| Virginia Citizens for Water Quality |
| |
News Sources from Around VirginiaVirginia Water Central Newsletters Virginia CWQ List Serve Archives Virginia Save Our Streams Newsletter Sign Up to Receive Regular Notices from VCWQWant to keep in touch with VCWQ happenings? Sign up for the VCWQ List Serve! More--
|
News ArchivesVCWQ January 2008VCWQ December 2007 NewsletterVCWQ November 2007 NewsletterVCWQ October 2007 NewsletterVCWQ September 2007 NewsletterVCWQ August 2007 NewsletterVCWQ July 2007 NewsletterVCWQ June 2007 Newsletter
Virginia Citizens for Water QualityMonthly Newsletter January 2008 Happy New Year! We welcome your
contributions! 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/ ANNOUNCEMENTS2008 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. We have a “white paper” that provides information about water quality monitoring and the grant program specifically on the website. This is a nice informational piece that you may show with your local legislator. It is not too late to contact your legislator about this issue! We have patrons for budget amendments in both the House and Senate to support reinstating the budget for this program. Please contact Stacey Brown at monitor@virginiacwq.org or 804-615-5036 if you need more information.
Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Winter Meeting –Register NOW! – February 23, 2008 Register Now! The VCWQ Winter meeting will be held on February 23, 2008. The program can be found at www.virginiacwq.org/winter2008.htm (please note, this is subject to change). This year, we will be heading to the Shenandoah University in Winchester. Directions can be found at the above website. Please contact Stacey Brown at monitor@virginiacwq.org or 804-615-5036 if you need more information.
Virginia Citizen Monitoring Methods Manual Virginia DEQ has recently updated the Virginia Citizen Monitoring Methods Manual. It can be found on the web at: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/guidance.html
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.
Tracking Citizen Monitoring Mileage: In 2002, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that established the Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program in the Code of Virginia (§62.1-44.19:11). During the 2007 General Assembly, House Bill 1859 was passed that amended the Code to include, “It shall be the goal of the Department to encourage citizen water quality monitoring so that 3,000 stream miles are monitored by volunteer citizens by 2010." Based on qualified citizen data submitted, DEQ estimates 2,592 miles were monitored by citizen groups between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2006. This estimate is based on conservatively assigning an average of three stream miles per citizen station. A revised tally will be available when the 2008 305(b)/303(d) Report is completed and approved by EPA. Additional information about progress towards meeting the 3,000 mile goal is available at www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/followup.html.
Upcoming Events
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
USDA-CSREES -- National Water Conference -- Feb 3-7, 2008, John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, Nevada 89431, Phone: 800-648-1177 The USDA-Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) Water Program brings university scientists, instructors, and extension educators into more effective and efficient partnerships with Federal interagency priority programs while addressing water quality and quantity issues in the nation. This program also provides the flexibility necessary for CSREES to bring the resources of researchers, instructors, and extension educators into national initiatives and programmatic partnerships that target evolving water needs. The conference will provide opportunities for water professionals engaged in research, extension, and education to share knowledge and ideas, to identify and update emerging issues, and to network with the CSREES National Water Program and partner organizations. To learn more, see: http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/swetc/waterconf/2008/home08.htm
Funding opportunities
Chesapeake Bay Conservation Innovation Grant Program http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake
Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program http://www.nfwf.org/chesapeake
Virginia Citizens for Water QualityMonthly Newsletter December 2007 We welcome your
contributions! 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/ ANNOUNCEMENTS2008 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. We have a white paper that provides information about water quality monitoring and the grant program specifically on the website. This is a nice informational piece that you may show with your local legislator. Coming soon will be a sample letter to your legislator (look for this on December 19th). At this time, we are planning meetings with key legislators through December and January. Please contact Stacey Brown at 804-615-5036 or via e-mail if you would like to participate.
Virginia Citizen Monitoring Methods Manual Virginia DEQ has recently updated the Virginia Citizen Monitoring Methods Manual. It can be found on the web at: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/guidance.html
Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Winter Meeting – Save the Date – February 23, 2008 Mark Your Calendars…The VCWQ Winter meeting will be held on February 23, 2008. A tentative program can be found at www.virginiacwq.org/winter2008.htm. The location is to be announced. If you have suggestions for either the location or the program, please let Stacey Brown know (804-615-5036 or via e-mail).
Opportunity for Review and Comment on Environmental Protection Agency's "Options for the Expression of Daily Loads in Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)." On June 22, 2007 EPA issued a draft technical document for the development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) called “Options for the Expression of Daily Loads in TMDLs.” This document provides technically sound options for developing "daily load expressions" as a routine process in TMDLs calculated using allocation timeframes greater than daily (e.g., annual, monthly, seasonally). The document is written for TMDL practitioners who are familiar with the relevant technical approaches and regulatory requirements pertaining to TMDLs.
