Leaders in Stormwater: SCOTT LOWE

We wrap up 2023 on a high note with this LEADER IN STORMWATER - a contributor to the development of the MSHA Outfall and Gully Stabilization Crediting Protocol, allowing for the stabilization of largely polluted Maryland watersheds to be undertaken by MS4 jurisdictions - Scott Lowe, CC-P, Director of Environmental Services, McCormick Taylor, Inc.

Growing up, Scott spent many summers working as a survey crew member at the engineering firm where his father was employed, and witnessed how often the natural environment was ignored by development practices. This motivated Scott to seek out a professional career in the stormwater industry with a focus on the health and protection of our natural resources. Scott says, “The connectivity of our lives to nature is vital for me and [I recognize that] water is the circulatory system of nature.” He explains that understanding the history of our watersheds, how it manifests current conditions, and the ecological and morphological interactions with water is a never-ending challenge - a puzzle that he enjoys. 

As Director of Environmental Services, Scott’s schedule is filled with research, team meetings, workload planning, site visits, and permit submissions. And he says he enjoys the entrepreneurial atmosphere along with strong engineering support that McCormick Taylor provides. As Scott tackles projects, he reflects on inspiration from Peter Wilcock, who demonstrated how to apply research and engineering theory to real world situations. He also shows appreciation for Tom Schueler and Bill Stack whose understanding of the complexities of developing policies and the simplicity of trying to do the right thing have guided him. Folks such as these, and those he works with every day inspire him with their commitment to learning  about stormwater and the environment in an effort to improve the world around us.

Scott lives in Central Maryland where his time is devoted to his family, writing, and fly fishing. He is on the Board of Maryland Trout Unlimited and co-chairs the Upper Gunpowder Falls Watershed Brook Trout Conservation Partnership, as he strives to do his part to protect our cold water resources. Scott emphasizes that there is a great deal of misunderstanding and misinformation about stormwater management and stream restoration; that the focus needs to shift away from politics and instead focus on working with communities to show how our watersheds have historically degraded and demonstrate how different strategies, employed together, can help return some ecological function”.