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December 18, 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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All of us at the Montana Water Center wish you and your family a safe and magical holiday season. There is a lot to celebrate and appreciate as we look toward the work that needs to be done in the coming year.
Think Snow!  |
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| U of M Student Reports on AWRA in New Orleans |
Tony Berthelote rafting in Denali National Park. |
Antony Berthelote is a doctoral student at the University of Montana in the Geosciences Department. Tony recently was awarded a trip to the National AWRA Conference in New Orleans by the Montana Section of the AWRA for his student presentation at the state’s water resources conference in Big Sky. The title of his presentation was Field Observations and Groundwater Modeling as Tools to Mitigate Groundwater Supply Impacts During the Removal of Milltown Dam, Western Montana. Dr. Bill Woessner is his advisor. Much of Tony’s work centers on the impact that dam removal can have on the adjacent shallow ground water aquifers. Tony combines extensive river monitoring, groundwater monitoring and well inventory data with numerical groundwater modeling techniques to forecast areas that would experience groundwater declines.
Q: Tony, it had to take a lot of effort to leave your work at U of M and present your research at the National AWRA conference. How was the trip and how did your presentation go?
A: I actually took my work with me and worked diligently every night in my room. The trip was very educational, particularly the ability to experience the proximity of the river to the hotel and visualize the levee’s failing during Katrina. My presentation drew a lot of interest from the crowd. I believe it was a real eye opener for many who could not believe that groundwater impacts from reservoir manipulation have been overlooked historically by hydro-scientists and engineers. The conference was broadcast throughout the hotel on the Water TV and that helped keep people informed. I would definitely recommend the conference to other students. But leave the laptop at home and experience more of the city!
Q: What is it about your Milltown Dam removal research and groundwater modeling that you find interesting?
A: I am passionate about protecting all our water supplies far into the future. I believe this project will be used as a model for future reservoir manipulations and restoration projects where groundwater supplies may be impacted, whether for domestic, commercial or agricultural uses. More Montana dams will inevitably be removed in the future, and the knowledge gleaned from this research will help regulators in their mitigation efforts.
Q: What are some of the most surprising results you have found so far?
A: The most surprising thing we have discovered is that the vertical flux of water entering or leaving the riverbed can change by orders of magnitude throughout the year and can be both proportional and inversely proportional to river stage. However, our groundwater predictions appear to match our observations quite well throughout most of the model. I believe that the reduction in source contamination within the reservoir and alterations in groundwater flow paths from the reservoir-dam removal will change the extent and concentration of the contaminant plume. This appears to be improving the local water quality in the Milltown community.
Q: What do you feel is Montana's biggest water challenge in regards to the possible removal of other dams?
A: Each dam has its own challenges. Due to the rich mining and agricultural history of the state, many of Montana’s dams have contaminated sediments impounded in their reservoirs that need to be addressed. The fate of these sediments, whether contaminated or not, can play a large role in the entire ecology of the rivers' reaches. Alterations to nutrient dynamics and physical gradients from surface water – groundwater exchanges can have both short term and very long term consequences which are not easily predicted by planners or mitigators. My hope is that the next time a dam is removed, there will be some preliminary discussion about the effects of groundwater declines in addition to the usual “what happens to the sediment” discussion. We must also be concerned with hydrograph variations and flood control. And many dams also serve vital social and economic roles in the nearby communities.
Q: What do you see for yourself after you receive your degree?
A: I will teach at Salish Kootenai College beginning September 2009. I plan on building a stable water program with strong ties to the community and regional water projects. |
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Joanna Thamke honored with 2008 Environmental Achievement Award
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Joanna Thamke, third from left, at award presentation. |
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) recently honored a team of USGS scientists and partners with the 2008 Environmental Achievement Award for the significant improvements they made to a contaminated aquifer that provides drinking water for the people of Poplar, Montana. One of the recipients honored was Joanna Thamke, hydrologist at the USGS Water Science Center in Helena. The Environmental Achievement Award recognizes DOI employees and partners who have cleaned up contaminated land and attained exceptional achievements in strengthening federal environmental, energy, and transportation management. For more information on this year’s award, visit http://mt.water.usgs.gov/newsroom/currentinterest/jothamke/thamke_award.html. |
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USGS Study Finds Man-made Chemicals in Rivers
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A recent USGS study found low levels of man-made chemicals in nine different river systems around the nation that are used for public drinking water. This study did not look for pharmaceuticals or hormones, but low levels of about 130 other man-made chemicals were detected in streams and rivers before treatment at public water facilities. The chemicals include pesticides, solvents, household products and gasoline hydrocarbons. Nearly two-thirds of the chemicals were also detected after treatment. Most of the chemicals found were at levels equivalent to one thimble of water in an Olympic-sized pool. Read a PDF of the study at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/swqa/GuidanceDocuments/pressrelease.pdf. |
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Five Star Restoration Program Grant Opportunity
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| The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation recently announced its “Five Star Restoration Matching Grants Program.” The program attempts to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing financial assistance to diverse local partnerships for wetland, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration. The proposal deadline is February 16, 2009. Contact Amanda Bassow at amanda.bassow@nfwf.org for more information, or visit http://epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/5star/ or http://nfwf.org/FiveStar. |
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Soil & Water Conservation Society to Host Sustainability Conference
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Resilient Systems in a Changing Climate, a technical soil quality and sustainability conference sponsored by the Montana Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), will be held January 29-30 at the Depot in Billings. An agenda and registration form is available at the Montana SWCS website at http://www.mtswcs.org. The conference will also include a poster session. The poster submission deadline is December 31, 2008. |
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Potential Opportunity for Conservation Dollars