Related to this, in Nov., 2006, EPA issued a memorandum entitled “Establishing TMDL “Daily” Loads in Light of the Decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. EPA et. al., No. 05-5015 (April 25, 2006) and Implications for NPDES Permits” that clarified EPA´s expectations concerning the appropriate time increment used to express TMDLs in light of the recent decision. This Memorandum is posted at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/dailyloadsguidance.html). The Memorandum also indicated that additional technical information would be forthcoming, such as the draft 62-page technical document that may be found at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/draft_daily_loads_tech.pdf. Comments on the document should be sent to Rosaura Vega (vega.rosaura@epa.gov) and Mike Haire (haire.michael@epa.gov) by February 1, 2008.
Upcoming Events
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
USDA-CSREES -- National Water Conference -- Feb 3-7, 2008, John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, Nevada 89431, Phone: 800-648-1177 The USDA-Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) Water Program brings university scientists, instructors, and extension educators into more effective and efficient partnerships with Federal interagency priority programs while addressing water quality and quantity issues in the nation. This program also provides the flexibility necessary for CSREES to bring the resources of researchers, instructors, and extension educators into national initiatives and programmatic partnerships that target evolving water needs. The conference will provide opportunities for water professionals engaged in research, extension, and education to share knowledge and ideas, to identify and update emerging issues, and to network with the CSREES National Water Program and partner organizations. To learn more, see: http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/swetc/waterconf/2008/home08.htm
Funding opportunitiesVaNaturally
Regional Capacity Building Grant
If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss developing a regional network, contact Nancy Drumheller at 804-698-4550 or via e-mail Virginia Citizens for Water QualityMonthly Newsletter November 2007 We welcome your
contributions! 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/ ANNOUNCEMENTS2008 Virginia General Assembly Session… This year, members of VCWQ will be partnering with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Save Our Streams, and Virginia Forever to work to ensure that the Department of Environmental Quality’s Citizen Monitoring Grant Program stays in the state’s budget in 2009 and 2010. We will have a multi-faceted approach that will involve a letter writing campaign as well as meetings with legislators. More information about this campaign and how you can play a role will be available in the first weeks of December. For additional information or to provide your concerns, please contact Chris French at ACB (804-775-0951) or Stacey Brown at VA SOS (804-615-5036 or 888-656-6664).
Recap of the 2007 Region III Volunteer Monitoring Conference We heard good things about this year’s volunteer monitoring conference. We thank all of those folks who worked hard to provide this informational forum. In particular, there was a lot of buzz about Gary Kappesser’s GIS workshop. For more information about the conference and speaker’s presentations visit: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/conference.html
Virginia Citizen Monitoring Methods Manual Virginia DEQ has recently updated the Virginia Citizen Monitoring Methods Manual. It can be found on the web at: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/guidance.html
Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Winter Meeting – Save the Date – February 23, 2008 Mark Your Calendars…The VCWQ Winter meeting will be held on February 23, 2008. The program and location are to be announced. If you have suggestions for either the location or the program, please let Stacey Brown know (804-615-5036 or stacey@vasos.org).
World Water Monitoring Day Participants – Don’t forget to report your data! You can submit your results by going to: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org. Results may be entered anytime from September 18 through December 18 for inclusion in the annual World Water Monitoring Day summary reports.
Opportunity for Review and Comment on Environmental Protection Agency's "Options for the Expression of Daily Loads in Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)." On June 22, 2007 EPA issued a draft technical document for the development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) called “Options for the Expression of Daily Loads in TMDLs.” This document provides technically sound options for developing "daily load expressions" as a routine process in TMDLs calculated using allocation timeframes greater than daily (e.g., annual, monthly, seasonally). The document is written for TMDL practitioners who are familiar with the relevant technical approaches and regulatory requirements pertaining to TMDLs.
Related to this, in Nov., 2006, EPA issued a memorandum entitled “Establishing TMDL “Daily” Loads in Light of the Decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. EPA et. al., No. 05-5015 (April 25, 2006) and Implications for NPDES Permits” that clarified EPA´s expectations concerning the appropriate time increment used to express TMDLs in light of the recent decision. This Memorandum is posted at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/dailyloadsguidance.html). The Memorandum also indicated that additional technical information would be forthcoming, such as the draft 62-page technical document that may be found at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/draft_daily_loads_tech.pdf. Comments on the document should be sent to Rosaura Vega (vega.rosaura@epa.gov) and Mike Haire (haire.michael@epa.gov) by February 1, 2008.
Upcoming Events
2007 Virginia / West Virginia Water Research Symposium -- Connecting Management to Aquatic Communities -- November 26 - 30 , 2007; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia -- More than 90 oral presentations will be made at the 2007 Virginia/West Virginia Water Research Symposium. A plenary session, including 10 experts from Virginia and West Virginia, and a luncheon speaker will focus on "Water for Wildlife: Emerging Issues in Virginia and West Virginia Waters."
