County Official Balances Floodplain Management With Stargazing
TL;DR: Chris Workman, Chesterfield County's inspection and floodplain manager, balances a 12-year career protecting residents from flood risks with a lifelong passion for astronomy pursued through membership in the Richmond Astronomical Society.
Quick facts
- Who: Chris Workman, inspection and floodplain manager for Chesterfield County Environmental Engineering Department
- What: County official managing floodplain and stormwater compliance pursues astronomy and stargazing in off-hours
- When: Career spanning 12 years in county role since 2014; astronomy hobby ongoing
- Where: Chesterfield County; observing from northern Dinwiddie County home; Richmond Astronomical Society
The story
Chris Workman oversees floodplain protection and stormwater management for Chesterfield County as the inspection and floodplain manager in the Environmental Engineering Department. He leads a team of inspectors managing an average of 30 to 40 land disturbance permits each, along with numerous daily building permit reviews. Workman, who holds a certified floodplain manager certificate, joined the county in 2014 after a career in consulting engineering, when state law assigned stormwater program administration to municipalities.
Chesterfield County's Environmental Engineering Department reviews all development plans for floodplain and stormwater compliance across 49 major creeks and streams with established floodplain boundaries. The county is required by Virginia to limit pollutants in stormwater before it enters waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay, a responsibility that falls partly to Workman's inspection team.
Outside work, Workman pursues a lifelong passion for astronomy. At 67, he owns multiple telescopes including an 8-inch Celestron Evolution with a 2,000-millimeter focal length connected to a DSLR camera, with which he captures lunar and celestial images. He sits outside observing nearly nightly from his northern Dinwiddie County home and is a member of the Richmond Astronomical Society, which was founded in 1949 and meets monthly at the Science Museum of Virginia. His interest in stargazing began in childhood during the 1960s Space Race era, sparked by telescope gifts from his parents.
Key players
- Chris Workman: Inspection and floodplain manager, Chesterfield County Environmental Engineering Department
- Richmond Astronomical Society: Astronomy organization where Workman is a member
- Chesterfield County Environmental Engineering Department: County department overseeing floodplain management and stormwater compliance
Why it matters: Workman's work safeguards Chesterfield County residents from flood damage through rigorous permit oversight and stormwater management, while his personal commitment to astronomy reflects the county's diverse professional community balancing specialized technical expertise with enriching personal pursuits.
Places
Development timeline
- 2014Workman hired by Chesterfield County: Joined as inspection and floodplain manager following state assignment of stormwater program administration to municipalities [source]
- 1960sWorkman's astronomy interest begins: Childhood passion sparked during Space Race era by telescope gifts from parents [source]
Related links
- Chesterfield County Environmental Engineering Department
- Richmond Astronomical Society
- Stormwater Management in Chesterfield County
Read the original at Chesterfield on Point →
Sources
- Chesterfield County Civic Alerts: Chris Workman Profile
- Richmond Astronomical Society
- Chesterfield County Environmental Stewardship and Stormwater Management