Announcements 2025.8.11

[Walker, Jane]

2025 Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) Conference – Registration Deadline: September 19, 2025; Conference: September 30, 2025 -- Hanover, VA -- Presentation topics range from restoring habitat for mussels to the state’s groundwater monitoring program. Presentations will include ways that citizen scientists are helping to monitor bacteria, algal blooms, and road salt in Virginia’s waterways. Talks will also discuss projects in stormwater management, stream restoration, and treatment of drinking water to remove PFAS. Learn more and register at https://vwmc.vwrrc.vt.edu/conferences/. Our exhibitors include the US Geological Survey and TechZone MD, LLC.  Organized by the VWMC in partnership with the Virginia Public Safety Training Center, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Water Resources Research Center, and Virginia Tech. 
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1.) Brock Environmental Center Climate Lecture Series: “Coastal Solutions: Protecting Our Shores” – August 12, 2025
2.) Water and Wastewater Training – Various Dates, Starting: August 12, 2025
3.) Virginia League of Conservation Voters: Young Professionals Happy Hour -- August 13, 2025
4.) RiverPalooza – Various Dates, Next Event: August 16, 2025
5.) Tennessee River Basin Network Annual Meeting 2025 -- August 27-28, 2025
6.) 2026 Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grants – Deadline: August 31, 2025
7.) Art Exhibit: O'er the Wide and Plastic Sea – Through: August 31, 2025
8.) Public Feedback Accepted: Revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement – Comments Due: September 1, 2025
9.) International Coastal Cleanup – Multiple dates: September-October 2025
10.) Call for Presentations: Environment Virginia Symposium 2026 – Submission Deadline: September 10, 2025; Symposium: March 24-26, 2026 (note: new conference dates)
11.) The Taste: Celebrate the Chesapeake -- September 11, 2025
12.) Leopold’s Preserve Fall Festival 2025 – September 20, 2025
13.) Beach Toy Recycling Program -- https://www.keepitbeachyclean.org/beach-toy-recycling
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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.) Brock Environmental Center Climate Lecture Series: “Coastal Solutions: Protecting Our Shores” – August 12, 2025 (6:30pm) – Virginia Beach, VA – This lecture will focus on the impacts of sea level rise, the importance of protecting tidewater habitats, and how coastal resilience and safeguarded tidal communities can be achieved through implementing green infrastructure. Registration is required. For more information and to register, see https://events.cbf.org/calendar/event/1017. Organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
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2.) Water and Wastewater Training – Learn more about these events and others at https://www.rcap.org/training-events/. Also, SERCAP provides free math tutoring for individuals interested in becoming Water Operators (contact Joey Hiner at jhi...@sercap.org). Trainings offered by the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), Southeast RCAP (SERCAP), Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, and others.
   ++ Homeowners Decentralized: An Overview of Final Treatment – August 12, 2025 (1-2pm)
   ++ Recruiting Retiring Military Personnel into the Wastewater Sector – August 14, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Asset Management for Small Drinking Water Systems – August 21, 2025 (1pm)
   ++ Risk and Resiliency Technical Training Workshop for Small Water and Wastewater Utility Systems – October 8, 2025 (8am-12:30pm)
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3.) Virginia League of Conservation Voters: Young Professionals Happy Hour -- August 13, 2025 (6:30pm) -- Richmond, Va. – Open to young professionals of any field with a passion for conservation. Provides an opportunity to meet employers, policy influencers, VALCV board members, etc. Learn more at https://valcv.org/youngprofessionalshappyhour/.  Organized by Virginia League of Conservation Voters (VALCV).
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4.) RiverPalooza – These events are designed to build an appreciation for the Potomac & Shenandoah rivers. Learn more and reserve a ticket at https://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org/riverpalooza-2025/. Offered by the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, sponsors and partners such as ICPRB, Nature Forward, and river outfitters.