To learn more and to register, see: www.vwrrc.vt.edu/symposium2007
Direct questions to: Jane Walker, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, 210 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, Phone: 540-231-4159, janewalk@vt.edu or Tamara Vandivort, West Virginia Water Research Institute, PO Box 6064, Morgantown, WV 26506-6064, Phone: 304-293-2867, ext. 5448, tamara.vandivort@mail.wvu.edu
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
Shenandoah Watershed Studies Seminar Series -- Fall Season -- Odum Room of Clark Hall, UVA, Charlottesville, VA All are welcome. More information and directions to Clark Hall and the Odum Room are available at: http://swas.evsc.virginia.edu. Contact: Rick Webb, Projects Coordinator, Shenandoah Watershed Study, 540-468-2881; 540-290-0913 (c)
Regular seminar series: Mondays (1:00 -2:00 p.m.) November 26 - The Flood Hydrology of Small Forested Central Appalachian Watersheds
USDA-CSREES -- National Water Conference -- Feb 3-7, 2008, John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, Nevada 89431, Phone: 800-648-1177 The USDA-Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) Water Program brings university scientists, instructors, and extension educators into more effective and efficient partnerships with Federal interagency priority programs while addressing water quality and quantity issues in the nation. This program also provides the flexibility necessary for CSREES to bring the resources of researchers, instructors, and extension educators into national initiatives and programmatic partnerships that target evolving water needs. The conference will provide opportunities for water professionals engaged in research, extension, and education to share knowledge and ideas, to identify and update emerging issues, and to network with the CSREES National Water Program and partner organizations. To learn more, see: http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/swetc/waterconf/2008/home08.htm
Funding opportunitiesFunding Opportunity for Small NPS Projects in Southern Rivers/Non-Bay Areas of Virginia Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation announces a Request for Proposals -- Southern Rivers NPS Reduction Activities DCR Fall 2007 319 NPS Mini-Grant Program (December 2007 - June 2008). Project proposals for Southern Rivers NPS Reduction Activities are being accepted through November 19, 2007 for small (less then $5,000) projects that address water quality and nonpoint source pollution issues. Project proposals must be submitted electronically to DCR no later than Noon Monday, November 19, 2007. The project time line is December 15, 2007 through June 6, 2008 (~6 months). No extensions allowed. For more detailed information about the RFP, application process and list of local VADCR personnel to contact if you have more questions or call Nicole Sandberg (804-692-0839) for a copy of the guidelines. Email a completed application (word document) to VA 319-NPS Grant Program Manager, Nicole Sandberg (nicole.sandberg@dcr.virginia.gov) by Noon on November 19, 2007.
Upcoming Deadline – Virginia Environmental Endowment – December 1, 2007 – see www.vee.org for more information
VaNaturally Regional Capacity Building
Grant If you have any questions or if you would like to discuss developing a regional network, contact Nancy Drumheller at 804-698-4550 or nwdrumheller@deq.virginia.gov
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Position Opening -- DAN RIVER BASIN ASSOCIATION -- Project Manager -- Location Collinsville, Virginia and Eden, North Carolina; Status Full-Time (Exempt) The Rivers and Trails Project Manager is responsible for coordinating rivers, trails and heritage projects, including river access sites, greenways and interpretation of natural and cultural resources. The project manager works directly with the executive director, committee chair, local government officials, consultants, stakeholder groups and the public to assist with and coordinate the planning and execution of projects and programs. For a list of duties, qualifications, and additional information, see: http://www.danriver.org/News/NewsDetail.asp?ID=31 . To Apply: Please e-mail cover letter, resume and salary history to drba.nc@danriver.org . Deadline: 1 December 2007, although interviews may start on 12 November. Position open until filled.
Virginia Citizens for Water QualityMonthly Newsletter October 2007 We welcome your
contributions! 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/ ANNOUNCEMENTSState Budget Cuts hit Water Quality Monitoring Programs hard… This past week, Governor Kaine announced proposed cuts to the current 2008 fiscal year budget. After the announcement, the VA Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) contacted applicants for the 2008 Citizen Monitoring Grant Program via email, stating the grant program funding had been eliminated for this current fiscal year. Many citizen monitoring groups are faced with financial difficulties and possible program instability as a result. Staff from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (ACB), VA Save Our Streams (VA SOS), and Virginiaforever are following up on this matter. We are currently in communication with the governor’s office. For additional information or to provide your concerns, please contact Chris French at ACB (804-775-0951) or Stacey Brown at VA SOS (804-615-5036 or 888-656-6664).
Places to go on the world wide web for calendars and updates Virginia Water Monitoring Council - http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/vwmc/ The Virginia Water Resources Research Center maintains an online list of water-related meetings, conferences, and workshops in Virginia. The address is www.vwrrc.vt.edu/VAConfQuickGuide.htm. If you have items to share, please send them to Alan Raflo, araflo@vt.edu. Please note: Virginia events only, please. Virginia Naturally -- http://www.vanaturally.com/Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: Newsclippings -- http://www.deq.virginia.gov/info/newsclips.html Public Information/Public Notices -- http://www.deq.virginia.gov/info/homepage.html TMDL Information -- http://www.deq.virginia.gov/tmdl/ Virginia Citizens for Water Quality – www.virginiacwq.org
VCWQ 2008 Workplan We are in the process of developing a 2008 Workplan for VCWQ. If you have any projects or programs you think the group should tackle, please let Stacey Brown know! You can call Stacey at 804-615-5036 or e-mail stacey@vasos.org.
