Smart Watersheds Point to a New Era for U.S. Stormwater

Pilot programs show how data-driven watershed tools could help cities manage floods without rebuilding entire drainage systems

9 Jan 2026

Stormwater management in the US is beginning to change as utilities test smarter ways to run drainage systems under growing climate and cost pressures. Pilot projects using real-time data and forecasting tools suggest a move away from purely passive infrastructure towards more adaptive control.

Heavier rainfall, urban expansion and ageing pipes are putting strain on systems designed decades ago to move water away as quickly as possible. That approach, which treats all storms alike, is proving less effective as extreme weather becomes more frequent and budgets remain tight.

Recent initiatives involving the ADS Foundation and Brightstorm show how existing assets can be upgraded rather than replaced. Sensors, software and weather forecasts are used to give operators clearer insight into how detention ponds, pipes and control structures behave before, during and after storms.

The aim is not to build new infrastructure but to operate what already exists more efficiently. By linking assets across a watershed, utilities can decide when to store water, when to release it and how to reduce flood risk downstream.

In Florida, Brightstorm has supported smart watershed network management in the Indian River Lagoon region. The work has shown how coordinated control across multiple sites can improve system performance during heavy rainfall, according to people involved in the projects.

Supporters describe the approach as a practical evolution rather than a radical shift. Making better use of existing infrastructure could delay or reduce the need for large capital projects, while improving resilience to extreme weather.

Regulators are also watching closely. Although there is no formal policy preference, industry observers say agencies are showing more interest in tools that can document system performance and environmental outcomes with greater transparency.

Barriers remain. Digital systems depend on reliable data, staff training and ongoing oversight. Some utilities are cautious about adding new technology to essential services that must operate continuously.

Even so, as pilot programmes expand and climate risks grow, smart watershed systems are gaining attention. Stormwater management is starting to look less like a fixed network of pipes and ponds, and more like a service that responds to data in real time. If early results hold, data-driven control could become a larger part of how US cities prepare for floods and manage water in a changing climate.