Minnesota Stormwater Best Management Practices and Resilience Planning
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Streamable MP4/PDF
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Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
8:30 am – 3:30 pm CST
Agenda:
Presented by Joel A. Paulsen, P.E.
Minnesota Regulatory Context
- MPCA’s NPDES Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSWGP)
- MS4 permit requirements and municipal obligations:
- MN Stormwater Manual: (https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us) as a design and regulatory resource
- Design review triggers: plan submittals, redevelopment, sensitive areas
Site Assessment and BMP Planning Factors
- Site topography, soil types (hydrolic soil groups), infiltration testing
- Watershed context and pollutant loading concerns (TSS, phosphorus, bacteria)
- Climate projections for MN (precipitation extremes, freeze-thaw cycles)
- Use of pre-design worksheets and feasibility checklists from MN Stormwater Manual
BMP Selection Framework
- MPCA and local plan reviewer expectations
- Erosion vs. sediment control –prioritizing surface stabilization
- Temporary vs. permanent BMPs
Deep Dive: Construction BMP Types
- Each BMP topic:
- Purpose and application
- Design/specifications (sizing, slope limits, spacing, maintenance)
- Cold-climate considerations and local adaptations
- Common field errors and contractor/inspector coordination
- Recommended BMPs for Minnesota:
- Silt fences and fiber rolls
- Sediment basins and traps
- Check dams
- Construction entrance/track-out control
- Mulching and compost blankets
- Brush barriers and compost socks
- Storm drain inlet protection
- Temporary diversion dikes/slope drains
- Preserving natural vegetation
- Dust control
- Stabilizted exits and de-watering controls
Field Implementation and Inspections
- SWPPP inspections, log documentation, and sequencing BMPs with construction phasing
- Roles of designers, contractors, and site inspectors
Post-Construction Requirements and Design Framework
- MPCA guidance on volume control
- Credit calculation methods (P-trap removal, infiltration volume)
- Local standards from BWSR, Met Council, watershed districts
Deep Dive: Innovative Green Infrstructure BMPs
- Each BMP topic:
- Functional benefits and water quality performance
- Design/sizing methods (especially for small urban infill or retrofits)
- Soil specs, vegetation, pretreatment, and maintenance
- Cold climate concerns (salt, snow storage, clogging)
- Recommended BMPs:
- Bioretention/rain gardens – Grassed swales and bioswales
- Permeable pavements – Green roofs
- Tree trenches and urban forestry BMPs
- Wet ponds and constructed wetlands
- Infiltration trenches – Filter strips and buffer zones
- Sand/organic filters – On-lot treatment
- Low-Impact Development (LID) techniques
Maintenance and Long-Term Performance
- O&M plans and agreements
- Sediment accumulation and vegetation management
- Public/private coordination: easements, inspections, enforcement
State and Local Resilience Strategies
- Minnesota Climate Action Framework (2023 update)
- Integration with capital improvement planning, transportation, and land use
- Role of engineers and designers in resilience funding and scoring
Regional Example and Discussion
- Fargo-Moorhead Flood Diversion and how multi-jurisdictional infrastructure can meet resilience goals
- Tying it all together: how resilient stormwater planning reduces long-term public costs
Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.
Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.
Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.
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Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS
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Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions)
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions)
Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better
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Credits
Engineers
6.0 PDHs
Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
AIA - American Institute of Architects
6.0 HSW LUs
Landscape Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
6.0 HSW PDHs
ICC - International Code Council
0.6 CEUs (Sitework)
Floodplain Managers
6.0 ASFPM CECs
APA/AICP - American Planning Association/American Institute of Certified Planners
6.0 CM
Continuing Education Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for landscape architects in Minnesota. The Minnesota Board of AELSLAGID does not pre-approve any continuing education providers.
The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW LUs (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA/CES.
The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.
The International Code Council has approved this event for .6 CEUs in the specialty area of Sitework (Preferred Provider No. 1232).
The Association of State Floodplain Managers has approved this course for 6.0 CECs for floodplain managers.
HalfMoon Education is an approved CM Provider with the American Planning Association. This course is registered for CM | 6.0 for Certified Planners.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).
*On-Demand Credits*
The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:
6.0 HSW LUs (AIA)
6.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES)
Speakers
Joel A. Paulson, P.E.
Senior Managing Consultant, Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi), in Plymouth, MNMr. Paulsen is a licensed civil engineer with over 20 years of experience in stormwater management, flood control, and resilient infrastructure design. He currently serves as a Senior Managing Consultant at Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi), where he leads forensic investigations and advises public agencies and private clients on complex water infrastructure and flood risk projects across the country.
Prior to joining ESi, Mr. Paulsen served as the Executive Director of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority, where he successfully led the $3.2 billion Fargo-Moorhead Flood Diversion project, the first U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public-Private Partnership (P3) of its kind. His leadership included land acquisition, permitting, climate resilience planning, and large-scale BMP integration across municipal boundaries.
Mr. Paulsen is a Certified Floodplain Manager and an expert in the application of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), construction-phase BMPs, and regulatory permitting under Minnesota’s MS4 and CSWGP programs. He frequently works with watershed districts, local governments, and developers to address erosion control, stormwater reuse, and long-term system maintenance. He has also served as a municipal elected official and continues to advocate for integrated, cost-effective stormwater solutions that benefit both infrastructure and the environment.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University and resides in Moorhead, Minnesota.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Minnesota Stormwater Best Management Practices and Resilience Planning
Delivery Method: Live Online
Course Description: This six-hour course explores Minnesota’s stormwater management framework and the practical application of best management practices (BMPs). Emphasis is placed on regulatory requirements, site assessment, and climate-adapted design approaches that address both construction-phase and long-term challenges. The program highlights strategies for integrating BMPs with green infrastructure and resilience planning to improve water quality, reduce flooding, and support community sustainability.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify Minnesota regulatory requirements for stormwater management, including MPCA permits, municipal obligations, and use of the Minnesota Stormwater Manual.
Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to conduct site assessments that account for soils, hydrology, pollutant loading, and climate projections, and apply this information to BMP planning.
Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to evaluate the purpose, design, and implementation of both construction-phase and green infrastructure BMPs with attention to cold-climate adaptations.
Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to develop strategies for long-term maintenance, performance monitoring, and integration of stormwater practices into resilience planning and capital improvement projects.
LUs: 6.0
LU Type: LU|HSWs
Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 09/02/2028
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.
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