Volume 25, No. 1 - WGWA Newsletter, First Quarter 2011

President's Message
I am writing to my fellow colleagues with an interest in water from a hotel room in southern Ohio, where I am working on a hydrogeological study. It is a rare opportunity for myself, a geologist by schooling who has worked in the environmental field for over 22 years, to work on a project that requires applications of geological and large-scale hydrogeological applications. I missed the blizzard of ’11 and the subsequent cold spell, although it has been plenty cold here for field work! My only other regret was watching the Packers win the Superbowl in a hotel room instead of with friends in Wisconsin, but the win was worth the sacrifice.

Water is becoming a hot topic in the news, particularly in Wisconsin. This newsletter features many articles related to sustainability, a hot topic in business today. The Great Lakes Compact is of great interest to Wisconsin and nearby states. Our association has explored local issues including the Lake Delton catastrophe, to the potential drinking water shortage due in part to an exploding world population. There is no doubt that water will continue to be an important topic from local to worldwide issues. Your Wisconsin Groundwater Association will continue to provide a forum for new and topical water-related issues.

Toward that end, please consider attending our annual meeting, schedule for April 8 at the Brookfield Mariott hotel. Out annual conference has been well-attended with terrific speakers and presentations, and we expect another topical conference this year. It is not too late to submit an abstract for presentation or poster. Remember, we particularly are interested in student presentations. We are always looking for our members to become more active in the Association. We are currently interested in expanding our social networking capabilities, and internet savvy. If any of our members are interested in assisting with our growth in these areas, please reach out and contact us. We will continue our bi-monthly luncheon lecture series in late May or June. If you have a timely water-related topic (technical, legal, or policy), please contact us to discuss presenting to our Association. Wishing you all a prosperous and educational year,

Jim Bannantine, WGWA President

The passing of the water buffalos
 by John Jansen, P.G., Ph.D. Cardno ENTRIX
 When I was asked to prepare an article for the WGWA Newsletter, Lee gave me free rein to select a topic I thought might be of interest to the membership. Such freedom was very generous, but also a little daunting given my proclivity at letting my inner geek run wild. After a little reflection, I decided to discuss something that is not really technical but has been on my mind for the last few years. Please indulge me to delve into something that provides no new information and will not be a great revelation to anyone in the groundwater field. In my defense I think it is sometimes a worthy exercise to note the slow changes in our environment as they occur around us, lest we become like that proverbial frog in a kettle that doesn’t notice the slowly warming water until it is too late. With your indulgence, I would like to talk about water buffalos.
READ MORE

Sustaining Wisconsin’s water
 by Shalli Pfeifer
Wisconsin is a water rich state with 15,000 lakes, 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, 1,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 1.2 quadrillion gallons of groundwater, 5.3 million acres of wetlands and almost 11,000 springs. Yet these water resources are not evenly distributed across the state and the need for water does not always match up with water availability. The DNR’s new water use program – part of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau - is focused on achieving the state’s goal for sustainable water use. This program was created in 2008 as a home for water use management and to address water quantity issues in the DNR. The program’s responsibilities include implementation of the Great Lakes Compact and the 2004 Groundwater Quantity Law.
READ MORE

Water, water everywhere focus of new sustainability project
 by Jill Sakai


An interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is turning a comprehensive lens on Madison's water in all its forms — in the lakes, streets, faucets, ground and atmosphere — thanks to the National Science Foundation.
READ MORE

The Life Cycle of Groundwater Data: From Field to Lab to Electronic Data Deliverable to Report Webinar (#834)
February 16, 2011 · 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT)
Presented by Peter de Haven, PE, and Jamey Rosen, PG, Geosyntec Consultants
This Webinar addresses methods for tracking groundwater data in electronic data deliverables and relational databases, key concepts in data management, examples of database verification, submitting electronic data to regulatory agencies, geographical information systems, and other methods of data analysis and visualization.
Who should attend? Groundwater professionals from government agencies and consulting firms, and hydrogeology and civil engineering students. Interaction by participants is encouraged.
TO REGISTER CLICK HERE

Atlanta: Tapped Out
The Chattahoochee River is the most heavily used water resource in Georgia, serving 3.5 million people and 70 percent of metro Atlanta. The largest and fastest growing metro area in the Southeast, Atlanta is expected to grow by at least one million in the next decade. Yet the source of its water supply, the Chattahoochee (Creek Indian for “painted rock”), is the smallest to serve any metropolitan area in the country.

For the people of the community, the river’s uses are many: It’s used for drinking water, wastewater assimilation, agriculture, power generation, recreation, and navigation. The river is also noteworthy for its biological diversity – it’s home to the largest number of fish species among Gulf Coast drainages east of the Mississippi River. So balancing human and ecosystem needs for water of sufficient quantity and quality is vital.

