To adhere to AAWRE's aim to encourage life-long learning and continued professional development, all Diplomates are to obtain continuing education unit hours annually.

As part of the annual certification renewal process, each Diplomate is required to earn a minimum of thirty (30) professional development hours in water resources engineering, including two (2) professional development hours in ethics, every year. The current fee for renewal is $100. Renewal period occurs every 12 months since being awarded the Diplomate credential. For example, all Diplomates that received the Diplomate credential in March 2005, will receive their first renewal notice in January 2006. If the credential was received in October 2005, the Diplomates will receive their first renewal notice in August 2006.

Approved by the AAWRE Board of Trustees - October 9, 2004

A professional development hour (PDH) is a contact hour (CH) of instruction or presentation. It is the common denominator for other units of credit. A continuing education unit (CEU) is a unit of credit customarily used for formal continuing education courses. One CEU consisting of ten contact hours of instruction and presentation equals 10 PDHs in a qualifying continuing education course as defined by criteria of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training.

Any course or activity with a clear technical, professional, or ethical purpose and objective that will maintain, improve, or expand professional skills and knowledge relevant to the Diplomate's particular field of practice will qualify for professional development hours. PDH's may be earned as follows:

Item #	Activity	PDHs
1	Successful completion of continuing education courses that grant CEU's	1 CEU = 10 PDHs
2	Attending professional/technical seminars, in-house courses, workshops, professional/technical conventions and conferences	1 Contact hour = 1PDH
3	Completing long distance seminars or courses	1 Contact hour = 1PDH
4	Successful completion of college courses: a. 1 quarter credit for audit b. 1 quarter credit for grade c. 1 semester credit for audit d. 1 semester credit for grade	10 PDH 30 PDH 15 PDH 45 PDH
5	Each published professional or technical paper, article, chapter or report: a. non-peer reviewed b. peer-reviewed *	5 PDH 10 PDH
6	Each professional or technical book or manual.	30 PDH
7	Active participation in a relevant professional or technical organization.	2 PDH
8	Self-study of professional or technical literature.	1 contact hour = 1 PDH Maximum of 5 PDHs allowed.
9	Each patent (during year patent is issued).	10 PDH

* - Peer-Reviewed: Having undergone the process by which manuscripts submitted to water resources engineering related journals and other publications are evaluated by experts in appropriate fields (usually anonymous to the authors) to determine if the manuscripts are of adequate quality for publication.

Typical activities that do not qualify include personal self-improvement courses, service club meetings or activities, teaching or presenting as a regular part of employment, business meetings of any organization, equipment demonstrations, trade shows, and topics not relevant to water resources engineering or professional ethics.

Exempt from completing the continuing education professional development requirements are Diplomates in Honorary or Retired status. Also exempt are those Diplomates who were on active military duty for a minimum of six months during the calendar year, who were in foreign employment a minimum of six months during the calendar year, or who suffered serious illness or injury to themselves or an immediate family member. Those individuals will be provided additional years to complete the requirment commensurate with the years of exception.

The responsibility for maintaining records and documentation to support the PDHs claimed is solely the burden of the Diplomate. That documentation should include a description of the activity, sponsoring organization, location, dates, duration, instructors' name, appropriate certificates, paid receipts, and number of PDHs earned. The Annual Summary of PDHs Earned form provides a convenient format to record and keep track of one's continuing professional development. A sampling of certification renewal applications will be selected for detailed audits. Those selected for audits will be asked to provide detailed verification for all PDHs claimed.

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