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The Stormwater World Podcast

The Stormwater World Podcast

By: Ty Garmon
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After over fourteen years in the stormwater industry, I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface. There is more to learn than ever! Whether you are brand new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, I’m sure you feel the same way. I’m talking to subject matter experts across the industry, so you don’t have to. My name is Ty Garmon, and I’ll be your host. Join me as we learn together about what is happening in the Stormwater World!

Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
Earth Sciences Political Science Politics & Government Science
Episodes
  • Elkhart County’s Water Quality of Life Manual with Todd Clark
    Jun 18 2026

    Did you know that this podcast is produced by Digital Stormwater? Digital Stormwater B2B Visibility & Digital Marketing, making a difference in stormwater 1 click at a time! They do all things digital. Check them out at DigitalStormwater.com because the best-known beats best every time.

    Key Topics
    • Ty introduces this short bonus clip recorded at the Indiana MS4 Annual Partnership Meeting, held separately from the main award-winner episode
    • Todd Clark, Elkhart County SWCD: His impressions of the Indiana MS4 Partnership, the value of the training and newsletter, and why the annual meeting is a top networking opportunity
    • Todd’s role as Stormwater Project Manager: managing Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan reviews and site inspections for the City of Goshen, City of Elkhart, Elkhart County, the Town of Bristol, and non-MS4 towns (MCM 4 and 5)
    • The unique perspective of serving multiple MS4s at once, and the recurring conference theme that every MS4 is different and openness in sharing information makes everyone stronger
    • The Pay Dirt conference: how Elkhart County brings the agricultural and stormwater worlds together to find common ground on water management
    • The Water Quality of Life Manual: why it is intentionally not called a “technical field guide,” and how it spans construction BMPs, agricultural practices, and small-scale residential actions
    • How small individual actions – from cover crops and grass waterways to rain barrels and rain gardens – collectively add up to a large positive impact on water quality and property values
    • A teaser for a future full episode and deep dive into the manual with Todd and Jim

    In this bonus clip of the Stormwater World Podcast, host Ty Garmon shares a conversation recorded at the Indiana MS4 Annual Partnership Meeting in Plainfield, IN, with Todd Clark, Stormwater Project Manager for the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District. Todd offers a behind-the-scenes look at how Elkhart County coordinates stormwater compliance across multiple communities and explains the thinking behind the district’s new Water Quality of Life Manual. Rather than a dry technical field guide, the manual is designed to reach everyone – contractors, farmers, and homeowners alike – with practical best management practices at every scale. From construction site stabilization to cover crops to backyard rain gardens, the throughline is simple: every small action adds up to cleaner water and a higher quality of life. Be sure to check out the full Water Quality of Life Manual linked below.

    Download the Water Quality of Life Manual: Elkhart County SWCD – Water Quality of Life Manual (PDF)

    The views expressed are that of the individual and do not represent the opinions of any companies past, present or future.

    Connect with Todd Clark:

    Elkhart County Soil & Water Conservation District: https://www.elkcoswcd.org/

    Learn more about the Pay Dirt Conference: https://www.elkcoswcd.org/event/pay-dirt/

    Connect with Ty Garmon, LEED AP:

    Connect with Ty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tygarmon/

    Sign up to be a guest: https://forms.gle/whijSz9Tio3iZda57

    Check out The Stormwater World Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hVXVJ5oXplf_V9XOPpR6A

    Podcast Website: https://stormwaterworld.com

    Stay Informed! Sign-up for the Stormwater World Newsletter: https://stormwaterworld.com/newsletter-sign-up/

    Please don’t forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Stormwater World Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