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Welcomes a New Virginia Director The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay welcomes Chris French as the new Director of its Virginia office. Chris, who will join the office in Richmond in late September, will be a valuable addition to the Alliance team and to its water quality improvement efforts in Virginia!
Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Winter Meeting – Save the Date – February 23, 2008 Mark Your Calendars…The VCWQ Winter meeting will be held on February 23, 2008. The program and location are to be announced. If you have suggestions for either the location or the program, please let Stacey Brown know (804-615-5036 or stacey@vasos.org). Opportunity for Review and Comment on Environmental Protection Agency's "Options for the Expression of Daily Loads in Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)." On June 22, 2007 EPA issued a draft technical document for the development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) called “Options for the Expression of Daily Loads in TMDLs.” This document provides technically sound options for developing "daily load expressions" as a routine process in TMDLs calculated using allocation timeframes greater than daily (e.g., annual, monthly, seasonally). The document is written for TMDL practitioners who are familiar with the relevant technical approaches and regulatory requirements pertaining to TMDLs.
Related to this, in Nov., 2006, EPA issued a memorandum entitled “Establishing TMDL “Daily” Loads in Light of the Decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. EPA et. al., No. 05-5015 (April 25, 2006) and Implications for NPDES Permits” that clarified EPA´s expectations concerning the appropriate time increment used to express TMDLs in light of the recent decision. This Memorandum is posted at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/dailyloadsguidance.html). The Memorandum also indicated that additional technical information would be forthcoming, such as the draft 62-page technical document that may be found at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/draft_daily_loads_tech.pdf. Comments on the document should be sent to Rosaura Vega (vega.rosaura@epa.gov) and Mike Haire (haire.michael@epa.gov) by February 1, 2008.
Upcoming Events
Virginia Waterways Cleanup Sept. 1- Oct. 31, 2007 Volunteers are needed to help clean Virginia's rivers and beaches. Cleanup events will be held between September 1 and October 31. Any school, business, group, family or organization can signup to host a local cleanup. Cleanup events, from the mountains to the ocean, are listed on the Clean Virginia Waterways website: www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccva.htm The annual Virginia Waterways Cleanup is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, which is the world’s largest volunteer effort to collect data on litter and trash in the aquatic environment! Cleanup events are held on the coasts, AND inland, since inland litter often ends up in our oceans. To learn more about the Virginia Waterways Cleanup, please visit the Clean Virginia Waterways web site: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/
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
"Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop" -- Train the Trainer. Farmville, VA. Tuesday, October 30 from 1 to 4 PM. Open to volunteers & staff of nonprofit groups who will plan a “Build Your Own Rain Barrel” workshop in the future for citizens. Co-Sponsored by Clean Virginia Waterways (a program of Longwood University), the VA Water Monitoring Council (thanks to a grant from DEQ), and the Piedmont Soil & Water Conservation District. Through the “Build Your Own Rain Barrel” workshop program, your organization can host a workshop, and offer rain barrels at a reduced cost to citizens. In addition to learning how to install and maintain their rain barrels, workshop attendees will learn about their role in water conservation and water quality protection. Attendees will take a Rain Barrel home after the workshop! For details, send an email to CVW at cleanva@longwood.edu Also, visit the CVW rain barrel web site: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/rainbarrels.htm
Shenandoah Watershed Studies Seminar Series -- Fall Season -- Odum Room of Clark Hall, UVA, Charlottesville, VA All are welcome. More information and directions to Clark Hall and the Odum Room are available at: http://swas.evsc.virginia.edu. Contact: Rick Webb, Projects Coordinator, Shenandoah Watershed Study, 540-468-2881; 540-290-0913 (c)
Regular seminar series: Mondays (1:00 -2:00 p.m.) October 29 - Acid Rain Promotes Carbon and Nitrogen Loss from Appalachian Mountain Ecosystems
November 5 - Rock Outcrop Management Planning at Shenandoah National Park Windy Cass, Natural Resources Branch, Shenandoah National Park, Luray, VA
November 12 - Coal Mines and Drainage Tunnels: Stream Losses and Inter-Basin Flow in Western Maryland
November 26 - The Flood Hydrology of Small Forested Central Appalachian Watersheds
American Water Resources Association Annual Conference -- November 12-15, 2007 -- Albuquerque, NM, Embassy Suites Hotel. There will be 81 concurrent sessions/panels, 300 oral and 100 poster presentations. Over 420 abstracts were received, an all-time record. I am serving as conference chair, and Rep. Jackie Dingfelder will be the luncheon keynoter. Visit: www.awra.org/meetings/New_Mexico2007/index.html.