   ++ August 16, 2025 – Mallows Bay Ghost Fleet Paddle -- Nanjemoy, MD
   ++ August 23, 2025 – Harpers Ferry Tubing -- Purcellville, VA
   ++ August 24, 2025 – Goodbye Summer Blowout -- Harpers Ferry, WV
   ++ August 29, 2025 – Shenandoah Snorkeling Paddle -- Bentonville, VA
   ++ September 12, 2025 – Shenandoah Bird Watching Paddle -- Front Royal, VA
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5.) Tennessee River Basin Network Annual Meeting 2025 -- August 27-28, 2025 -- Asheville, NC – Theme: "Resilience & Relationships" – Learn more and register at https://www.trbnetwork.org/2025-annual-conference. 
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6.) 2026 Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grants – Deadline: August 31, 2025 -- Provides funding for groups and individuals to monitor the quality of Virginia’s waters. The grant can be used to purchase water quality monitoring equipment, train volunteers, cover lab analyses, promote stream monitoring efforts in locations where the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is not currently collecting water quality samples, etc. Awarded proposals are expected to perform project activities between January and December 2026. Learn more at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/our-programs/water/water-quality/monitoring/volunteer-monitoring. Offered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
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7.) Art Exhibit: O'er the Wide and Plastic Sea – Through: August 31, 2025 -- Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach, VA -- Art made by Duke Riley from natural objects and reclaimed ocean plastic. Free admission for Virginia residents funded by Sentara and the Sokol Family Foundation.  Learn more at https://virginiamoca.org/exhibitions/duke-riley/.
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8.) Public Feedback Accepted: Revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement – Comments Due: September 1, 2025 -- The Chesapeake Bay Program released a draft revised version of the agreement in July 2025. The current Watershed Agreement’s 10 goals and 31 outcomes have been consolidated, updated or revised for a proposed four goals and 21 outcomes. The draft document is available at https://www.chesapeakebay.net/what/publications/category/agreement. Feedback will be accepted via email to comm...@chesapeakebay.net. Feedback will be reviewed by a team of subject matter experts and used to inform the next version of the revised Watershed Agreement to be presented in October 2025.
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9.) International Coastal Cleanup – Multiple dates: September-October 2025 – Various locations across Virginia -- Participants clean various coastal and inland waterways as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC; https://oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/). For more information on planned events in Virginia, see https://www.cleanvirginiawaterways.org/join-a-cleanup. Also, seeking individuals to lead cleanup efforts as Site Captains. Learn more by contacting CVW (Clea...@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org). Virginia ICC events are coordinated through Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW).
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10.) Call for Presentations: Environment Virginia Symposium 2026 – Submission Deadline: September 10, 2025; Symposium: March 24-26, 2026 (note: new conference dates) – Lexington, VA – Proposals are expected to relate to cutting-edge, innovative environmental topics and should share insights, research, or real-world experience. To learn more, see https://www.cvent.com/c/abstracts/e4ad6501-d3d8-4643-a3ed-6f55e0d972ae. Organized by the Environment Virginia Symposium.
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11.) The Taste: Celebrate the Chesapeake -- September 11, 2025 (6-8pm) – Richmond, VA -- This fundraiser will offer live music, food, awards, and fellowship. Proceeds support the work of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. For more information and to purchase tickets, see https://www.allianceforthebay.org/get-involved/events/.  Organized by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
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12.) Leopold’s Preserve Fall Festival 2025 – September 20, 2025 (10am-2pm) – Broad Run, VA – This festival will celebrate conservation and fall, featuring many various environmental organizations, food vendors, and local artists. The event is family-friendly and free to attend, with timed entry passes required. For more information, see https://www.leopoldspreserve.com/events-1/fall-festival-2025. Organized by the Whitehouse Farm Foundation in partnership with the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust.
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13.) Beach Toy Recycling Program -- Virginia Beach, Va. – Leave a toy, or take a toy (or 2), when you spend a day at the beach and help prevent plastic pollution in the ocean. Collection boxes available at specified locations for abandoned toys found on the beach and donated toys. Anyone can borrow toys from the boxes for a day at the beach. Learn more at https://www.keepitbeachyclean.org/beach-toy-recycling. Organized by Clean Virginia Waterways.
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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.