From the north Georgia mountains to the Florida border, the Chattahoochee River is impacted by unplanned development and runoff from storms, industries, construction, and sewage treatment plants. Withdrawals from the river by municipalities and industries also affect its health through loss of water that is not returned to the river. While significant improvements have been made in the river, much remains to be accomplished.

(Reprinted from National Geographic, January 2011, Vol 219, No 1, p. 21)

In Memorium of Ed Huntoon
 Ed Huntoon, a leader in Wisconsin groundwater, passed away on Thursday, February 3rd. For many years Ed led that other groundwater organization (the Wisconsin Water Well Association) and made sure their newsletter was full of useful information. He will be missed by many, many people in the water industry. Ed's daughter and others here give us more details. Lori Huntoon (WGWA Board Member) writes, "As you already have heard, Dad passed away on Thursday night, peacefully and strong. He will be deeply missed by so many, but we were blessed to have him with us for as long as we did. He had a stroke in September and we were fortunate enough to have the last few months to tell him how important he was to us and how much we loved him, and to hug him as much as possible (not to mention sharing a few brandy old fashioneds with him in the nursing home!)." Dennis Lawton (former WGWA President) adds, "I first met Ed at his daughter Lori’s wedding in the late 1980s. I continued to see Ed at WGWA activities, for which he was always a staunch supporter. The thing that struck me most about Ed during the time I knew him was that, although he was a businessman, his true focus always seemed to be on providing a safe drinking water supply to sustain and better the health of people around the world. He seemed to really love ground water, the science of ground water, and the technical aspects of delivering a safe water supply – and he was always willing to share is knowledge and passion with others."

Call for Papers
 Wisconsin Ground Water Association
Annual Meeting Friday April 8, 2011
Marriott Milwaukee West Hotel1
Waukesha, Wisconsin

Abstracts requested by February 25, 2011!

The Wisconsin Ground Water Association (WGWA) is soliciting abstracts for papers and posters to be presented at our annual WGWA meeting! Oral and poster sessions are intended to address both surface water and groundwater issues in Wisconsin. Suggested topics include:

  • Water Supply Issues
  • Water Quality Issues
  • Watershed Management
  • Reports of Ongoing Research
  • Other topics of interest
We are particularly interested in having a good representation of both undergraduate and graduate student presentations, and will be offering cash rewards for the best student presentations and posters!

Submit your abstract to WGWA President Jim Bannantine by February 25, 2011.

email: jbannantine@geosyntec.com
address: Geosyntec Consultants
W67 N222 Evergreen Boulevard, Suite 113
Cedarburg, Wisconsin 53012
1 www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mkemw-milwaukee-marriott-west/

WGWA Treasurer/Membership Chair Opening
 The Treasurer’s position currently held by Becky Caudill will become vacant on January 1, 2012. Interested applicants should contact either the President or President-Elect before December 1, 2011. These phone numbers currently are restricted to 414.339.5630 for the President. A brief description of the position follows. Splitting the duties between two people, one Membership and one Treasurer is a possibility if preferred. The Treasurer currently takes on the dual role of Treasurer and Membership Chair. The Treasurer is responsible for monetary receipts, disbursements, and investments. This involves tracking registrations for events and paying related bills. Responsibilities as Membership Chair include recruiting new members, collecting membership dues, and reporting on these matters at each Board meeting and in each newsletter.

WGWA President Elect Opening
 As last year’s President Elect has now moved into the President position, the WGWA is immediately seeking candidates for the 2011 President Elect. This important position will be groomed for leadership of the Wisconsin groundwater community and must already possess significant dedication to the WGWA organization. Depending on the number of viable candidates, there may be a runoff election held in the Spring. The President Elect is responsible for planning of WGWA events, which include an annual conference (Spring) and field trip (Fall).

WGWA Secretary Opening
 The Secretary position currently held by Andrew Solberg will transition to a newly selected Secretary candidate as soon in 2011 as the President deems that a viable candidate has been found. The Secretary is to attend each scheduled Board meeting either in person or via phone connection and take the minutes of the meeting for eventual publication.

WGWA At-Large Board Member Opening
An At-Large Board Member position is being sought to replace a member who has found it difficult to participate in meetings. The number of new At-Large Board Member positions to be appointed is at the discretion of the President with approval of the Board. At-Large Board members are voluntary participants in Board meetings (approximately quarterly) and are usually assigned Committee work on current WGWA issues.

PLEASE NOTE: The candidates selected in each of the above openings are expected to be in attendance at the primary WGWA events (conference and field trip) annually.

