Announcements 2026.7.16

[Walker, Jane]

2026 Virginia Water Monitoring Council Conference -- September 29, 2026 -- Hanover, VA – Presentations will focus on benthic macroinvertebrate surveys, monitoring and modeling the Potomac Interceptor sewer line collapse, data centers and water demand, hellbender salamanders, and more.  Make plans to attend.  More information is available at https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/. Hurry, early-bird registration rates are in effect until July 31, 2026 (5pm). 
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1.) Virginia Conservation Network Annual Photo Contest – Submissions Due: July 17, 2026  
2.) Virginia Oyster Gardening Seminars – Various Dates, Starting July 18, 2026
3.) 2026 Drinking Water Clinics –Various Dates, Starting: July 22, 2026
4.) Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program Upcoming Events – Various Dates, Starting: July 24, 2026
5.) Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week -- July 26-August 1, 2026
6.) Water and Wastewater Training – Various Dates, Starting: July 28, 2026
7.) 2026 National Capacity Development and Operator Certification Workshop -- August 5-7, 2026
8.) Webinar -- Building Better Stream Monitoring Programs: Strategies, Innovations, and Success Stories from Local Governments -- August 11, 2026
9.) Public Comments Accepted – Various Dates, Starting: August 12, 2026
10.) 2026 Mid-Atlantic & the Carolinas Groundwater Conference -- August 18-19, 2026
11.) Webinar -- One System, Many Needs: Scaling Water Quality Data Management Without Compromising Local Needs -- August 25, 2026
12.) Funding Opportunity: Citizen Monitoring Grant – Deadline: August 31, 2026
13.) Drought Monitoring Dashboard -- https://datascience.deq.virginia.gov/Drought-Monitoring/
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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.) Virginia Conservation Network Annual Photo Contest – Submissions Due: July 17, 2026 -- All levels of photography experience are welcome to submit photos of either outdoor recreation in Virginia, close encounters with nature, people-centered communities, or transitioning to clean energy. There will be a grand prize winner as well as winners in each category. Submissions could be featured in environmental publications. For more information and to submit, see https://vcnva.org/photo-contest/. Organized by the VA Conservation Network.
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2.) Virginia Oyster Gardening Seminars – Various Dates, Starting July 18, 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.
   ++ 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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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.
   ++ 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)
   ++ September 2, 2026 – Cumberland, Buckingham, Amelia, Louisa
   ++ September 16, 2026 – Fluvanna, Fairfax County
   ++ September 30, 2026 -- Roanoke County, Pittsylvania, Franklin, Henry
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4.) Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program Upcoming Events – For more information about these events and others, see https://forestupdate.frec.vt.edu/eventscalendar.html. Organized by Virginia Cooperative Extension and partners.
   ++ Video: Fifteen Minutes in the Forest -- July 24, 2026 (12:15pm)
   ++ Generation NEXT Legacy Planning Workshop -- July 24 & 25, 2026 -- Warrenton, VA
   ++ Beyond the Basics Woodland Owner Retreat: Managing Your Forest for Timber Income – Rescheduled: August 7-8, 2026 – Appomattox, VA
   ++ Pest Management in the Home/Yard/Landscape -- August 18, 2026 (10am-12pm) – Courtland, VA
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5.) Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week -- July 26-August 1, 2026 – This event aims to increase public awareness of nitrate pollution, including its sources, impacts, and associated risks. Learn more at https://iwla.org/nitrate-pollution-awareness-week/ and https://iwla.org/events/. Organized by the Izaak Walton League of America.
   ++ Webinar -- Welcome to Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week -- July 27, 2026
   ++ Webinar -- An Invisible Threat: Nitrate in Drinking Water -- July 29, 2026
   ++ Webinar -- Regenerative Solutions for Soil Health and Water Quality -- July 30, 2026
   ++ Webinar -- Nitrate Pollution and the Dead Zone: Insights from the Gulf -- July 31, 2026
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6.) Water and Wastewater Training – Learn more about these events and others at https://www.rcap.org/training-events/. Also, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Program (SERCAP) provides free math tutoring for individuals interested in becoming Water Operators (contact Lisha McCargo at lmcc...@sercap.org). Trainings offered by SERCAP, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), and others.
