6th MWMC Streams Roundtable

MWMC sponsored the Sixth Annual Stream Monitoring Roundtable on May 2 at the USGS Water Science Center near Catonsville. Twenty five people from agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations attended the event. An agenda can be found HERE. Click on the blue highlighted titles for Power Point presentations. An online statewide map depicting 2013 sampling points will be available shortly. Click HERE for a few photos from the event. Check back to this page for updates.

Water Words That Work Workshop

On April 24, Eric Eckl, owner of Water Words That Work, gave a VERY successful workshop on effective communication of environmental information. About 70 folks attended from agencies, non-profit organizations, consulting firms and educational institutions. The event was held at the USGS’ Water Science Center near Catonsville. For more information about Water Words That Work, go to http://www.waterwordsthatwork.com. Click HERE for a few photos from the event.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS FOR THE SUSQUEHANNA WATER SCIENCE FORUM

SRBC recently announced its first-ever Susquehanna Water Science Forum - From Science to Sustainable Water Resources Management. It will be on October 7-8, 2013 in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The Forum will bring together water resource professionals and researchers to share current water resource research, prioritize research needs, and better coordinate the exchange of water resource information within the Susquehanna basin.

To ensure we receive a diversity of abstracts in response to the four management questions to be addressed at the Forum, SRBC is reaching out to your organization and to other water resource-related organizations. We ask that you pass along this announcement to your membership and encourage your members to consider submitting abstracts for presentations. For your convenience, below is a template message you can simply forward to your members. It contains all the important links they will need. We strongly believe the Forum will be informative, productive and rewarding to your membership and to all those who attend. Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward to your members participating in the Susquehanna Water Science Forum.

WHAT: 2013 Susquehanna Water Science Forum
http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/index.htm

WHEN: October 7-8, 2013

WHERE: Camp Hill, PA, Radisson Hotel Harrisburg

HOST: Susquehanna River Basin Commission


FORUM FEATURES:

Steering Committee http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/steeringcommittee.htm

Call for Abstracts (Deadline is June 1, 2013)
http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/callforabstracts.htm

Student Poster Session
http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/studentposter.htm

Plenary and Concurrent Sessions, Keynote Speakers, Exhibits
http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/agenda.htm

Professional Credits for Professional Engineers and Geologists
http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/professionalcredits.htm

Registration and Exhibit Fees (Registration will open July 1, 2013)
http://www.srbc.net/waterscienceforum/registration.htm

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Email: SRBCwaterforum@srbc.net
Contact: Jim Richenderfer, Ph.D., SRBC, (717) 238-0423, Ext. 22

Online release of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council's 7th edition of "National Water Monitoring News"

To our Water Monitoring Colleagues around the Nation:

As Co-Chairs of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (or "Council"), we are pleased to release the seventh edition of our online newsletter National Water Monitoring News: http://acwi.gov/monitoring/newsletter/national-monitoring-news_spring2013.pdf

This newsletter provides a forum of communication among water practitioners across the Nation. In support of the national Council’s mission, this newsletter is geared to foster partnerships and collaboration; advance water science; improve monitoring strategies; and enhance data integration, comparability, and reporting.

This edition highlights many events, activities, and new products and we hope the information is useful for your water needs. Among the topics included:

Council Resource – Webinars on the Water Quality Portal New Tools and Technology:

• An Inside Look at PhyloChips
• Enhancements to EPA’s STORET Data Warehouse
• A Decision Support Tool to help Farmers Protect Water Quality in Wisconsin

Updates on monitoring including:

• U.S. EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys
• U.S. Forest Service’s NorWest Stream Temperature Database & Model
• Muskegon Lake Monitoring

Spotlight on State programs from Maryland, New Jersey, North Dakota and California

Volunteers piloting the Charles River App for monitoring the Charles River near Boston

Updates on the National Monitoring Network including:

• Puget Sound’s study as part of the National Monitoring Network for U.S. Coastal Waters and Their Tributaries

Many thanks to the editorial board: Cathy Tate, Dan Sullivan, Wendy Norton, Alice Mayio, and John Hummer; Kim Martz for the layout, and to all contributors nationwide.

On behalf of the entire Council, we hope you enjoy this newsletter and we encourage your feedback and input in future editions!

Respectfully yours,

Mike Yurewicz, USGS Co-Chair and Susan Holdsworth, EPA Co-Chair

To learn more about the National Water Quality Monitoring Council please visit: http://acwi.gov/monitoring/

Maryland Watershed Organization Survey

The MWMC’s Citizen Science and Community Outreach Committee wishes to update information about Maryland watershed organizations so the Council can service you better.

If you represent such an organization, you can help us by filling out a short survey that can be found at this link. The survey is only 13 questions and should only take a few minutes. We will use this information to better tailor our goals to fit your needs.

Thanks for your time and consideration!

