Stream Diversion Tactics for Good Stewardship

Adam Lyman, PE, CPESC, CEO, Syman Inc.

Date: Wednesday 7th October 2026

Time: 11.45am 1.00pm PST

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1.25 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – Live

Erosion control practitioners are often called upon to work below the ordinary high water to complete projects in the areas regulated by the army corps of engineers. There is volumes of manuals for geomorphology and successful stream restoration and revegetation, and there is a depth of engineering manuals for large water bodies to install coffer cells and work off of barges. However the guidance on temporary works to divert small rivers, creeks and streams before and during construction begins is difficult to find. This presentation aims to fill some of that gap with strategies for working in live streams on the small or mid-size project that requires modification to the stream bed.

Learning Outcomes.

• Understand the information needed to plan a stream diversion
• Fill your toolbox with common diversion techniques
• Learn critical checks to ensure the diversion will be successful

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This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

RUSLE2 Demystified – Workshop 1 of 3: Understanding RUSLE2 - Foundations for Defensible Erosion Modeling

Melanie Sotelo | Associate Vice President & Director of Environmental Service| Casc Engineering and Consulting

Date: Wednesday 30th September 2026

Time: 11.45am 1.00pm PST

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1.25 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – Live

Accurate prediction of soil erosion is a critical component of erosion and sediment control planning, stormwater compliance, and construction project design. RUSLE2 (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation Version 2) has become the preferred erosion prediction model for numerous transportation, infrastructure, and regulatory applications, including compliance with portions of California's Construction General Permit and certain Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements. Despite its widespread use, many engineers and environmental professionals rely on RUSLE2 without fully understanding the scientific principles, assumptions, limitations, and regulatory context underlying the model. This webinar provides a technical foundation for understanding how RUSLE2 estimates soil loss, when it should be applied, and how it supports defensible erosion prediction and compliance decisions.

Learning Outcomes.

• Explain the physical processes of soil erosion represented within RUSLE2.
• Describe the primary factors influencing erosion prediction, including rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, topography, vegetative cover, and management practices.
• Identify the regulatory drivers supporting the use of RUSLE2 for erosion prediction and compliance.
• Explain how RUSLE2 estimates average annual soil loss and sediment delivery.
• Recognize the capabilities and limitations of RUSLE2 when evaluating erosion control alternatives.

HOSTED BY:

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

Living with erosion: new approaches to managing erosion of rivers and coasts

Ian Rutherfurd | Professor |University of Melbourne, Alluvium Consulting

Date: Tuesday 1st September 2026

Time: 10am Australian Eastern Standard Time

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – Live

Geomorphologists love erosion because it is a basic process in natural landscapes, but humans struggle to live with dynamic rivers and coasts, and there are many good reasons to stop erosion.  However, managers are moving away from the view that all erosion of rivers and coasts is bad, and has to be controlled, toward a more nuanced approach.  Sometimes the answer is not to control the erosion at all (e.g. the erosion is doing good, you make the problem worse, it is futile, it is a distraction from the real problem, and more), but sometimes to use land-use planning tools to give the rivers and coasts space to move.  More and more we are accepting that vegetation is the key to long-term, sustainable management of erosion (nature-based solutions) but this just slows the rate of the erosion rather than eliminating it.  I conclude by identifying some situations where  we should control erosion when we don't (e.g. it can make flooding worse).  In short, there are many reasons for us to learn to live with erosion. 

HOSTED BY:

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

Understanding QPE Forecasts, Dewatering, and Passive Treatment under the 2022 GCP

Presenters:
Matthew Renaud | Stormwater Regional Technical Consultant | Terracon
Melanie Sotello | Director of Environmental Services | CASC Engineering and Consulting

Date: Wednesday 12th August 2026

Time: 11:45am Pacific Daylight Time

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1.25 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – Live

PDH credits: 1

With the California Construction General Permit (CGP) now fully implemented, significant requirements now exist regarding site dewatering, using passive treatment, and weather thresholds in stormwater monitoring. These changes present new challenges and opportunities for stormwater professionals to effectively maintain water quality and permit compliance.

This webinar will provide the essential background understanding that SWPPP Developers and Practitioners to understand and navigate these updated requirements. Attendees will learn about the requirements for dewatering and passive treatment systems and how to track the weather forecasts to identify a Qualified Precipitation Event (QPE). This timely webinar offers practical guidance to adapt stormwater management strategies in light of the new permit requirements, in pursuit of improved water quality outcomes.

