Dryland Stream Delineation Workshop
Field-based instruction in California dryland stream delineation, using methods that hold up to agency review.
Spend a full day in the field learning to identify and delineate ephemeral and intermittent streams in California using methods that withstand agency review. You'll read the channel, interpret Ordinary High Water Mark indicators in dry systems, and document findings the way regulators expect to see them.
Limited to 16 participants to maximize field instruction.
What You'll Learn
A focused day of instruction built around the decisions you actually make in the field on California dryland systems.
- Differentiate Waters of the U.S. from Waters of the State in dryland systems
- Delineate ephemeral and intermittent streams using defensible field methods
- Identify Ordinary High Water Mark indicators in challenging, dry environments
- Evaluate Top of Bank and the lateral extent of a channel
- Complete field documentation that supports regulatory review
- Understand how delineations influence permitting and project planning
Workshop Details
BlueLine's first field workshop.
Classroom instruction plus a full afternoon of field delineation.
A representative Southern California field site. Exact meeting location provided after registration.
A small group ensures direct instructor feedback throughout the day.
Includes field instruction, printed materials, digital reference materials, and a certificate of completion.
Consultants, utility and agency staff, restoration practitioners, biologists, planners, project managers, and field technicians.
Who Leads the Day
Malek Al-Marayati
Founder & Lead Instructor · Environmental Planner
Malek began his environmental consulting career at Sapphos Environmental and went on to work in aquatic resource delineation, permitting, and project management at SWCA Environmental Consultants and Rincon Consultants. He currently works as an environmental planner handling aquatic resource permitting and compliance for utility infrastructure projects across Southern California.
He founded BlueLine to help bridge the gap between foundational wetland training and the practical regulatory knowledge environmental professionals need to work on California projects.
A Practical Day in the Field
You'll work through real delineation scenarios with instructor feedback throughout the day. Classroom instruction directly supports the field exercises and stays focused on California regulatory expectations.
Targeted Instruction
Morning sessions connect dryland field indicators to the specific determinations agencies look for.
Real Field Delineation
Practice reading and delineating an actual California dryland channel, not just a textbook example.
Instructor Feedback
Receive direct, individualized feedback on your calls and documentation as you work.
California Case Studies
Discuss real California project examples and the regulatory challenges they raised.
Sample Daily Schedule
A representative schedule. Timing may shift slightly to make the most of field conditions on the day.
Delineation Decisions Drive the Whole Project
In dryland systems, where the channel is and how it's classified shapes everything downstream of it: permitting strategy, project schedules, mitigation requirements, agency review, and regulatory risk. A misread channel can stall a project or expose it to challenge.
Accurate field interpretation leads to more defensible reports and smoother approvals. This workshop builds the judgment to get those calls right the first time.
- Reduce regulatory risk with defensible, well-documented determinations
- Anticipate how a delineation will be read during agency review
- Connect field calls to permitting and mitigation strategy
- Produce reports that hold up and keep projects moving
Frequently Asked Questions
Reserve Your Spot for January 23, 2027
Enrollment is limited to 16 participants to provide a highly interactive field experience. Register early to secure your place.