Webinar(s) Anyone?

Webinar: 11/21/11 noon - 1pm - The Triple Divide Watershed Coalition - Public Water Supplies Teaming to Protect Water ResourcesA 60 minute webinar discussing the new Triple Divide Watershed Coalition based in Potter County PA and how it is working to team public water supplies for better water resource protection.
This new Potter County coalition has received support from a 2011 WREN Grant ($8,000 Source Water Protection Education Grant), to develop a county-wide coalition with participation of all nine Public Water Suppliers that will educate citizens and school children about ways to protect drinking water source areas from pollution and address the increasing level of gas well drilling in the county.
The coalition created a Source Water Environmental Education Team (SWEET) that will design and distribute educational materials, conduct training using visual models, and perform pre-drill water test documentation. The activities of the grant will have a regional impact supporting suppliers located in Cameron, Elk, and McKean counties.
Presenter: Jim Clark, Penn State Extension, McKean County Pre-registration is required for those who do not have a Friends of Penn State user account. Registration information available at: http://extension.psu.edu/water/webinar-series/schedule/registration

Water and Emergency Management Agency Coordination - A Vital Component of a Successful Response
Please join the WaterISAC and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time for a webcast to learn how a water utility can connect and coordinate with its local emergency management agency (EMA).  The webcast will highlight how water utilities and EMAs can work together, outline why this coordination is mutually beneficial, and provide examples of successful collaboration in Georgia and Pennsylvania.  U.S. EPA's John Whitler will describe a new publication on utility and EMA coordination and provide background information on the utility and EMA relationship. Next, Sandy Smith, from Gwinnet County EMA, will describe how Gwinnet County Department of Water Resources and the Georgia Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network took steps to integrate their response operations with local and state emergency response agencies. Then, John Matz, from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, will describe the importance of water-emergency management connection, what his county is doing to promote this relationship, and the lessons they have learned from their experience.  Remember, better preparedness and coordination between a utility and its emergency management agency leads to a better response.  Attendance is free and open to anyone in the water sector and emergency response communities. Register today - go to www.WaterISAC.org/signup<http://www.WaterISAC.org/signup>

11/15 Meeting Follow-Up

At the 11/15 advisory committee meeting, participants were welcomed by the committee chair.  The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) provided a status update on the development of the Critical Area Resource Plan.  The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) described the decision-making process for diversion permits.  Two handouts were provided to attendees by SRBC.  The first outlines the SRBC diversion policy.  The second describes the specific considerations regarding the GMA-York water interconnection.  A discussion followed about the implications of the interconnection for the Critical Water Planning Area and the county as a whole.  Meeting minutes are available here.

Reminder: meeting next Tuesday (11/15)

A meeting will be held next Tuesday, 11/15, from 1:30-3:00pm at the Emergency Services Building (230 Greenamyer Lane, Gettysburg, PA, 17325) to discuss the SRBC's decision-making process regarding the potential York Water - GMA interconnection and the implications for the Critical Water Planning Area.  The meeting agenda can be found on the 10/24 blog post titled "Final Dates - Two Upcoming Events".

Hope to see you there!

Put Your Thinking Caps On

A brainstorm list of management recommendations is currently being developed.  So now's the time to put your thinking caps on!  Please submit your ideas for what you or your organization could do to reduce water use, enhance water availability, or otherwise more proactively manage the water resources.  Also, what are practical ways that the Marsh and Rock creek community as a whole could more proactively manage the water resources?  All ideas are welcome!  Please submit recommendations either during or before the January 11th meeting, email marshrockpa@gmail.com; call 301.274.8116; or mail to ICPRB at 51 Monroe St., Suite PE-08, Rockville, MD, 20850.  The meeting will be held from 1-3pm on January 11 at the Ag Center in Gettysburg.

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com.

To get those creative juices flowing, here's a list of some general ideas that have been mentioned at past advisory committee meetings.  

• Continuation of streamflow and groundwater monitoring
• Installation of USGS streamflow gage(s)
• Development of a common methodology for municipalities to determine sustainable groundwater yields
• Creation of a well drilling ordinance
• Development of water storage alternatives including a reservoir and/or agricultural ponds
• Stormwater management
• Education and outreach on stormwater issues
• Local drought preparedness
• Importation of water from neighboring watersheds
• Use of the AWWA water audit program for public water suppliers