Name: ESC Conference 2018
Start: 2018-10-24T08:30-16:30
End: 2018-10-25T08:30-16:30
Location: Executive Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre

Sessions

Presentations

ESCA BC is proud to offer the following presentation lineup for this years conference. Session information that is colour coded Blue will be held in the breakout rooms. Keynote session are coded yellow and will be held in the Main Ballroom. For detailed information about each session please click on the "show more" wording under the session title.

Wednesday, October 24

9:00am - 9:45am Session 1	The Minnesota Story: The Evolution of Erosion Control in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” Jay Michels, Emmons & Olivier Resources, Inc. show more Description In the early 1990’s it was determined that one of the major problems with water quality in a state that promotes itself with clean water was sediment from construction sites. Since then, Minnesota has been a national leader in the development of policies to address this issue and promote stormwater management through the use of Low Impact Development (LID). This session will tell the story of this evolution. Speaker Bio. Jay Michels, CPESC, is a Project Manager with Emmons & Olivier Resources in Oakdale, MN with over 30 years of experience in construction management, erosion control and stormwater management. The emphasis of his work is in LID design and implementation, ordinance and storm water policy and outreach and education development. Jay is known for his work throughout the upper Midwest and Canada as an educator on LID, stormwater management and erosion and sediment control. Make Water Clear Again: Ecosystem Benefits of On-Site Water Treatment with Naturally-Sourced Chemistry Eric Bradley, Dober Chemical show more Description Stormwater, process water, and groundwater pick up sediments while flowing through the built environment. Introducing coagulation and flocculation reactions can increase sediment capture and allow sites to increase compliance, operational uptime, and the useful life of BMPs. In the marketplace, synthetic and naturally-sourced chemistries are available in solid and liquid forms – each approach has strengths and weaknesses to balance. To ensure watershed health, key evaluations include chemical toxicity and traceability. Speaker Bio. My favorite fish is the Lagoon Triggerfish, and I like hiking and kayaking. I have developed many environmental water treatment projects in the USA.
10:00am - 10:45am Session 2	Beyond Basic BMPs - Strategies for Sucessfully Implementing Active Treatment Systems Liisa Doty, Water Tectonics, Inc show more Description Active water treatment systems, aka chitosan, chemical treatment systems, etc., have been invaluable to maintaining project schedules and water quality compliance. However, if not designed, installed, and operated properly, these systems can be more albatross than angel. Site characteristics such as basin area, topography, rainfall patterns, soil type, presence of additional contaminants and available laydown space all factor into successful treatment design. Pacific Northwest case studies will be used to illustrate design methods and operational considerations for successful implementation of active treatment systems. Speaker Bio. Ms. Doty is a Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality and Erosion & Sediment Control (CPSWQ/CPESC) with 20 years of experience in the water quality arena. Liisa has been involved in over 300 projects providing consulting, water treatment design and regulatory expertise. Unmanned aerial vehicles as a tool for monitoring and evaluating natural channel designs Bryce Molder, Geo Morphix Ltd show more Description Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly deployed for monitoring construction projects and characterizing natural rivers. The bird’s-eye perspective of a UAV can provide a better overview of channel and corridor conditions than ground photographs. This presentation outlines their potential application and limitations with examples from recent projects. Speaker Bio. Mr. Molder earned an M.Sc. degree in Geography from the University of Guelph. He is a designer at GEO Morphix Ltd. and is involved in all phases of restoration.
11:15am - 12:00pm Session 3	Bill C-68 “An Act to amend the Fisheries Act and other Acts in Consequence” Tola Coopper & Shona Smith, Fisheries and Oceans Canada show more Description Bill C-68 was introduced in the House of Commons on February 6, 2018, as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to restore lost protections and incorporate modern safeguards into the Fisher-ies Act. This presentation will introduce Bill C-68, provide an overview of the Bill describing the amendments in 8 key areas, and provide information on the Parliamentary process and information on how Canadians can comment and share their views. Speaker Bio. Tola is the Team Lead for Partnerships Standards and Guidelines with DFO’s Fisheries Protection Program and is the Pacific Region lead for engagement on the Fisheries Act Review. Sediment Basins & Considerations for Design, Installation & Maintenance T Luke Owen, NPDES Stormwater Training Insitute show more Description Properly addressing pollution prevention rather than sediment control by SWPPP preparers is critical if a sediment basin is to properly minimize or manage sediment laden stormwater through the entire land disturbing activity process. Luke will discuss how important it is that design professionals more carefully consider and/or be aware of BMPs that serve as stormwater volume controls, as well as BMPs for sediment prevention and sediment control. Speaker Bio. Properly addressing pollution prevention rather than sediment control by SWPPP preparers is critical if a sediment basin is to properly minimize or manage sediment laden stormwater through the entire land disturbing activity process. Luke will discuss how important it is that design professionals more carefully consider and/or be aware of BMPs that serve as stormwater volume controls, as well as BMPs for sediment prevention and sediment control.
1:00pm - 2:15pm Keynote 1	BC Governments Professional Reliance Review Jennifer McGuire, Assistant Deputy Minister, Environmental Sustainability and Strategic Policy Division with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy show more Description This Ketnote address will cover the recently completed review of the professional reliance model, recommendations from the independent final report on the review, and legislative changes related to professional governance that are underway. Speaker Bio. Jennifer McGuire is Assistant Deputy Minister in the Environmental Sustainability and Strategic Policy Division with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. She is currently leading the Professional Reliance Review for the Ministry. She is a professional agrologist, as well as a past-president with the BC Institute of Agrologists.
2:30pm - 3:15pm Session 4	The Minnesota Story Part 2: Lessons Learn from 20 Years of Building and Protecting LID Practices Jay Michels, Emmons & Olivier Resources, Inc. show more Description As Low Impact Development has become the backbone of stormwater management in Minnesota, we have made many mistakes in constructing these practices, primarily because of ineffective erosion control. This session will focus on the lessons learned over the past two decades of implementing LID. Speaker Bio. Jay Michels, CPESC, is a Project Manager with Emmons & Olivier Resources in Oakdale, MN with over 30 years of experience in construction management, erosion control and stormwater management. The emphasis of his work is in LID design and implementation, ordinance and storm water policy and outreach and education development. Jay is known for his work throughout the upper Midwest and Canada as an educator on LID, stormwater management and erosion and sediment control. Site Inspections from a Regulatory Perspective. T Luke Owen, NPDES Stormwater Training Insitute show more Description Construction site inspections are often focused on installation and maintenance of Best Management Practices (BMPs) as they should be. However, there are additional factors that must be considered if a regulatory inspection is to be truly effective at producing a responsibly managed construction site. Properly addressing and communicating deficiencies and violations to an operator will make the difference for water quality watershed’s being challenged by urban growth. Speaker Bio. Properly addressing pollution prevention rather than sediment control by SWPPP preparers is critical if a sediment basin is to properly minimize or manage sediment laden stormwater through the entire land disturbing activity process. Luke will discuss how important it is that design professionals more carefully consider and/or be aware of BMPs that serve as stormwater volume controls, as well as BMPs for sediment prevention and sediment control.