Report Available: Methane in Well-water

The Maryland Geological Survey has completed our report on well-water methane in the Appalachian Plateau in western Maryland. The report is available for download at the MGS website: http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/publications/download/ADM13_02_01.pdf

MD StreamStats is now available state-wide

I am pleased to let you know that Maryland StreamStats is now available to the public on a state-wide basis. A new introductory page for the site is at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/streamstats/maryland.html. Please bookmark this page for future use. Below the Interactive Map link on the introductory page, be sure to read the notes that describe the limitations in the availability of estimates of low-flow frequency statistics and water-use summaries, and also how to view and get information for sites included in the Maryland Biological Stream Survey.

Previously, Maryland StreamStats included several tools that use stream-network navigation, such as the Raindrop Trace and the Estimate Flows Based on Similar Streamgaging Stations tools. Those tools currently are not available with this new site. We expect to have them working by early November, when the ability to search the NHDPlus stream network for point discharges included in the EPA's NPDES system will be added.

Although many people have contributed to making StreamStats available throughout Maryland, I would especially like to express my appreciation to Pete Steeves, Glenn Moglen, Will Thomas, and Mark Nardi. I hope that you find the new version of StreamStats useful. Please let me know if you have any questions or find any problems with it.

Kernell Ries
National StreamStats Coordinator
(http://streamstats.usgs.gov)
U.S. Geological Survey
MD-DE-DC Water Science Center
5522 Research Park Drive
Baltimore, MD 21228
phone: (443) 498-5617 (normally M, W)
(410) 569-3876 (normally Tu, Thu & Fri)
fax: (443) 498-5510
email: kries@usgs.gov

Maryland's 2014 Integrated Report Data Solicitation!

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is currently compiling data for Maryland's 2014 Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality (IR). Data submitted under this request may be used to assess the water quality of Maryland’s surface waters for regulatory purposes, including making impairment determinations and for Total Maximum Daily Loads development. If your group collected water quality data in Maryland within the past five-year period (2008-2012), please consider responding to this request. Please send any ambient data or information to Matthew Stover at mstover@mde.state.md.us or to the following address:

Matthew Stover
Maryland Dept. of the Environment
1800 Washington Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21230

Department staff may need to contact you directly regarding this request. Data submitted by April 30th, 2013 will be considered for the 2014 IR. Data submitted after this date may be included or may be used for the 2016 IR, depending on the volume of data received and other time constraints. For additional details on submitting data, please visit www.mde.state.md.us/integratedreport303d, or contact Matthew Stover directly (410-537-3611).

The National Capital Region Water Resources Symposium

Friday, April 5, 2013
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
University of the District of Columbia
4200 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington D.C.

Purpose:
The National Capital Region (NCR), encompassing the District of Columbia, and parts of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, has unique and challenging opportunities for sustainable management of water resources and water infrastructures. The region is the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S; provides water for six million people; but also hosts many agencies which consider water resources at a national or international scale. This one-day symposium at the University of the District of Columbia will bring together experts from governmental agencies, academia, the private sector, and non-profits to present and discuss challenges and opportunities for sustainable management of water resources and infrastructure in the region, as well as nationally, and internationally.

Volunteers Needed
We need your help! Volunteers are needed for planning and running this event. We need your ideas for sessions, speakers, reviewing abstracts, moderating sessions, and many other tasks. Please contact Tamim Younos at tyounos@gmail.com if you would like to help.

Symposium Registration
Online registration will open on January 7, 2013 and close on March 21. All attendees, including presenters, will be expected to register. Please register online on the website:
https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=58557

For more information visit the website or see the announcement HERE.

Current and Emerging Environmental Issues in the Potomac Watershed

A daylong symposium focusing on environmental issues in the Potomac watershed will be held March 7, 2013 at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

Noted biologists and environmental experts from across the region will discuss a wide range of topics, including contaminants found in fish, endocrine disrupters, important invasive species, the effects of climate change, urban forestry, low impact development, nutrient trading strategies, and how citizen scientists can help to make a difference in our local environment. A conference schedule is available at: http://www.hood.edu/About-Hood/Campus-News/Campus-News/Symposium-focuses-on-Potomac-watershed-environment.html

The symposium is free and open to the public. However, please pre-register by emailing Kugler@hood.edu Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in Rosenstock Hall; the first session begins at 9 a.m. and the final session ends at 4:30 p.m.

AACC is offering the following courses this winter.

OPT-306: Forest Conservation Qualified Professional Training
Complete state-approved training leading to the Maryland Forest Conservation Qualified Professional license. Study forest stand delineation, tree inventories and how changes in land use effects trees. CEUs awarded. $305 includes $25 fee.
Note: Applicants must have a B.S. degree or four years of experience in natural resources or an M.S. degree and one year of experience. Those completing this course may apply for qualified professional status to prepare forest conservation plans and stand delineations required by the Forest Conservation Act. Course does not meet March 14.

