Announcements 2025.4.17

[Walker, Jane]

Save the Date: Virginia Water Monitoring Council 2025 Conference –September 30, 2025 – Virginia Public Safety Training Facility, Knox Hall – Hanover, VA – More information about the conference will be posted at https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/.  Presentation slides and recordings from past VWMC conferences are also available from https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/.
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1.) Civics and Environmental Education (CEE)-Change Fellowship -- Office Hours to Ask Questions: TODAY, April 17; Applications Due: April 23, 2025
2.) Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) Training Webinars – Various Dates, Starting: April 22, 2025 (1pm)
3.) Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) Upcoming Events – Various Dates, Starting: April 23, 2025
4.) Volunteer Opportunities: Elizabeth River Project – Various Dates, Starting: April 24, 2025
5.) Blue Ridge PRISM Events – Various Dates, Starting: April 25, 2025
6.) Virginia Native Plant Sales – Various Dates, Starting: April 26, 2025
7.) 2025 DEQ Water Quality Monitoring Plan and Requests for Nominations for 2026 Monitoring – Nominations Due: April 30, 2025
8.) Informal Public Comment: Draft 2026 Water Quality Assessment Guidance Manual – Public Comment Deadline: May 2, 2025
9.) Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals (VAWP) Opportunities
   ++ VAWP Spring Meeting Poster Session – Registration Deadline: May 2, 2025; Poster Session: May 30, 2025 
   ++ 2025 Scholarship – Submission Deadline: May 15, 2025
10.) Public Information Meeting: Shenandoah River State Park Master Plan – May 13, 2025
11.) 2025 York Watershed System Symposium – May 14, 2025
12.) Call for Presentations: 2025 Annual Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) Forum – Submission Deadline: May 16, 2025; Forum: September 16-18, 2025
13.) Request for Proposals: 20^th Annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum – Submission Deadline: June 1, 2025; Forum: November 7-9, 2025
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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 the VWMC’s intern, Logan Flanagan, for developing today’s announcements. 
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1.) Civics and Environmental Education (CEE)-Change Fellowship -- Office Hours to Ask Questions: TODAY, April 17 (3-4pm); Applications Due: April 23, 2025 -- Brings together environmental and civic engagement educators to learn from each other and collaborate to scale up impacts to create a more healthy and sustainable future.  The 12-month fellowship (July 2025 to June 2026) provides opportunities to learn, network, and share through online professional development, technical assistance, and face-to-face training. Learn more and apply at https://naaee.org/programs/cee-change-fellowship.  Offered by ee360+ and the Cedar Tree Foundation.
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2.) Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) Training Webinars – Learn more about these webinars and others and register at https://www.rcap.org/training-events/.
   ++ Hydrant Assessments for Asset Management – April 22, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Principles of Ratemaking for Water Systems -- April 24, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Protecting Your Utility from Cybersecurity Threats -- April 29, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Wastewater Rate Setting for Financial Success -- May 8, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Utilizing Appropriate Customer Classes for Tribal Wastewater Rate Setting -- May 20, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Recruiting Retiring Military Personnel into the Wastewater Sector – August 14, 2025 (1pm)
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3.) Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) Upcoming Events – Learn more about these and other events at https://www.pecva.org/events/.
   ++ Volunteer at the Community Farm – April-October 2025 – Aldie, VA – Learn more at https://www.pecva.org/about-us/properties/gilberts-corner/community-farm/.
   ++ Northern Albemarle Conservation Speed Dating Workshop -- April 23, 2025 (1-4pm) -- Crozet, Va.
   ++ Native Tree Giveaway at Gilberts Corner Market – May 3, 2025 (10:30am-12pm) – Aldie, VA
   ++ Birding Walk at Roundabout Meadows -- May 9, 2025 (8:30am-10:30pm) -- Aldie, Va
   ++ Spring Nature Walk at the Piedmont Memorial Overlook -- May 16, 2025 (9-11am) -- Paris, Va.
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4.) Volunteer Opportunities: Elizabeth River Project – Learn more about these and other opportunities at https://elizabethriver.org/volunteer/. Interested individuals may also sign up to be an Outreach Volunteer. Organized by the Elizabeth River Project.
   ++ Restoration Project -- April 23, 2025 (10am-3pm)
   ++ Landscape Maintenance at Ryan Resilience Lab -- May 1, 15, & 29, 2025; June 12 & 26, 2025; and July 10, 2025 (10am-Noon) – Norfolk, VA
  ++ Litter Clean-Ups -- April 26, 2025; May 10, 2025; June 7, 2025 -- Norfolk, VA
   ++ Paradise Creek Nature Park – May 3 & 10, 2025 and June 7 &14, 2025 (9-11am) -- Portsmouth, VA
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5.) Blue Ridge PRISM Events -- Learn more about events and register at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/blue-ridge-prism-virginia-31070464381.