Scholarships for Virginia environmental educators (K-12 as well as interpreters, SWCD EE technicians....) to attend the NAAEE National Conference in Virginia Beach on November 14-17, 2007 (http://www.naaee.org/conference/). The official deadline for applying for this assistance has past but there may be enough support to send a few more educators. To learn more, go to http://www.vanaturally.com/naaee_scholarship.doc and apply. For more information, contact Jay Gilliam with the Foundation for Virginia's Natural Resources (FVNR), 7598 N Lee Highway, Raphine, Virginia 24472, 540 377 6179, cell - 540 460 2319, jay@vasos.org
2007 Virginia / West Virginia Water Research Symposium -- Connecting Management to Aquatic Communities -- November 26 - 30 , 2007; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia -- More than 90 oral presentations will be made at the 2007 Virginia/West Virginia Water Research Symposium. A plenary session, including 10 experts from Virginia and West Virginia, and a luncheon speaker will focus on "Water for Wildlife: Emerging Issues in Virginia and West Virginia Waters."
USDA-CSREES -- National Water Conference -- Feb 3-7, 2008, John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, Nevada 89431, Phone: 800-648-1177 The USDA-Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) Water Program brings university scientists, instructors, and extension educators into more effective and efficient partnerships with Federal interagency priority programs while addressing water quality and quantity issues in the nation. This program also provides the flexibility necessary for CSREES to bring the resources of researchers, instructors, and extension educators into national initiatives and programmatic partnerships that target evolving water needs. The conference will provide opportunities for water professionals engaged in research, extension, and education to share knowledge and ideas, to identify and update emerging issues, and to network with the CSREES National Water Program and partner organizations. To learn more, see: http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/swetc/waterconf/2008/home08.htm
Virginia Citizens for Water Quality -- September 2007ANNOUNCEMENTSState Fair Anyone? Virginia Sustainable Building Network is managing an Eco-Exhibit at the State Fair of Virginia. You are invited to participate as a volunteer and/or sponsor of the Eco-Exhibit. A series of environmental and energy educational exhibits in the Virginia World Building will feature state government programs, non-profit organizations and other programs that will provide displays and short clinics throughout the ten days of the fair. Agencies, non-profits and others who are interested in participating in the Eco-Exhibit at the State Fair of Virginia should contact: Pamela Vosburgh, Project Coordinator, Virginia Sustainable Building Network (VSBN) Pam@vsbn.org or 703-486-2966
Post Your World Monitoring Event on the World Wide Web! World Water Monitoring Day is an international outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world. Held annually between September 18 and October 18, the program engages communities in monitoring the condition of local rivers, streams, estuaries and other water bodies.The Virginia Water Monitoring Council is coordinating the World Water Monitoring Day activities in Virginia. The following information and links are designed to help you better understand Water Monitoring Day in Virginia and around the world and to participate in Water Monitoring Day in a watershed near you. If you have information about events in your watershed, please email Dana Roberts, Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (dana.roberts@vaswcd.org) or Gary Speiran with the USGS (gspeiran@usgs.gov). Our goal is to have events in every basin in Virginia! http://va.water.usgs.gov/wqday_07/intro.htm
EPA Region III Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Conference – More details Two Saturday workshops of particular interest to volunteer water quality monitors are the training on the VA SOS Annual Habitat Assessment and the classroom session on GIS tools you can use. Both sessions will provide a hands on opportunity to learn more about these monitoring techniques and tools. This conference is free! More information can be found at www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/conference.html
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Welcomes a New Virginia Director The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay welcomes Chris French as the new Director of its Virginia office. Chris, who will join the office in Richmond in late September, will be a valuable addition to the Alliance team and to its water quality improvement efforts in Virginia!
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay – Train the Trainer Event This fall, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay will be conducting Train-the-Trainer sessions for several watershed groups in eastern Virginia who have expressed interest in developing local volunteer water quality monitoring programs. These sessions will enable watershed coordinators to train and recertify volunteers in their local program while providing a high level of quality assurance for their data. The Alliance trains watershed coordinators in the monitoring of pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, and water temperature.” Upcoming EventsEPA Region III Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Conference October 12 -13, 2007 -- Shenandoah University, Winchester The conference offers opportunities for volunteers and local, state, and federal agencies to learn how water quality data can be used to protect and restore streams. More information about the conference and for information about registering check out: www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/conference.html
Chesapeake Watershed Forum Oct. 12-14, 2007 “Sharing Strategies to Manage Growth and Protect Our Waters" -- The National Conservation Training Center, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Forum fees are $150.00 per person before September 30, 2007 ($175.00 per person after October 1, 2007.). The fee include the workshop sessions and field trips, a private room with bath, and hearty buffet style meals that begin with Friday lunch and end with lunch on Sunday. The Forum is limited to 300 attendees, so please register early! Online registration is not available, please mail or fax your registration using the information on the registration form found at www.AllianceChesbay.org/forum.cfm . Some scholarships will be available for attending the Chesapeake Watershed Forum, please see the Forum webpage and registration form for information about applying for a scholarship. Questions about the Forum can be sent to the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay staff: Deborah Rudy at: 717-737-8622; drudy@acb-online.org or Lou Etgen at 410-377-6270; letgen@acb-online.org.