Instr. Earl Reaves	Tuesdays & Thursdays	2/19-3/28/13	6:30-9:45 p.m.	Arnold Campus
	Saturday 3/16/13		8 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

ENV 508 101: Smart Landscape Design for the Environment
Learn how to design a landscape that beautifies and conserves. Explore plant species, sizes, bloom cycles and overall appearance. Discuss current environmental practices and native plants. CEUs awarded. $85 includes $15 fee. Text is at the College store.

Instr. Lesley Riddle

Saturday

3/2/13

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Arnold Campus

ENV 513 101: Sustainable Landscape Maintenance
Learn to manage landscapes sustainably by reducing fertilizer, pesticide, and water sue. Build an understanding of plant ecosystem needs to reduce your costs and market your green landscape business. Textbook information available at AACC Bookstore.
Prerequisites: Some professional landscape experience is recommended.

Instr. Lesley Riddle	Tuesdays	2/5/13-2/19/13	6:00-9:15 p.m.	Arnold Campus
	Saturday 2/23/13		9:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

HOR-329 101: Woody Plants for Landscape Installation
Learn about the use of shade trees, evergreens, shrubs, ornamental trees and native woody plants in a landscape project. Review habitats, soil condition requirements and hardiness restrictions. Discuss bloom sequence, flower color display, coastal and upland landscape features, and the value of ornamentals. CEUs awarded. $85 includes $15 fee. Text is at the College Store.

Instr. Lesley Riddle

Saturdays

3/9/12-3/16/13

8:00 a.m. -1:30 p.m.

Arundel Mills

ENV 579 101: Soil Management
Learn about the principles and characteristics of sustainable soil. Discuss the macro and micro environments in soil and use of fertilizers and pesticides in relation to soil health. Learn about the complex cycles of decay and erosion. Discuss the ways to assess and build soil health and benefits. CEUs awarded. $85.00 includes $5 fee. Text is at the College Store.

Instr. Lesley Riddle

Saturday

3/30/13

8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Arundel Mills

Call (410) 777-2325 for registration information or go to http://www.aacc.edu/noncredit for more information and a registration form.

Aging Infrastructure:
Water, Energy & Environment Conference

October 18, 2012

Mid-Atlantic Region Environmental Professionals

Aging infrastructure is one of the most pressing concerns of our times and presents numerous environmental challenges. The Mid Atlantic Region Environmental Professionals Association (MAREP) has brought together environmental science and engineering experts from utilities, government, consulting, and industry throughout the Mid Atlantic to discuss the challenges impacting our sources, delivery, and handling of water and energy. Through real-world case studies, regulatory review, and discussion of technological advancements, attendees will benefit from an awareness of aging infrastructure challenges and what is on the horizon to address and prevent them. This conference will cover both the engineering/science and policy/planning aspects of our aging and future infrastructure.

See the conference brochure for more information and links to register. The entire program including meals is just $105 for MAREP members and $125 for non-members, but these fees increase after October 10th. If you want to take advantage of this learning and networking opportunity, act now! Space is limited.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact Carolyn Henn at chenn@apexcos.com.

When & Where
October 18, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 5:15 PM
9630 Gudelsky Drive
Rockville, MD 20850

2012 Marcellus Shale Workshop – October 22, 2012

Water Resources Monitoring and Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Western Maryland: What Do We Have, What Do We Need?

The Maryland Water Monitoring Council is sponsoring a workshop on Water Resources Monitoring and Marcellus Shale Gas Development in Western Maryland: What Do We Have, What Do We Need? The day-long event will be held in the Auditorium (Building #700) at Garrett College, 687 Moser Road, McHenry MD 21541.

The workshop will present an overview of threats potentially-posed by shale gas development to surface and groundwater resources. Speakers will describe the water monitoring information that has been and is being collected by agency staff and citizen scientists in Garrett and Allegany counties. The limitations of Maryland's water monitoring databases will be discussed, and experts will offer recommendations on sampling designs, equipment, and protocols that can be used to close these gaps, if adequate funding becomes available. Perspectives on water monitoring and shale gas development in other mid-Atlantic states and best management practices will also be described. (Click HERE for the Workshop Agenda).

The workshop won't be a "Town Meeting" to discuss the pros and cons of Marcellus Shale gas development in western Maryland. The workshop won't be an introductory course in hydraulic fracturing (fracking), although it will be mentioned. The workshop will not develop a recommended list of regulations or permit requirements that should be adopted to protect drinking water supplies and the environment.

The early-bird registration fee is $30, if paid by October 8. After October 8, the registration fee doubles to $60. To register, use the 2012 Workshop Registration Form. See the link on the Registration Form for directions to Garrett College.

Garrett College is located near the northern shore of scenic Deep Creek Lake, a pleasant 3-1/2 hour drive from Baltimore and Washington, DC. For overnight accommodations, a block of rooms is available at a special conference rate at Wisp Resort for the nights of October 21 and 22 (Click HERE for Lodging Information).

For any additional information on the workshop, contact Ron Klauda (410-260-8615 or rklauda@dnr.state.md.us").

