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!

 

In the April 7, 2025, issue of Front Page, we ran a story about Kelly Davidson, PACD Water Resources Trainer, capturing footage for the upcoming Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training using a drone. Just to clarify, Kelly is a licensed drone pilot and uses the drone to take videos of construction practices to use for staff training purposes only through the Clean Water Academy. 

The article was meant to celebrate Kelly getting her pilot’s license and let our members know we are working with the PA Department of Environmental Protection on planning the Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training. The training will be held in Harrisburg from May 19-23, 2025.

Drones are not being used for inspections, and training on using drones is not taught during Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training.

 

PACD Water Resources Trainer Kelly Davidson flew a drone in Cumberland County on March 31, 2025. This was the first site visit with the PA Department of Environmental Protection to prepare for the field portion of the Chapter 102 Basic Technical Training from May 19-23, 2025.

Click here to register for the training (you must be logged in to Clean Water Academy to access the link). 

 

Clean Water Academy is excited to launch our new Lunch & Learn Webinar Series! Our first session will take place on Thursday, March 27, from Noon–1:00 p.m. and will feature David Wise, Watershed Restoration Manager at Stroud Water Research Center.

David will present “The Overlooked Half of Forested Buffers: Stream Ecology and Trees,” exploring the critical connections between stream health and riparian forests. This session will provide valuable insights into how trees influence stream ecology and why they are essential for watershed restoration.

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!

As we kick off the new year, we’re looking back at 2024 to celebrate Clean Water Academy’s Top 10 Course Completion Champions across all conservation districts. These individuals completed the most courses throughout the year, demonstrating an incredible dedication to expanding their knowledge and expertise. Congratulations to our Top 10 learners!

1. Rebecca Smith, Mercer CD –145 course completions
2. Morgan Lee, Beaver CD – 87 course completions
3. Maria Rickenbaugh, Juniata CD – 75 course completions
4. Jonathan Wall, Huntingdon CD – 67 course completions
5. Christian DeSimone, Bucks CD – 65 course completions
6. Jason Branning, Susquehanna CD – 64 course completions
7. Katelynn Decker, McKean CD – 64 course completions
8. Charles Kelshaw, Monroe CD – 61 course completions
9. Robert McDonald, Mercer CD – 61 course completions
10. Carli McConnell, Clinton CD – 57 course completions

With new courses and training opportunities ahead in 2025, now is the perfect time to dive in. Click here to visit Clean Water Academy.

Please contact PACD Water Resource Trainer Kelly Davidson at kdavidson@pacd.org with any questions or to create an account.

The Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy is an online training library administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and supported by PACD. It provides training for DEP staff, Conservation District staff, Sewage Enforcement Officers (SEOs), and the public.