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February 25, 2008
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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
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| U of M Student returns from Albuquerque AWRA |
Margie Kinnersley and Molly |
Margie Kinnersley is a University of Montana Ph.D. student in the Microbial Ecology program. Last October, Margie was named the top student presenter at the annual Montana water conference for her work titled, "Genomic & Proteomic Approach to Characterizing Natural Variation in E. Coli: Toward construction of a Microbial Source Tracking Database to Identify Sources of Fecal Water Contamination in the State of Montana." Margie gave her winning presentation at the annual conference of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) in Albuquerque in November. Here is how she describes the experience and her research.
Q: Margie, it had to take a lot of effort to leave your work at U of M and present your research at the national water resources conference. Was it worth it?
A: Definitely! I was exposed to a lot of different aspects of water quality, water assessment and water management that I had not been exposed to before. The theme of this year’s meeting was Hydrophilanthropy - the sharing of water quality resources with underfunded and developing countries. And, keynote speaker Cynthia Barnett, author of Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S., gave an excellent presentation on problems and potential solutions there.
Q: Would you recommend the experience to other students?
A: Yes! My presentation went very well, and several people talked to me about my project afterwards. Other students presented, too, so it’s an opportunity I strongly encourage Montana students to pursue. AWRA staff provided great networking opportunities for us throughout the week. The conference concluded with a student career night at which students met with association members and prospective employers.
Q: What is it about your water contamination research on the bacterium E. coli that you find interesting and what do you find applicable about it to the future of Montana's water quality?
A: One of the things I find most interesting about my research is that it gives me the opportunity to look at how individuals within a species change their genetic makeup in response to their environment. I think most people assume that all members of a species are effectively identical at the genetic level and therefore will behave the same way under a given set of conditions. However, we know that certain strains of E. coli can cause serious gastrointestinal illness in humans whereas our own E. coli are actually beneficial. If my research can help other scientists understand how different mammalian intestinal environments shape the genetic composition of E. coli, I will be very pleased.
In regard to the future of Montana's water quality, if I am able to find molecular markers that can distinguish human E. coli from the E. coli that live in the intestines of other animals, they could potentially be used to track the source of fecal water contamination locally. That is the essence of my present work.
Q: What do you see for yourself after you receive your degree?
A: I will defend my dissertation this Spring. I have been focused on graduating and have not made any concrete plans for the future, but I hope to find work in Missoula that allows me to continue doing basic research that can also be applied to environmental quality issues.
Q: What do you feel is Montana's biggest water quality challenge?
A: In my opinion, Montana's biggest challenge is water quality education. I think the public needs to be more aware of the potential consequences of irresponsible behavior, such as pollution and overcrowding, so that future problems can be circumvented. |
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| Student Researchers Recognized Nationally |
| Two Montana State University graduate students were recently recognized for water research they conducted at the Tenderfoot Experimental Forest in the Little Belt Mountains. Tyler Smith, advised by Dr. Lucy Marshall, won an award for presenting an Outstanding Student Paper based on his work, "Developing a Bayesian uncertainty framework for conceptual snowmelt and hydrologic models applied to the Tenderfoot Creek experimental forest." Kelsey Jencso, advised by Dr. Brian McGlynn, was also judged to have presented an outstanding paper, stemming from his project, "Topographic controls on hillslope–riparian water table continuity in a set of nested catchments, northern Rocky Mountains, Montana."
Congratulations to Tyler and Kelsey, and best wishes for the continuation of their research projects! |
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| Water Policy Interim Committee Meeting Set for March |
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The next WPIC meeting is March 12-13 in Helena at the state capitol building.
Committee members will discuss water marketing and water reallocation options, leasing programs and the possibility of establishing a water bank. Scheduled speakers include representatives of agriculture and conservation, as well as a free market advocate. The meeting will also include a presentation of the growing communities doctrine, which gives special consideration to municipal water suppliers within the prior appropriation system for administering water rights. Possible new legislation will also be reviewed.
