Surface Water Identification Training and Certification (SWITC) Course

NC DWR/ NC State BAE Stream ID Courses

Upcoming courses in Raleigh, NC:   

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October 21-25, 2024                              Now Open-Click below to join
McKimmon Center, Raleigh               Pending Registration 

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For more information, to register for a course, to be added to the waitlist, or to receive announcement emails about future classes, please visit the NC State Workshops & Conferences website for links and details.

The Surface Water Identification Training and Certification (SWITC) Course is offered by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources (DWR) and NC State University (NC State) to comply with N.C. General Statute 143-214.25A. This statute requires DWR to train and certify staff of the North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS), the Division of Water Resources (DWR), and local delegated programs.

Certification from this training course is required in order to make a legal determination of stream origins and identify surface waters subject to buffer rules enacted by the NC Environmental Management Commission. Staff within NCFS (who are also Registered Foresters), DWR, or local delegated programs who take the course and pass both the written and field tests will be certified to make determinations of stream origins subject to the buffer rules.

For a list of local designated or delegated authorities, click here.

Individuals other than those authorized for certification who take the course and pass both the written and field tests will receive a "Certificate of Training" for having successfully completed the course.

For a list of SWITC-certified individuals, click here.

Stream determinations are made using the standardized Methodology for Identification of Intermittent and Perennial Streams and Their Origins developed by the Division. The current version is 4.11, effective September 1, 2010, available through the links below. Training in the stream methodology is required to effectively and accurately apply it. 
          North Carolina Stream ID Manual Version 4.11
          North Carolina Stream ID Form Version 4.11     

Who should attend? 

Environmental and forestry consultants, engineering consultants, landscape architects and regulatory professionals whose work involves riparian zone and stream issues.

For registration, continuing education, fees, and other information, click here. 

For more information, please email Sue Homewood.

Other Available Courses

Intermittent and Perennial Stream Identification Classes through NC Association of Environmental Professionals (NCAEP) are available to environmental and forestry consultants, engineering consultants, landscape architects and regulatory professionals whose work involves riparian zone and stream issues. A written and field exam will be administered and a certificate of training will be issued for all participants who successfully pass the exam. Though the applications are specific to North Carolina conditions, this course will also be useful for professionals whose work is focused in other states. These courses will be audited by DWR staff to ensure consistency with the state program. Information about upcoming classes can be found on the NCAEP website.