ENVIRONMENTAL - International Erosion Control Association

« IECA members
industrial sites to development of land
tracts as large as about 500 acres (200
ha). “I was involved with all engineering
aspects of development,” DeLa-
Mare says.
During this time, she was introduced
to the field of erosion and sediment
control when she spent a year
working with others on water resource
concerns, including stormwater management
and protection of wetlands.
That’s when she joined IECA.
Dealing with Drainage
In her current position with the
city’s Water Resources Division, DeLa-
Mare works with developers and their
consultants to ensure compliance with
Calgary’s underground utility requirements,
especially those dealing with
stormwater management. Numerous
elevation changes and long slopes present
a real challenge, she notes.
“If things aren’t designed properly,
we could have some serious stormwater
Pick Cotton.
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management and erosion and sediment
control problems,” she says.
Part of her job is to prevent those
problems. “We want to get a handle
on drainage issues in advance to
make sure nothing falls through the
cracks as far as conveying stormwater
runoff down the slopes,” DeLaMare
says. Consequently, her duties have
included reviewing erosion and sediment
control plans for individual sites
as well as master drainage plans and
stormwater management reports and
handling any post-construction drainage
issues.
Education is another key area of her
work. “Development activities are moving
so quickly that education of the construction
community is still needed to
make sure that stormwater runoff is managed
appropriately on site and, if released,
that it’s handled properly,” she says.
Teaching the Pros
DeLaMare would like to combine
her work experience in solving stormwater
management problems with her
master’s in distance education degree
to provide distance (online) educational
opportunities for professionals in the
fields of water resource protection and
environmental management.
“Distance education is becoming an
integral part of adult education these
days,” she says. “Adults have a personal
interest in learning how to advance in
their jobs or professions. I want to help
them learn.”
Part of that, she says, will mean providing
courses that meet the unique
needs of adults for practical and interactive
training.
“Based on my learning experiences,
adults with the motivation to improve
their professional skills want courses
that apply to their real life situation
and allow them to interact with their
instructors and fellow students,” she
says. “The challenge as an instructor is
to meet these needs by creating a more
satisfying and successful educational
experience for them.
“I’ve had a lot of support in my education,
and now I want to be part of
supporting others in their efforts to expand
their knowledge.”
26 • ENVIRONMENTAL CONNECTION
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