   ++ Invasive Plant Training Workday at State Arboretum of Virginia -- April 25, 2025 (10am) – Boyce, VA
   ++ Virginia Invasive Plant ID & Control Tool – This online tool helps individuals identify invasive plant species. Learn more and access the tool at https://blueridgeprism.org/plants.
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6.) Virginia Native Plant Sales – Various Dates, Starting: April 26, 2025 – Throughout Virginia -- Offered by various chapters of the Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS) and others. Learn more at https://vnps.org/events/ (search “plant sale”).  Learn more about native plants in your area from regional plant guides found at https://vnps.org/virginia-native-plant-guides/ (download or order)
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7.) 2025 DEQ Water Quality Monitoring Plan and Requests for Nominations for 2026 Monitoring – Nominations Due: April 30, 2025 – The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) 2025 Monitoring Plan is available at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/monitoring/water-quality-monitoring-plan. Virginia DEQ is accepting nominations of public water bodies for monitoring by DEQ in 2026.  Learn more at https://townhall.virginia.gov//l/ViewNotice.cfm?GNID=3043. Organized by the Virginia DEQ.
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8.) Informal Public Comment: Draft 2026 Water Quality Assessment Guidance Manual – Public Comment Deadline: May 2, 2025 – The Virginia DEQ seeks public comment on its draft of the 2026 Water Quality Assessment Guidance Manual. The document contains assessment procedures and methods used to create Virginia’s Integrated Water Quality Assessment and Impaired Waters Report. A list of significant guidance modifications since 2024 is described in Section 1. Learn more, view a copy of the draft, and submit a public comment at https://townhall.virginia.gov//l/ViewNotice.cfm?GNID=3083. Published by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
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9.) Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals (VAWP) Opportunities – Learn more about and apply to both opportunities at https://vawetlands.org/education-committee/. Contact Eli Wright at ewr...@w3env.com with questions.
   ++ VAWP Spring Meeting Poster Session – Registration Deadline: May 2, 2025; Poster Session: May 30, 2025 – Glen Allen, VA -- Seeking undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the Student Poster Session at the Annual Spring Meeting.
   ++ 2025 Scholarship – Submission Deadline: May 15, 2025 – VAWP is accepting scholarship applications from undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Virginia institutions pursuing research focused on wetland science, natural resources, or related environmental science fields.
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10.) Public Information Meeting: Shenandoah River State Park Master Plan – May 13, 2025 (6pm) – Front Royal, VA – Participants will learn more about the master plan process and have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Learn more at https://townhall.virginia.gov/l/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=41625.
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11.) 2025 York Watershed System Symposium – May 14, 2025 – Gloucester Point, VA -- Theme: “Protected Areas, People, and Science” – This forum will offer an opportunity to learn about watershed research, education, stewardship, and management efforts within the York River, Mobjack Bay, and Piankatank River Basins. Learn more and register at https://www.vims.edu/cbnerr/coastal_training/upcoming_workshops/2025-york-watershed-system-symposium.php. Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Natural Estuarine Research Reserve Virginia at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
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12.) Call for Presentations: 2025 Annual Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC) Forum – Submission Deadline: May 16, 2025; Forum: September 16-18, 2025 – New Orleans, LA – Submissions may focus on carbon capture and underground storage, aquifer storage and recovery, environmental data management, source water protection, PFAS, produced water, geothermal energy, and more. Learn more and submit a presentation at https://www.gwpc.org/call-abstracts/. Organized by the Ground Water Protection Council.
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13.) Request for Proposals: 20^th Annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum – Submission Deadline: June 1, 2025; Forum: November 7-9, 2025 – Shepherdstown, WV – Theme: “Shaping the Future of Conservation with Human-Centered Approaches” – Soliciting proposals for 60, 90, and 180-minute sessions focusing on human-centered approaches. Office hours are available to assist participants in creating proposals (office hours end: May 30, 2025). Learn more and submit a proposal at https://www.allianceforthebay.org/2025-watershed-forum-requests-for-proposals-for-sessions/. Organized by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
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The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. Thank you to our sponsor!

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.