News

Virginia Citizens for Water Quality

Monthly Newsletter

March 2008

We welcome your contributions!
Welcome to the monthly informational updates of Virginia Citizens for Water Quality.  To contribute items to this newsletter, please send an e-mail to Stacey Brown at monitor@virginiacwq.org by the 10th of each month for inclusion in the newsletter. 

Also, please feel free to add your watershed events to our calendar: www.virginiacwq.org/calendar.htm

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge the Virginia Water Monitoring Council for providing the information on many of the announcements found in this newsletter: http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/vwmc/

ANNOUNCEMENTS

2008 Virginia General Assembly Session…

Information about the cuts to the citizen water quality monitoring program and the campaign to ensure future funding of this program is available on the VCWQ website.  The budget bill is currently in the process of being hammered out by the House and Senate Budget Conferees Committee.  They are still negotiating and are scheduled to present their budget March 12.  The last status was the budget item was in the Senate’s version of the budget, but not the house.  Thanks to everyone who took the time to contact their legislator!  Please contact Stacey Brown at monitor@virginiacwq.org or 804-615-5036 if you need more information.

Citizen Nominations Being Accepted for 2009 Monitoring Year:

 Every year, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requests the public to nominate sites for future DEQ surface water sampling stations.  Anyone may send in a nomination to DEQ from January 1 through April 31, 2008. DEQ staff will review each nomination and provide comments by August 30, 2008. If DEQ can accept a nomination, monitoring will begin at the start of the 2009 calendar year.  Please note that DEQ cannot accept nominations for private ponds, privately owned lakes, and any other bodies of water not deemed “State Waters”.   Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat versions of the nomination application along with additional information are available at www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/followup.html.  Please send nominations by e-mail, fax, or regular mail using the information found on the form.

TMDL Knowledgebase Clearinghouse

  Virginia Tech's Center for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Watershed Studies has developed an on-line database to house selected TMDL-related information and documents in one central location.  The searchable clearinghouse contains three types of resources:  TMDL guidance documents, reviews and summaries of TMDL-related technical and trade literature, and state-by-state summaries of TMDL programs across the nation.  State summaries are updated regularly for all 50 states and include the approach and methodology used to develop TMDLs in that state.  In total, about 500 documents are available within this database, which was funded, in part, by an EPA grant.  The TMDL Knowledgebase Clearinghouse can be accessed via the Center's Web site at: http://www.tmdl.bse.vt.edu/site/knowledgebase/

Public Outreach Assistance

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Office of Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment (WQMA), is looking for opportunities to become involved in community and public outreach events. In the past, DEQ WQMA staff participated in major events such as World Water Monitoring Day. The intent of this renewed outreach effort is to become involved in events across the state and promote participation from our regional offices. DEQ WQMA staff can assist with events by serving as speakers and trainers, providing displays or brochures, and much more.

If you are planning to host a public event that promotes the protection of water quality and you would like DEQ participation, we encourage you to let us know about the event and how we can help. We have attached a calendar of known water related events scheduled for 2008 for reference. If you would like our involvement in an upcoming event, please send the following information to C. Stuart Torbeck via e-mail at cstorbeck@deq.virginia.gov or by phone at 804-698-4461: 1. Date, time and location of the event. 2. How you would like DEQ to participate (manning booths, giving presentations, providing brochures, etc.) 3. Contact information for DEQ to reach event organizers (contact name, event website address, phone, etc.)

Upcoming Events

Joint VA SOS and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Volunteer Monitoring Methods Workshop

March 15, 2008

Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, VA

Learn to assess the water quality of streams and rivers by collecting and identifying the aquatic life, measuring the chemical and physical properties of a stream, and measuring e.coli or the bacteria in a stream.  Space is still available!  For more information or to sign up, please contact Stacey Brown at 804-615-5036 or stacey@vasos.org

Pristine Stream Monitoring – Virginia Save Our Streams

March 22, 2008

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Join VA SOS in Amherst County to monitor one of Virginia’s “Pristine Streams”.  We will be monitoring the benthic community of Staton’s Creek, headwater stream to the Pedlar River.  Please contact Stacey Brown at 804-615-5036 or stacey@vasos.org for more information.

Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Training

Upper Tennessee Watershed Roundtable

Southwest Virginia Community College

Spring 2008

 Upper Tennessee Watershed Roundtable will be holding volunteer water quality monitoring training throughout the spring.  This course is eligible for 1 credit hour from Southwest Virginia Community College.  Please contact Nicole Vachon at Nicole.vachon@cannanvi.org or the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable at 276-628-1600 if there are any questions. 

