The Best of the BMPs - Understanding the Theory and Installation of Practices*

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: 200C

Credit: 4 PDH

Presentation Level: All: Suitable for a broad audience

Half Day Presenter(s)

John A. McCullah, Environmental Consulting Firm, Design Build Stream Restoration

Owner, CPESC, Geomorphologist
Salix Applied Earthcare LLC
Redding, California, United States

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This 1/2 day course will focus on the physical BMPs that are most widely-used for soil erosion and sediment control. BMPs such as Surface Roughening, Hydromulches, Fiber Rolls for slope breaks or sediment barriers, Tracking Controls, Compost Berms, Socks, and Blankets, Straw Mulching, TRMs, and Ditch Checks.

The Course comes with the free download of the BMP Manual – Best of the BMPs Guidance Manual 5th Edition, which will be referenced during the Course. This Best of the BMPs Manual has been 30 years in the making. This visually enhanced course is also intended to show the “tricks of the trade” – by providing sufficient visual cues the Erosion Control Practitioner can tell if the BMPs are installed or implemented in the manner intended. By watching the videos and referring to the BMP Manual provided, the learner will have gained confidence in identifying deficiencies in the BMP implementation practice and their improved self-assurance to add constructive comments. The course will outline the theories supporting the selection and use of appropriate BMPs. For instance, "raindrop impact erosion" is the primary force which detaches soil particles, particles which then can be transported by "sheet erosion". The QSD/QSP or SWPPP designer specifying a "check dam" should have knowledge of the "Continuity Equation" before deciding the height of dam or a "ditch check". Importantly, the practitioner and inspector should have a complete understand that Stoke's Law, the theory which describes how sediment can be effectively trapped. This Video Enhanced Course is intended to provide the SWPPP Practitioner, Inspector, Regulator, Construction Staff and/or others an opportunity to learn and experience what is necessary to install and complete a BMP “installation inspection”.

Download a copy of the course outline: here

Learning Objectives:

The learner will have an opportunity to view over 15 BMPs being installed and thereby gain experiential-based knowledge of ‘best practices’ for proper BMP installation
The learner will have experience referring to a BMP Manual for gaining additional information with regards to the BMP’s: a.) Purpose, b.) Construction Specification, and c.) Inspection and Maintenance procedures
The learner will, during the course, be provided information on the relative erosion effectiveness for various BMPs such as Straw Mulching, ECBs, Compost Blankets, and BFMs. Achieving those effectiveness goals will be connected to the appropriate application techniques.