Watershed Institute

September 22-25, 2009
Clarion Hotel Downtown
Columbia, SC

Latest Info for Participants What is the Watershed Institute? Highlights and Draft Agenda Speakers and Instructors Costs and Registration Continuing Education Units Location and Venue Lodging Travel Refunds and Cancellations Thanks to Our Funders and Sponsors Questions?

Latest Info for Participants

Resources from the 2009 Institute can be found here.

Registration is now closed.

Essential Information for 2009 Watershed Institute Participants
Additional pre-Institute reading - posted 8/06/09: Chapter 1 from Watersheds: Processes, Assessment, and Management

What is the Watershed Institute?

CWP’s Watershed Institute in Columbia, SC will be an intensive and interactive four-day learning experience specifically designed to help public and private sector watershed professionals:

• Develop comprehensive, effective watershed management plans;
• Learn new watershed assessment techniques for use in both the office and the field;
• Improve knowledge of better site design, stormwater management, agricultural practices, and other key aspects of watershed
  protection; and
• Exchange ideas with other watershed professionals.

The Watershed Institute will be geared toward the how to's of developing sound watershed protection and restoration plans.  This institute will enable practitioners to learn about all of the pieces of a watershed plan, including evaluating local programs; goal setting; field assessments of streams, uplands, forests, and wetlands; prioritizing projects, measuring improvements, and involving stakeholders.  This four-day institute is designed for local planners and engineers, elected officials, watershed organizations, state agencies, and the private sector to obtain hands on instruction.

Highlights and Draft Agenda

You can download the draft Agenda HERE.
Please note that the agenda is draft and subject to change.

CHECK-IN FOR THE INSTITUTE - 7:30-8:30am on Tuesday, September 22nd

TUESDAY: September 22, 2009 
Getting Started 8:30am–6:00pm
Happy Hour 6:30pm-7:30pm

WEDNESDAY: September 23, 2009
Field Work Day 8:30am–4:30pm
Evening Sessions 7:00pm-7:45pm

THURSDAY: September 24, 2009
Implementation 8:30am-5:30pm
Working Dinner 6:30am-8:30pm

FRIDAY: September 25, 2009
Finishing the Plan 8:30am-12:00pm

Speakers and Instructors

The Institute is primarily conducted by Center for Watershed Protection staff to ensure consistency and comprehensive learning. We do invite a select number of experts to share their special technical expertise.

Instructors:
Paul Sturm – Program Director / Biologist, CWP
Greg Hoffmann, P.E. – Program Director / Water Resources Engineer, CWP
Neely Law – Senior Research Analyst, CWP
Julie Tasillo – Watershed Analyst, CWP
Lisa Fraley-McNeal – Research Specialist, CWP
Laurel Woodworth – Stormwater and Watershed Planner, CWP
Lori Lilly – Watershed Planner, CWP
Sadie Drescher – Watershed Planner, CWP

Expected Guest Speakers (as of 8/07/09):
Glenn Barnes – Project Director, Environmental Finance Center
A. Fred Holland, Ph.D - Former Director of National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)’s Hollings Marine Laboratory and S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute in Charleston, SC (retired)
Matthew Jones, EI, Ph.D - Engineer, Hazen and Sawyer
Anne Kitchell – Senior Environmental Planner, Horsley Witten Group
Joe Kocy – Planning and Development Services Director, Richland County
Susan Libes, Ph.D - Professor of Marine Science and Chemistry, Burroughs & Chapin Center for Marine & Wetland Studies at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC; Founding Director for the Burroughs and Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies Waccamaw Watershed Academy
Albert McCullough, P.E. – Principal Ecological Engineer, Sustainable Science
Tom Schueler – Founder, Chesapeake Stormwater Network
Srinivas Valavala – Stormwater Services Manager, Richland County

Who Should Attend?

The Institute is targeted for watershed leaders in local government, watershed groups, and consultants. Special characteristics of the Southeast will be covered, so those representing these areas will benefit the most from this Institute.

Be advised that a certain level of agility is required for some Institute activities, such as popping manhole lids, navigating stream banks, standing in hot parking lots, and playing well with others.

Participants with special needs should contact Lisa Fraley-McNeal at lfm @ cwp.org before registering.

Costs and Registration

Registration is closed.

Regular Registration Rate: $600
Special Discounted Rate: $350 (Discounted Non-profit & Government Registration)

• All registration fees are due prior to Institute Check-In.
• Your registration fee includes three and a half days of instruction; training materials; Continuing Education Units; lunch and break refreshments each day, and dinner on Thursday night.
• Registration is for the full three and a half day program – no partial registrations are being offered.
• The registration fee does not include lodging or travel.
  
  

Continuing Education Units

2.5 CEUs (25 Professional Development Hours) are available for the Institute.  The CEU is a nationally recognized measure of participation in non-credit continuing education programs that meet established criteria for increasing competency. Attendance is required to earn CEUs. You will need to sign in daily for CEUs at the designated area.

Location and Venue

All classroom sessions will be held at the Clarion Hotel Downtown in Columbia, SC. The hotel is located near Columbia’s historic Vista and FivePoints Districts. Columbia is home to many scenic areas, including rivers, parks, and gardens, as well as the University of South Carolina and Fort Jackson.  The City’s regard for history is celebrated in museums, historic homes, and even in repurposed buildings now being utilized as shops and restaurants. For more information about the city, visit www.columbiacvb.com/

Lodging

Book early! Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.  We have reserved 50 rooms for $95/night at the Clarion Hotel Downtown, on Gervais St between Pickens and Henderson. For additional information about the hotel please visit: http://www.clarionhotelcolumbia.com/ For reservations, call the Clarion at 803-771-8711 and mention you are with the Watershed Institute 2009. Rooms will be held until August 22, 2009.

Room rates listed above do not include the city and state tax, currently at 11%. South Carolina-based non-profit organizations making reservations must pay through their organizations to receive tax exemption on the state sales tax.

The hotel includes complimentary parking, complimentary breakfast buffet for Institute attendees staying at the hotel, as well as shuttle service to the airport and historic districts.

Getting to Columbia

By plane: Columbia is serviced by the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Another option is the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which is approximately an hour and a half drive from Columbia. Shuttle service is available between the Charlotte Airport and Columbia: http://www.columbiacharlotteshuttle.com/

By train: If you are traveling down the east coast, hop on the Amtrak Palmetto and Silver Service trains to the Columbia Amtrak station.

Refunds and Cancellations

In the event that you are unable to attend the Institute after you’ve registered, approved substitutions may be made without penalty. Cancellations made by August 22 are refundable minus a $65 administration fee. Any cancellation received after August 22 is subject to forfeiture of all fees. Refunds will be given only if a replacement from the waiting list fills the position.

Thanks to Our Funders and Sponsors

We would like to thank our funders who continue to provide support for the Institutes and provide funds for subsidizing registration costs. Funders for this project to date include:

U.S. EPA Office of Wetlands and Watersheds
Altria
Richland County, SC
South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium
Environmental Finance Center
Hazen and Sawyer
Equinox Environmental
WK Dickson

Questions?

For questions about the program, funding, and exhibit space, contact Greg Hoffmann at gph @ cwp.org or 410-461-8323.

For questions about lodging and meals, contact Lisa Fraley-McNeal at lfm @ cwp.org or 410-461-8323.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Erin Johnson at etj @ cwp.org or 301-438-3927.

For payment questions and issues with registration, contact our registrars by phone at 803-777-9444, fax 803-777-2663, or email confs @ mailbox.sc.edu .

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