• Learn how to track a storm to determine whether a QPE exists, and what actions are needed to be taken, and by when.
• Be able to identify when the Dewatering requirements of the CGP are required, or if other discharge permit(s) have jurisdiction.
• Be able to identify what the requirements are for a project to be able to utilize Passive Treatment as a means of meeting discharge NAL requirements.

HOSTED BY:

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

CLIMATE RESILIENT RURAL AND LOW-VOLUME ROADS

Gordon Keller | Geotechnical Engineer, GENESEE GEOTECHNICAL

Date: 6th August, 2026

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Live Webinar 

Climate-related storms and fires cause a great deal of damage to roads and rural infrastructure, causing erosion, damage, delaus and social impacts, and expensive repairs. Application of "best engineering practices" and climate resilience measures can reduce or prevent a lot of damage from weather related events.

Low-volume roads and rural infrastructure suffer an increasing amount of damage today from climate-change related impacts from storms, flooding, droughts, and fires. Often damage is caused or increased by poor construction practices, lack of drainage control, over-steepened slopes, and lack of application of "best engineering practices". Additionally, damage can be reduced or avoided by specific climate resilience measures including adequate surface drainage measures, appropriately sized drainage structures, use of "stream simulation" designs, cost- effective slope stabilization techniques, hardened road surfaces, etc. Many "storm-proofing" measures are relatively easy to implement and are very cost-effective, particularly given the high cost of repairs today. General "Best Engineering Practices" and specific resiliency, climate adaptation, or vulnerability reduction measures will be presented.

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

Rethinking Rubbish: Innovation on the Frontlines of Pollution

Heidi Tait |CEO and Founder Tangaroa Blue Foundation

Date: Wednesday 5th August 2026

Time: 12 noon Australian Eastern Standard Time

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – Live

From nurdles and swarf to security tags, plastic strapping, and faded hi-vis scraps—everyday materials are quietly escaping our worksites, supply chains, and stormwater systems. Once they leave our hands, they don’t just vanish—they travel. They move through gutters, drains, and rivers, and eventually join a much bigger story of ocean pollution.

In this webinar, Heidi Tait—CEO and founder of the Tangaroa Blue Foundation and driving force behind the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI)—reveals what two decades of national data tell us about where pollution really begins, and how smart design, site practices, and stewardship can stop it before it starts.

From turning recovered fishing line into new sunglasses to partnering with councils on stormwater trap programs, Heidi shares surprising case studies that connect land-based decisions to ocean outcomes. You’ll see how construction sites, councils, and industries are leading change by rethinking waste, closing the loop, and collaborating across boundaries.

This session will challenge you to look beyond the clean-up and ask: What’s leaking from my site, my system, or my sector—and how can we design it out for good?

HOSTED BY:

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

SWPPP in the Age of AI: How Data Centers Are Rewriting the Stormwater Rulebook

Joe Moore | Director of Sales | Erosion & Construction Solutions

Level: Advanced

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – On Demand 

Data centers and the talk around them are everywhere and they are beginning to reshape how agencies view water use, stormwater risk, and construction oversight. Many in the erosion and sediment control field are feeling these changes on project sites. Unfortunately, many also lack clear guidance on what the shifting regulatory landscape means for SWPPP development and compliance. This presentation fills that gap by outlining the emerging trends, explaining why expectations are evolving, and providing practical steps that contractors, inspectors, and MS4s can use to stay aligned with new requirements. 

Data center growth is accelerating across the country and prompting agencies to reexamine how stormwater, water use and construction activities are regulated. As expectations evolve, construction teams are seeing new requirements for SWPPP planning, BMP selection, inspections, and documentation. This webinar provides a practical overview of the regulatory themes shaping these changes and what they mean for everyday erosion and sediment control work. Attendees will learn how to anticipate shifting compliance expectations and strengthen coordination with owners, regulators and MS4s. The session emphasizes proactive planning and field-ready strategies that help teams adapt confidently in a changing regulatory landscape.