Shenandoah Valley Science Symposium October 15 & 16 Shenandoah University, Winchester Mark your calendars for the first Shenandoah Valley Science Symposium. Purpose: to determine which are the most important water questions and how to go about answering these questions. Researchers will have the opportunity to present information on their work through panel discussions and a poster session. To be considered as a panelist or as a participant in the poster session area, contact Tom Christoffel, AICP, Senior Planner, Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC), 103 East Sixth Street, Front Royal, Virginia (VA) 22630-3499, Phone: 540-636-8800, Fax: 540-635-4147, tchrist@shentel.net
Virginia Waterways Cleanup Sept. 1- Oct. 31, 2007 Volunteers are needed to help clean Virginia's rivers and beaches. Cleanup events will be held between September 1 and October 31. Any school, business, group, family or organization can signup to host a local cleanup. Cleanup events, from the mountains to the ocean, are listed on the Clean Virginia Waterways website: www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccva.htm The annual Virginia Waterways Cleanup is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, which is the world’s largest volunteer effort to collect data on litter and trash in the aquatic environment! Cleanup events are held on the coasts, AND inland, since inland litter often ends up in our oceans. To learn more about the Virginia Waterways Cleanup, please visit the Clean Virginia Waterways web site: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/
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
"Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop" -- Train the Trainer. Farmville, VA. Tuesday, October 30 from 1 to 4 PM. Open to volunteers & staff of nonprofit groups who will plan a “Build Your Own Rain Barrel” workshop in the future for citizens. Co-Sponsored by Clean Virginia Waterways (a program of Longwood University), the VA Water Monitoring Council (thanks to a grant from DEQ), and the Piedmont Soil & Water Conservation District. Through the “Build Your Own Rain Barrel” workshop program, your organization can host a workshop, and offer rain barrels at a reduced cost to citizens. In addition to learning how to install and maintain their rain barrels, workshop attendees will learn about their role in water conservation and water quality protection. Attendees will take a Rain Barrel home after the workshop! For details, send an email to CVW at cleanva@longwood.edu Also, visit the CVW rain barrel web site: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/rainbarrels.htm
Appalachian Trail MonitoringAs part of the Appalachian Trail MEGA-Transect Initiative, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has partnered with the Water Environment Federation (WEF) to host the First Annual A.T. Water Resources Monitoring event. Volunteers can spend less than a day on this project and no special training is required. Anyone who can arrange a hike on the Appalachian Trail sometime between September 18 and October 18, 2007 can participate! This position is ideal for adults, as well as families and supervised youth groups - classes, clubs, and scouts. ATC has a limited number of sampling kits set aside for volunteers – please let us know if you’d like to reserve a kit. Water sampling kits can be purchased from WEF – or volunteers can use their own kits. To register, or for more information, start at our website: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.3066845/k.CE10/WWMD.htm or contact us at waterquality2007@appalachiantrail.org. GRANT OPPORTUNITIES2008 Chesapeake Bay License Plate GrantChesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Grants (Chesapeake Bay Licence Plates), Deadline for proposals - October 1, 2007. Please go to: http://dls.state.va.us/GROUPS/cbrfac/GUIDELNS.HTM for the application form, eligibility requirements, project criteria and additional details. Applicants should complete the grant application form available from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Advisory Committee. No application will be accepted after the 5:00 p.m., October 1, 2007, deadline. Typewritten proposals shall be submitted to the: Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee c/o Division of Legislative Services 910 Capitol Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Projects selected for funding will be recommended for inclusion in the 2008 budget bill and applicants will receive notification of their awards by the Advisory Committee upon approval of the state budget in May 2008. VCWQ August 2007 NewsletterVirginia Citizens for Water Quality Monthly Newsletter August 2007 We welcome your
contributions! Also, please feel free to add your watershed events to our calendar: www.virginiacwq.org/calendar.htm
ANNOUNCEMENTS2007 Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Awards Congratulations to Wes Jargowski, Tony Pane, Loudoun Watershed Watch/Catoctin Watershed TMDL Project, the McClure River Restoration Project, and the NEST (Neighborhood Ecological Stewardship Training) Program. These individuals and programs were award the 2007 Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Awards at the annual Summit. For more information about the awardees, check out information on the website at: www.virginiacwq.org/vcwqawards2007.htm
11th Annual Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Summit Once again, we had a great time meeting with old friends and making new friends at the Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Summit. Proceedings are now available on the website at www.virginiacwq.org/Summit2007proceedings.htm
Water Quality Monitoring Training Available The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay currently has funds to provide some free training in chemical/physical water monitoring to watershed organizations and monitoring groups in Virginia. If your group is interested in attending a training event to learn about monitoring dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, temperature, and turbidity, please contact Laurel Woodworth at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay at (804) 775-0951.
