Thank you, 2023 Field Day speakers and product representatives for helping SNEC deliver another pair of successful workshops!!

CLICK HERE FOR LINKS TO RESOURCES

Sediment is the world’s #1 pollutant.

Soil moved by erosion can be harmful to our drinking water resources, fish and wildlife, and it can impact our quality of life.   Erosion Control has changed dramatically over the years and new technologies are constantly in development.  Use this workshop to help you stay current on useful practices and make valuable connections.

“A little bit of dirt never hurt anybody…” but a little bit from one jobsite multiplied by the hundreds of jobsites in a watershed can add up quickly.  Soil erosion has the potential to affect how much treatment wastewater must receive. We all need to know our options for both controlling sediment and for designing and installing more effective long-term erosion control solutions.

These field days are a unique collaborative effort between the private and public sectors to share information and promote a better understanding of the latest tools available to all who are entrusted with protecting our precious soil and water resources.  

Tuesday September 19:  
Westerly Education Center​ (23 Friendship St​) and Cimalore Field​ (99 Wilson St​), WESTERLY, RI 02891

Thursday September 28: 
Tolland County Agricultural Center | 24 Hyde Avenue (Route 30), VERNON, CT 06066

Fun in the Sun!  Earn Credits!  Make Connections!

SNEC Erosion and Sediment Control Field Days combine presentations and hands-on demonstrations. These days are training for professionals working in soils, erosion control, water quality, public works, engineering, roads, planning, resource protection, and consulting. Our goal is to provide information that is immediately useful to all who attend – you are encouraged to bring your site plans and questions!

Boxed lunch will be provided for the Field Days.

Field Days are hosted by SWCS SNEC, in partnership with EJ Prescott.

Certificate of Attendance will be provided to document six (6) hours of educational contact.  

Credit for 6 Professional Development Hours pre-approved by by EnviroCert International.  

SWCS Conservation Community member Southern Rhode Island Conservation District (SRICD) is working hand-in-hand with the Town of Westerly and others on the Resilient Riverfront Renewal Main Street, Westerly project.  The Stormwater Masterplan will integrate a variety of green infrastructure (GI) features along the streets and on both Town and private properties that will reduce flooding, filter pollutants from stormwater, provide pollinator and bird habitat, improve air quality, and add beauty and walkability to the economic center of Westerly. 

SRICD and Cherenzia & Associates (engineer of the GI system at the Westerly Education Center) will offer design and history overview with a mock inspection tour of the green infrastructure BMP’s surrounding the Westerly Education Center.   

AGENDA | 19 September 2023 

The morning session will be held at Westerly Education Center.

8:00 a.m.  –  Registration, Check-In and Coffee 

8:30 a.m. –  Welcome & Opening Remarks | Andrew Gorman (SWCS Southern New England Chapter RI Representative / Beals & Thomas)

8:45 a.m. –  Coastal Protection Approaches:  Traditional Hard Structures and Nature Based Approaches | Jennifer O’Donnell (Fuss & O’Neill)

9:30 a.m. –  Introduction to Rhode Island Soils.  Influences on Soil Permeability and Hydrologic Soil Groups | Jeffrey Peterson (VHB)

10:15 a.m. –  Break and Networking

10:30 a.m. –  Stormwater Green Infrastructure Design at the Westerly Education Center with Mock Inspection Tour | Renee Stoops (Southern RI Conservation District) and Sergio Cherenzia (Cherenzia & Associates)

12:00 p.m. –  Boxed Lunch and Travel to Cimalore Sports Complex

12:45 p.m. –  Rotation through Field Stations  (scroll down for information)

3:45 p.m. –  Closing Remarks   

AGENDA 

8:00 a.m.  –  Check-in and Coffee

8:30 a.m.  –  Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:45 a.m.  –  Summary of Revised Stormwater Quality Manual and Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Guidelines | Kathleen Knight (CT Dept of Energy & Environmental Protection and Chris Sullivan (Southwest Conservation District)

9:45 a.m.  –  Break and Networking

10:00 a.m.  –  Construction Compliance Inspections 101 | Landon Baker and Alison Milliman (BSC Group)

11:15 a.m.  –  Break and Networking

11:30 a.m.  –  Breakout Group Discussion on BMPs | Landon Baker, Alison Milliman and Chris Sullivan)

12:00 a.m.  –  Lunch 

12:45 p.m.  –  Rotation through Field Stations (scroll down for information)

3:45 p.m.  –  Closing Remarks

SWCS Southern New England Chapter’s outgoing Rhode Island representative Jeffrey Peterson (CPSS, PWS, CPESC) has provided these useful links:

• USDA Soil Texturing Field Flow Chart (laminated soil texture-by-feel flow chart):
  https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/77352/20741/usda-soil-texturing-field-flow-chart
• Estimating Soil Texture By Feel (Kansas State University):
  https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF2852.pdf
• Eye on Agriculture Today:  Soil Texture By Feel (video):
  https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Soil+Texture+by+feel+flow+videos&mid=5A25DE182E790C2192405A25DE182E790C219240)
• Soil Drainage Catenas of Rhode Island (USDA):
  https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Soil_Catenas_Rhode_Island_2012.pdf  
• Soil Catenas of Connecticut (USDA): 
  https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/SOIL_CATENAS-September_2022_0.pdf
• Rhode Island Method for Determining Hydrologic Soil Group by Site Specific Soil Mapping (URI/NRCS/RI NEMO):
  https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/HSGMethodsFinalDraft_URI.2016.pdf

• RI Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials publications:  https://web.uri.edu/nemo/publications/

JOIN the Soil & Water Conservation Society NOW
at the $115 Conservationist level and BENEFIT IMMEDIATELY
by registering at the $40 MEMBER RATE!   

Simply select the Blue Light Special ticket – we’ll handle the paperwork.

This offer is for 1st-time SWCS members only.

SWCS Southern New England Chapter is dedicated to supporting upcoming conservationists. Thanks to the support of our 2023 Sponsors, we’re pleased to offer FREE attendance to student members in good standing, and a discounted rate for other full-time students currently enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university.

• SWCS Member: $40

• General Admission: $75

• SWCS Student Chapter Member: FREE *

• Student General Admission: $20

• Blue Light Special:  $155 (includes membership and registration)

Students must be currently enrolled full-time at an accredited high school, college, or university.

*Registration is required.

NOTES:

• Pre-Registration Required – online by credit card only.

• This is a RAIN or SHINE event.

• No refunds. Registration may be transferred at no cost between attendees in the same ticket category and (if capacity allows) from one session to another.
• Morning coffee and a box lunch will be provided.

September 19th in Westerly, RI:

• BioPod™ – Brent Helm, Oldcastle Infrastructure

Sustainable Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management from Oldcastle Infrastructure.  BioPod™ systems utilize an advanced biofiltration design for filtration, sorption and biological uptake to remove Total Suspended Solids, dissolved metals, nutrients, gross solids, trash and debris as well as petroleum hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff.

• Concrete Canvas® – Melanie Furhman, Concrete Canvas USA

Created specifically for erosion control, containment and shelter applications, Concrete Canvas® is a flexible, concrete filled geosynthetic which provides a thin and durable concrete layer when hydrated. Typically, 10-times faster to install than conventional concrete solutions; essentially, it’s Concrete on a Roll™.  Melanie will show the different Concrete Canvas® applications in drainage channels and culvert repair.

• Flex MSE – Doug McCluskey, E. J. Prescott 

Flex MSE is a unique, sustainable vegetated wall system that is made up of bags that can be stacked to build the wall in different configurations depending on the height.  Doug will recruit volunteers to help stack the bags to demonstrate different installation styles and reinforcement mechanism options.

• Permeable Pavements – Mike Everhart, E. J. Prescott 

Mike will be showing plastic permeable pavement applications for both aggregate filled and turf reinforcement as well as Belgard® permeable paver applications 

• Profile® Mulches and Biotic Soil Media – Dylan Drudul, Profile Products  

Profile’s history of technical advancement, product innovation and real-world experience provides the foundation for best-in-class products – a full line of solutions is designed and engineered to deliver value you can depend on.  Dylan will discuss the high-end erosion control mulches and biotic soil media that Profile manufactures to tackle soil erosion. 

September 28th Field Stations

organized by product distributor Everett J. Prescott, Inc. 

‘Team EJP’ is also participating in field days
hosted by conservation districts in NEW HAMPSHIRE

• Wed Sept 20:  Sanborn Mills Farm, Loudon
  Hosted by:  Hillsborough and Merrimack County Conservation Districts | Contact:  Merrimack CCD, 603-223-6020 or info@merrimackccd.org
• Thu Sept 21:  North Country Resource Center, Lancaster
  Hosted  by:  Coös and Grafton County Conservation Districts | Contact: Coös CCD, (603)788-4651, Ext 5 or da.cccd@gmail.com

Conservation NewsBriefs

Join the Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society for our 2023 Annual Meeting.

Our featured speaker, SWCS Communications Coordinator Emma Harper, will describe membership benefits and upcoming SWCS programming.  Upcoming SNEC events will also be discussed. We’ll also recap our year and take care of business matters such as announcing the results of our 2023 Board of Directors Election.

This meeting is open to all interested in learning more about the Chapter and the Society. We will also be asking for suggestions and feedback on our upcoming events and projects.

The event is free.
Advanced registration is required.

Share the event flyer with those who may be interested.

Conservation NewsBriefs