Thursday, October 25

8:30am - 9:45am Keynote 2	Water Quality Today, It's Not The Creek That Matters Most! Luke Owen, NPDES Stormwater Training Institute show more Description Growing by approximately 1-Billion people every 12 years, the earth’s water resources have never been more challenged. In British Columbia, nearly half of the population of 4.7million, reside in densely populated Vancouver, the third larges city in Canada. In the United States, approximately 85% of the population currently resides in areas identified as Urban by the US Census Bureau (population centers over 50,000 people). With our population growing so quickly, there is no greater time than now for stormwater professionals to stand up and effectively communicate their personal skillsets that support improving and maintaining the physical, chemical and biologic integrity of our surface waters. Communicating permit requirements and guidelines as well as physical and administrative best management practices to Public Works officials as well as the general public is not just a nice thing to do, but an absolute necessity for today’s stormwater professional. This presentation will explore proven communication techniques that will help the attendee to effectively communicate and motivate people to support and get involved in urban watershed protection. Speaker Bio. T. Luke Owen is President of the NPDES Stormwater Training Institute and is a nationally recognized NPDES training provider and subject matter expert for MS4, construction and industrial stormwater management.
10:15am - 11:00pm Session 5	Understanding Erosion and Providing Solutions David Polster, Polster Environmental Services Ltd show more Description Natural processes have been effectively controlling erosion and restoring sites for millions of years. By using these processes we can reduce costs and increase effectiveness of our erosion control efforts. Speaker Bio. David Polster, M.Sc., R.P.Bio. CERP* is a plant ecologist with over 40 years of experience in the restoration of drastically disturbed sites. *CERP = Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner Planning Phase and the Importance of Communication - Contractor and Environmental Consultant Terra Schott, Hatfield Consultants show more Description Pending Speaker Bio. Terra Schott is a Registered Forest Technologist (RFT), an Environmental Professional in Environmental Management (EP), and Certified as a Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC). She has over 16 years experience in the resource sector, including forestry, environment, and construction, including major infrastructure. Ms. Schott is a Manager at Hatfield, responsible for environmental monitoring and permitting aspects of construction projects across all industry sectors. She is also responsible for project planning and coordination, resourcing, budget tracking, and compliance tracking, and monitoring/ auditing.
11:15am - 12:00pm Session 6	Biotic Soil Amendments: Why are they Important and what’s the Value in Design Mark Myrowich, ECB Verdyol show more Description Restoration failure is all too common and all too accepted. The soils upon which are seeded at the end of the project typically lack the quality to sustain strong healthy vegetation. This presentation will explore the concept of Biotic Soil Amendments, what is the strategy and is there value in fixing the soils in which we see. Attendees will learn the functions of Biotic Soil Amendments and will be able to understand their use on challenging sites. With a focus on challenging sites, attendees will be better able to assess their restoration needs and design a better vegetation plan Speaker Bio. Mark Myrowich, CPESC, CIESC, B Comm, is the owner of ECBVerdyol Canada’s premier manufacturer of Erosion and Sediment control products. Mark was the President of the Northern Plains Chapter of the IECA for 15 years and recently was elected to the Board of the International Erosion Control Association New Standards for ESC and Sustainable Stormwater Management Jeff Walker, CSA Group show more Description Publishing this fall is a new standard that aims to harmonize ESC inspection and monitoring best practices and jurisdictional requirements across all of Canada. Participants will learn about how the committee developing the standard approached its requirements related to inspection, monitoring, and what it means to be a ‘qualified inspector.’ Participants will also learn about how and when the standard applies and who will enforce it. Speaker Bio. Jeff Walker is the Program Manager for Natural Resources at CSA Group. Jeff has a M. Eng. in Civil Engineering, and also holds an MBA.
