Stormwater Drainage Conference

When: July 7, 2026

July 8, 2026 (Tech Tours)

Where: Purdue University, W. Lafayette 

Attendee Registration Link: https://cvent.me/QO5ay1

Click the Attendee Resources Link (left) for info about cost, hotels, and more!

Speakers will receive special instructions on registration from event planners

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

SPEAKER BIOS

Up to 7 PDHs / .7 CEUs available

Surveyors Association Meeting (July 6th) 

Tech Tours 

General Description:
Join us for a special tour of the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory (NSERL) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. The morning will begin with breakfast at 8:00 AM, followed by a panel discussion highlighting NSERL’s research, facilities, and ongoing efforts to advance soil erosion science and conservation practices. Attendees will then break into guided tour groups to visit several parts of the laboratory and interact with NSERL scientists and research staff. Tours of the NSERL space are limited to 20 participants per group and US Citizenship is required for entry to NSERL tour per federal guidelines. The event will conclude by noon.

Tour stops will include:

• Mark Williams & Haw Yen (NSERL Conference Room): Ongoing field scale validation efforts will be highlighted that demonstrate how these modeling tools perform under real world conditions. Soil erosion modeling techniques currently being developed at NSERL will be introduced, along with recent progress on creating a more user-friendly interface for researchers and practitioners.
• Chad Penn (Laboratory): Flow-cell laboratory for characterizing filtration of nutrients and contaminants by various filter media, and release from soils. Regarding filtration, a demonstration mobile phosphorus removal structure will also be shown, weather permitting.
• Chris Renschler & Austin White (Hydraulics Lab): The Big Box is a controlled rainfall experiment for soil erosion, redistribution, and sediment discharge caused by various rainstorm scenarios and surface roughness conditions. A small-scale box experiment will be shown, weather permitting.

Morning Panel Discussion Featuring:
Chris Renschler – Research Leader, USDA ARS NSERL
Mark Williams – Lead Scientist Drainage, USDA ARS NSERL
Chad Penn – Lead Scientist P-Trap, USDA ARS NSERL
Haw Yen – Lead Scientist WEPP, USDA ARS NSERL
Randy Braun – Section Chief, Storm Water at State of Indiana IDEM

Moderator:
Greg Lake – County Surveyor & Stormwater Administrator, Howard County

Who Can Benefit

• If you have a drainage project for the state, the city, or the county
• If you are responsible for designing, constructing, or maintaining stormwater drainage systems
• If you are a professional interested in floodplain and stormwater management in the State of Indiana
• If you are responsible for inspecting or reviewing drainage projects