Pond Design, Management, and Maintenance

Learn how to design and maintain a healthy pond, including liners, embankments, littoral benches, aquatic wildlife, nutrient and pollutant removal, and more.

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Course Details

Course Name: Pond Design, Management, and Maintenance
Course Code: EW0315WA23
Date of Most Recent Offering: April 6 & 7, 2023

Date: TBD
Time: TBD

Location: TBD
Format: TBD

Registration Fee: TBD
Early Bird Discount Fee: TBD

Registration Closes: TBD

Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Course Overview

This online course is structured to help you make the proper decisions regarding the appearance, function, or up-keep of your pond. Starting with design, learn how to build a pond, including the construction of embankments and dams and the selection and installation of liners. You will also learn how to create and maintain a stable shoreline, create and aquascape littoral benches, and optimize habitat for fish and aquatic wildlife.

Long-term maintenance of ponds – whether constructed for stormwater, irrigation, fishing, or aesthetic purposes – will also be discussed. Plus, discover new ways to maximize the aesthetics and wildlife attributes of your pond using aquascaping and bioengineering techniques! Learn how this innovative approach combines landscaping and evolving engineering solutions to correct eroded shorelines, create and maintain stable and attractive vegetative shorelines, and integrate native, non-invasive, easy to maintain, and attractive plant species into the design of new ponds or the retrofit of existing ponds.

  • How to protect your pond from Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs)
  • Selection, use, and application of aquatic pesticides to control invasive aquatic weeds and algae
  • Use of non-pesticide, environmentally friendly techniques to control invasive aquatic weeds and algae
  • Design and implementation of a dredging project, including the proper navigation of the environmental rules and regulations
  • How to correctly select, size, and install various types of aeration systems
  • Establishment and enhancement of fish habitat
  • Stabilization of undercut and failing pond embankments
  • Creation of buffers for nutrient and pollutant removal
  • Implementation of vegetative strategies to control Canada geese
  • Management of stormwater basins with respect to MS4 compliance requirements, including inspections, maintenance, repair/enhancement, and reporting/record keeping

Learner Objectives

Upon completion of the course, attendees will be able to design and construct new ponds and/or improve upon the appearance and function of existing small water bodies with the installation of embankments and dams. They will also be able to create and/or maintain stable shorelines and establish fish and vegetative habitats for continued up-keep.

Who Should Attend?

This online class is ideal for pond owners, pond managers, landscape architects, engineers, and anyone involved with the design, management, or maintenance of ponds! Part participants have included:

  • Biologists
  • Ecologists
  • Engineers
  • Greenskeepers
  • Homeowners
  • Landscape Architects
  • Landscape Designers
  • Project Managers
  • Public Works Directors
  • Wastewater Operators

Meet Your Instructor

Headshot of instructor Dr. Stephen J. Souza

Dr. Stephen J. Souza is the owner of Clean Waters Consulting, LLC. He has over 35 years of project experience managing and restoring lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Dr. Souza received his B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, his M.S. from Rutgers University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Souza is the Founder of Princeton Hydro, LLC and served as the company’s President until his recent retirement from Princeton Hydro in 2019.

Dr. Souza has served as an instructor and course coordinator for the Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education for over 25 years. He is an Adjunct Professor at Temple University and also conducts professional continuing education courses at Montclair State University.

Dr. Souza is a past president of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), as well as the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS). He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). Dr. Souza’s achievements include the NJ-American Water Resources Association Peter J. Homack Award (2012), the NALMS Lake Management Success Story Award (2017), and the NYS Federation of Lake Associations Lake Tear of the Clouds Award (2018). He is a frequent guest speaker for the NJ Coalition of Lake Associations, as well as NJDEP, NYSDEC, and other entities dedicated to the protection, restoration, and management of water resources.

Student Reviews

“Pond Design is a helpful course because it provides practical recommendations based on factors including product and installation costs, likely failures, and recommended maintenance.”

– Katherine E. Childers
Maser Consulting P.A.

“A terrific class for anyone interested in establishing and maintaining a healthy pond ecology.”

– Past Participant

“It was great to learn about the dredging process, permitting, and overall how industry members can do little things to make ponds more of an environment.”

– Past Participant

Continuing Education Credits

The most recent offering of Pond Design, Management, and Maintenance was approved for the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.

This Pond Design, Management, and Maintenance course is approved for 0.7 Rutgers CEUs, as well as the following credits from professional organizations.

State of Delaware map iconDelaware

DE Pesticide Applicators: If you need DE pesticide credits, please contact Claudine Oleskin at 848-932-7204 or coleskin@njaes.rutgers.edu.

State of Maryland map iconMaryland

MD Pesticide Applicators: 6 credits in Categories 5, 10, and CORE

State of New Jersey map iconNew Jersey

NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 3 Technical and 3 Management Contact Hours

NJ Drinking Water and Wastewater Operators: 6.5 TCHs (Approval #01-031101-30)

NJ Health Officers and Registered Environmental Health Specialists (HO/REHS): Rutgers University, NJAES, Office of Continuing Professional Education has been approved by the New Jersey Department of Health as a provider of NJ Public Health Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs). Participants who complete this course will be awarded 7.0 CEs.

NJ Landscape Architects: Pending

NJ Pesticide Applicators: 13 units in 5 (Aquatic)
*Please check the NJDEP’s updated policy regarding earning pesticide credits from online courses: https://www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/pcp/bpo.htm

NJ Professional Engineers: 6 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits

State of New York map iconNew York

NY Landscape Architects: 7 hours CL

NY Pesticide Applicators: 2.75 credits in 5A (1.75 credits in 5A for attendance on 4/6/23 and 1.00 credit in 5A for attendance on 4/7/23)

NY Professional Engineers/Land Surveyors: 6 PDHs

State of Pennsylvania map iconPennsylvania

PA Pesticide Applicators: 4 credits in Categories 9, 18, 23, and PC (must attend both days!)

United States map iconNational

Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA): 0.85 Education Points

North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Certified Lake Manager/Certified Lake Professional Program: 0.7 CEUs

Society of American Foresters (SAF): 7.5 in Category 2

Course Requirements and Policies

electronic devices iconTechnology Requirements

This online course will be delivered via Zoom. Registrants will receive an email with a link to access the course on April 5, 2023.

Equipment you will need to access this training:

  • A computer or tablet
  • Microphones and webcams are required as this is a very interactive course

email iconEmail Requirement

A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.

  • If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
  • If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
    • Your full name
    • The shared email address that needs to be changed
    • Your unique email address
    • A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions

camera iconPhoto ID Requirement

Each registrant will be asked provide a photo of him/herself holding their government-issued photo ID. This is required by credit boards so that you may receive credits for participating in this online course.

  • You will receive a reminder email prior to the start of the class with further instructions. Wait to receive these instructions before you attempt to upload your ID.
  • The photo must be clear enough that we can read your name and verify that the person pictured on the ID is in fact the person holding it.
  • After an OCPE staff member reviews the picture and verifies your identity, you will have access to participate in the course when it begins.

x icon with circle around itCancellations and Substitutions

A $100 cancellation fee applies for this course. Substitutions are permitted. View our cancellation policy.

Attention U.S. Veterans

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This course is approved by the New Jersey State Approving Agency for Veterans Training for educational benefits through the GI Bill®. Learn more.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!

If you have any questions about Pond Design, Management, and Maintenance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Headshot of Rutgers Program Coordinator Suzanne Hills

Program Coordinator: Suzanne Hills
848-932-7234
suzanne.hills@rutgers.edu

For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.

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