The following floodplain managers and programs were presented with awards at the 2021 IAFSM Conference. Congratulations!
View award winners from prior years: 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 1998 - 2010
Excellence in Stormwater Management
Village of Bensenville
Awarded to a floodplain manager, an individual, a group of individuals, a consultant, or an agency who improved stormwater management or reduced urban flood risks through creative engineering, regulatory measures, or other approaches.
The Village of Bensenville over the past decade has taken big strides in Stormwater Management. The Village has successfully adopted and implemented the DuPage County Stormwater and Floodplain Ordinance requirements for private developments as well as its own capital improvement projects. During this time, the Village has managed to collaborate with various agencies and taxing bodies to resolve long standing flooding issues with creative engineering solutions, improved its maintenance frequency of conveyance system, reduce its dependency on road salt usage for snow removal, and close out long outstanding permit violations. The major accomplishments during this time include the expansion of the Redmond Reservoir in conjunction with DuPage County Stormwater Management to create 20 additional ac-ft of capacity to help alleviate flooding; providing 2 ac-ft of excess storage on a Bensenville School District property upstream of a major localized flooding area; streambank stabilization throughout the industrial business district; installation of major conveyance systems along George St and Church Rd; retrofitting its snow fighting equipment with latest technology to control salt usage; introducing environmental friendly products such as beet heat and brine solution in its snow removal operations; performing thorough permit reviews on developments; enforcing the Ordinance requirements on projects as well as completing improvements on long outstanding stormwater permit violations.
Outstanding Service Award
Adam Blumstein
Awarded to an IAFSM officer, a Federal, State, or Local Official, or a consultant who has gone above and beyond normal expectations and duties to promote or encourage IAFSM goals. This award may also be given to an agency that has inspired floodplain management efforts or implemented unique programs that encourage flood reduction.
Adam Blumstein, PE, CFM, ENV SP is a staff civil engineer who joined Burns & McDonnell in 2016. He has more than seven years of experience working on a range of projects including stormwater, wastewater, and water resources projects for municipal, industrial, and transportation clients. Adam graduated in 2013 from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Adam serves as a water resources engineer who focusses on hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, collection system modeling, and design for municipal and industrial clients. Adam was integral in the startup of the Illinois Association for Floodplain and Stormwater Management (IAFSM) Young Professionals Group and currently serves as the Committee Chair. In his free time, Adam loves to cook, work-out, travel, and go hiking with his wife and their recently adopted husky.
Mitigation Award
DuPage County
The award recognizes individuals and communities who encourage flood hazard reduction through various mitigation efforts, including buyout programs, retrofitting, planning and proactive projects. IAFSM specifically recognized DuPage County’s Stormwater Management and Community Services departments for their efforts to mitigate for flooding countywide using a nearly $32 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) following flooding in 2013.
Using this HUD grant, DuPage County, along with municipalities who were awarded sub-grants, completed 17 flood mitigation projects, as well as several flood-prone property buyouts. Notable County projects include the Armstrong Park Flood Control Project (Carol Stream), West Branch DuPage River Restoration and Re-Meander (Warrenville) and the Redmond Reservoir Expansion Project (Bensenville).
Floodplain Manager of the Year
Joanna Colletti
This award recognizes outstanding individual efforts and contributions at the local level. The award honors an individual responsible for the development of a distinguished local program or activity, or someone who struggles to implement flood hazard reduction at the local level in the absence of sophisticated programs and support.
Joanna Colletti is the County Water Resources Manager and Chief Stormwater Engineer where she administers and enforces the countywide Stormwater Management Ordinance. She serves as the Enforcement Officer for the unincorporated areas of McHenry County and eight communities. Joanna has over 20 years of private and public experience as a Civil Engineer. She has been involved in a wide variety of projects including floodplain and stormwater management, engineering site design, construction monitoring, hydrologic and hydraulic analyses of riverine and urban drainage systems, wetland delineations, regulatory permitting and enforcement, and the county’s Community Rating System. Joanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Bradley University. She is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois and is a Certified Floodplain Manager.