Announcements 2026.3.17

[Walker, Jane]

1.) Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) Events – Various Dates, Starting: TODAY, March 17, 2026
2.) Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) Webcasts – Various Dates, Starting: March 18, 2026
3.) New River Conservancy Events – Various Dates, Starting: March 20, 2026
4.) Environment Virginia Symposium -- March 24-26, 2026
5.) EPA’s Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Announcements – Various Dates, Starting: March 25, 2026
6.) Treelay 2026 -- March 28, 2026
7.) Water Environment Foundation (WEF) Operator Scholarship -- Application Deadline: March 31, 2026
8.) Workshop: Backyard Streambank Repair -- April 2, 2026; May 22, 2026
9.) Funding Opportunity: 2026 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program -- Submission Deadline: April 2, 2026
10.) Call for Presentations: 55th Annual North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference -- Submission Deadline: April 10, 2025; Conference: October 6-9, 2026
11.) Clean the Bay Day 2026 – Registration Closes: April 17, 2026; Event: May 2, 2026
12.) Call for Proposals: Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP) Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) Engagement and Stewardship Grant -- Proposals Due: April 30, 2026
13.) Bands in the Sand -- June 13, 2026
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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 about these events and others and to register, see https://blueridgeprism.org/events.
   ++ Webinars: Invasive Plants in Spring: Introduction & Identification – TODAY, March 17, 2026 (1-2pm); Management & Control -- March 18, 2026 (1-2pm) 
   ++ Webinar: What seedling is this? -- March 26, 2026 (12-1pm)
   ++ Invasive Plant Identification Walk -- April 1, 2026 (Boyce, VA); and April 2, 2026 (Front Royal, 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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2.) Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) Webcasts – Learn more and register for these webcasts at https://www.cwp.org/2026_webcast_list.php.
  ++ Navigating MS4 Regulations – Compliance, Challenges, and Best Practices -- March 18, 2026
   ++ Urban Watershed Equity: Designing Inclusive and Just Stormwater Solutions -- May 20, 2026
   ++ Machine Learning in Watershed Modeling for Stormwater Planning and Flood Forecasting -- June 17, 2026
   ++ Integrated Water Management: Coordinating Stormwater, Wastewater, and Water Supply -- July 15, 2026
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3.) New River Conservancy Events -- For more information on these events and others, see https://newriverconservancy.org/events/.
   ++ The Big Plant – March 20-22, 2026 (Radford, VA); March 28-29, 2026 (Blacksburg, VA)
   ++ New River Symposium 2026 -- April 9-April 10, 2026 -- Boone, NC -- Theme: “Resilience in the New River Watershed” -- This event is open to anyone with interest in the New River, and will highlight themes of resilience and the intersections with ecology, community and economy.
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4.) 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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5.) EPA’s Strengthening Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Announcements – Learn more about these events and others at https://www.epa.gov/waterutilityresponse/strengthening-water-infrastructure-tomorrow-swift.
   ++ Webinar - Building Drought and Wildfire Resilience for Water Sector Utilities: Technical Assistance and Resources -- March 25, 2026 (1pm)
   ++ Webinar -- Space Weather: What Your Utility Should Know -- March 31, 2026
   ++ Free Natural Hazard Risk Assessment -- SWIFT provides location-specific natural hazard data, tools to identify and evaluate resilient strategies, and connections to infrastructure financing. To receive SWIFT Technical Assistance, contact Aliza Furneaux at furneau...@epa.gov.
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6.) Treelay 2026 -- March 28, 2026 (9am-12pm) -- Richmond, VA -- This Chesapeake Bay watershed-wide, hands-on volunteer day focuses on restoring local forests. Different groups of volunteers will plant continuously for one full day. At this Virginia site, 15+ trees will be planted. For more information and to register, see https://www.allianceforthebay.org/event/treelay-site-richmond-va-2/. Organized by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
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7.) Water Environment Foundation (WEF) Operator Scholarship -- Application Deadline: March 31, 2026 -- This scholarship provides funding up to $5,000 dollars for individuals who are seeking water sector operator education, training, or certification to enter the industry or to advance their knowledge, skills, abilities, or license. For more information and to submit an application, see https://www.wef.org/membership--community/awards-recognition/education-awards/operator-scholarship/. Provided by the Water Environment Foundation (WEF).
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8.) Workshop: Backyard Streambank Repair -- This workshop will focus on simple streambank erosion control techniques that landowners can implement to stabilize eroding streambanks along small streams. The workshop provides training for individuals who work with the general public on soil conservation and water quality improvement projects, provides 5 continuing education contact hours, and is approved for Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professionals. There is no cost for the workshop, but registration is required. Workshops are also being planned for Harrisonburg and Richmond; more information will be forthcoming.  Organized by Virginia Cooperative Extension.
   ++ April 2, 2026 – Charlottesville, VA (Bundoran Farm) -- Register at https://pears.io/events/vce/4849/
   ++ May 22, 2026 -- Fredericksburg, VA (Dorothy Hart Community Center) -- Register at https://pears.io/events/vce/5143/
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9.) Funding Opportunity: 2026 Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants Program -- Submission Deadline: April 2, 2026 (12pm) -- Promotes voluntary, community-based efforts to protect and restore habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. Learn more at https://www.nfwf.org/programs/chesapeake-bay-stewardship-fund/chesapeake-bay-small-watershed-grants-2026-request. Offered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership.
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10.) Call for Presentations: 55th Annual North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference -- Submission Deadline: April 10, 2025; Conference: October 6-9, 2026 -- Portland, Oregon -- Theme: “Imagine if…” -- Proposals should spark imagination and action, broaden participation and belonging, elevate promising and proven practices, etc. For more information and to submit a presentation proposal, see https://conference.naaee.org/conference/call-for-presentations. Organized by NAAEE.
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11.) Clean the Bay Day 2026 – Registration Closes: April 17, 2026; Event: May 2, 2026 (9am-12pm) – Various locations in Virginia across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed --. For more information, see https://www.cbf.org/clean-the-bay-day/. Organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
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12.) Call for Proposals: Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP) Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) Engagement and Stewardship Grant -- Proposals Due: April 30, 2026 -- Accepting community-based engagement and stewardship projects in the APNEP region in Virginia and North Carolina that support the 2025 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP).  Proposals must assist in implementing at least one of five engagement actions and align with at least one of APNEP’s priority focus areas. Up to a total of $300,000 in funds may be awarded, subject to continued funding availability. For more information and to submit a proposal, see https://apnep.nc.gov/. Organized by APNEP.
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13.) Bands in the Sand -- June 13, 2026 (5:30-10pm) -- Annapolis, MD -- This fundraising event supports the work of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and features live music, food, and drink. Early-bird rates for general admission in effect through March 31, 2026 or until sold out. For more information and to purchase a ticket, see https://www.cbf.org/bands-in-the-sand/. Organized by the CBF.
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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.