Announcements 2025.10.7

[Walker, Jane]

1.) 2025 Drinking Water Clinics – Various Dates, Starting: October 8, 2025
2.) Watershed Moments Mini River Film Festival -- October 10, 2025
3.) Making Waves 2025 Benefit -- October 11, 2025
4.) International Coastal Cleanup – Multiple dates, Starting: October 11, 2025
5.) Webinar: PFAS Destruction by a Hazardous Waste Incinerator -- October 15, 2025
6.) Webinar: How to Get Published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association -- October 15, 2025
7.) Help Collect Data: Chasing Salt Community Science Project -- Sign-up Deadline: October 15, 2025; Sample-return deadline: January 15, 2026
8.) Virginia’s Buffer Summit – October 21, 2025
9.) North American Lake Management Society 2025 Conference – Registration Deadline: October 24, 2025; Conference: November 4-7, 2025
10.) General and Special Election Information – Various Deadlines, Starting October 24, 2025; Election Day: November 4, 2025
11.) Call for Abstracts: 2026 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference -- Submission Deadline: October 31, 2025; Conference: April 14-16, 2025
12.) American Water Resources Association (AWRA) 2025 Annual Water Resources Conference -- November 10-12, 2025
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
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.
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
1.) 2025 Drinking Water Clinics -- https://www.wellwater.bse.vt.edu/events.php -- 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.  Offered through the Virginia Household Water Quality Program and Virginia Cooperative Extension.
   ++ October 8, 2025 -- Goochland, Powhatan, Amelia
   ++ October 15, 2025 -- King George, Caroline, Spotsylvania, Stafford
   ++ October 29, 2025 -- Westmoreland, Northumberland, Lancaster, Richmond County
   ++ November 12, 2025 – Fluvanna, Henrico, Nelson, Mathews, Gloucester, Middlesex
   ++ November 19, 2025 -- Albemarle
++++++++++++++++++++
2.) Watershed Moments Mini River Film Festival -- October 10, 2025 (7-9 pm) -- This event will feature four short films aimed at connecting the audience with rivers, followed by a discussion and a Q&A panel with the filmmakers. For more information, see https://www.rivannariver.org/. Organized by the Rivanna Conservation Alliance.
++++++++++++++++++++
3.) Making Waves 2025 Benefit -- October 11, 2025 (5:30-10pm) -- Alexandria, VA -- This event will feature live music, dinner, live auction, and dancing. Proceeds support the work of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. For more information, see https://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org/event/making-waves-2025-benefit/. Organized by the Potomac Riverkeeper Network.
++++++++++++++++++++
4.) International Coastal Cleanup – Multiple dates, Starting: October 11, 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. Learn more by contacting CVW (Clea...@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org). Virginia ICC events are coordinated through Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW).
++++++++++++++++++++
5.) Webinar: PFAS Destruction by a Hazardous Waste Incinerator -- October 15, 2025 (3-4pm) – Learn more and register at https://www.epa.gov/research-states/epa-tools-and-resources-webinar-series. Hosted by EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD).
++++++++++++++++++++
6.) Webinar: How to Get Published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association -- October 15, 2025 – Free. Learn more, register, and view recordings of previous webinars at https://www.awra.org/Members/Events_and_Education/Events_and_Education_Webinars.aspx. Offered by the American Water Resources Association (AWRA).
++++++++++++++++++++
7.) Help Collect Data: Chasing Salt Community Science Project -- Sign-up Deadline: October 15, 2025; Sample-return deadline: January 15, 2026 – Western areas of Virginia -- This project will investigate how road salt and agricultural runoff stress riparian-stream ecosystems. Teachers, students, families, and community members can participate by collecting soil and water samples, and monitoring how cotton strips deteriorate in streams this fall. For more information, see https://sentrekin.com/communityscience/. Led by Dr. Sally Entrekin at Virginia Tech in partnership with the University of Arkansas.
++++++++++++++++++++
8.) Virginia’s Buffer Summit – October 21, 2025 (9am-4pm) – Richmond, VA – Attendees will hear from experts, participate in hands-on activities, and connect with others to learn and experience the importance of riparian forest buffers. For more information, see https://jamesriverconsortium.org/news-events/annual-buffer-summit/. Hosted by the Upper & Middle James Riparian Consortium.
++++++++++++++++++++
9.) North American Lake Management Society 2025 Conference – Registration Deadline: October 24, 2025; Conference: November 4-7, 2025 -- Myrtle Beach, SC – Theme: “Navigating Change Together: Enhancing Lake, Reservoir, and Watershed Resilience” – Also, offering numerous workshops and field trips.  For more information, see https://www.nalms.org/nalms2025/.
++++++++++++++++++++
10.) General and Special Election Information – The Virginia Department of Elections provides information on voter registration, casting a ballot, candidate information, election laws, and more at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/.  The November 2025 election will include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Virginia House of Delegates, and local offices. Learn where to vote and see who is on your ballot at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/polling-place-lookup/.
   ++ Register to vote or update an existing registration – Register to vote or update an existing registration online using the Citizen Portal through October 24, 2025. If you register to vote using the Citizen Portal after October 24, 2025, you will not be able to cast your ballot in the November 4, 2025 general election.  Voters may register and vote using a provisional ballot In-Person through Election Day. Contact your local registrar’s offices for more information.
   ++ Apply for a ballot to be mailed to you -- Deadline: October 24, 2025 (5pm) -- Your request must be received by your local registrar's office by 5pm. Apply for an absentee ballot online using the Citizen Portal.
   ++ Early, In-Person Voting -- Deadline: November 1, 2025 -- Contact your local registrar’s offices for all early voting and satellite location information. Voter registration offices will be open for early voting on October 25, 2025.
   ++ Election Day --- November 4, 2025 (6am-7pm) -- Anyone in line at 7pm will be allowed to vote. Virginia law requires all voters to provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement at the polls.
++++++++++++++++++++
11.) Call for Abstracts: 2026 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference -- Submission Deadline: October 31, 2025; Conference: April 14-16, 2025 -- Charlotte, NC -- Theme: “Building Resilient Watersheds: Advancing Innovation and Partnership in Rapidly Changing Environments” -- Submissions can share research, practical tools, and field-tested strategies. For more information, see https://www.cwp.org/2026_conference_abstract.php. Organized by the Center for Watershed Protection.
++++++++++++++++++++
12.) American Water Resources Association (AWRA) 2025 Annual Water Resources Conference -- November 10-12, 2025 -- Westminster, CO -- This conference will explore innovative, practical, and applied solutions to today’s water challenges. Early-bird registration rates end October 24, 2025. For more information, see https://www.awra.org/Members/Events_and_Education/Events_and_Education_Conferences.aspx. Organized by the American Water Resources Association.
++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++
The VWMC announcements are provided with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Water Resources Research Center. 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.