TECHNICAL GROUPS
Technical Groups are the heartbeat of the Illinois Section and generate the society's programs and opportunities for professional development of civil engineers. The Groups conduct regular technical meetings and four to six lecture series annually. Some 30 + Illinois Section members are involved directly with the planning of these programs through the five specialty Technical Groups.Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Chicago Chapter
Formerly the
Environmental Engineering & Water Resources Group (EE&WR)
About Us
The Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Chicago Chapter, formerly called the Environmental Engineering and Water Resources (EE&WR) Technical Group of the Illinois Section, focuses on providing high quality courses and seminars for their members and other professionals in environmental and water resources engineering in the region. We typically sponsor, or co-sponsor four to six seminars per year. In the past, these have included multi-day beginning and advanced computer training courses for HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, FEQ, SWMM, and HSPF as well as regulatory information seminars focusing on Risk Based Corrective Action, floodplain regulations, permitting, levees, and many more. The proceeds from the courses and seminars EWRI organizes are used to sponsor college scholarships and grants to local ASCE Student Chapters and other area students and engineering associations. EWRI has monthly planning meetings in Chicago that are attended regularly by 10 to 15 members to plan their courses and social activities.
Feel free to vist the national EWRI website here: http://content.ewrinstitute.org/.
Upcoming Activities and Events
Please visit the Illinois Section's Calendar for EWRI events - Calendar Page!
Monthly Meeting
Typically Held on the second Tuesday of the Month
MWH
175 Jackson Blvd, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60604
Time: 5:30 PM
EWRI is always looking for new opportunities and ideas for courses or seminars. If you have suggestions, please feel free to contact the current chair.
Scholarship Information
EWRI is offering a $2,000 scholarship to University of Illinois-Chicago, Northwestern University or Illinois Institute of Technology Undergraduate or Graduate Students. Please click here to download the application for more information. The application is due by March 18, 2011.
Officers 2012-2013 Click here for Contact information
Chair: Sandy Homola, P.E., CFM
Vice-Chair: Gary Paradoskie, P.E.
Treasurer: Don Oliphant, P.E.
Secretary: Rachel Berthiaume, P.E.
Past Meetings
- January 2011 Minutes
- November 2010 Minutes
- Septmeber 2010 Minutes
- August 2010 Minutes
- June 2010 Minutes
- May 2010 Minutes
- April 2010 Minutes
- March 2010 Minutes
- February 2010 Minutes
- January 2010 Minutes
- November 2010 Minutes
- October 2009 Minutes
- August 2009 Minutes
- June 2009 Minutes
- May 2009 Minutes
- April 2009 Minutes
- March 2009 Minutes
- February 2009 Minutes
- January 2009 Minutes
- November 2008 Minutes
- October 2008 Minutes
- September 2008 Minutes
- August 2008 Minutes
- June 2008 Minutes
- May 2008 Minutes
- April 2008 Minutes
- March 2008 Minutes
Photos


EWRI Members participate in cleaning up Bubbly Creek during the 2010 Chicago River Day.

