Master the design, construction, and maintenance of rain gardens to effectively manage stormwater runoff, improve water quality, and create resilient, aesthetically pleasing landscapes.
This six-hour course explores the functions and benefits (environmental and landowner) of rain gardens, and dives deep into their siting, sizing, design, plant selection, amenities, and maintenance.
You will explore the historical context of stormwater management, examining how green infrastructure practices like rain gardens emerged as a crucial solution to the impacts of urbanization. The course meticulously covers the quantitative aspects of rain garden design, offering practical methodologies for siting and sizing these versatile systems.
Key topics include:
Furthermore, the course introduces advanced hydrological modeling tools like EPA's SWMM, providing insights into how these complex simulations offer a more detailed understanding of rain garden performance and potential cost savings in larger projects. By the end of this course, you will possess the knowledge and practical skills to design, construct, and maintain effective rain gardens that contribute to sustainable water management and vibrant community spaces.
Online Courses for Engineers
HalfMoon Education is a nonprofit continuing education provider offering live webinars and on-demand courses for engineers, architects, landscape architects, land surveyors, attorneys, paralegals, accountants and others. Since 1996, we’ve helped thousands of professionals nationwide stay current with industry standards and codes, earn CE hours, and advance their expertise through practical, expert-led learning experiences. Learn more about us at: www.halfmoonseminars.org
Professor in the Water Resources Group of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Auburn University
Dr. Vasconcelos obtained his BS degree in Civil Engineering (1995) and his MS degree in Environmental Technology and Water Resources (2000) at the University of Brasilia, Brazil. His PhD degree was obtained in 2005 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In the past, he held a professor appointment at the University of Brasilia (2006-2009), and prior to this, was an employee in the area of water resources at the waterworks authority in Brasilia (CAESB, 1999-2006), and prior to that at Brazil’s Federal District’s urban infrastructure company (NOVACAP, 1996-1999). His research interests include unsteady/multiphase flows, urban water infrastructure, headwater watersheds, interactions between surface water and groundwater flows. Applications of his research include understanding operational issues and behavior of hydraulic systems in extreme flow conditions, often caused by extreme rainfall and urbanization. Dr. Vasconcelos techniques include laboratory investigations, numerical modeling development, and field work research. He serves as an associate editor of the ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, MDPI Water, and CHI Journal of Water Management Modeling. Dr. Vasconcelos also serves as chair of the ASCE-EWRI Two-phase Flows in Urban Water Systems and past chair for Hydraulic Structures Committee. He serves as reviewer for various journals in the area of hydraulics, fluid mechanics, and water resources. As a consultant, he has contributed toward the design of several hydraulic systems, including the Washington DC Anacostia Tunnel and London’s Thames Tidewater Tunnel. Dr. Vasconcelos published 58 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 16 chapters in peer-reviewed books and monographs, over 70 papers in international conferences and meetings, among other types of creative production. He advised five PhD students, 22 MS students, and served in various graduate student committees. During his career, Dr. Vasconcelos was the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Associate Editor Award, by the Environmental and Water Resources Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers; the 2018 Telford Premium by the Institution of Civil Engineers, UK; and the 2014 James M. Robbins National Excellence in Teaching Award by Chi Epsilon, among other distinctions. He serves as one of the advisors for the Auburn University student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, having developed drinking water systems in Rwanda and Guatemala.
This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.
If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.
