Announcements 2026.6.23

[Walker, Jane]

See recent announcements and learn more about the Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) at www.VirginiaWMC.org. Feel free to forward these announcements. When forwarding, please acknowledge the VWMC. If you have a water-related announcement of regional or statewide interest, send it to vw...@vt.edu and ask that it be distributed to the VWMC membership. If someone forwarded this message to you, you can join the VWMC for free by sending your name, water-monitoring affiliation (if applicable), and contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone number) to vw...@vt.edu.  Thank you to Julia Porter, VWMC intern, for developing and organizing this week’s set of VWMC announcements.
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1.) EPA Cybersecurity Exercises and Technical Assistance Courses – Learn about and register for these and other courses at https://www.epa.gov/cyberwater/cybersecurity-exercises-and-technical-assistance-courses.
   ++ Water Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (WCAT) Webinar -- June 24, 2026
   ++ Cybersecurity Procurement Checklist Tool Training -- June 25, 2026
   ++ EPA 2026 National Cyber Drill -- July 8, 2026
   ++ Insider Threat Mitigation Webinar -- July 9, 2026
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2.) Professional Learning Opportunities with the James River Association (JRA) – Inviting educators to learn about the James River. These workshops are designed to empower teachers with hands-on, immersive experiences. More information about these events and others is available at https://thejamesriver.org/students-of-the-james/students-of-the-james-professional-development/.
   ++ Green Infrastructure & Problem-Based Learning -- Middle School Teachers: June 24-26, 2026; High School Teachers: July 15-17, 2026
   ++ Canoe Paddle Skills and Ecology -- June 30-July 1, 2026 – Henrico, VA
   ++ Citizen Science with JRA -- July 7-9, 2026 – Richmond, VA
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3.) 2026 Drinking Water Clinics -- Provides water testing and practical information to users of private water supplies about maintaining and protecting private water systems including wells, springs and cisterns. Contact your local Extension office to express interest in a clinic. Learn more at https://www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu/events.php and https://www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu/index.php.  Offered through Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Virginia Household Water Quality Program.
   ++ June 24, 2026 – Essex, Gloucester, King William, Mathews, Middlesex
   ++ July 15, 2026 – Culpeper, Rappahannock, Fauquier
   ++ July 22, 2026 -- Isle of Wight, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Virginia Beach
   ++ July 29, 2026 – Nelson, Chesterfield
   ++ August 11, 2026 – Northampton, Accomack
   ++ August 19, 2026 -- Loudoun (waitlist)
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4.) Virginia Oyster Gardening Seminars – Various Dates, Starting June 25, 2026 -- Learn how to become a successful oyster gardener.  Registration is available for those who would like to “listen and learn” as well as those who want to participate in this program.  Oyster gardeners will receive spat-on-shell (baby oysters set on recycled shells), two 18″ x 9″ cages, as well as other necessary supplies. Participants must attend an oyster gardening seminar before taking home spat on shell.  There are a limited number of public locations available for gardeners without their own dock. Learn more and register at https://www.cbf.org/resources/virginia-oyster-gardening-seminars/.   Organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
   ++ June 25, 2026 (6-8pm) -- Hampton, VA
   ++ July 18, 2026 (9-11am) -- Irvington, VA
   ++ July 21, 2026 (6-8pm) -- Newport News, VA
   ++ July 23, 2026 (6-8pm) -- Gloucester Point, VA
   ++ July 30, 2026 (6-8pm) – Portsmouth, VA
   ++ August 1, 2026 (9-11am) -- Virginia Beach, VA
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5.) Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Events – Learn more at https://events.wm.edu/calendar/upcoming/vims/.
   ++ After Hours Lecture Series -- Slime and Punishment: The Life, Times and Crimes of the American Eel -- June 25, 2026 (6:30pm - 8pm)
   ++ Batten School & VIMS Public Tour Series -- June 26, 2026 -- Gloucester Point, VA
   ++ Special After Hours Lecture: "Shark Tank: Batten School & VIMS Edition" -- July 30, 2026 -- Gloucester Point, VA
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6.) “Hellbenders Night” -- Baseball Game: Myrtle Beach Pelicans vs. Salem RidgeYaks – June 26, 2026 (6:35pm) – Salem, VA – This family-friendly evening will celebrate and support conservation efforts for the Eastern hellbender, North America’s largest salamander. Virginia’s Hellbender Headstart Program is helping to lead efforts to restore threatened hellbender populations. Half of the proceeds purchased through this ticket link will support hellbender research and ongoing conservation work in Appalachian streams. During the game, hellbenders will be omnipresent, with information tables, and hellbender trivia in-between innings.