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| The Montana Association of Conservation Districts is leading an effort to develop a spreadsheet of potential conservation district and watershed projects. These may then be put forward as “shovel ready” projects to be coordinated with any green component that might become part of the still-developing national economic stimulus package. The compiled list would be given to appropriate state entities and federal agencies, as well as Montana’s congressional delegates. Email Jim Tiberi at jtiberi@macdnet.org or Alan Rollo at arollo7@msn.com for more information and to receive the spreadsheet. The submission deadline is Friday, January 9. |
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| Liquid Assets to Air on MontanaPBS |
| The television documentary, Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, will air on Montana PBS Tuesday, January 20, beginning at 9 P.M. The 90-minute program was produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting (WPSU). A trailer can be viewed at http://www.liquidassets.psu.edu. The program highlights America’s aging water infrastructure systems – drinking water, wastewater and storm water – and explores how ten cities are trying to meet the challenges. |
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| Award-winning Movie, Flow, Coming to Bozeman |
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The Montana Water Center will lead a public discussion with Bozeman-area water experts following the showing of Flow, an award-winning documentary about the privatization of fresh water. The 84 minute film is part of this year’s Bozeman Film Festival. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday January 28, in the Crawford Theatre of the Emerson Cultural Center, 111 South Grand Avenue in Bozeman. For more information visit the Bozeman Film Festival website at http://www.bozemanfilmfestival.org. |
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| Public Comment Sought on Smith River Management Plan |
| Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks requests public comment on a draft recreation management plan and environmental assessment for Smith River State Park and river corridor. The draft management plan would update the current 12-year-old plan. It is partly based on the recommendations of the Smith River Citizens Advisory Committee that met 12 times over the past 16 months. The public can review and comment on the 129-page draft plan and EA through Jan. 30, 2009. The plan and EA are available online at http://fwp.mt.gov. Click "Smith River Plan." |
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| 2009 MRNRC Conference and BiOp Forum |
| The 2009 Missouri River Natural Resources Committee Conference and BiOp Forum will be March 25-27, 2009 in Billings, Montana. The conference theme, ‘Beyond the Bend’ is intended to stimulate broader thinking and action with regards to mitigation, recovery and restoration of the Missouri River. 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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| Storm Water Conference |
| The Montana DEQ is taking the lead on planning a state storm water 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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World Water Forum
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The 5th World Water Forum will be held March 16-22, 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey. The World Water Forum bills itself as “the world’s largest water event.” It’s aimed at putting water firmly on the international agenda. More information can be found at http://www.worldwaterforum5.org. |
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ArcGIS 9 for Fisheries and Wildlife Biology Applications Courses in 2009
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| ArcGIS 9 for Fisheries and Wildlife Biology Applications will be held at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 2009. Three day short courses are scheduled for March 24-26, August 5-7 and August 19-21. For more information, visit http://nwetc.org/gis-501_03-09_olympia.htm. |
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| November Newsletter Correction: Project WET/Webfoot Workshop |
| The date initially announced for the Project WET/Webfoot workshop in our November newsletter was incorrect. The 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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| Montana Water Center Calendar |
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The 2009 Montana Water calendar is scheduled to be mailed out a few days before Christmas. If you haven’t received a calendar by the New Year and you’d like one, email nancy.hystad@montana.edu to request a copy. |
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| National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center |
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The National Weather Service issues snow analyses and reports for the United States through its National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. When a region and a date are selected, a custom report is generated. To view the snow status of the intermountain West or another region, visit http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa. |
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| Montana Snow Graph |
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The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture also issues snow reports for Montana. The “Montana Snotel: Snow Water Equivalent Update Graph” updates each major river basin in Montana with snow water equivalent averages daily. For more information, go to http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/snowup-graph.pl?state=MT. Data from individual SNOTEL sites and other snow-measuring sites can also be accessed at this location. |
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| Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts |
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Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts by Jerome Delli Priscoli and Aaron T. Wolf investigates the dynamics of water conflict and conflict resolution, from the local to the international. This 352 page book, published by Cambridge University Press, is for water resource managers, as well as researchers and students in engineering, economics, geography, geology, and political science. Delli Priscoli is a senior advisor at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and has been a water policy advisor to the World Bank and United Nations. Aaron Wolf is a geography professor at Oregon State University. His work focuses on the interaction between water science and water policy, particularly as related to conflict prevention and resolution. More information is available at http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521632164. |
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| Montana Water Policy Report Available |
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The 2007-2008 Water Policy Interim Committee's final report, "Water -- Montana's Treasure," is now available electronically from the Montana Legislature website at http://leg.mt.gov. Click on the Publications link; then on the Environmental Reports link. For those interested in a paper copy, call the Legislative Environmental Policy Office at 444-3742. |
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| Encyclopedia of Earth |
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The Encyclopedia of Earth is an electronic resource for all things earth-oriented. The encyclopedia also offers a water section, alphabetically listing all words and explanations associated with water. Visit the water encyclopedia at http://www.eoearth.org/by/topic/water. |
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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. |
 MWCC Quarterly Meeting, Helena, January 20, 2009 [INFO] |
| FLOW Documentary: Bozeman Film Festival, January 28, 2009 [INFO] |
| Resilient Systems in a Changing Climate, January 29-30, 2009 [INFO] |
| River Restoration Northwest, Stevenson, WA, February 2-5, 2009 [INFO] |
2009 West Regional Technical Seminar: Conduits, Valves, & Gates, Phoenix, AZ, February 3-5, 2009 [INFO] |
| Whirling Disease Symposium, Denver, CO, February 5-6, 2009 [INFO] |
| Human Health Risk Assessment Workshop, Kirkland, WA, February 12-13, 2009 [INFO] |
| ArcGIS 9 for Fisheries and Wildlife Biology Applications, Billings, March 24-26, 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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