 March 28-29 - Biological Monitoring - Learn the Virginia SOS method to identify benthic macroinvertebrates and become a certified monitor. Instructor: Tony Pane, VA DCR. Location: Clear Creek Park, Norton; 9-5am both days. 1 CREDIT

 April 4-5 - Habitat Assessment - Learn how to evaluate the physical characteristics of a stream using three different methods and learn what to do following your assessment. Instructors: Justin Laughlin, VA DGIF and Nicole Vachon-Hanlon, Canaan Valley Institute. Location: TBA (in Abingdon area); 9-5am both days. 1CREDIT

 April 11-12- Chemical and Bacterial Monitoring – Learn how to collect basic water quality samples including dissolved oxygen, pH, and E. coli while learning about the importance of quality assurance and communicating your results to the community and government officials. Instructors: James Beckley, VA DEQ. Location: Wolf Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility (tour included) in Abingdon, VA; 9-5 am both days. 1 CREDIT

Cost: $88.65 per credit.

Teacher Watershed Summit

Rivanna Conservation Society

April 2, 2008

Charlottesville Community Design Center

100 5th St. NE on the Mall

9:00am – 5:00pm

 The Rivanna Conservation Society is hosting the second annual Teacher Watershed Summit and we are inviting teachers and educators from throughout the watershed to attend this summit free of charge.   We are also inviting co-sponsoring organizations and members of the press to send a delegate to the conference.  The Summit agenda is attached and registration is being handled on line. Simply go to www.regonline.com/Teacher_Summit_08  

And, if there are any questions, please can contact Tanner Council at teachersummiit@live.com.

2008 Workshop for the Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists

April 1-3, 2008

Cacapon State Park near Berkeley Springs, WV.

We are planning a full day of presentations on Wednesday. Mini-workshops will be held on Thursday morning.  New this year, we will offer the NABS taxonomic certification exam for EPT (east) on Tuesday afternoon preceding the full meeting (April 1, 2008), from 2 until 5 PM. Taxonomists unfamiliar with the genus-level exam may find information on the NABS website (www.nabstcp.com).  Pre-registration is required, as space is limited, and exam participants must provide their own microscopes, keys, and tools (e.g., forceps). To register for the test, use the “upcoming tests” link from the NABS website.

 This year, pre-registration for 2008 AMAAB Workshop should be sent to Maryland as the host State. You may contact me by email at alincoln@dnr.state.md.us, by phone at 410-260-8618 or by fax at 410-260-8620 or Ann Smith at 410-260-8610. Please send your contact information that includes name, address, telephone number and email address, and reference the “Biologists' Workshop 2008” in the subject line when responding. There will be a registration fee of $50 that includes an evening social (hot and cold buffet) on April 2. Payment may be made by cash or personal and agency checks made payable to AMAAB. We regret that we will not be able to accept credit cards.

Rivanna Conservation Society Third Thursday Brown Bag Lunch

Check out the Brown Bag Lunch lecture series offered in Charlottesville by the Rivanna Conservation Society: http://www.rivannariver.org/calendar.html

Environment Virginia

April 1  – 3, 2008

Lexington, Virginia

 CommonWealth: Accelerating Solutions in a Rapidly Changing Virginia -- www.environmentva.org -- The regular registration rate for Environment Virginia has been pushed back to this Friday March 14th.  Workshops are offered that cover the following topics: Regulatory Updates; Environmental Management; Energy Development & Resource Extraction; Stormwater Management; Planning for Growth in Your Locality; Advancing Land & Resource Conservation; Decentralized Waste Water Management; Community Based Solutions for Ecosystem Health. 

River Network’s River Rally

May 2-6, 2008

Huron, OH.

River Rally is River Network's training opportunity for conservation organizations, watershed partnerships, volunteers, board members, staff members, experienced leaders and new watershed protection enthusiasts. River Network's National River Rally 2008 will help grassroots groups, tribes and agencies harness the power of citizen involvement to protect rivers and build healthier communities and watersheds. The event will be held May 2-5 at the Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, OH. The pre- registration deadline is March 15, 2008. For more information, http://www.rivernetwork.org/rn/rally/

National Monitoring Conference

May 18 - 22, 2008

Atlantic City, NJ.

The National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) presents the 2008 National Monitoring Conference to be held May 18 - 22, 2008 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Among the topics to be addressed at this year’s conference are beach monitoring, groundwater sustainability, microbial source tracking, state monitoring strategies, and data management and exchange. Pre-registration ends May 1, 2008. For full conference agenda and registration, visit the NWQMC Web site http://acwi.gov/monitoring/

Funding opportunities

 American Water Environmental Grant Program

 American Water is now accepting applications for its Environmental Grant Program to support innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds and community drinking water supplies. Application packets have been mailed to environmental groups and community leaders in participating American Water service areas.

 Grants of up to $10,000 will be provided. Examples of activities supported by the program include watershed cleanups, reforestation efforts, underground tank inspection, action programs, biodiversity projects, streamside buffer restoration projects, wellhead protection initiatives and hazardous waste collection efforts.

To qualify, a proposed project must be located with a participating American Water company's service area, be completed between June 1,2008, and Nov. 1, 2008, and be a new or innovative initiative for the community or serve as significant expansion to an existing program.  Projects will be judged based on criteria including clarity of project goals and projected impact, nature and strength of collaboration with other community and/or municipal organizations, evidence that the project will provide sustainable environmental results after the American Water funding ends.

