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November 26, 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
with fresh news about meetings and water topics that we hope
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| WPIC & EQC Propose Draft Water Bills for 2009 Legislature |
Weaver Slough, south of the
Flathead River and southeast of
Kalispell, is one of six naturally
created oxbow lakes associated
with the previous course
of the Flathead River. |
The Water Policy Interim Committee (WPIC) is a joint bipartisan committee created by the Montana State Legislature in 2007. The Legislature authorized the committee for the 2007-2008 biennium to conduct the daunting task of performing an interim study on surface water/ground water interaction, exempt wells, water quality and water quantity, and other water related issues. Minutes from committee meetings can be found on the WPIC’s website at http://leg.mt.gov/css/Committees/Interim/
2007_2008/water_policy/.
The WPIC met in venues throughout the state to give citizens and groups a chance to express their ideas and concerns to the committee. Consequently, six draft bills were approved by the WPIC for introduction in the 2009 Legislature. They are titled and linked below for your review.
- LC0428 Revision of water enforcement laws
- SB0017 Public water and sewer systems for subdivisions
- LC0430 Revise water right permit process
- LC0431 Data study through MBMG
- LC0432 MDT water rights for wetland projects
- LC0433 Discharge permits required
Among the most urgent findings of the committee was the need to update the state water plan, which does not reflect recent court decisions and legislation. The WPIC contended “There is a need to set out a progressive program for the conservation, development and use of the state’s water and determine the most effective means by which these resources may be applied for the benefit of the people, with due consideration of alternative uses and combinations of uses.”
In addition, the Environmental Quality Council (EQC) and the WPIC formed a joint subcommittee to discuss future water policy development options in Montana. The full text of the committee's draft bills can be found at
http://leg.mt.gov/css/Committees/Interim/2007_2008/
environmental_quality_council/subcommittees/eqc_wpic/eqcwpic.asp.
- LC5016 Revising the Water Policy Committee
- LC5017 Reassigning duties from the EQC to the Water Policy Committee
- LC5018 Creating a water policy subcommittee of the EQC
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Spring 2009 Water Summit Receives PPL Grant
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Lisa Perry, Debbie Earl, Rose Vallor and
Janet Bender-Keigley. |
In a ceremony on November 6 at the MSU Foundation headquarters, Lisa Perry, PPL Montana’s Community Affairs Manager, awarded Montana Watercourse a check for $9,322 to support the Spring 2009 Water Summit for Teachers and Students. This annual event brings together teachers and students to learn about issues that impact the water quality in Montana watersheds, improve their skills in water monitoring, and foster a support network that encourages participants to continue their role as Montana water stewards.
The funding comes from PPL’s Community Fund Grants, which are awarded to organizations that work to improve the quality of education, enhance the environment and bring jobs and new tax revenues to Montana through improved economic development.
Details for the Spring 2009 Water Summit will soon be available on the Montana Watercourse website at http://www.mtwatercourse.org, or by contacting Rose Vallor at 994-6425 or rosanna.vallor@montana.edu. |
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Montana Project WET/Webfoot Workshop
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Chief Plenty Coup State Park and members
of the Crow Tribe hosted the Project WET workshop. |
On November 15, a Project Wet/Webfoot Workshop was held at Pryor, Montana on the Crow Reservation. The event took place at Chief Plenty Coups State Park, in accordance with the chief’s belief that “education is the key to success.” High school teachers and students, park naturalists and others attended the day long workshop. Interest and enthusiasm were high, with participants commenting they learned about the importance of conserving both water and wetlands.
Rose Vallor, of the Montana Watercourse joined Rab Cummings, Ducks Unlimited, and Scott Frazier, Native Waters, to present activities about water and wetlands. These activities give educators tools to use in their own educational settings to teach about water and wetlands. Included in the workshop was a tour of Chief Plenty Coups Park.
Another Project Wet/Webfoot workshop is planned for February 27-28, 2009, in Billings, at the Audubon Conservation Education Center, located along the Yellowstone River by Norm’s Island. The workshop will be held in conjunction with WJH Bird Resources, a wetlands bird sanctuary and facility west of Billings. For details contact Rose Vallor, Education Outreach Coordinator & MT Project Wet Coordinator, at 994-6425 or rosanna.vallor@montana.edu. |
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Headwaters Partnership presents "Mineral Leasing" Event
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Mary Sexton, director of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, will give a presentation on mineral leasing activities for southwest Montana state lands on Thursday, December 4, in the Twin Bridges High School main cafeteria. The Greater Gallatin Watershed Council and Blue Water Task Force watershed groups will also provide information on their current watershed activities. The event begins at 6 p.m with a potlock dinner. The program begins at 7 p.m. For more information, please contact Sharlyn Izurieta of the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council at 219-3739 or visit the website at http://www.greatergallatin.org. |
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Montana Storm Water Conference
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The Montana DEQ is taking the lead on planning a state stormwater conference for Spring 2009. Clear Choices: Storm Water Solutions for Montana is scheduled for April 7-9 at the Holiday Inn, Bozeman. The conference will include presentations on best management practices for storm water control and storm water pollution prevention. Civil engineers, city and county planners and local officials, legislators, developers, contractors and water resource managers should consider attending. Storm water control experts from throughout the region will present information to participants. For more information contact Kristy Zhinin at kzhinin@mt.gov. |
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Montana AWRA Conference Update
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2009 Conference -- Missoula!
Mark your calendar now for the 2009 MT AWRA Conference in Missoula on October 1-2. Be on the lookout for more information on the conference soon! If you want to be on the email list for 2009 please let us know at water@montana.edu.
