban Environments: Proceedings, Chicago, IL, February 9-12, 1998

Water resource managers have been successful in developing approaches for reducing nonpoint source pollution in newly developing urban areas. Issues become increasingly complex, however, when managers are faced with the challenge of reducing nonpoint source impacts within previously developed urban environments. A diverse assortment of resource management tools, or "retrofits", is being developed, but their implementation has been hampered by a lack of technology transfer opportunities. The National Conference on Retrofit Opportunities for Water Resource Protection in Urban Environments was designed to address these issues and to transfer much-needed information to state and local water resource practitioners. Held in Chicago, Illinois, on February 9-12, 1998, the conference program brought together an array of progressive scientists and researchers, along with managers of successful local retrofit projects from across the country. Session topics included retrofit opportunity identification, modeling and monitoring approaches for retrofit applications, conservation design strategies, innovative financing approaches, evaluating results and measuring success, newly emerging technologies, urban revitalization issues, riparian reforestation, and public education and involvement programs. During the conference, a series of speakers presented papers, 43 of which are reproduced in these proceedings. The purpose of this document is to present these papers and provide information to individuals unable to attend. All papers included were peer reviewed. This document will be useful to individuals who are interested in information about retrofitting techniques and approaches to improving protection of urban water resources. A list of the nearly 300 attendees is provided following the papers.