Topic: Waterbody and Waterway Delineation and Regulation:  MNDNR Public Waters and USACE Tributaries
When: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 from 2:00 - 4:30 PM
Where: REI Bloomington, 750 American Blvd. W, Bloomington, MN 55420 (952) 884-4315 The Forum will be held in the REI Conference Room
Cost: Free for Current Members of the Wetland Professionals Association $30 for Nonmembers and $10 for students (both include a 1-year WPA membership) 
Agenda:  2:00-2:30 Registration, Cookies, Coffee, and Conversation 2:30-3:30 Presentation 3:30-4:30 Q&A and Discussion

Forum Topic:  In this talk, an overview of the state’s public waters program will be presented, including the definition of a public water, the public waters inventory (PWI) process, PWI maps, and how changes are made to the PWI.  The regulatory aspects of the public waters program will be discussed including the Ordinary High Water level (the boundary of public waters), the public waters work permit program, and the buffer mapping project.  A discussion of OHW determinations on public watercourse is included.  USACE personnel will discuss the identification and delineation of tributaries in Minnesota. The regulatory process including jurisdiction and mitigation for tributaries will also be covered during this discussion.     

Speakers: 
John (Jack) Gleason – DNR Public Waters Hydrologist Jack Gleason has worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for 12 years.  His career at the DNR began as a mining hydrologist working in Hibbing, then next as the Area Hydrologist for Hennepin and Carver Counties for seven years.  Since 2014, Jack has served as the DNR’s public waters hydrologist. He coordinates the statewide public waters work permit program and is the primary contact for questions related to the DNR’s public waters inventory (PWI).  Jack also has primary responsibility for the Buffer Protection Map, first released in July 2016.   Jack led the effort in reviewing and responding to over 4,000 comments received on the buffer map.  Before getting into the environmental field, Jack worked for 13 years at 3M Company in St. Paul designing internal business software systems.  Jack has Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geology and Computer Science from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in hydrogeology from Bemidji State University. Jack lives in White Bear Lake with his wife and two kids.

Chad Konickson – Chief of the Regulatory Program in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District Mr. Konickson leads approximately 70 staff in Minnesota and Wisconsin in their mission to protect the Nation's aquatic resources and navigation capacity, while allowing reasonable development through fair and balanced permit decisions. Mr. Konickson previously served as Regulatory Section Chief in St. Paul, for the Southwest Section and the Technical Services Section.   Mr. Konickson is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota and began his career with the Corps of Engineers in 1992 in the St. Paul District.  He has since worked as an Area Hydrologist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and for the Corps of Engineers in Florida, Alaska, South Carolina, Tennessee, and at Corps Headquarters in Washington D.C.  He returned to the St. Paul District in 2012 and lives in Stillwater, Minnesota with his wife and two daughters. 

Leslie Day – Mitigation Coordinator for the St. Paul District Ms. Day is responsible for mitigation program implementation in Minnesota and Wisconsin. This includes the development of guidance and training for District staff and the public, coordination with our state counterparts and IRT members, managing RIBITS ledgers, and assisting project managers in the review of PRM, bank and ILF mitigation proposals, predominantly for wetland resources.   Prior to becoming the Mitigation Coordinator, Leslie was a project manager in northern Minnesota for 5 years, where she was the project manager for a number of active and pending mitigation banks and an umbrella bank. At any given time, the St. Paul District is typically reviewing between 70 and 100 pending wetland mitigation bank and ILF site proposals as well as managing an additional 200+ approved and active mitigation banks. Leslie is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. 

WDCP Credits: 0.5

Indirect PWS Credits: 2 hours