An agenda, more meeting information, and background materials are available at http://leg.mt.gov/css/lepo/2007_2008/water_policy/default.asp. Or, for more information, contact Joe Kolman at (406) 444-9280 or jkolman@mt.gov.
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| Montana Stormwater Conference in the Works |
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The Montana DEQ is taking the lead on planning a state Stormwater Conference for spring of 2009. Tentatively scheduled for April 7-8 2009 in Helena, the conference will include presentations on best management practices for stormwater control and stormwater pollution prevention. Civil engineers, city and county planners and local officials, legislators, developers, contractors and water resource managers should consider attending. Stormwater control experts from throughout the region will present information to participants. Save the dates! |
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| MSAWWA/MWEA 2008 Joint Conference |
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The 2008 Montana Section of the American Water Works Association (MSAWWA) and Montana Water Environment Association (MWEA) Joint Annual Conference, "Act Now – Water Protection, Conservation & Reuse", will be held in Great Falls at the
Best Western Heritage Inn May 15-16. A pre-conference will be held May 14. Abstracts for presentations are welcome; the submittal deadline is February 25. Early registration ends on April 15. Forms are available at http://www.montana-awwa.org, or contact MSAWWA Executive Secretary, Nancy Bruner, at (406) 627-2478 or msawwamwea@dishmail.net. |
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| 17th Annual MEEA Conference |
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The 17th Annual Montana Environmental Educators Association (MEAA) conference will be held at the Best Western Great Northern in Helena March 13-15, 2008. The conference theme is, "Education and Environment, Energy and Economics." OPI and PIR credit is available. For registration and scholarship information, go to http://montanaeea.org/conference. |
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| National Drought Mitigation Center Presenting Wolf Point Workshop |
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The National Drought Mitigation Center is partnering with Fort Peck Reservation Drought Advisory Committee and the National Weather Service in Glasgow to sponsor a workshop on drought management tools. The goal of the workshop is to confer with agricultural producers, extension agents, and agency and organizational representatives on tools they are currently developing in partnership with the USDA Risk Management Agency. The workshop will be held Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at Fort Peck Community College in Wolf Point. Please contact Tanja Fransen at (406) 228-2850 or tanja.fransen@noaa.gov to RSVP or for questions. |
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| AWRA Spring & Summer Specialty Conferences |
2008 AWRA Spring Specialty Conference
GIS & Water Resources IV
March 17-19, 2008, San Mateo, CA
Early Registration: Ends February 25, 2008
Conference sessions will cover a broad range of integrative geospatial hydrologic technologies. Visit http://www.awra.org/meetings/San_Mateo2008 for more information
2008 AWRA Summer Specialty Conference
Riparian Ecosystems and Buffers: Working at the Water's Edge
June 30 - July 2, 2008, Virginia Beach, VA
Abstract Deadline: February 4, 2008.
Visit http://www.awra.org/meetings/Virginia_Beach2008 for all information regarding the conference and additional information on abstracts and topics. |
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| Water Supply and Growth Meeting |
| The Water Supply and Growth meeting in the Clark Fork River Basin will be held March 10- 11, 2008 at the University of Montana’s University Center Theater. Registration is $30. Email gmueller@montana.com for more information about the event. |
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| Clean Water Symposium |
| The Clean Water Symposium, co-sponsored by Floating Island International, will be held on July 10-11, 2008 at MSU-Billings. Attendance is limited. Contact jacquie@floatingislandinternational.com or call (406) 373-5200 for more information. |
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| Soil and Groundwater Contaminant and Attenuation Workshops |
The Northwest Environmental Training Center is hosting a week-long workshop series on contaminant chemistry, transport, and natural attenuation in soil and groundwater. All courses take place at the Courtyard by Marriott in Missoula. For more info, go to: http://www.nwetc.org/
chem-403a_04-08_missoula.htm or call the Northwest Environmental Training Center at (206) 762-1976. |
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| Call for Papers for the Montana Hydrology Conference |
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The Montana Hydrology Conference will be held at the Hampton Inn in Great Falls, Montana on May 27-28, 2008, with a field trip on May 29. To register for the conference, email Gina at gina.loss@noaa.gov. For those who would like to make presentations, indicate this in your registration email and provide a topic or abstract by April 1, 2008. |