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY

21-25 July 2013
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

The Society for Conservation Biology is seeking proposals for symposia, workshops, focus groups and short courses now through 31 October 2012 for the 2013 International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

"Connecting Systems, Disciplines and Stakeholders" is the theme for the Congress, which will feature cutting edge symposia, workshops, posters, and focus groups; countless networking opportunities, fantastic field trips, and world-renowned speakers.

Proposals must be submitted online. Decisions on submitted proposals will be made by 30 November 2012.

Among the criteria to consider when submitting your proposal is novelty of topic and relevance to the meeting theme and region. The full set of criteria, including submission instructions and guidelines for each proposal type, is available on the ICCB 2013 website.

Thank you for interest in participating in the most important meeting world meeting for conservation professionals and students!

Visit www.conbio.org/2013 to submit your proposal and to learn more about ICCB.

Questions? E-mail 2013@conbio.org

MWMC Session at MACO Conference

On August 15, the MWMC hosted the following session at the annual conference of Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) in Ocean City. The Honorable Robin Frazier, Commissioner, Carroll County, was the moderator. Click on the titles listed below view the presentations.

Title: Can Better Water Data Help Attack Planning Challenges?

Description: Local governments are facing major challenges in meeting regulatory requirements under the new Chesapeake Bay diet: Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs), and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permits. The Maryland Water Monitoring Council (MWMC) is a state-wide collaborative body comprised of professional and volunteer members of the water monitoring community. MWMC would like to help local planners by increasing their access to water monitoring information that meets their needs. The following speakers highlighted how some Maryland counties have used water resource data to solve their planning challenges and how other counties can connect with MWMC to benefit from such data.

• Maryland Water Monitoring Council (MWMC) Can Provide Water Data to Local Planners - Mark Southerland, Chair of MWMC Board of Directors
• Water Data Helped Create Special Protection Areas in Montgomery County, Maryland – Meo Curtis and Keith Van Ness, Montgomery County DEP, and Mark Southerland (presenter), Versar
• Water Quality Monitoring and Watershed Planning in Calvert County, Maryland - David Brownlee (presenter), Steve Kullen, and Tay Harris, Calvert County Maryland Department of Planning and Zoning

The session was well attended with the presenters fielding many questions from planners and local officials. MWMC members Ron Klauda (Maryland DNR), Cherie Miller (USGS), and Rob Mooney (Sutron) also helped answer questions. The MWMC wants to continue this collaboration with local government planners and invites those interested to visit the MWMC website or contact its members. Specifically, MWMC asks interested planners to complete the questionnaire HERE.

You are invited to the Sixth Annual Meeting
Pesticides and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Project

October 10, 2012

9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center,
Reisterstown, MD

Pesticides and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Project was established in 2007. It is the first working group in Maryland dedicated to reducing the occurrence and risk of pesticides in the Bay watershed -- in order to protect water quality, aquatic life, wildlife and public health.

Our Sixth Annual Meeting brings together Project stakeholders and others interested in protecting the Bay watershed -- sharing cutting-edge research and monitoring data on pesticides, discussing initiatives of the Project's five working groups and collaborating on the direction of the Project. Registration is free and an organic lunch and snacks will be served.

PRESENTERS:

• Welcome: Robert Lawrence, M.D.(moderator), Director, Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
• Opening Remarks: The Honorable Joan Carter Conway, Maryland State Senator; Chairwoman, Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.
• Keynote Speaker: Dr Linda Birnbaum, Director of the National Institute of Health Sciences (of NIH), will talk about low-dose effects of endocrine disruptors.
• Greg Allen, Environmental Scientist, USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP), will preview the upcoming report from CBP, scheduled for release in November, on the impact of toxic contaminants on the Bay watershed.
• Dr. Daniel Fisher, Senior Research Scientist, Wye Research & Education Center; an aquatic toxicologist, he will share his recent work regarding environmental impacts of contaminants, including the endocrine disruptive effects of land-applied poultry litter.

Click HERE for the meeting agenda.

For questions or to RSVP please reply to mdpestnet@aol.com with your contact information.

Watershed and Stormwater Conference 2012

October 8-10, 2012

Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna St.
Baltimore, MD 21202

At the Center for Watershed Protection (Center), we want everybody to know that an integrated watershed approach is the key to ensuring a future of fresh, clean water, healthy natural resources. Since 1992, the Center worked in numerous communities to provide practical solutions for responsible land and water management, with the goals of providing sound scientific research, advancing state-of-the art practices, ensuring practitioners have the right tools, and promoting widespread implementation of the most effective watershed management techniques. The Center is planning the first Watershed and Stormwater Conference in celebration of the Center’s 20 year anniversary and the launch of the Association of Watershed and Stormwater Professionals (AWSPs).

The conference will be held at a location near and dear to our hearts – Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. This location is in our backyard and home to much of the Center’s projects and focus over the years. Most recently, the “Healthy Harbor Plan” seeks to make the Baltimore Harbor fishable and swimmable by 2020.