EWRI Members attending the Section’s Annual Dinner at the Art Institute in Chicago
(October 2009)
EWRI attended the Des Plaines Library Science and Tech Expo and had attendees build
towers out of paper, straws, popsicle sticks, and string to hold a tennis ball (October 2009)
EWRI Members relaxing at the Millenium Park Grill during a social event (July 2009)
EWRI Members helping out with the Science Works Exhibit at the Museum of Science
and Industry (May 2009)
Illinois Section Spring Dinner with Scholarship Recipients (April 2008)
Social Meeting in July 2007
Holiday Party in December 2007
Career Panel at UIC in 2008
Past Events
- Chicago River Rescue Day – May 8, 2010 at the Ashland Orange Line CTA Station (Chicago)
- Water Efficiency / Conservation Dinner Seminar – Indian Garden (Chicago)Future Cities Competition – Sponsored and Judged Two Special Awards – February 2010
- GIS Dinner Seminar – January 28, 2010 at Marcello’s (Chicago)
- Annual Holiday Dinner – December 8, 2008 at Greek Islands Restaurant (Chicago)
- MWRDGC Ordinance Dinner Seminar – November 12, 2009
- Floodplain Map Revision / LOMR Seminar – November 3, 2009
- Des Plaines Library Science and Tech Expo Volunteers – October 17, 2009
- Group Social Event in Schaumburg - July 21, 2009
- Designing Bio-Infiltration BMPs with RECARGA - July 17, 2009
- Group Social Event at Millenium Park - July 14, 2009
- Volunteered at Science Works ASCE Exhibit - May 2, 2009
- Future Cities Competition - Sponsored and Judged Two Special Awards - February 24, 2009
- Annual Holiday Dinner - December 9, 2008 at Greek Islands Restaurant (Chicago)
- Recipient of the 2007-8 ASCE Illinois Section Public Involvement Award
- EE&WR / SAME North Branch Luncheon – October 9, 2008 at Highland Park Country Club
- EE&WR Social Event – September 25, 2008 at Harry Carey’s (Chicago)
- “It’s Our River Day” statewide environmental project – September 20, 2008
- USEPA SWMM 5 Training Workshop – September 16-17, 2008 (Chicago)
- HEC-RAS 4.0 Basic Seminar – August 11-13, 2008 at UIC
- Chicago River Rescue Day – May 10, 2008 at the Ashland Orange Line CTA Station (Chicago)
- Technical Group Introduction – May 1, 2008 at Rock Bottom Brewery (Chicago)
- IDNR-OWR Permitting Seminar – February 13, 2008 at Maggiano’s (Schaumburg)
- Levee Certification Seminar – January 10, 2008 at Marcelo’s (Chicago)
- Annual Holiday Dinner – December 11, 2007 at Greek Islands Restaurant (Chicago)
- Win TR-20 Seminar – October 11, 2007 (Rosemont)
- Risk-Based Corrective Action for Chemical Releases Seminar – July 11-12, 2007 (Chicago)
- Group Social Event – July 10, 2007 (Chicago)
- Advanced HEC-RAS Modeling Seminar – May 2-4, 2007 at IDOT (Schaumburg
Useful Links
Software and Publications
- US Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) (http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/)
- US Army Corps of Engineers Publications (http://www.usace.army.mil/publications/)
- Federal Highway Administration Hydraulics Software (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/software/softwaredetail.cfm)
- Federal Highway Administration Hydraulics Publications (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/library_listing.cfm?sort=Pub_abbrevation)
- NRCS Software (Win TR-20, Win TR-55, etc.) (http://www.wsi.nrcs.usda.gov/products/W2Q/H&H/Tools_Models/tool_mod.html)
- NRCS Web Soil Survey (http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/)
- USEPA SWMM 5 (http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/models/swmm/index.htm)
- Full Equations (FEQ) flow modeling (http://www.iqdotdt.com/)
Illinois Links
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources - Office of Water Resources (http://dnr.state.il.us/owr/index.htm)
- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.state.il.us/)
- Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/)
- Illinois State Climatologist (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/atmos/statecli/)
- Illinois Floodplain Maps (http://www.illinoisfloodmaps.org/)
- Illinois Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Management (http://www.illinoisfloods.org/news.html)
- Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse (http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/nsdihome/index.html)
- Illinois Urban Manual (http://www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/engineer/urban/contents.html)
- Illinois Department of Transportation (http://www.dot.state.il.us/)
- Illinois Tollway (http://www.illinoistollway.com)
County Links
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (http://www.mwrd.org/)
- Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/)
- DuPage County (http://www.co.dupage.il.us/)
- Lake County (http://www.co.lake.il.us/)
- McHenry County (http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/)
- Kane County (http://www.co.kane.il.us/)
- Will County (http://www.willcountyillinois.com/)
National Links
- FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/)
- FEMA Map Service Center (http://msc.fema.gov)
- US Army Corps of Engineers (http://www.usace.army.mil/)
- US Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/)
- USEPA NPDES Home Page (http://cfpub1.epa.gov/npdes/)
- US Geological Survey (http://www.usgs.gov/)
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/)