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| Drought Advisory Committee Meeting |
| Snowpack and stream conditions look promising enough that there will be no March meeting of the Governor’s Drought Advisory Committee. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 17, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 111 at the DEQ’s Metcalf Building in Helena. |
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| Funding Opportunity |
| The Bullitt Foundation is again soliciting funding proposals for the protection, restoration and maintenance of the natural physical environment of the Pacific Northwest. Eligible applicants are nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations. Application deadline is May 1, 2008. For more information, go to http://www.bullitt.org/grants/grantseeking or email info@bullitt.org. |
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| Education Program Coordinator |
| The Blackfoot Challenge is seeking a full time education program coordinator responsible for program development and implementation of the education program. A bachelor’s degree in education, natural resources or related field is required. Experience in community/natural resource education and two years experience with K-12 classrooms is desired as is fundraising and an understanding of watershed group dynamics and natural resource partnerships. Submit cover letter and resume to info@blackfootchallenge.org or Blackfoot Challenge, PO Box 103, Ovando, MT 59854. Visit their website at http://www.blackfootchallenge.org/am/publish/index.php for more information. |
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| Montana Water Center Releases New Training CD |
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The Montana Water Center recently released its newest multimedia training course for the drinking water profession, Water Quality Expedition 2008. The target audience is technical assistance providers, water managers and junior-level regulators. The course assumes a basic knowledge of environmental science on the part of the user, and is designed to bolster a deeper understanding of the factors affecting water quality. For information about ordering a CD, or to download a copy of the program, visit the Water Center's website at http://watercenter.montana.edu/training/wqe. |
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| Stormwater Solutions: Turning Rain Back into a Resource |
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Cities throughout the United States were engineered to keep stormwater out of sight and out of mind. Unfortunately, that approach has created additional problems and turned a potential resource into a waste product. Find out what can be done by reviewing some of the 60 recommendations and solutions in Stormwater Solutions: Turning Oregon’s Rain Back into a Resource, found at http://www.oeconline.org/rivers/stormwater. |
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| The Latest EPA Publications |
| EPA Issues Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Guide
EPA's “Developing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan: A Guide for Construction Sites”, is a reference for construction site operators who require National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit coverage for stormwater discharge. This guide explains the basic principles of developing and maintaining an effective stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP). To obtain an electronic copy of the guide and plan examples, visit http://www.epa.gov/npdes/swpppguide. For printed copies, contact EPA's publications warehouse at (800) 490-9198 or nscep@bps-lmit.com. Reference document control number (EPA-833-R-06-004) in your request.
Reducing Stormwater Costs Through Low Impact Development
A new EPA report provides information to cities, counties, states, private-sector developers and others on the costs and benefits of using Low Impact Development (LID) strategies and practices to help protect and restore water quality. The report can be found at http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/costs07. |
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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. |
 Utility Management Conference 2008, Tampa, FL, February 24-27, 2008 [INFO] |
MWCC Quarterly Meeting, Helena, February 28, 2008 [INFO] |
Water Policy Interim Committee Meeting, Helena, March 12-13, 2008 [INFO] |
17th Annual Montana Environmental Education Association Conference, Helena, March 13-15, 2008 [INFO] |
9th Annual Association of Montana Floodplain Managers (AMFM) Conference, Missoula, March 17-20, 2008 [INFO] |
2008 AWRA Spring Specialty Conference: GIS and Water Resources V, San Mateo, March 17-19, 2008 [INFO] |
2008 AWWA/WEF Information Management & Technology Conference & Exhibition, Detroit, MI, March 30-April 2, 2008 [INFO] |
Residuals & Biosolids 2008, Philadelphia, PA, March 30-April 2, 2008 [INFO] |
WEF/A&WMA Odors & Air Emissions 2008, Phoenix, AZ, April 6-9, 2008 [INFO] |
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