   ++ Regionalization Workshop Train-the-Trainer -- July 28, 2026
   ++ Asset Management 101: Developing Your Asset Management Plan for Small Drinking Water Systems – August 5, 2026 (1-4pm)
   ++ Introduction to the SDWA and AWIA Small System Resilience Training Workshop for Small Drinking Water Systems – August 6, 2026 (12:30-4:30pm)
   ++ Small System Operator Training: Achieve & Maintain Compliance with the SDWA, Small Systems Resilience 2026 – August 11, 2026 (10am-4:30pm) – Provided by SERCAP, RCAP, and AWWA Virginia Section
   ++ Small System Operator Training: Achieve & Maintain Compliance with the SDWA, Small Systems Resilience 2026 – August 13, 2026 (10am-4:30pm) – Provided by SERCAP, RCAP, and AWWA Virginia Section
   ++ Water Loss Workshop for Small Utilities (RCAC) -- August 17, 2026 – Denver, CO -- https://site.pheedloop.com/event/EVEJAJVOGSDTD/home/
   ++ 2nd Annual National State Revolving Fund (SRF) Infrastructure Financing and Training Workshop -- August 17-20, 2026 – Denver, CO – https://www.rcap.org/srf-workshop/
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7.) 2026 National Capacity Development and Operator Certification Workshop -- August 5-7, 2026 -- Alexandria, VA -- This workshop will include sessions on operator certification, capacity development, asset management, technical assistance, and funding, as well as a Technical Assistance Exposition (TA Expo).  State and territorial primacy agencies, tribes, EPA Headquarters and Regions, and technical assistance providers are encouraged to attend.  For more information and to register, see https://www.asdwa.org/event/2026-national-capacity-development-and-operator-certification-workshop/. Co-hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA).
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8.) Webinar -- Building Better Stream Monitoring Programs: Strategies, Innovations, and Success Stories from Local Governments -- August 11, 2026 – Presenters from Montgomery County, MD; Fairfax County, VA; and Anne Arundel County, MD will provide an inside look at their monitoring programs. Each presenter will provide a brief history of their program, discuss the regulatory and permit drivers that shaped it, and showcase innovative approaches. Topics will include PCB source tracking, stormwater pond riparian buffer study, eDNA and watershed-scale stream assessment; and more.  Learn more and register at https://chesapeakestormwater.org/webinars/. Offered by the Chesapeake Stormwater Network.  
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9.) Public Comments Accepted
   ++ Chapter: Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) General Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) (formerly Part XV, 4VAC50-60) [9 VAC 25 ‑ 890] -- Comment Deadline: August 12, 2026 -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewStage.cfm?StageID=11206
   ++ Chapter: Financial Assurance Regulations for Solid Waste Disposal, Transfer and Treatment Facilities [9 VAC 20 ‑ 70] -- Comment Deadline: August 12, 2026 -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewStage.cfm?StageID=11194
   ++ Chapter: Water Quality Standards [9 VAC 25 ‑ 260] -- Public Hearing: August 31, 2026 (1pm, Richmond, VA); Comment Deadline: September 11, 2026 -- https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewStage.cfm?StageID=11052
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10.) 2026 Mid-Atlantic & the Carolinas Groundwater Conference -- August 18-19, 2026 -- Richmond, VA -- Conference topics to include: An update from Virginia DEQ on groundwater supply management in eastern Virginia, hydrogeologic exploration, water well construction and rehabilitation, groundwater outreach and awareness, aquifer storage, water quality, and more.  For more information about the conference, see https://agwt.org/event/26magw/. Organized by the American Ground Water Trust.
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11.) Webinar -- One System, Many Needs: Scaling Water Quality Data Management Without Compromising Local Needs -- August 25, 2026 (3pm) -- This webinar will examine lessons learned; approaches to leveraging a global data system to help local, state, and regional water quality monitoring programs; and share best practices.  Learn more and register at https://www.chesapeakemonitoringcoop.org/about/news-events/ (see “Upcoming Events” on the right).  Offered by the National Water Quality Monitoring Council.
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12.) Funding Opportunity: Citizen Monitoring Grant – Deadline: August 31, 2026 -- Supports activities promoting volunteer collection of water quality data, and community-based education on water quality monitoring and the environment. For more information, visit https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quality/monitoring/monitoring-partner-resources, email citize...@deq.virginia.gov, or call Meighan Wisswell at 571-866-6494. Funding provided through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
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13.) Drought Monitoring Dashboard -- https://datascience.deq.virginia.gov/Drought-Monitoring/ -- Allows users to track data used by Virginia’s Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF). The tool features an interactive map that presents drought monitoring indicators and spatial information. The map allows users to view the Drought Evaluation Regions and their current drought advisory status, groundwater observation wells, stream flow gages, soil moisture, and precipitation data. Learn more about drought monitoring at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/water/water-quantity/drought. Developed by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. 
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from 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.