FARMINGTON — Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District has annpounced that a Pond Construction and Maintenance class will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, in the Municipal Building’s downstairs conference room, 153 Farmington Falls Road. 

Class schedule:

• Registration and coffee, 8 a.m.

• Pond construction and maintenance with Candi Gilpatric, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service civil engineer pond siting, 8:15 a.m.

• Break and refreshments, 9:45 a.m.

• Laws, regulations and permitting, 10 a.m.

• Bobby VanRiper, retired Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist, will have a new look at pond biology and related topics, 10:45 a.m.

• Break to gather things, get refreshments and get ready to go to the field, 11:45 a.m.

• Leave for pond site or continue with Q & A session, noon.

Each participant will leave with their own “Ponds – Planning, Design, Construction” handbook. Re-certification credit hours are available.

There is also a new certified grace period. In the past, the grace period for certified individuals to obtain credits for re-certification was two years. This was to provide ample opportunity for them to attend a training course, which were generally only offered in the fall and winter. Most certification and licensing programs offer a much shorter grace period to obtain continuing education credit.

Nonpoint Source Training has decided to shorten the grace period to six months from the date of the expiration of certification, which is consistent with other licensing and certification programs. People who do not obtain credits by that time will be removed from the list and must again go through the certification process to be re-instated.

Pre-registration is required.

To register for the workshop, fill out an application form and return it with payment by Thursday, April 4 to Franklin County SWCD, 107 Park St., Farmington, ME 04938.

Cost is $45 by March 20 and $55 after that date. For an erosion control field guide add $15. A 48-hour notice of cancellation is required to get a 50 percent refund. No refunds for a no-show.