Upcoming EventsEPA Region III Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Conference October 12 -13, 2007 To be held at Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia Nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley The conference offers opportunities for volunteers and local, state, and federal agencies to learn how water quality data can be used to protect and restore streams. Featured Topics Using online water quality databases More information about the conference and for information about registering check out: www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/conference.html
Chesapeake Watershed Forum Oct. 12-14, 2007 “Sharing Strategies to Manage Growth and Protect Our Waters" -- The National Conservation Training Center, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Forum fees are $150.00 per person before September 30, 2007 ($175.00 per person after October 1, 2007.). The fee include the workshop sessions and field trips, a private room with bath, and hearty buffet style meals that begin with Friday lunch and end with lunch on Sunday. The Forum is limited to 300 attendees, so please register early! Online registration is not available, please mail or fax your registration using the information on the registration form found at www.AllianceChesbay.org/forum.cfm . Some scholarships will be available for attending the Chesapeake Watershed Forum, please see the Forum webpage and registration form for information about applying for a scholarship. Questions about the Forum can be sent to the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay staff: Deborah Rudy at: 717-737-8622; drudy@acb-online.org or Lou Etgen at 410-377-6270; letgen@acb-online.org.
Shenandoah Valley Science Symposium October 15 & 16 Shenandoah University, Winchester Mark your calendars for the first Shenandoah Valley Science Symposium. Purpose: to determine which are the most important water questions and how to go about answering these questions. Researchers will have the opportunity to present information on their work through panel discussions and a poster session. To be considered as a panelist or as a participant in the poster session area, contact Tom Christoffel, AICP, Senior Planner, Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC), 103 East Sixth Street, Front Royal, Virginia (VA) 22630-3499, Phone: 540-636-8800, Fax: 540-635-4147, tchrist@shentel.net
Virginia Waterways Cleanup Sept. 1- Oct. 31, 2007 Volunteers are needed to help clean Virginia's rivers and beaches. Cleanup events will be held between September 1 and October 31. Any school, business, group, family or organization can signup to host a local cleanup. Cleanup events, from the mountains to the ocean, are listed on the Clean Virginia Waterways website: www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccva.htm The annual Virginia Waterways Cleanup is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, which is the world’s largest volunteer effort to collect data on litter and trash in the aquatic environment! Cleanup events are held on the coasts, AND inland, since inland litter often ends up in our oceans. To learn more about the Virginia Waterways Cleanup, please visit the Clean Virginia Waterways web site: http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/ GRANT OPPORTUNITIES2008 Citizen Monitoring Grant Program The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is pleased to announce that it will accept applications for the Citizen Monitoring Grant Program for the 2008 monitoring year. The grant can support volunteer water quality monitoring activities from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. Funds can pay for monitoring equipment, laboratory analysis, publications, and related items. Grant awards cannot pay for office space, salary for staff or staff benefits. Applications are due by August 31, 2007. Applicants can apply for one of two types of grant opportunities. More information can be found at the DEQ Citizen Monitoring Grant webpage at www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/grant.html
2008 Chesapeake Bay License Plate GrantChesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Grants (Chesapeake Bay Licence Plates), Deadline for proposals - October 1, 2007. Please go to: http://dls.state.va.us/GROUPS/cbrfac/GUIDELNS.HTM for the application form, eligibility requirements, project criteria and additional details. Applicants should complete the grant application form available from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Advisory Committee. No application will be accepted after the 5:00 p.m., October 1, 2007, deadline. Typewritten proposals shall be submitted to the: Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee c/o Division of Legislative Services 910 Capitol Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 Projects selected for funding will be recommended for inclusion in the 2008 budget bill and applicants will receive notification of their awards by the Advisory Committee upon approval of the state budget in May 2008. VCWQ July 2007 NewsletterVirginia Citizens for Water Quality Monthly Newsletter July 2007 Welcome
2007 Virginia Environmental Stewardship Awards Congratulations to… Wayne Kirkpatrick for winning this year’s 2007 Virginia Environmental Stewardship Awards co-sponsored by the Virginia Petroleum Council (a division of the American Petroleum Institute) and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Wayne Kirkpatrick won in the “communications” category and the press release states the following: Kirkpatrick has made significant contributions to water quality monitoring of streams in Southside Virginia. He has developed detailed training sessions for local students and teachers as a way to expand monitoring efforts and increase awareness of the need to protect water quality. He is a founding chair of Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Monitoring and a frequent speaker at schools, festivals, fairs and clubs. His work also includes coordination with Trout Unlimited and the Dan River Basin Association. Congratulations to Wayne and the Dan River Basin Association!