1:00pm - 1:45pm Session 7	Climate Change: Current and Future Impacts on Erosive Rainfall in Calgary Alberta Ben Ethier, City of Calgary show more Description Climate change may have changed sediment loss rates from construction sites over the past 20 years and could continue to change these rates into the future. This research conducted as part of a Masters Thesis explores how local R values have changed in the last 20 years, how they may change in the future due to climate change, and what impact this may have on Calgary and the Bow River. Speaker Bio. Ben is an Erosion Control Technician with the City of Calgary. He is in the final stages of completing his Master of Science Thesis through Royal Roads University in Victoria. Fundamental Recipe for Successful Land Reclamation Damon Sump and Brian Free, Profile Products show more Description Many construction sites offer unique and unpredictable challenges for successful erosion control efforts. Published handbooks or manuals can provide general approaches to erosion control and vegetation establishment, but rarely can they address the specific needs or conditions of unique sites. Selected case studies from Western Canada will be offered to illustrate the discovery (required information gathering) and implementation (execution) of the five fundamentals for successful land rehabilitation. Speaker Bio. Damon Sump CPESC is the Regional Sales Manger for Profile Products covering Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Brian Free CPESC, CPSWQ, CISEC is the Market Development Manager for Profile Products covering western North America.
2:00pm - 2:45pm Session 8	Erosion and Sediment Control Lessons Learned on the Site C Clean Energy Project Greg Scarborough, Site C Clean Energy Project show more Description The Site C Clean energy Project is British Columbia's largest capital project and critical to meeting the Province's long-term electricity needs. Some have referred to the Project's initial earth moving scope as two small open pit mines on either side of a large river. The realities and risks presented by the Project's water management and erosion and sediment control requirements have proven similar to this hard to imagine mining scenario. This presentation describes the overall scope and complexity of the Site C Clean Energy Project, Its regulatory expectations and challenges, what was done to address these challenges and what we have learned through the process. Speaker Bio. Greg is a 20 year veteran of BC Hydro's many excellent environmental and construction programs. He has an M.Sc. in Environment and Management and works and lives in Vancouver . Technologies and approaches for monitoring construction sites: working towards better sediment and erosion control outcomes Paul Villard, Geo Morphix Ltd show more Description This presentation discusses the benefits, opportunities, and limitations of new technologies and approaches, including the use of drones for construction site monitoring; cellular and GPS enabled tablets for communicating site conditions; and telemetry-based turbidity monitoring and alarm systems for real-time observation. Speaker Bio. Dr. Villard has expertise in sediment transport, erosion mitigation, and river restoration completing projects in Canada, the US and overseas. He is the Principal Geomorphologist at GEO Morphix Ltd.
3:15pm - 4:00pm Session 9	Bringing up the Next Generation: Supporting and Training Younger Staff Caroline Astley, Hemmera show more Description Environmental monitoring of ESC can be a great way for new or inexperienced staff to get field experience in ESC and construction. However, it is a daunting place for new staff with little real-world experience. Although many training courses are available, these may not adequately prepare junior staff for the realities of the job site and senior support may be key to their success. Speaker Bio. Caroline Astley, M.Sc., R.P.Bio., is a Project Manager and Senior Ecologist with over 15 years experience in BC. She currently manages a team of five junior to senior level environmental management professionals, and assists with internal mentoring and training programs as well as coordinating external training. She is a member of the ESCABC Board of Directors, and is in the process of obtaining her CPESC desingation. Surficial Slope Instability and the Potential Contribution of Erosion Control Practice Ian Corne, Nilex Civil Environmental Group show more Description This paper examines surficial slope instability where Civil and Geotechnical Engineering and Erosion Control design detailing and common practice may be a contributing factor to long term surficial slope instability. Evidence will be brought to support discussion around innovate techniques utilizing less topsoil to cause long-term sustainable root establishment in the civil grade for more robust grass liner protection of engineered infrastructure. Speaker Bio. Ian Corne, CPESC, M.Land.Arch., B.E.S. is the GeoHydraulics Technical Manager with Nilex Civil Environmental Group. Ian is a Subject Matter Expert in conveyance armouring and slope stabilization utilizing geosynthetic technology.

Sessions

Presentations

BC's premier ESC event.