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October 29, 2007
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Welcome
to the newsletter about all things water in Montana!
MONTANA
WATER NEWS will come your way via email every month
with fresh news about meetings and water topics that we hope
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| 24th Annual Montana AWRA Conference Recap |
Rich Moy & John Tubbs of DNRC enjoy the social hour
and poster session with other attendees. |
Following an irrigation management workshop on October 10, the Montana Section of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) met in Lewistown on October 11 - 12, and brought together 140 water resource professionals and students from throughout the state. Plenary talks by John Tubbs, Dorothy Bradley and Walt Sales helped focus the conference on pressing water issues and what sort of future Montanans can create with visionary water use decisions today. An excellent slate of in-depth technical presentations by Larry Dolan, DNRC hydrologist, Chris Gammons, hydrogeologist at Montana Tech, and Scott Irvin, a regional manager for DNRC, addressed irrigation trends and questions that face many of Montana’s farmers and ranchers. Dick Berg, geologist, gave a fascinating and colorful presentation on Montana’s Yogo Sapphire after the annual banquet.
Later, nearly two dozen other presenters highlighted their findings on recent water resource research conducted throughout the state. Topics included irrigation management, modeling and assessment methodologies, channel response and surface water, and water quality and ground water. Margie Kinnersley, a University of Montana PhD candidate, was the top student presenter for her presentation, Genomic and Proteomic Approach to Characterizing Natural Variation in E. Coli. Her work will help identify sources of fecal water contamination. Margie receives an all-expense paid trip to the national AWRA 2007 Annual Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico November 12 - 15, 2007. She will also present her research findings there.
The second place student presenter was Dale Engstrom of the University of Montana. Mark Schaffer of Montana State University was awarded third place. The top student poster award went to Adam Sigler of Montana State University. Sarah Summerford of Montana State University received second place honors.
Mike Roberts of the DNRC was handed the presidential gavel from outgoing MT AWRA president, Tammy Crone of the Gallatin Local Water Quality District. Cammie Carstarphen of the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) stepped up to vice-president and Kirk Waren, also of MBMG, was elected secretary/treasurer.
Visit the Montana Section AWRA Conference website at http://awra.org/state/montana/events/2007meeting.htm to view the photo gallery and download the conference proceedings. |
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| Drought Advisory Committee Update |
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The Governor’s Drought Advisory Committee met in Helena Wednesday, October 17. Members and attendees discussed ways to develop an action plan to address the protracted drought in Montana, which is impacting virtually every business sector and many communities in the state.
The committee is seeking more information and ways to better disseminate information to water resource managers, policy makers, realtors and developers, educators and the general public to make real progress in how to best manage water resources. It reviewed a list of nearly sixty potential priorities for action. These priorities will be scored and then provide the rationale for new initiatives the committee will undertake and new suggestions it will make to the Governor.
Excellent websites that can help water resource professionals stay informed about national and local drought conditions include:
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| Genetically Engineered Corn May Damage Stream Ecology |
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A new study indicates that a popular type of genetically engineered corn called Bt corn may damage the ecology of streams draining Bt corn fields in ways that have not been previously considered by regulators. The study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation, appears in the October 8 edition of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study provides the first evidence that toxins from Bt corn may travel long distances in streams and may harm stream insects that serve as food for fish. These results compound concerns about the ecological impacts of Bt corn raised by previous studies showing that corn-grown toxins harm beneficial insects living in the soil.
For more information, visit http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=110265. |
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| Planet Earth is Getting Wetter and Stickier |
Water vapor is the most important contributor to the natural greenhouse effect and researchers Nathan Gillett from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and Katharine Willett of Yale University have released a study relating to our warming earth with new information regarding rising humidity due to human influence. Their twenty year study of earth’s climate from 1973 to 2002 tells not only of the uncomfortable conditions humans will experience by the year 2100, but all of the other problems that go along with an increase in humidity. To view the study in its entirety, visit
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/
v449/n7163/full/nature06207.html. |
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| Technical Assistance & Training Grant Opportunity |
Rural Utilities Service and the Department of Agriculture are sponsoring a Technical Assistance and Training Grant. This grant allows the sponsor to provide support to identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste disposal problems in rural areas, assist applicants in preparing applications for water and waste grants made at the state level offices, and improve operation and maintenance of existing water and waste disposal facilities in rural areas. The deadline to apply for the grant is December 31, 2007. Email water@wdc.usda.gov for more information, or visit http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?
oppId=39871&flag2006=false&mode=VIEW.
