The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Region One is pleased to announce Joanna Fetherolf has joined the staff as Assistant to the Director and Sponsor Development. Fetherolf is the new point person for IECA Region One sales and will be working closely with the member community to enhance the value of their investment in IECA. She may be contacted at Joanna@ieca.org or +1 303 640 7554 for any inquiries regarding IECA sponsorship or advertising opportunities.

The International Geosynthetics Society's (IGS) Indian Chapter (IGS India) has moved forward on its initiative to publish the Indian Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Improvement on a twice-yearly basis, with the first issue covering January-June and the second issue July-December. Read about the articles in and download the inaugural issue here in PDF, learn about the publication's mission, and download guidelines to help you submit material to the journal.

Extrusion welding is an essential skill on many geosynthetic installations, including the most sensitive liner installations. Demtech Services, Inc.'s latest extrusion welder, the Pro-X4, has added a number of new features for installation crews, including an impressive extrusion output of up to 14 pounds/hour (6.2 kilos/hour). The Pro-X4's custom-built armature and windings and its "bullet-proof" gearbox have been designed to handle the demanding challenges of job sites everywhere. The proprietary temperature control and user interface software display on a large, easy-to-read LCD screen and control panel. And the Pro-X4 has electronic "cold start" protection and adjustable, ergonomic handles for right- and left-handed operation. It's also just 21 pounds...nearly 10 pounds lighter than the Pro-X extrusion welder.

Layfield Environmental Systems has long engineered some pretty strong geosynthetic projects, but recently the company enjoyed one of its most unusual triumphs: as sponsors of a winning chuckwagon. Read about it in the Calgary Herald (which includes a beautiful photo of the lead wagons battling down the stretch and Layfield's team gaining a head-bob edge). Learn more here.;

Download the Pro-X4 Extrusion Welder Brochure here.

GSE Holding, Inc., a leading global manufacturer and provider of geosynthetic lining products and services, is pleased to announce the release of a new Leak Location geomembrane with a textured conductive bottom layer. This new combination of unique features provides engineers with increased shear performance for improved slope stability, while also allowing installers to perform Exposed Electrical Liner Integrity Surveys to check for leaks.

Engineering News Record (ENR) has published a slideshow of the world's ten largest green roof installations. From Chicago's Millennium Park to Frankfurt's airport, Singapore's Polytechnic to Spain's Expo Zaragoza, the piece gives interesting snapshots of the range of innovation in and uses for green roofs. Geosynthetic separation, filtration, drainage and containment technologies are commonly used in green roof construction. Learn more here.;

GSE Environmental has released the full program and registration details for its two August 2012 "Geosynthetics for Success" technical seminars in Australia. On August 7, the event will be held in Perth at the Pan Pacific Hotel. On August 9, it arrives in Brisbane at the Mecure Hotel. The expert presenters at these free professional development opportunities will include a strong focus on mining. Learn more about the event's specific topics and registration details here.

The Geosynthetic Institute's Dr. Robert Koerner (Director Emiritus) and Jaime Koerner (Special Projects Manager) have issued the Geosynthetic Research Institute's (GRI) White Paper #23, "U.S. State Environmental Agency Status with Respect To Reviewing and Permitting Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Landfill Berms." They write in the open that "Many state departments across the country are being asked to approve permits for the construction of large mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) berms usually located at the perimeter of a specific solid waste landfill." Their survey yielded responses from 30 state agencies, giving this white paper significant feedback on the current state-of-practice in terms of regulatory acceptance, preparedness, concerns, and more. Download a copy here (PDF).

The first of three CUGR reservoirs is the 843 acre R-2 basin. When completely filled it can contain more than 9 billion gallons of water! The water will be pumped from the Scioto River by 4 vertical turbine pumps, each capable of pumping 40 million gallons of water per day through the 20,000 foot long, 72 inch pipeline from the pump station to the reservoir. The reservoir is being lined with 37 million square feet of 40 mil polypropylene geomembrane liner fabricated and installed by EPI.