The goals of the Watershed and Stormwater Conference 2012 are to:

• present the latest and emerging developments in watershed management through interactive educational sessions
• provide a forum of engagement, networking, and discussion among and between practitioners, regulators, scientists, educators, and advocates
• celebrate 20 years of the Center’s service, the launch of the Association of Watershed and Stormwater Professionals, and the many more years needed by all of us to achieve clean water and healthy natural resources in every community

For more information, visit http://www.cwp2012event.awsps.org/.

Keeping Natural Areas Relevant and Resilient

39th Annual Natural Areas Conference
Norfolk, VA
Oct 9-12, 2012

The deadline to submit abstracts for this year’s Natural Areas Conference has been extended to July 1. The conference is an annual gathering of conversation professionals, natural areas managers, biologists and more. It’s hosted by the Natural Areas Association and the National Association of Exotic Pest Plant Councils. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is the local co-host for 2012.

Areas of interest are:

• Natural Areas Program Relevance and Resilience
• Marketing, Communications and Outreach
• Land Conservation
• Coastal/Marine Issues
• Cave/Karst Issues
• Cultural Resource Management
• Managing Climate Disruption Effects
• Managing Public Access in Natural Areas
• Fire Ecology and Management
• Invasive Species Management
• Conserving Rare Species

For more information, www.naturalarea.org/12conference.

Call for Presentations

For the 7th Annual CHESAPEAKE WATERSHED FORUM

September 28–30, 2012
National Conservation Training Center
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

The Forum Planning Committee is now accepting workshop proposals for the 2012 Chesapeake Watershed Forum taking place on September 28 – 30 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. The Forum is a widely anticipated regional training opportunity for local watershed and conservation organizations along with local governments in the Bay region. Participants include volunteers, board and staff members, skilled restoration practitioners, experienced leaders, and funders.

In 2012 we expect more than 300 participants, and the Forum provides an excellent opportunity to share your experience with a broad audience who comes from all over the Chesapeake Bay watershed and beyond.

Go to https://allianceforthebay.org/initiatives/connecting-people/chesapeake-watershed-forum/ for more information and to review the guidelines and instructions before submitting an application.

A Primer on Using Biological Assessments to Support Water Quality Management

This document serves as a primer on the role of biological assessments in a variety of water quality management program applications including reporting on the condition of aquatic biota, developing biological criteria, and assessing environmental results of management actions. The Primer provides information on new technical tools and approaches for developing strong biological assessment programs and on examples of application of biological assessment information by states and tribes.

The Primer can be accessed at this link.

If you have any questions, or need further information on the document, please call or e-mail Ephraim King, Director of the Office of Science and Technology (202) 566-0430, king.ephraim@epa.gov) or contact Susan K. Jackson at (202) 566-1112, jackson.susank@epa.gov.

Selected Low-Flow Frequency Statistics for Continuous-Record Streamgage Locations in Maryland, 2010

Abstract

According to a 2008 report by the Governor’s Advisory Committee on the Management and Protection of the State’s Water Resources, Maryland’s population grew by 35 percent between 1970 and 2000, and is expected to increase by an additional 27 percent between 2000 and 2030. Because domestic water demand generally increases in proportion to population growth, Maryland will be facing increased pressure on water resources over the next 20 years. Water-resources decisions should be based on sound, comprehensive, long-term data and low-flow frequency statistics from all available streamgage locations with unregulated streamflow and adequate record lengths. To provide the Maryland Department of the Environment with tools for making future water-resources decisions, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a study in October 2009 to compute low-flow frequency statistics for selected streamgage locations in Maryland with 10 or more years of continuous streamflow records.

This report presents low-flow frequency statistics for 114 continuous-record streamgage locations in Maryland. The computed statistics presented for each streamgage location include the mean 7-, 14-, and 30-consecutive day minimum daily low-flow dischages for recurrence intervals of 2, 10, and 20 years, and are based on approved streamflow records that include a minimum of 10 complete climatic years of record as of June 2010. Descriptive information for each of these streamgage locations, including the station number, station name, latitude, longitude, county, physiographic province, and drainage area, also is presented.

The statistics are planned for incorporation into StreamStats, which is a U.S. Geological Survey Web application for obtaining stream information, and is being used by water-resource managers and decision makers in Maryland to address water-supply planning and management, water-use appropriation and permitting, wastewater and industrial discharge permitting, and setting minimum required streamflows to protect freshwater biota and ecosystems.

For more information and a .pdf file of this publication, follow this link

Second Edition of the Online Newsletter National Water Monitoring News
From the National Water Monitoring Council

http://acwi.gov/monitoring/

We provide this newsletter as a forum of communication among water practitioners across the Nation. In support of the national Council’s mission, this newsletter is geared to foster partnerships and collaboration; advance water science; improve monitoring strategies; and enhance data integration, comparability, and reporting.