For photos of this year’s Big Sky Conference, go to the MT AWRA website at http://awra.org/state/montana.
Photo: MT AWRA Secretary/Treasurer Kirk Waren wisely makes friends with Phil Farnes. |
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| Trees, Water & People: Personal Coaching for Watershed Leaders |
| Personal coaching services, with an emphasis on fundraising and leadership development, are being offered to Montana watershed groups under Trees, Water & People's Protecting the Water of the Arid West project. To apply for the coaching services, email Jim Webster, at jim@treeswaterpeople.org. Include the following information in your email: Your name, title, name of watershed group, and contact information, the date you started working for the group (and the date you assumed your leadership position), whether you are full or part time, paid staff or a volunteer (part-time staff give percentage of time you work), the reason(s) you are applying for coaching services and one reference. Your email application to Jim must be received by Friday, November 28. Call Jim at (303) 775-5242 if you have any questions or visit the website at http://treeswaterpeople.org. |
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| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Opportunity |
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The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s, “Bring Back the Natives Program” (BBN), is a new grant opportunity. BBN seeks projects that initiate partnerships with private landowners, demonstrate successful collaborative efforts, address watershed health issues that would lead to restoring, protecting, and enhancing habitats for native aquatic species and their migration corridors. Projects must demonstrate a 2:1 non-federal to federal match. Pre-proposals are due December 1, 2008. For more information contact Barrett Bohnengel at Barrett.Bohnengle@nfwf.org or visit the webiste at http://www.nfwf.org. |
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| 2009 MRNRC Conference and BiOp Forum |
| The 2009 Missouri River Natural Resources Committee Conference and BiOp Forum will be held March 25-27, 2009 in Billings, Montana. Abstracts must be submitted by January 20, 2009. Abstract guidelines and submission form can be found at http://www.mrnrc2009.com. For more information, contact Don Skaar at dskaar@mt.gov. |
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| 2009 Jefferson Science Fellows Program |
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The National Academies recently issued a call for nominations and applications for the 2009 Jefferson Science Fellows program (JSF). The JSF program establishes a new model for engaging the American academic science, technology, and engineering communities in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy. Jefferson Science Fellows spend one year at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and may travel to U.S. foreign embassies and/or missions. JSF awards are open to tenured academic scientists, technologists and engineers from U.S. institutions of higher learning. Instructions can be found on the Jefferson Science Fellows website at http://www.national-academies.org/jsf A total of ten Fellows will be selected for the 2009 program year. The nomination/application deadline is January 15, 2009. Awardees will report to the Department of State about August 15, 2009. |
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| National AWRA Call for Abstracts |
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The 2009 AWRA Spring Specialty Conference, Managing Water Resources & Development in a Changing Climate, will be held in Anchorage, Alaska May 4-6, 2009. Abstract submittal deadline is December 5, 2008. For more information, or to register, visit http://www.awra.org/meetings/Anchorage2009/index.html. |
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Deadlines for 2009 UCOWR Awards and 2009 UCOWR/NIWR Conference Abstract Submissions
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Nominations for the 2009 Ph.D. Dissertation Award are due to lead delegates on December 3, 2008. Award Instructions for this award, as well as for the Warren A. Hall Medal, Friends of UCOWR, and Education and Public Service Awards, can be found on the website at http://www.ucowr.org.
Also, December 4 is the deadline for abstract submission for the 2009 UCOWR/NIWR Conference, Urban Water Management: Issues and Opportunities. The conference will be held July 7-9, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The Call for Papers and Abstract Submission page can be found at http://www.isws.illinois.edu/hilites/confinfo/ucowr/call.html. |
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World Water Forum 2009
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The 5th World Water Forum will be held March 16-22, 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey. The World Water Forum is a large water-related event in the world, aimed at putting water firmly on the international agenda. More information about the event can be found at http://www.worldwaterforum5.org. |
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| Adios Amigos |
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Page Stegner’s extensive writings on American history have made him a popular and critical favorite. Adios Amigos maintains his high standard. These essays expertly interweave natural history, conservation polemic, ecology, and wilderness adventures on a number of the West's major whitewater rivers. Stegner moves effortlessly from his own experiences on the Colorado, Yampa, Green, San Juan, Dolores, and Missouri rivers to first explorations by historical figures like Lewis and Clark and John Wesley Powell to modern controversies that threaten the continued existence of these wild rivers.
Find this book online or at a bookstore near you! |
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| Biological Resources at USGS |
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The Biological Resources Discipline (BRD) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) works with others to provide the scientific understanding and technologies needed to support the sound management and conservation of our Nation's biological resources. Topics available from this site include invasive species management, aquatic and endangered resources and containment biology. Visit the website at http://biology.usgs.gov. |
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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. |
 Corporate Water Footprinting 08 Conference, San Fransisco, CA, December 2-3, 2008 [INFO] |
2008 NGWA Ground Water Expo, Las Vegas, NV, December 2-5, 2008 [INFO] |
| Mineral Leasing/Big Hearts Under the Big Sky, Twin Bridges, December 4, 2008 [INFO] |
2009 West Regional Technical Seminar: Conduits, Valves, & Gates, Phoenix, AZ, February 3-5, 2009 [INFO] |
MRNRC Conference & BiOp Forum, Billings, March 25-27, 2009 [INFO] |
Clear Choices: Storm Water Solutions for Montana, Bozeman, April 7-9, 2009 [INFO] |
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