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

Below, Beside and Beyond Every Panel of Utility-Scale Solar Farms: 

Keep Stormwater from Eroding Your Bottom Line

Wei Zhang | VP of Research and Development, Zynnovation LLC

Date: 25th June, 2026

Level: Advanced

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – On Demand

Stormwater runoff from utility-scale solar farms can be destructive. It doesn’t just erode the soil, but also the profitability when the stormwater-related operating costs and regulatory fines are considered. Low Impact Developments (LID) and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI), e.g. bioswales, bioretention and infiltration basins, are often the choice for stormwater management. Originally developed for populated areas where stormwater runs off from impervious surfaces, LID/GSI is considered as the distributed systems replacing the conventional centralized stormwater infrastructures, many of which are combined with sewage systems. These LID/GSI projects may be “distributed” on the municipal level, but still locally centralized at permeable spaces like parks, right-of-ways, and parking islands. In contrast, most utility-scale solar farms are built on farmlands, forest lands or brownfields. Although the panels are impervious and the primary source of stormwater runoff, the surfaces under and beside the panels are not impermeable even the soil may be compacted by construction and operation. 

Currently, LID/GSI are built on dedicated acreages of utility-scale solar farms, which does reduce the producing acreages. A novel approach is to make the “distributed” LID/GSI systems more distributed from the solar-farm scale down to the panel scale making use of the vast permeable surfaces around solar panels. By catching stormwater runoff at the dripline of each panel, stormwater can be retained, detained and infiltrated right at the panel scale. This approach improves vegetation establishment, biodiversity and soil microbiome while reducing runoff and erosion. For dual-use projects like agrivoltaics, this new approach increases crop production and reduces or eliminates the need of irrigation system. Even in semi-arid and arid areas where rainfall is not sufficient to support agricultural activities and an irrigation system is still required, this novel approach can significantly reduce the water usage. Retaining stormwater on the site can potentially reduce the size of LID/GSI and increase the usable land for energy production. In addition to the increased energy output, reduced stormwater runoff leads to lower operational costs and less regulatory fines.

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

Post Hurricane Helene: Assessing 170 miles of the New River with the High-Definition Stream Survey

                                                

Brett Connell | Co-founder of Trutta Environmental Solutions

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – On Demand

This webinar will introduce the High Definition Stream Survey (HDSS) as a practical watershed scale tool for erosion control, restoration planning, and post storm assessment. Using the recent 160 mile survey of the New River following Hurricane Helene as the primary example, the session will show how continuous, meter resolution data provides a clear picture of debris fields, infrastructure impacts, floodplain connectivity, and geomorphic conditions. Participants will learn how HDSS consolidates what would typically require multiple studies into a single coordinated survey. The presentation will also highlight lessons from more than 2,000 miles of HDSS work across the United States and how these methods support defensible, cost effective decision making. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how HDSS can improve watershed planning, reduce redundant field efforts, and guide restoration investments that deliver long lasting results.

The purpose of this presentation is to show how the High Definition Stream Survey (HDSS) can serve as an effective watershed scale assessment tool for erosion control professionals and natural resource managers. Post storm evaluations often rely on limited site data and inconsistent methods that make it difficult to prioritize actions across an entire river system. The New River project, completed after Hurricane Helene, demonstrates how continuous, meter resolution data can fill this gap by documenting debris, infrastructure impacts, floodplain connectivity, and geomorphic conditions in a single coordinated effort. This presentation highlights the industry’s need for more efficient and defensible approaches to watershed assessment, especially as severe storms place increasing pressure on agencies to deliver rapid, transparent decisions. Many organizations are seeking ways to reduce redundant field efforts, improve cross agency coordination, and support long term restoration planning. By sharing lessons from more than 2,000 surveyed stream miles and using the New River example, this session will show how HDSS can strengthen erosion control strategies, improve watershed planning, and support cost effective recovery across multiple water resource objectives.

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.

Establishing Vegetation on Challenging Slopes Using Geocells

                                                                  

Cory Schneider I Business Development Manager, Presto Geosystems

Level: Beginner

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – On Demand

While geocells have been commercially available for 40 years, they are under-utilized when attempting to vegetate challenging slopes. Using three-dimensional geocells in these applications allows you to confine up to 12" of topsoil, preventing it from eroding and giving ample long-term organic material for long-term vegetation establishment.

I will begin with an introduction to slope failure mechanisms and how each are caused. I will then introduce geocells, including their history, the different cell sizes and cell depths that are available and when each variation is suitable for use. Next, I will discuss the various accessories that go along with the geocell, including connection devices, various anchoring options and when each is recommended. I will finish the presentation highlighting various case studies of vegetated geocell slope protection, including showcasing the installation processes using the various anchoring options.

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.