This edition highlights many events, activities, and new products and we hope the information is useful for your water needs. Among the topics included:

• Updates on monitoring, such as:
• Federal agency efforts in the Gulf of Mexico waters and a long-term monitoring collaborative.
• National Ground Water Network pilot projects.
• Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council implementation of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
• Volunteer monitoring of the environmental impacts of Marcellus Shale gas extraction.
• Native American monitoring of Alaska waters including a "Healing Journey" canoe trip. Highlights from the Council's 7th National Monitoring Conference and web seminar series.
• Development of a web portal for aquatic sensors and considerations for building a national reference site network.
• Integrated assessments from the IOOS® Regional Associations and the National Network for Coastal Waters and a multi-region water quality project for protecting beach health.
• Highlights from the Council's 7th National Monitoring Conference.
• Highlights from the Council's web seminar series.

Many thanks to Tracy Hancock, Cathy Tate, Dan Sullivan, and Kim Martz of the USGS who spearheaded this effort, and to all contributors nationwide.

On behalf of the whole Council, we hope you enjoy this newsletter and we encourage your feedback and input in future editions!

Also, please notify us of any incorrect or misleading statements so that we can correct accordingly.

Pixie A Hamilton, USGS Co-Chair and Susan Holdsworth, EPA Co-Chair

USGS Podcast on Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems

The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Assessment Program is completing a study of the Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems (EUSE). The study examined the effects of urban development at the watershed scale on a stream’s physical (hydrology and habitat), chemical (stream chemistry) and biological (algae, macroinvertebrates, and fish) characteristics. In each of nine metropolitan areas across the United States, the study, which employed a set of 30 similarly-sized watersheds that represented a gradient of urban development, collected data on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of each stream and compared these characteristics with the level of urban development.

As part of the project wrap-up we are developing materials to convey project results to a non-technical audience. One of avenues we are exploring is the use of video podcasts.

As a sample, we have a podcast featuring Tom Cuffney and Tom Schueler (http://gallery.usgs.gov/videos/298).

Elevated nutrients in the Nation’s Streams and Groundwater—A Continuing Issue

Available on the Internet (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/nutrients/pubs/circ1350/) are two USGS publications (Circular 1350 and Fact Sheet 3078), along with a briefing sheet prepared for a congressional briefing to be held September 24, Frequently Asked Questions, supporting technical information (graphics, maps, tables, and data), and related links.

The information describes nutrient concentrations in the Nation's water resources, key sources of nutrients, factors affecting nutrient concentrations, potential effects on humans and aquatic life, and changes in concentrations since the early 1990s. Implications of the findings touch on many environmental issues, including those related to (1) developing nutrient criteria for surface water bodies, (2) reducing nutrients to receiving waters, (3) setting realistic expectations for water-quality improvements following nutrient reduction strategies, and (4) managing elevated nutrients in drinking water from surface-water intakes and wells.

For questions, concerns, or more information:
Please contact Pixie A. Hamilton, pahamilt@usgs.gov , (804) 261-2602 (office), (804) 301-3869 (cell)

The Student Conservation Association

SCA provides college and high school-aged members with hands-on conservation service opportunities in virtually every field imaginable, from tracking grizzlies through the Tetons to restoring desert ecosystems and teaching environmental education at Washington, D.C.’s Urban Tree House. We are truly building the next generation of conservation leaders.

National Crews

In these month-long summer projects, up to eight high school students from around the country are paired with experienced SCA crew leaders to build trails and restore habitat in national parks and on other public lands. SCA's National Crews provide a formative experience, as members serve nature and challenge themselves, individually and as a team. In the process, they get a lot of important work done. Learn more about National Crews here.

Community Programs

Offering year-round training and service opportunities, SCA’s Community Programs engage diverse high school students in major U.S. cities who may lack access to the natural environment and green job opportunities. SCA currently operates Community Programs in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Stamford, and Washington, DC. Visit our Community Programs section to learn more.

Conservation Internships

For college and graduate students, as well as other qualified individuals, SCA internships provide the opportunity to learn from resource management professionals, gain tangible skills and experience, and make a substantial contribution to our natural and cultural treasures. SCA Internships are available throughout the year, in all conservation disciplines, and range in length from 12 to 52 weeks. All positions are expense-paid and most offer insurance and education awards. Search internship opportunities.

Conservation Corps

In this SCA program, college and graduate students and other qualified participants address specific, urgent conservation challenges. Projects may include mitigating wildland fire risks, eradicating invasive plants while protecting native species, restoring desert lands scarred by off-road vehicles, or providing environmental education in community classrooms. SCA Corps programs, some of which are offered in cooperation with AmeriCorps, run for up to 10 months, and members often share a communal residence. Learn more about Conservation Corps programs.

Need More Information?

Please call our Charlestown, NH headquarters at 603-543-1700 or email webmaster@thesca.org.