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7.) Survey: Virginia Farm Voluntary Ag BMP Inventory – Closing: June 30, 2026 -- Seeking information about voluntary conservation practices on Virginia farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The survey aims to show what farmers are doing to conserve soil and improve water quality. The survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. For more information, go to: https://vaswcd.org/virginia-farm-voluntary-agricultural-bmp-inventory/. Developed by Virginia’s Voluntary Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) Task Force.
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8.) Virginia Save Our Streams (VASOS) Field Certification Opportunities -- There are 2 parts to becoming a certified monitor – online certification & field training. The online certification and macroinvertebrate ID quiz (estimated time 3-4 hours) must be completed prior to attending the field training.  Learn more about becoming a VASOS monitor at https://vasos.org/become-a-monitor/. Learn more about the field certification and register at https://iwla.org/events/. Virginia Save Our Streams is a program of the Izaak Walton League of America and is associated with the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative.
   ++ June 30, 2026 (9:30am-4pm) -- Green Bay, VA
   ++ July 18, 2026 (10am-1pm) – Woodstock, VA 
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9.) 4th Annual Southwest Virginia Water Tower Showdown – Registration Deadline: July 2, 2026; Event: July 17, 2026 (9:30am-12pm) -- Roanoke/Lynchburg/Bedford area – Inviting middle school students (rising 6th-8th graders) from public, private, or home schools to participate in teams of up to four students. The students are challenged to build a structurally efficient model water tower that holds one gallon of water and can be filled and drained quickly while also being aesthetically pleasing. Towers are judged on Structural Efficiency, Cost Efficiency, Design Ingenuity, and Hydraulic Efficiency. Learn more at https://vaawwa.org/events/watertowershowdown2026. Organized by the Virginia American Water Works Association (AWWA)/ Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA) Student Activities and Water Awareness and Outreach Committees.
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10.) Funding Opportunities: Chesapeake Bay Trust – Learn more about these and other opportunities at https://cbtrust.org/grants/.
   ++ Youth Environmental Education Grant Program – Deadline: July 9, 2026 (4pm) – https://cbtrust.org/grants/youth-environmental-education-grant-program/ -- Aims to provide funds to schools, organizations, and agencies for youth environmental education opportunities and educator support.
   ++ Capacity Building Grant Program – Deadline: July 15, 2026 (5pm) -- https://cbtrust.org/grants/capacity-building/ -- Aims to support nonprofit organizations and local governments working at the intersection of natural resource protection and community well‑being across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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11.) Middle James Roundtable 2026 Annual Meeting -- September 3-4, 2026 -- Luray, VA -- This meeting will focus on the state of outdoor recreation in the watershed. It is open to anyone with an interest in protecting and promoting the middle section of the James River. There will be opportunities to enjoy Shenandoah National Park as well as informational sessions. A block of rooms is reserved at Skyland Resort for overnight stays, but lodging reservations must be made by July 30, 2026. For more information and to register, see http://www.mjrt.org/2026-annual-meeting.html. Organized by the Middle James Roundtable.
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12.) Virginia Sea Grant Coastal Leadership Conference -- October 14-15, 2026 -- Virginia Beach, VA -- This regional event is for undergraduate and graduate students, professionals, and university partners. Aims to spark scientific and professional imaginations, highlight cutting-edge research, and expand professional networking channels. For more information and to register, see https://coastalconference.vaseagrant.org/. Organized by Virginia Sea Grant.
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center with funding from the U.S. Geological Survey. Thank you to our sponsors!

You too can sponsor the VWMC announcements.  Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the VWMC to support information updates and other VWMC activities.  Make checks payable to: “The Virginia Tech Foundation” and on the memo portion of the check include “VWMC Fund #872802.” Mail contributions to the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (0444, Attn: Jane Walker) at 210 Cheatham Hall, Virginia Tech; 310 West Campus Drive; Blacksburg, VA 24061.