Treasurer's Report

Board Meeting Notes

Interesting Articles and Other Tidbits on the Web

NGWA issues excerpted from Washington Update, Vol 2,
No 1

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued a revision to NR 140, Water Quality Standards. 15 new compounds have been added to the list, and revisions have been made to 15 existing compounds.” CLICK HERE for the updated standard.

Thunderstorms produce antimatter, scientists find
 Courtesy of NASA and World Science staff
We study water in it's many terrestrial forms. Would it surprise you to know that in its atmospheric form it has the power to create antimatter? The study of this phenomena has just begun and you can read about it in the following article.
READ MORE

JAPANESE researchers will launch a project to resurrect the long-extinct mammoth by using cloning technology to bring the ancient pachyderm back to life in about five years.
READ MORE

Can We Right the Water Imbalance?
 The Nature Conservancy tries to explain the vicissitudes of Global Warming and the seeming increase in floods in the link below.
READ MORE

Conferences, Meetings, and Courses (March thru October)

Mar. 3-4: Wisconsin’s Role in Great Lakes Restoration: 2011 AWRA Annual Meeting, Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, Appleton, WI. Visit website: http://state.awra.org/wisconsin

Mar. 6-12: National Ground “Water Awareness Week: For more ideas to take a groundwater pledge and get ideas on how to celebrate, go to: www.ngwa.org; or visit www.wellowner.org or www.groundwater.org

Mar. 9-11: Green Energy Summit: New and returning exhibitors and sponsors now being accepted. Visit web site at www.greenenergysummit.us to register on line, get further information or contact Bill Quirmbach, 2011 GES Exhibits Co-Chair, bquirmbach@wi.rr.com; ph: 414-943-2455.

Mar. 14-15: NGWA Fundamentals of Groundwater Geochemistry (#235) San Jose, California An important step in completing a successful site assessment or remediation project is understanding the geochemical aspects of the work. Learn More

Mar. 20-22, 2011: 74th Annual MN State Science & Engineering Fair. Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. Sponsored by Seagate, 3M, Ecolab, Medtronic, Pentair and General Mills.

Mar. 24-25: Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring Symposium: Lussier Family Heritage Center, Madison. Volunteer stream monitors addressing this year’s topic, “Assessing Agricultural Impacts in Your Watershed”. Present data you have collected. Network with other volunteer groups; attend training. More information to follow later this fall.

Apr. 7-9: Midwest Environmental Education Conference: Environmental education: Naturally healthy, Rochester, MN. Info.: http://minnesotaee.org/MEEC.

Apr. 9: Forest Soils & Geology: Leopold Center, Baraboo, 9:00am-4:00pm. Seminar will provide basic understanding of Wisconsin’s glacial and geologic footprint that has shaped and influenced the state’s diverse soil composition and forest types. Cost: $45 ($40 members). Class limit: 25. to register Click Here

Apr. 9: Forest Soils & Geology: Leopold Center, Baraboo, 9:00am-4:00pm. Seminar will provide basic understanding of Wisconsin’s glacial and geologic footprint that has shaped and influenced the state’s diverse soil composition and forest types. Cost: $45 ($40 members). Class limit: 25.

Apr. 11: NGWA Performance, Design, and Specs of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems for Schools and Commercial Buildings (#5142) Chicago, Illinois. This course explores geothermal heat pump system technology as a viable, sustainable option for school and commercial building heating and cooling. Learn More

Apr. 11-13: NGWA Borehole Geophysical Logging for Water Resources/Water Supply Applications (#514) Dallas, Texas. This course will provide the basic applications of borehole geophysics for designing and completing water production wells. The course will provide basic principles of log quality control and the main work products they should receive from a logging program and contractor (logging company). Learn More

Apr. 13: FET Consultant's Day, Plaza Hotel & Suites, Eau Claire, WI, go to www.fetinc.org to register online

Apr. 20: FET Environmental Regulatory Update, Midway Hotel Brookfield, Brookfield, WI, go to www.fetinc.org to register online

Apr. 28-29: NGWA Estimating Times of Remediation Associated with MNA and Contaminant Source Removal (#157) Charlotte, North Carolina. This course will present a decision-making framework and methodology for assessing MNA and estimating timeframes required for natural attenuation processes to lower contaminant concentrations and mass to predetermined regulatory goals. Learn more.

May 3: FET Water/ Wastewater Issues Update, Liberty Hall, Kimberly, WI, go to www.fetinc.org to register online

May 5: FET Environmental Regulatory Update,Comfort Inn & Suites/Northstar Conference Ctr, DeForest, WI, go to www.fetinc.org to register online

Oct. 9-12: 2011 GSA Annual Meeting in Minneapolis at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Geological Society of America. "Archean to Anthropocene - the Past is the Key to the Future"