MWMC Board Meets to Install New Members

The MWMC Board of Directors met on January 18, 2011, to start the Council’s 17th year, talk about plans for 2011, and induct two new members. At the meeting, Megan Ward graciously agreed to serve as Vice-Chair. Megan is Programs Manager for the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance and she has served on the Board for one year. Chairman Keith Van Ness (Montgomery County DEP) stepped down as Chair but he’ll continue to serve on the Board. Sonja Schmitz (Community College of Baltimore County/Catonsville) and Sandy Hertz (Maryland State Highway Administration) joined the Board. Sonja teaches Biology at CCBC and is actively involved in teacher education programs in Baltimore County. Sandy is Deputy Director of SHA’s Office of Environmental Design. Dan Boward (MD/DNR) will continue to faithfully serve the Board and Council as the dedicated Executive Secretary.

MWMC Board Chair Mark Southerland recognizes the Dave Bolton’s (Maryland Geological Survey) three years of Board service. Dave helped to plan the 2008 and 2009 MWMC Annual Conferences and assisted the Board on groundwater issues during his tenure.

MWMC Board Chair Mark Southerland thanks Bob Paul (St. Mary’s College) for his three years of service on the Board. Bob is a long-time professor at the College and assists the St. Mary’s Watershed Association in their important endeavors.

Towson University Geographic Information Sciences Conference

The 25th Annual Towson University Geographic Information Sciences Conference (TUgis 2012) is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, March 19 and 20, 2012. We have a great program organized for this year. The program includes two full days of presentations and mini-workshops on a variety of GIS topics. Also, we have an exhibit area where you can discuss your GIS products and services needs with over 20 vendors. Information about the conference, including the preliminary program, is available on the conference Web site at http://tugis.towson.edu.

Please note that it is not too late to submit an entry in our Map Design Competition. You can also send us your GIS job announcement for our Job Mart. Information about both of these events is available on our Web site.

I look forward to seeing you on March 19 and 20. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Jay Morgan

John M. Morgan, III, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Geography and Environmental Planning
Towson University
8000 York Road
Baltimore, Maryland 21252-0001 USA
410-704-2964
410-704-4702
jmorgan@towson.edu
http://pages.towson.edu/morgan

Get Dirty for Some Good Clean Fun!

Join us for the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 24th Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup on Saturday, April 14, 2012, 9am-12pm. Thousands of volunteers of all ages will be picking up trash from different cleanup sites around the region. Over the past 24 years we have removed over 3 million pounds of trash from the Potomac Watershed and we hope to make this year the largest cleanup event yet.

Help to insure clean land, safe water and healthy lives for yourself and those you love:

LEAD a cleanup site! Go back to your favorite site or find a new hotspot. Register your site online and invite friends, family, and co-workers.

COLLECT DATA and photos to help us make the case for smart trash policies. See our website for datasheet and photo submission requirements.

VOLUNTEER by picking up trash at an existing site, even if you don't have time to lead a site. Check our website for the date and time of a cleanup site near you!

Learn more by visiting www.PotomacCleanup.org, or calling 202-973-8203.

National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s 8th National Monitoring Conference
Water: One Resource – Shared Effort – Common Future

Call for Abstracts

Join us in Portland for the National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s 8th National Monitoring Conference – Water: One Resource – Shared Effort – Common Future on April 30 – May 4, 2012. This national forum provides an exceptional opportunity for federal, state, local, tribal, volunteer, academic, private, and other water stakeholders to exchange information and technology related to water monitoring, assessment, research, protection, restoration, and management, as well as to develop new skills and professional networks.

Abstracts are due by September 23, 2011.

See website to submit an abstract or for more details: http://acwi.gov/monitoring/conference/2012

MWMC Holds Climate Change Monitoring Workshop

Almost 60 people gathered at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center on November 17, 2009, for a workshop sponsored by the MWMC’s Monitoring and Assessment Committee and titled Planning for the Future: Designing and Implementing a Climate Change Monitoring Network in Maryland’s Non-tidal Waters. (Agenda - 29Kb .pdf) In an effort to live more sustainably, attendees were asked to carpool and bring their own coffee mugs---most complied.

Workshop Steering Committee Co-Chairs, Keith VanNess (Montgomery County DEP) and Ron Klauda (MD/DNR) welcomed attendees, thanked the Steering Committee members (32Kb .pdf) and opened the workshop by stating its goal: “To construct the framework for a long-term (multi-decadal) statewide monitoring network focused on ephemeral aquatic habitats (e.g., seasonal pools) and headwater streams-----a network that can be used to detect and track the responses of these non-tidal systems to climate change.”

The Steering Committee’s Vision is “a long-term monitoring network that is designed, implemented, supported, nurtured, protected, and maintained by a multi-agency and multi-organizational group of professionals, with participation from researchers, students, and citizen scientists.”