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    11 mins
  • 2026 Indiana MS4 Partnership - The Power of Sharing What Works
    Jun 11 2026
    Did you know that this podcast is produced by Digital Stormwater? Digital Stormwater B2B Visibility & Digital Marketing, making a difference in stormwater 1 click at a time! They do all things digital. Check them out at DigitalStormwater.com because the best-known beats best every time. Key Topics Ty introduces the episode theme: sharing what works at the Indiana MS4 Annual Partnership Meeting Interview with Nick Parkman, City of Peru: D-Trash the Wabash riverbank cleanup program, 500-plus acres cleaned since 2008, community engagement, and advice for MS4s looking to launch similar events Interview with Josh Boyko, Ferguson: Corporate sponsorship, board involvement, and why community-minded companies invest in the MS4 partnership Interview with Matt Lake, City of Merrillville: Northwest Indiana Stormwater Advisory Group (NICEWAG), regional collaboration, LID requirements, E. coli source tracking, and stormwater fee funding structure Interview with Luke Owen, NPDES Training Institute: How a LinkedIn connection led to eight years of returning to the Indiana conference, hands-on training techniques, and attendees get out of conferences what they put in Interview with Christy Lindbergh, City of Bloomington Utility: Twenty-seven years in stormwater, co-founding the partnership, a monthly stormwater educators network, and pending retirement into Master Gardeners work Interview with Joe Foy, Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District: A career path from fisheries biology to stormwater, twenty years with the City of Elkhart, the Elkhart County MS4 partnership model, and the value of education over enforcement Interview with Reggie Korthals, Executive Director: The origin story of the Indiana MS4 Annual Partnership, growth to 360-plus attendees, the upcoming tiered permit structure, and the conference's impact on LinkedIn engagement for the podcast In this episode of the Stormwater World Podcast, host Ty Garmon returns to the Indiana MS4 Annual Partnership Meeting in Plainfield, IN, for a special multi-interview episode featuring award recipients from across the state. The conversations reveal a consistent and compelling theme: the stormwater community in Indiana has built something rare, a culture of open collaboration where MS4 coordinators actively share resources, program ideas, and lessons learned with neighboring communities. From riverbank cleanups to regional advisory groups to decades-long careers devoted to water quality education, this episode is a testament to what happens when people in stormwater stop competing and start cooperating. The views expressed are that of the individual and do not represent the opinions of any companies past, present or future. Connect with Nick Parkman: Website: https://www.peruutilities.com/ Connect with Josh Boyko: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-boyko-8253337/ Connect with Matt Lake: Website: https://www.merrillville.in.gov/departments/stormwater_management/index.php Connect with Luke Owen: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/npdestraining/ Connect with Christy Lindbergh: Retired Connect with Joe Foy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-foy-804117110/ Connect with Karen Barnhill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karan-barnhill-18253842/ Connect with Reggie Korthals: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reggie-korthals-2a256316b/ Connect with Ty Garmon, LEED AP: Connect with Ty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tygarmon/ Sign up to be a guest: https://forms.gle/whijSz9Tio3iZda57 Check out The Stormwater World Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hVXVJ5oXplf_V9XOPpR6A Podcast Website: https://stormwaterworld.com Stay Informed! Sign-up for the Stormwater World Newsletter: https://stormwaterworld.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Stormwater World Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
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    39 mins
  • Pro SWPPP with Derek Chinners
    May 21 2026

    Did you know that this podcast is produced by Digital Stormwater? Digital Stormwater B2B Visibility & Digital Marketing, making a difference in stormwater 1 click at a time! They do all things digital. Check them out at DigitalStormwater.com because the best-known beats best every time.

    Key Topics

    Ty introduces Derek Chinners, founder of Pro SWPPP, Houston, Texas.

    Derek started in 2006 after a business partner with an erosion control company kept hearing customers ask for SWPPP services.

    The 72-hour standard came from the time window many sites had to comply after receiving a SWPPP-related issue or inspection concern.

    Many customers come to Pro SWPPP because they were told by an inspector that they could not proceed without proper documentation.

    Pro SWPPP does not do installation. They focus on SWPPP documentation, compliance support, inspections, and related services.

    Pro SWPPP uses national certification, regulatory research, and internal systems to manage federal, state, and local requirements.

    Pro SWPPP is built around doing what they say they will do. Customers are surprised when the company delivers on its timeline.

    Pro SWPPP guarantees full compliance and builds known revision-heavy jurisdictions into its pricing.

    Pro SWPPP now offers certified remote inspections. Their system can monitor precipitation through National Weather Service data and allow inspectors to access site documentation through a QR code.

    They plan to use drone footage loaded into Pro SWPPP’s inspection portal to improve remote inspection services.

    Younger team members showed Derek that AI could help check regulations and flag unusual site concerns.

    The challenge is staying focused on what Pro SWPPP does best: SWPPP documentation, compliance, inspections, and related stormwater services.

    Quotes

    “We do what we say we’re going to do. And, I don’t know if you ever hired a contractor or not, but that’s not always the case.” ~ Derek Chinners

    “We don’t do the install. We just do the paperwork. That’s all we do and we’re the best at it.” ~ Derek Chinners

    “You no longer are a SWPPP company. You’re a save-the-day company. It’s a customer service company.” ~ Ty Garmon

    In this episode of the Stormwater World Podcast, host Ty Garmon talks with Derek Chinners, founder of Pro SWPPP, about how Derek built a nationwide SWPPP company by focusing on speed, compliance, and customer service. Derek shares how he entered the stormwater industry in 2006, originally offering SWPPP services under the name Express SWPPP, before rebranding to Pro SWPPP and positioning the company as a fast, reliable compliance partner. The conversation covers Pro SWPPP’s 72-hour delivery promise, the challenge of navigating federal, state, and local requirements, the importance of doing what you say you will do, and how technology, remote inspections, drones, AI, SEO, and strong follow-up systems are helping Pro SWPPP expand its services across construction and industrial stormwater compliance.

    The views expressed are that of the individual and do not represent the opinions of any companies past, present or future.

    Connect with Derek Chinners:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-e-chinners-a109ba28/

    Website: https://proswppp.com/

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pro-swppp/

    Connect with Ty Garmon, LEED AP:

    Connect with Ty on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tygarmon/

    Sign up to be a guest: https://forms.gle/whijSz9Tio3iZda57

    Check out The Stormwater World Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hVXVJ5oXplf_V9XOPpR6A

    Podcast Website: https://stormwaterworld.com

    Stay Informed! Sign-up for the Stormwater World Newsletter: https://stormwaterworld.com/newsletter-sign-up/

    Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Stormwater World Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
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