Jennifer J. Walker, P.E., D.WRE, CFM, President and Founder of Watearth, Inc., was recently named a Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer (D.WRE) of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers (AAWRE), a subsidiary of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). In support of AAWRE’s mission in ‘Elevating level of Standards’ – to broaden and deepen the body of knowledge for practicing engineers, AAWRE’s certification was developed to improve the practice, elevate the standards and advance the profession of water resources engineers. The D.WRE represents strong professional ethics and a commitment to life-long learning and continuing professional development. Since the start of AAWRE’s Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer (D.WRE) program, only 500 water resources engineers worldwide have qualified for the Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer credential.

Jennifer J. Walker, P.E., D.WRE, CFM, President and Founder of Watearth, Inc. is one of the first 500 engineers to receive the Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer certification (D.WRE) from the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers.  She is a Certified Flood Plain Manager and a licensed Professional Engineer in Louisiana and multiple states across the country. 

Walker is a nationally-recognized leader in stormwater management, large-scale and regional detention solutions, green infrastructure, and Low Impact Development (LID) and has been involved with projects across the nation.  Her expertise also includes hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, drainage master plans, stormwater quality BMPs, stormwater modeling, geomorphology and sediment transport, as well as green infrastructure solutions for stormwater treatment.  Walker’s stormwater/water management experience includes transportation, residential, commercial, and large-scale public projects. 

Walker has authored and presented numerous hydrologic and hydraulic papers at statewide, nationwide, and international conferences.  She regularly teaches multi-day seminars nationwide and is a sought-after speaker and trainer. Walker has trained thousands in storm water management and green infrastructure topics and is skilled in providing practical training on complex technical topics.  She also provides instruction to the general public in LID topics through nonprofit organizations. 

Walker is a certified Permaculturist with a decade of hands-on construction and maintenance experience with LID for small-scale residential applications.  She has hands-on experience with a multitude of LID micro-concepts, such as:  harvesting rainwater, constructing bioretention/rain gardens, altering time of concentrations, amending soil, disconnecting impervious cover, removing impervious cover, and recycling gray water.

For more information on AAWRE, please visit www.aawre.org.

AAWRE's mission is to improve the practice, elevate the standards, and advance the profession of water resources engineering by certifying engineers with specialized knowledge in water resources, recognizing the ethical practice of water resources engineering at the expert level, encouraging continued professional development for engineers, and supporting positions on water resources issues important to the public health. The American Academy of Water Resources Engineers was founded by members of the ASCE's Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) and is the first Academy of the Civil Engineering Certification, Inc. (CEC).

 - Janna Alsobrook