Ron then gave several reasons for why the workshop is focused on ephemeral habitats and headwater streams:

1. These aquatic resources appear to be especially vulnerable to water temperature increases, altered precipitation patterns, and more severe flood and drought cycles that are predicted to occur in Maryland with climate change.
2. Local, state, and federal agencies (and others) in Maryland have compiled several relatively long-term data sets collected to assess the conditions of 1st through 4th order, non-tidal streams. Although it is likely that many of these monitoring programs will continue into the foreseeable future, expanding their current objectives to also track climate change effects could help ensure their longevity.
3. Compared to headwater streams, there are only limited monitoring data sets, maps, and assessments for ephemeral habitats in Maryland. The MWMC sponsored two recent workshops focused on vernal pools, with the goals of increasing their exposure and initiating a statewide mapping and assessment effort. Although there is much interest in these important habitats, the statewide mapping and assessments haven’t happened yet. This workshop may breathe new life into these tasks.
4. Most of the initial discussions of climate change effects on aquatic resources in Maryland have been focused on tidal areas---at the lower end of our watersheds----because of the major threats posed by sea level rise and intense storm-related flooding of low lying areas. The current monitoring realignment discussions underway within the Chesapeake Bay Program should lead to increased water monitoring activities in the middle portions of our watersheds. The steering committee therefore decided to focus this workshop on the most upstream portions of our watersheds, those areas drained by headwater streams and also occupied by ephemeral aquatic habitats.

Ron explained the workshop format (Agenda - 29Kb .pdf) and introduced the invited speakers:(PowerPoints have been converted to .pdf)

• Peter Murdoch, USGS
• Britta Bierwagen, USEPA (582Kb .pdf)
• Peter Claggett, USGS (6.8Mb .pdf)
• Zoe Johnson, MDDNR (444Kb .pdf)
• Robert Brooks, US Forest Service (3.08Mb .pdf)
• Robert Hildebrand, UMD CES/AL (973Kb .pdf)
• Andy Becker, MD/DNR (5.52Kb .pdf)

Bob Shedlock (USGS) led an afternoon Panel Discussion and Brainstorming Session, during which workshop attendees were asked to address a list of Suggested Questions (57Kb .pdf). Some but not all questions were answered. These questions and others will be discussed in future meetings that will be scheduled in early 2010---to complete the design of the climate change monitoring network and seek ways to implement it. Notes from the Panel Discussion and Brainstorming Session will be posted at this website soon.

At the end of the workshop, attendees were asked to fill out the Monitoring Network Participation Form (36Kb .pdf), and indicate where they could either individually or via their organization continue to participate in the design and implementation of the climate change monitoring network. As of December 9, 2009, the workshop steering committee has received 15 completed Participation Forms. Of these, seven individuals volunteered to serve on the Work Group that will design the monitoring network, three offered potential network sites or volunteered to monitor sites that are selected for inclusion in the network, three members of volunteer groups expressed interest in getting more involved, five want to participate in data analysis, five will help disseminate monitoring results and eight offered helpful suggestions about the network.

If you were unable to attend the November 17 workshop, but want to get involved in the climate change monitoring network, please contact Ron Klauda (rklauda@dnr.state.md.us) or Keith Van Ness (keith.vanness@montgomerycountymd.gov).

Invasive Diatom Discovered in Maryland

The Maryland Water Monitoring Council’s Board of Directors, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, is notifying members of the State’s water monitoring and water resource management community about the recent discovery of a nuisance and potentially destructive diatom (alga) species, Didymosphenia geminata, or "Didymo" in the Gunpowder Falls. Those interested in more information concerning this Invasive Diatom should use the following links: A recent MD/DNR press release, compilation of information on Didymo prepared by Ron Klauda (MD/DNR), and footwear and sampling gear disinfection protocols being used by MD/DNR’s Maryland Biological Stream Survey crews.

Please review these materials. MD/DNR needs the help of everyone involved in water monitoring/resource management, in addition to anglers and other recreational water users, to contain Didymo in the Gunpowder and prevent its spread to other high quality water bodies. MD/DNR is asking water monitoring/resource management groups in Maryland to practice and promote disinfection protocols for footwear and sampling gear: clean off mud/plant materials/debris, then soak and scrub in either a 10% household bleach or 5% salt solution for one full minute between sampling sites---even if the sites are on the same stream. If using a bleach solution, disinfect at least 50 yards from a water body and dispose of exhausted bleach solutions properly. If you cannot disinfect footwear and gear with bleach or salt solutions, use the drying method to kill Didymo cells (and any other problematic animals or plants that should not be transported from one water body to another). After footwear and gear are dry to the touch, wait an additional 48 hours before using these items. Also, MD/DNR recommends that felt-soled boots NOT be used. This porous material is nearly impossible to disinfect.

Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in controlling the spread of Didymo and other harmful organisms. If you think you see Didymo in a stream, river, lake, or pond, collect a small portion from the center of the colony (matt) and do the following: (a) sandwich the moist sample inside a folded sheet of white paper, (b) place the sample plus a separate sheet of paper with your name, phone number, email address, and where you collected the suspected Didymo sample inside a zip-lock bag----lat/long coordinates will be appreciated, (c) seal the bag to keep the sample moist, (d) place the bag inside an envelope, and (e) mail it to:

Walt Butler
Monitoring and Non-tidal Assessment Division
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
1919 Lincoln Drive
Annapolis, MD 21401

He will examine the sample and let you know if Didymo cells are found.

THANK YOU.