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| 2008 EPA Greater Research Opportunities Fellowships |
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Student Fellowships for undergraduate level students in environmental fields of study. Unfortunately, these fellowships are not available to Montana State University (MSU) undergraduate students because MSU already receives maximum funding from EPA. Undergraduates from other Montana schools interested in these research fellowships should visit the website at http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2008/2008_gro_undergrad.html. |
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| Water Center Solicits Student Fellowship Applications |
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The Water Center would like to remind you of its Student Fellowship Request for Applications. The fellowships extend from March 2008 to February 2009. Deadline for submittal is November 19, 2007. Further information on this program and the application process can be found at http://watercenter.montana.edu/funding/usgs_grants.htm. |
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| US Fish & Wildlife Service Wetlands Grant Opportunity |
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The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds. Grant requests may not exceed $75,000. A total of $2 million has been approved to support projects in 2007. Proposals are due by November 30, 2007. For more information, go to http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/Small/index.shtm. |
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| SERDP & ESTCP RFPs Coming Soon |
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The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), both branches of the Department of Defense, seek to fund the nation’s best researchers and technology developers to assist in addressing increasingly complex environmental challenges. SERDP solicitations will be released in November 2007 and the ESTCP solicitation will be released in January 2008. Deadlines are to be announced soon. For additional information please visit their websites at http://www.serdp.org and http://www.estcp.org/. |
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| Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| The Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited is seeking Heavy Equipment Contractors and Natural Resource Consulting Firms to help design and implement stream restoration projects. For details and to request the Request for Qualifications, please contact Ryen Aasheim by phone at (406) 543-6454 or via email at ryen@montanatu.org. |
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| 43rd Annual AWRA Conference |
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The AWRA 2007 Annual Conference will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque, NM from November 12 - 15, 2007. The conference is a forum for all members of the water resources community, provides opportunities for conversation about the many multidisciplinary facets of water resources, and allows attendees to make connections that will improve their understanding of the complex water issues that are of importance to this region, the nation, and the world.
Visit http://awra.org/meetings/New_Mexico2007/index.html for more details. |
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| Water Budgets Circular |
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The Department of the Interior has released U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1308, Water Budgets: Foundations for Effective Water-Resources and Environmental Management by Richard W. Healy, Thomas C. Winter, James W. LaBaugh, and O. Lehn Franke. The aim of this publication is to broaden awareness and understanding of water budgets and the hydrologic cycle so as to promote wise use and management of water. It is available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2007/1308. |
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| Book Release: The Global Importance of Groundwater in the 21st Century: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Groundwater Sustainability |
The International Symposium on Groundwater Sustainability was held at the University of Alicante, Spain in January 2006 and gathered twenty-five experts from different parts of the world and disciplines to exchange experiences and opinions about the challenges and opportunities presented by intensive groundwater use. This book contains a revised version of these contributions, modified by the authors after hearing the debates held during the symposium, and following the peer-reviewed process according to the Standards of the National Groundwater Association (NGWA). The book also includes documents presented in a closed workshop held prior to the symposium. To order a copy of the book, visit the National Groundwater Association website at https://info.ngwa.org/servicecenter/Shopper/ProductDetail.cfm?
ProdCompanyPassed=ngw&ProdCdPassed=ngw-t1051. |
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| New Safe Drinking Water Website |
Water vendor in Guatemala City. |
The National Academy of Sciences and Global Health and Education Foundation have teamed up on a new website, Safe Drinking Water is Essential. It gives a good overview of water issues worldwide, and is a showcase of multimedia depictions of water and sanitation concepts. Visit the site at http://www.drinking-water.org/
flash/splash.html. |
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| Do
you have more news?
The Montana Water Center News welcomes your stories about water and water issues that face Montana. If you have a short story you would like to see published in this newsletter, please send your information to water@montana.edu. |
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Take
special note of upcoming national and local water meetings
on the Events
Calendar at MONTANA WATER. |
 2007 Eastern SD Water and 52nd Annual Midwest Ground Water Joint Conference, Sioux Falls, SD, October 29 - 31, 2007 [INFO] |
Water in the Pacific Northwest: Moving Science into Policy and Action, Stevenson, WA, November 7 - 9, 2007 [INFO] |
AWRA 2007 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM, November 12 - 15, 2007 [INFO] |
66th Annual MACD Convention, Bozeman, November 14 - 15, 2007 [INFO] |
5th EverythingAboutWater EXPO 2008, Mumbai, Maharashtraa, India, January 31 - February 2, 2008 [INFO] |
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