Srinivas (“Srini)” Valavala, P.E., C.Eng, F.ASCE, divisional head of stormwater services in the City of Abilene Department of Public Works, has been named a fellow by the ASCE Board of Direction.
Valavala is a highly accomplished civil, water resources, and environmental engineer as well as program administrator with over 23 years of experience. During his career, he has completed 250+ engineering projects on time and by consistently achieving positive variances.
In his current position, he has been a driving force in the development and implementation of the $25 million long-term Abilene Master Drainage Plan. Under his leadership, the street curb and gutter maintenance operations have received high praise and recognition through various awards, including the Texas Chapter of American Public Work Association's Management Innovation Award in 2021 and finalist for the 2023 Governor's Texas Environmental Excellence Award for innovative operations and management. This ingeniously engineered work has an estimated economic benefit of over $10 million.
In 2018, the Keep Abilene Beautiful program effort under his management was honored with the Governor's Community Achievement Award, which included a grant of $290,000 for an ensuing five monumental landscaping projects.
One of Valavala's most notable achievements during his time in Richland County, South Carolina, as stormwater general manager was successfully navigating the organization through a significant engineering work crisis. He inherited in 2006 a noncompliant and multi-million-dollar penalized NPDES MS4, Industrial & Construction programs, but through his strategic vision, goal setting, and result-oriented action plan, he was able to bring the programs back into compliance. Within just five years, he led the group from noncompliance to an exemplary program, which was recognized with the National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award in 2011.
Valavala has been instrumental in changing developmental regulations, implementing riparian buffers and a comprehensive stormwater program, resulting in a 55% net improvement in regional water quality. His efforts were further acknowledged when the American Council of Engineering Companies presented its Excellence Award for his Bonbon Lane drainage improvement project. He steered conception and implementation of national-level watershed models, management plans, and public education efforts.
He has published 18 technical papers in national journals and delivered 44 technical presentations at various conferences. Valavala is also a fellow of the Institution of Engineers India, a leadership member of the Water Environment Federation, and is affiliated with 35+ professional organizations.
In addition to being a professional engineer and chartered engineer, Valavala has a certified floodplain manager license. He earned master's degrees in both civil engineering and business administration from the University of South Carolina and Moore School of Business. His bachelor’s degree in civil engineering is from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, in India.
