Announcements 2026.2.26

[Walker, Jane]

1.) 2026 Drinking Water Clinics – Various Dates, Starting: March 4, 2026
2.) Environmental Law Institute Fellowships – Due: March 9, 2026 and March 31, 2026
3.) Smart Cities Connect Conference -- March 10-12, 2026
4.) Training -- Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Level 1: Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Landscape – March 10-11, 2026
5.) Fellowship: Chesapeake Bay Commission -- Application Deadline: March 13, 2026; Start Date: July 1, 2026
6.) Virginia Green Travel Conference and Awards Ceremony -- March 19-20, 2026
7.) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Events – Various Dates, Starting: March 2026
8.) Environment Virginia Symposium -- March 24-26, 2026
9.) Save the Date: Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) Spring River Clean-Up 2026 -- April 11, 2026
10.) 2026 Virginia Floodplain Management Association (VFMA) Annual Conference -- April 23-24, 2026
11.) Aquatic Insect Entomology for Professionals -- May 4-6, 2026
12.) Call for Abstracts: North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) 2026 International Symposium – Abstracts due: May 22, 2026; Symposium: November 3-6, 2026
13.) Water Center Jobs Board – https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/
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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.) 2026 Drinking Water Clinics -- Provides water testing and practical information to private water supply users 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.
   ++ March 4, 2026 – Scott, Giles, Floyd, Montgomery
   ++ March 18, 2026 – Charlotte, Brunswick, Nottoway, Lunenburg, Prince Edward
   ++ March 25, 2026 – Loudoun
   ++ April 1, 2026 -- Prince William
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2.) Environmental Law Institute Fellowships – Learn more about these opportunities at https://www.eli.org/employment.
   ++ Jim Rubin International Fellowship 2026 – Deadline: March 9, 2026 --Washington, DC
   ++ Law Fellow, Climate and Energy – Deadline: March 31, 2026 -- Washington, DC
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3.) Smart Cities Connect Conference -- March 10-12, 2026 -- Raleigh, NC – Theme: “Innovating With Cities To Create A Better World” -- Program tracks include: Digital Transformation, Urban Operations & Infrastructure, Smart Mobility, Community Engagement, and The Connection Lab. Learn more at https://fall.smartcitiesconnect.org/.
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4.) Training -- Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional (CBLP) Level 1: Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Landscape – March 10-11, 2026 (9am-4pm) -- Charlottesville, VA (other dates and locations may be available) -- Level 1 covers design, installation, and management of sustainable landscapes and green infrastructure. Learn more and register at https://cblpro.org/cblp-level-1/. Organized by the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC).
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5.) Fellowship: Chesapeake Bay Commission -- Application Deadline: March 13, 2026 (5pm); Start Date: July 1, 2026 -- Annapolis, MD -- Seeking a graduate-level fellow for a one-year placement. Open to current students completing a graduate, professional degree or Ph.D. program, or recent graduate (within 12 months of start date) of such program. The fellow will have the opportunity to be at the intersection of science and policy. For more information and to submit an application, see https://vaseagrant.org/commonwealth-fellowship-chesapeake-bay-commission/. Sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia Sea Grant programs.
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6.) Virginia Green Travel Conference and Awards Ceremony -- March 19-20, 2026 – Massanutten, VA – Theme: “Sustainability by Nature: Building a Resilient Tourism Economy” -- Explore sustainable tourism practices, connect with industry leaders, and discover innovative approaches to eco-friendly travel throughout Virginia. Learn more at https://www.virginiagreen.net/. Organized by Green Travel.
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7.) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Events
   ++ Virginia General Assembly Wrap-Up -- March 19, 2026 (6-8pm) -- Virginia Beach, Va -- Learn more at https://www.cbf.org/events/.
   ++ Save the Bay Photo Contest – Submissions Accepted: March 9-27, 2026 -- Open to both amateur and professional photographers. Photos should highlight the beauty and character of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Learn more at https://www.cbf.org/events/.
   ++ Pine Cone Harbour Buffer Project -- Hampton, VA -- Requires bending and lifting up to 30 pounds consistently. Learn more at  https://www.cbf.org/resources/pine-cone-harbour-buffer-project/.
      == Buffer Prep -- Registration Deadline: April 3, 2026; Event: April 7-9, 2026 (10am-2pm)
      == Buffer Planting -- Registration Deadline: May 2, 2026; Event: May 5-7, 2026 (10am-2pm)
   ++ Clean the Bay Day 2026 – Registration: March 9, 2026-April 17, 2026; Event: May 2, 2026 (9am-12pm) -- Locations across Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Virginia -- For more information, see https://www.cbf.org/clean-the-bay-day/.
   ++ Environmental Education Programs – Various dates and registration deadlines – Various locations -- Learn more about these programs at https://www.cbf.org/environmental-education/. 
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8.) Environment Virginia Symposium -- March 24-26, 2026 -- Lexington, Va. -- The symposium will include nearly 40 sessions with topics ranging from climate resilience to emerging contaminants. For more information and to register, see https://vmieva.cventevents.com/event/b92e4a1e-0f51-4fa4-a737-f7e9976c2a09/home. Organized by the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics and partners.
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9.) Save the Date: Friends of the Occoquan (FOTO) Spring River Clean-Up 2026 -- April 11, 2026 (9am-12pm) -- 5 Locations: Occoquan River/Reservoir (Lake Ridge Marina, Town of Occoquan, Occoquan Regional Park, Fountainhead Regional Park, Bull Run Marina) -- Preregistration recommended: Select a location and email the following information to fo...@friendsoftheoccoquan.org: 1--Location/Time Slot you plan to sign in; 2--First and last names of the volunteers in your group; 3--Contact number and email address; and 4--Do you need a community service letter (include your name and mailing address)?  Refreshments are provided, and volunteers are encouraged to bring their own filled water bottles. In case of inclement weather, check the FOTO website or Facebook page for updates. Learn more about FOTO at  https://www.friendsoftheoccoquan.org/home.html. Organized by FOTO.
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10.) 2026 Virginia Floodplain Management Association (VFMA) Annual Conference -- April 23-24, 2026 -- Richmond, VA -- This conference will feature presentations focused on policies, technologies, and best practices in floodplain management. It will attract floodplain managers, emergency management professionals, engineers, and planners from every sector of the professional community. Early bird registration will run through March 23, 2026. For more information and to register, see https://vaflood.org/Annual-Conference. Organized by the Virginia Floodplain Management Association.
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11.) Aquatic Insect Entomology for Professionals -- May 4-6, 2026 -- Marshall, NC -- This is an immersive, hands-on aquatic entomology workshop designed for environmental professionals, consultants, and agency staff looking to sharpen their expertise in benthic macroinvertebrates and stream assessment protocols. The workshop will blend classroom instruction, guided fieldwork, and lab-based microscope ID sessions to strengthen ecological knowledge and identification skills. For more information and to register, see https://resourceinstituteinc.org/freshwater-science-classes/. Offered by the Resource Institute.
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12.) Call for Abstracts: North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) 2026 International Symposium – Abstracts due: May 22, 2026; Symposium: November 3-6, 2026 -- Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada – Theme: “Swimming Upstream: Tackling Environmental Challenges through Partnership, Innovation, & Science” -- Accepting oral and poster presentations on any aspect of lake and reservoir management.  Submissions should indicate presentation preference (oral, poster, or either). For more information, see https://www.nalms.org/nalms2026/. Organized by the North American Lake Management Society.
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13.) Water Center Jobs Board – View a listing of current job opportunities and employment resources on the Jobs Board at https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/jobs/. Developed by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center (Water Center).
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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.