Join us for the next Clean Water Academy Lunch & Learn session on October 23, 2025, from Noon to 1:00 p.m.          

Katie Brooks from Penn State Extension will present on “Enhancing Wildlife Habitat.” The webinar will cover habitat improvements, management practices, and species selection that will enhance forest stands and make them more desirable for a wide variety of Pennsylvania species.

Grab your lunch and join us for this engaging and informative discussion! Click here to register. Registration is free but required. 

Molly Bengs is the Water Resource Trainer at PACD, where she plays a key role in advancing water resource training efforts and expanding the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s comprehensive training library, Clean Water Academy.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University.

Prior to her current role, Molly worked with the National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP), where she contributed to the development and implementation of communication strategies supporting locally led conservation initiatives through partner activities. She also has a background in higher education, having worked on curriculum development, and gained valuable experience through an internship with her local conservation district. Molly is looking forward to continuing her work in conservation by supporting water quality efforts across Pennsylvania in this role.

Outside of work, Molly enjoys hiking, photography, crafting, as well as spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Vader.

Two new lessons can be found under the “Hydric Soils” section of the “Introduction to Wetland Determination – 2025” course.  The lessons feature numerous videos from the field.

The lessons include:

PA Hydric Soil Indicators, Part 2  (must be logged in to view)
This lesson continues the discussion of common hydric soil indicators in Pennsylvania. By the end, you will be able to accurately describe and identify several key indicators using industry best practices. The lesson also introduces a step-by-step procedure for determining organic matter content and classifying types of organic matter.

Hydric Soil Indicators Exercise (must be logged in to view)
This final lesson serves as a practical wrap-up for the basic hydric soils module. Through interactive exercises, you will apply your knowledge to four site scenarios, practicing the identification of hydric soil indicators and reinforcing key concepts learned throughout the course.

Contact Molly Bengs for additional information or to create a Clean Water Academy account. mbengs@pacd.org.

Check out these two new courses on the Clean Water Academy that may be of interest to conservation district staff!

Course: MS4 Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) 
Municipalities and other entities with separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit coverage are required by their MS4 permits to implement a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to reduce the discharge of pollutants from their MS4, protect water quality, and satisfy the water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act and Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. This course will provide an overview of the six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) that must be included in a permittee’s SWMP. Completion of this course is recommended for municipal staff and their consultants, local environmental groups, and any other interested members of the public.

Course: Legacy Sediment Removal, Floodplain Restoration, and Permitting 
This webinar provided a historical background on legacy sediments within Pennsylvania. It also included a discussion on principles of floodplain restoration as well as permitting considerations for legacy sediment removal and floodplain restoration projects.

Please email Jay Braund with questions jbraund@pa.gov.

To support conservation district managers, assistant managers, supervisory staff, and team leaders in maximizing the benefits of the Clean Water Academy (CWA), PACD is offering three short live sessions focused on key features and navigation tips. Since not all staff have completed the “How to Use Clean Water Academy” course (access requires login), some may not be aware of the full range of available tools and training opportunities.

The sessions will be identical, so you only need to attend one of them. Each session will provide a concise overview of CWA, highlight underutilized features, and offer practical guidance to support more effective use of CWA. Registration is required.

Session Options:

• Wednesday, August 6: 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. – Click here to register. 
• Tuesday, August 12: 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. – Click here to register. 
• Thursday, August 21: 11:00 a.m.–Noon – Click here to register. 

All sessions will be recorded and made available on CWA for those who are unable to attend live, as well as for future managers to reference.

 

Join us for the next Clean Water Academy Lunch & Learn session on June 26, 2025, from Noon–1:00 p.m. with Ryan Davis, Senior Forests Projects Manager for Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.

Ryan will present “Riparian Forest Buffer Success through Outreach.” The session includes a discussion on riparian forest buffer success stories with a focus on communication and outreach.

Grab your lunch and join us for this engaging and informative discussion! Click here to register. Registration is free but required.

Stay tuned for more Lunch & Learn sessions in the coming months!

Join us for the next Clean Water Academy Lunch & Learn session on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from Noon–1:00 p.m. with Lisa Blazure, Soil Health Coordinator at the Stroud Water Research Center.

Lisa will present “Building Trust and Relationships with Farmers: Lessons from 15 Years in Agricultural Conservation.” She’ll share practical tips and advice on relationship building with agricultural landowners, along with inspiring success stories drawn from her extensive experience in the field.

Grab your lunch and join us for this engaging and informative discussion! Click here to register. Registration is free but required.

Stay tuned for more Lunch & Learn sessions in the coming months!

In March of 2025, Clean Water Academy (CWA) surpassed 50,000 course completions. Course completions refer to the total number of individual courses successfully completed by all users of CWA. This milestone reflects significant engagement and successful completion of many courses by DEP staff, conservation district staff, sewage enforcement officers, cooperating agencies, and the public. A CWA usage report was recently released.

From January 1, 2018, through March 1, 2025, CWA recorded a total of 52,264 course completions by 4,205 users. Of the 52,264 total course completions, 23,165 (45%) were completed by conservation district staff.

Congratulations to the top ten individuals with the highest course completions:

1. Stephen Beach, Blair CD
2. Matthew Golden, Washington CD
3. Rebecca Smith, Mercer CD
4. Tyne Blazier, Huntingdon CD
5. Patti Abrogast, Union CD
6. Zach Green, Adams CD
7. Dave Taylor, Wyoming CD
8. Tom Ulrich, Washington CD
9. Jason Branning, Susquehanna CD
10. Devon Weyant, Blair CD

Click here to read the report.

 

 

In response to ongoing conversations about onboarding needs, highlighted most recently by the PACD District Employees Committee, we’ve developed new Clean Water Academy (CWA) resources to support conservation districts in training new staff.

These new resources include a CWA Orientation one-pager that provides a broad overview of the training platform, along with instructions on how to access CWA. We’re also offering CWA Course Checklists tailored to various conservation district roles, including Erosion & Sedimentation Technicians, Agricultural Technicians, and Watershed Specialists. 

These documents highlight available courses and training programs on CWA (links provided) and help streamline the onboarding process.

Please contact Kelly Davidson at kdavidson@pacd.org with questions.

Join us for the next Clean Water Academy Lunch & Learn session on Thursday, May 1, 2025, from Noon–1:00 p.m. with Jordan Sanford and Jason Beale from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Jordan and Jason will present “Revitalizing Conservation Education: Strategies for Connecting with Broader Audiences,” where they’ll provide a broad overview of the Game Commission’s education efforts, highlight recent projects, and explore strategies for engaging various audiences.

Grab your lunch and join us for this engaging and informative discussion! Click here to learn more and register. Registration is free but required.

Stay tuned for more Lunch & Learn sessions in the coming months!