 Grant application forms and additional information can be found on American Water's Web http://www.amwater.com/.

 Applications must be postmarked by April 11, 2008, and mailed to American Water, 1025 Laurel Oak Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043. Attn: Kristin Ferguson

YSI Foundation Minding the Planet 60th Anniversary Grant

 In honor of our 60th Anniversary YSI will be awarding a special $60,000 grant to an organization focused on protecting water resources. Since 1990, YSI has publicly demonstrated commitment to its core values and being a good corporate citizen through its 501(c)(3) Foundation. The Foundation grants have funded a variety of projects, including university environmental science scholarships, large scale restoration projects, a wetlands data center, and equipment for fishermen who lost their livelihood in the December 2005 tsunami. This year the Foundation is pleased to recognize the important work local volunteer monitoring organizations are doing to improve the quality of the nation’s water. 

 The YSI Foundation will award $60,000 to an organization that demonstrates a need for capacity building in a volunteer monitoring organization, whose work focuses on activities throughout an entire watershed.  The YSI Foundation defines capacity building as any of the following:

    1. assistance with staffing, or

   2. the development or enhancement of outreach and training programs, or

   3. infrastructure development.

 Examples of the types of projects and programs that are eligible for funding with this grant include:

     * New watershed volunteer monitoring programs that are being developed and implemented.

    * Existing watershed volunteer programs in need of additional staffing such as a coordinator or administrative support.

    * Existing watershed volunteer programs that have an opportunity to extend their program through community outreach, training, and education.

    * Existing watershed volunteer programs in need of office space, supplies, equipment, etc.

 Funding period:

·       The grant will be awarded at the 2008 National Water Quality Monitoring Conference in Atlantic City, NJ, May 18-22, 2008. 

·       One grant will be awarded for $60,000 to the selected organization.

·       Grant monies must be spent within three years of receipt. Those monies not spent must be returned to the YSI Foundation for redistribution to other grants.

 Eligibility for grant:

·       Must be a 501(c)(3) organization or in partnership with a 501(c)(3) organization.

·       Organization must conduct work in area(s) relevant to grant theme and on a watershed scale.

·       At least 80% of grant must go toward direct activity as written in the application.

·       Preference will be given to those organizations that demonstrate an ability to attract matching funds and have a sustainability plan in place.

·       Preference will be given to those organizations that can demonstrate an ability to publish or present their work to the larger water monitoring community.

 Grant timeline:

·       Solicit grant applications:        March through April 10, 2008

·       Grant applications due:           April 15, 2008

·       Selection process:                  April 15 through May 1, 2008

·       Grant award announced:        May 19, 2008*

*The grant award recipient will be notified prior to May 19th so arrangements can

be made for them to accept the award in person at the National Water Quality Monitoring Conference.

 Application:

There is no official application form. The grant application should contain no more than five (5) pages of text, written in English, including any figures or tables (but not including any cover page or table of contents pages).  The grant application must include the following information at a minimum:

·       Name of the organization.

·       Statement of the purpose or charter of the group.

·       Name and title (if appropriate) of the contact person, including contact information (address, telephone number, and email).

·       Statement of how the group meets the basic eligibility criteria; 501(c)(3) IRS documentation must be included.

·       Brief statement of qualifications.

·       Scope of work and project’s impact, goals, and objectives.

·       Clearly defined measures of success, such as:

o        a watershed based monitoring plan

o        the expected reach of an outreach program

o        the expected number of participants in the program

·       Proposed schedule and budget.

 Other than the page limit, there are no requirements for formatting of the application. 

Contact for information and application submittal:

 YSI Foundation

Attention: Susan Miller, Foundation President

1725 Brannum Lane

Yellow Springs, OH  45387

937-767-7241  ext. 406

email:  smiller@ysi.com

Employment Opportunities

Upper James RIVERKEEPER –

The James River Association is pleased to announce the launch of an Upper James RiverKeeper Program and is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Upper James Riverkeeper.  The Upper James RIVERKEEPER® will be responsible for the development and implementation of the Upper James RIVERKEEPER® Program to protect and restore the health of the James River and its tributaries.  The Upper James RIVERKEEPER® and the Lower James RIVERKEEPER® will divide activities within the James River watershed, with the Upper James RIVERKEEPER® responsible for activities from above the fall line in the Richmond region to the headwaters. Working with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, the Upper James RIVERKEEPER® will be the eyes, ears and voice of JRA in the upper James River watershed and serve as a full time, on-the-water advocate for the conservation and responsible stewardship of the river. To apply for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter with salary history by email to bstreet@jamesriverassociation.org or by mail to: Bill Street; Executive Director, James River Association, P.O. Box 909, Mechanicsville, VA 23111.  The position will remain open until filled, but priority will be given to resumes received by March 21, 2008. For more information visit our website at www.jamesriverassociation.org.