11th Annual Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Summit It’s not too late to register! July 21, 2007 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia Please join us again for our annual meeting of volunteer water quality monitors from across Virginia. This all day event includes a free lunch and a variety of speakers and topics from using volunteer water quality data to habitat assessments. To register and see more information check out the online information at: www.virginiacwq.org/summit2007.htm or contact Stacey Brown at stacey@vasos.org or 804-615-5036.
EPA Region III Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Conference October 12 -13, 2007 To be held at Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia Nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley The conference offers opportunities for volunteers and local, state, and federal agencies to learn how water quality data can be used to protect and restore streams. Featured Topics Using online water quality databases Registration information will be available soon.
2008 Citizen Monitoring Grant Program The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is pleased to announce that it will accept applications for the Citizen Monitoring Grant Program for the 2008 monitoring year. The grant can support volunteer water quality monitoring activities from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. Funds can pay for monitoring equipment, laboratory analysis, publications, and related items. Grant awards cannot pay for office space, salary for staff or staff benefits. Applications are due by August 31, 2007. Applicants can apply for one of two types of grant opportunities. More information can be found at the DEQ Citizen Monitoring Grant webpage at www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/grant.html
2008 Chesapeake Bay License Plate Grant Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Grants (Chesapeake Bay Licence Plates), Deadline for proposals - October 1, 2007.
Please go to: http://dls.state.va.us/GROUPS/cbrfac/GUIDELNS.HTM for the application form, eligibility requirements, project criteria and additional details.
Applicants should complete the grant application form available from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Advisory Committee. No application will be accepted after the 5:00 p.m., October 1, 2007, deadline. Typewritten proposals shall be submitted to the:
Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee c/o Division of Legislative Services 910 Capitol Street Richmond, Virginia 23219
Projects selected for funding will be recommended for inclusion in the 2008 budget bill and applicants will receive notification of their awards by the Advisory Committee upon approval of the state budget in May 2008.
Train-the-Trainer "How to Build a Rain Barrel Workshop" August 7, 2007 1 to 4 PM Farmville, Virginia Clean Virginia Waterways' last "Train-the-Trainer" workshop in 2007 will be held on the Longwood University campus (Farmville, VA) for community groups, nonprofit organizations, and other groups that would like to host their own "Make a Rain Barrel Workshop". Call CVW at 434-395-2602 for details. These workshops are made possible thanks to a grant from the VA Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund (which is funded by Virginians who buy the Chesapeake Bay license plate).
VCWQ June 2007 NewsletterVirginia Citizens for Water Quality Monthly Newsletter
Welcome
11th Annual Virginia Citizens for Water Quality Summit July 21, 2007 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia Please join us again for our annual meeting of volunteer water quality monitors from across Virginia. This all day event includes a free lunch and a variety of speakers and topics from using volunteer water quality data to habitat assessments. To register and see more information check out the online information at: www.virginiacwq.org/summit2007.htm or contact Stacey Brown at stacey@vasos.org or 804-615-5036.
Proposed Changes to the Bacteria Standard Below is the link to the to the DEQ's Water Quality Stanardards Triennial Reviw. At this time, the Department of Environmental Quality is putting forward two different tracks in front of the Water Control Board, the first using the existing E. coli Standard and the other putting forth new language articulating why the State believes that it is important to change the standard for bacteria. In the track that includes a change in the water quality standard for e.coli, DEQ is proposing to change the standard from 235 or 384 E. coli CFU (colony forming units) single sample maximum in freshwater. This is based upon changing the acceptable risk level from 8 persons in 1000 to 10 persons in 1000. DEQ states that this change is acceptable risk to EPA. There is a great deal of information about the potential change at the DEQ website http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wqs/rule.html#TR If you would like to discuss this proposed change, would like to clarify the issues, or would like to know how you can comment about these proposed changes, please contact Stacey at stacey@vasos.org or 804-615-5036
EPA and its partners will soon be embarking on a Survey of the Nation’s lakes. This Survey will be designed to help us to provide regional and national estimates of the condition of lakes. It will use a statistically-valid dataset that represents the condition of all lakes in similar regions sharing similar ecological characteristics. We will ask states and tribes to use consistent sampling and analytical procedures to ensure that the results can be compared across the country. This Survey of the Nation’s Lakes will also help build state and tribal capacity for monitoring and assessment and promote collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries in the assessment of water quality. For more information check out: http://www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey/
EPA Region III Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Conference October 12 -13, 2007 To be held at Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia Nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley The conference offers opportunities for volunteers and local, state, and federal agencies to learn how water quality data can be used to protect and restore streams. Featured Topics Using online water quality databases Registration information will be available soon.
|
|
| Virginia Citizens for Water Quality © 2006 |
Home • About Us •
News • Meetings • Calendar •
List Serve • Links •
Join VCWQ • Contact Us
Graphic Design by Round the Bend Wizards |
|
 |
|
|
