Announcements 2025.12.31

[Walker, Jane]

1.) Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) Events – Various Dates, Starting: January 3, 2026
2.) Riverscapes Consortium 2026 Online Courses -- January 5, 2026-April 26, 2026
3.) Virginia Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) Events
   ++ VAEE Certification Program -- Enrollment Period: January 5-16, 2026
   ++ VAEE 2026 Annual Conference -- February 26-28, 2026
4.) Call for Proposals: Choose Clean Water Conference -- Submission Deadline: January 9, 2026; Conference: May 18-20, 2026
5.) Lynnhaven River Now (LRNow) Monthly Cleanup – January 10, 2026
6.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ Waterford Wastewater Treatment Plant – Hearing: January 13, 2026
   ++ Draft VPDES permit for Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant – Informational Session/Hearing: January 15, 2026; Comments Due: January 30, 2026
7.) Low Hazard Dam General Permit Training -- January 15, 2026
8.) Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Events – Various Dates, Starting: January 15, 2026
9.) EPA Tools & Resources Webinar: Lead (Pb) Overview and Data Mapping -- January 21, 2026
10.) Remote Pilot (Drone) Certification Test Prep Virtual Workshop – Registration Closes: About 1 month prior to event; Workshops: February 11 & 12, 2026; March 24 & 25, 2026
11.) DEQ News – Vol 4, Issue 11 – https://www.deq.virginia.gov/news-info/newsroom
12.) Survey: Stormwater Testing and Evaluation for Products and Practices (STEPP) – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/STEPP-MS4s-2025_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.) Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) Events -- For more information and to register, see https://blueridgeprism.org/events.
   ++ Invasive Plant Identification Walk -- January 3, 8, or 9, 2026 (10-11:30am) – Various locations within Virginia
   ++ Webinar: Invasive Plant Legislation: How You Can Help -- January 7, 2026 (7-7:30pm) – In partnership with Virginia Invasive Plant Coalition
   ++ Winter Activities for Invasive Plant Control (virtual) -- January 14, 2026 (11:30am-1pm)
   ++ Conservation Stewards Workday – January 15, 24, 29, or 30, 2026 – Various locations within Virginia
   ++ MLK, Jr. Day of Service – January 19, 2026 – Charlottesville, VA
   ++ Conservation Lobby Day -- February 4, 2026 (7:45am-2pm) -- Richmond, VA
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2.) Riverscapes Consortium 2026 Online Courses -- For more information, see https://www.riverscapes.net/events. Offered by the Riverscapes Consortium.
   ++ Fluvial Geomorphology: Reading Riverscapes -- January 5, 2026-April 26, 2026 -- This is an online, asynchronous, semester-long course that will cover the fundamentals of fluvial geomorphology through the lens of reading landscapes and riverscapes.
   ++ Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) of Riverscapes - Introductory Short Courses – Tuesdays, January 5, 2026-April 26, 2026 -- These classes are for new-to-LTPBR people who may have taken an introductory workshop and want to go a little deeper on the what and why. Various courses and dates. 
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3.) Virginia Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) Events
   ++ VAEE Certification Program -- Enrollment Period: January 5-16, 2026 -- This program welcomes both formal, classroom educators and nonformal, community-based educators. For more information and to enroll, see https://www.eevirginia.org/programs/certification.
   ++ VAEE 2026 Annual Conference -- February 26-28, 2026 -- Richmond, VA -- Theme: “Strength in ComunitEE” -- This conference will celebrate both communities and the impact of environmental education. For more information and to register, see https://www.eevirginia.org/conference. Organized by VAEE
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4.) Call for Proposals: Choose Clean Water Conference -- Submission Deadline: January 9, 2026; Conference: May 18-20, 2026 -- Lancaster, PA -- Theme: “The Pursuit of Clean Water” – Accepting applications to present 20-minute lightning rounds, 45-minute sessions, 90-minute workshops, and field trips at the conference. For more information and to submit, see https://www.choosecleanwater.org/our-conference. Organized by the Clean Water Coalition.
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5.) Lynnhaven River Now (LRNow) Monthly Cleanup – January 10, 2026 (9am-12pm) – Virginia Beach, VA – Learn more about this event at https://www.lynnhavenrivernow.org/events/.
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6.) Public Hearings and Comment Opportunities
   ++ Waterford Wastewater Treatment Plant – Hearing: January 13, 2026 (7pm) --  To obtain input on the Department’s Summary of Comments from individuals who previously commented. No new information will be accepted at the hearing. https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42807
   ++ Draft VPDES permit for Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant – Informational Session/Hearing: January 15, 2026 (7pm/7:30pm); Comments Due: January 30, 2026 – https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=42773
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7.) Low Hazard Dam General Permit Training -- January 15, 2026 (12pm) -- The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is implementing a revised general permit program in January 2026. Learn more about the program and register at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains/dam-training. Organized by the Virginia DCR.
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8.) Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Events – Learn more at https://events.wm.edu/calendar/upcoming/vims/.
   ++ Batten School & VIMS Public Tour Series -- January 15, 2026 (10-11:30am) -- Gloucester Point, VA
   ++ Discovery Lab – Shipwrecks -- January 20, 2026 (6-8pm) -- Gloucester Point, VA
   ++ Know Your York Watershed System: Episode 3 (SWIFT, nutrients, and DO w/ HRSD and DEQ Water Quality Standards team) (Virtual) -- January 21, 2026 (12-1pm)
   ++ After Hours Lecture Series: Invasive Blue Catfish -- January 22, 2026 (6-8pm) -- Gloucester Point, VA 
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9.) EPA Tools & Resources Webinar: Lead (Pb) Overview and Data Mapping -- January 21, 2026 (3-4pm) -- This webinar will present both an overview of the Administration priorities for lead and a detailed look at the data mapping approach available for states and partners. The presenters are the Agency Lead (Pb) Coordinator, Sheila Xiah Kragie, and Pb researcher, Lindsay Stanek. For more information, see https://www.epa.gov/research-states/epa-tools-and-resources-webinar-series. Organized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
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10.) Remote Pilot (Drone) Certification Test Prep Virtual Workshop – Registration Closes: About 1 month prior to event; Workshops: February 11 & 12, 2026; March 24 & 25, 2026 -- This 2-day workshop will provide information on how to pass the FAA Remote Pilot Knowledge Test and an overview of federal regulations, best flight operational practices, and safety guidelines. For more information, see https://virginiaview.cnre.vt.edu/workshops-events/. Offered by Virginia Cooperative Extension.
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11.) DEQ News – Vol 4, Issue 11 – The current issue covers topics on DEQ’s Stream, Wetland, and Nutrient Credit Trading Platform; Revised Stormwater Handbook; Updated Statewide Land Use/Land Cover Data; Changes to Virginia Water Protection (VWP) General Permits (GP); New Water Estimation Tool for Agricultural Users; and more.  The current issue and previous issues of DEQ’s official newsletter are available at https://www.deq.virginia.gov/news-info/newsroom. You can also subscribe to the newsletter. Published by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
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12.) Survey: Stormwater Testing and Evaluation for Products and Practices (STEPP) – The goal is to establish a multi-state/national testing and verification program for proprietary and public domain stormwater control measures (SCM), also known as best management practice (BMP). This survey will gather information and provide feedback to help guide the STEPP Leadership Group to refine the policies, procedures, and priorities. To complete the survey, see https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/STEPP-MS4s-2025_2026. Organized by the National Municipal Stormwater Alliance.
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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. 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.