March 2006

2007 EWRI World Environmental & Water Resources Congress - Restoring our Natural Habitat - Call for Papers to be released in April 2006!

The 2007 Congress will focus on Habitat Restoration with a dozen technical tracks covering issues from coast to coast and around the globe!

The Sustainable Development track of the upcoming EWRI Conference in May 2006 will offer presenters and attendees the opportunity to engage in small group discussions after the paper presentations. Also, don't miss our Kick-Off Session where we have invited leaders from ASCE, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and developers of cutting edge projects to share their vision and invite discussion. Join us to actively engage and help set the research and practice agenda for sustainable water pollution engineering in the near future.

Open House and Funding Brochure on Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

State and federal agencies held an Open House in Baton Rouge on February 13, for owners and operators of drinking water and wastewater facilities that were affected by the recent hurricanes. The Open House focused on how to obtain federal and state funding and technical assistance for rebuilding efforts. It was sponsored by the Louisiana Recovery Authority and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, in conjunction with EPA Region 6 and eight other federal agencies, and was attended by more than 125 drinking water and wastewater stakeholders from the affected Parishes.

At the Open House, a new brochure was distributed on "Federal Funding for Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Louisiana", prepared by EPA in cooperation with other agencies. The brochure describes application procedures and eligible uses for all relevant funding programs. A similar brochure has been prepared by EPA for the six southern counties of Mississippi.

EPA's Watershed Academy to Sponsor Webcast on Sustainable Financing for Watershed Groups

EPA sponsors monthly Webcasts to offer free training and information for watershed practitioners from around the globe. These two-hour audio Web broadcasts build local capacity and support the watershed pillar of EPA's Sustainable Water Infrastructure Initiative by helping watershed organizations, agencies, municipalities, and private industry create more sustainable communities using a coordinated watershed approach.

The next Webcast is slated for Wed., March 22, 2006. Wendy Wilson and Pat Munoz from River Network will explore the keys to effective fundraising, including organization essentials and top fundraising strategies and plans. Registration is available on a first-come/first-served basis and will open approximately one week before the seminar. Each Webcast includes a Web-based slide presentation with a companion audio portion that can be accessed either by phone or by streaming audio broadcast. For more information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.

On February 15, 2006, the Academy hosted a Webcast on the Plan2Fund Watershed Tool. The Webcast attracted more than 226 participants from 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Audio versions of this and past Webcasts are available at: http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. The presentation can also be downloaded to an IPOD or MP3 player. For more information about the Plan2Fund Watershed Tool, visit: http://sspa.boisestate.edu/efc/Tools_Services/Plan2Fund/plan2fund.htm.

On February 21, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in 2 wetlands cases (Rapanos, Carabell) and a dam/water quality certification case (S.D. Warren). The Administration, represented by the Solicitor General, argued strongly for maintaining EPA's current regulatory and non-regulatory tools to protect wetlands, tributary streams, and watersheds.

Did you know that water-efficient clothes washers use about one-third to one-half the amount of water of older models? Water-efficient models use up to about 25 gallons per cycle, while some inefficient models use over 40 gallons per cycle. The most water-efficient models can use as little as 12 gallons per cycle.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Requests for (Task) Committee Meetings at 2006 Omaha Congress Due March 17, 2006

In early February 2006, EWRI distributed an email followed by a traditional mailing, to all (Task) Committee Chairs announcing the opportunity for (task) committees to meet during the Congress. All 2006 Congress committee meeting request information can be found at http://www.ewrinstitute.org/inside/meetinginfo2006.cfm.

Due to the large number of (task) committees expected to meet, EWRI highly stress the importance of submitting (task) committee meeting requests ASAP so that time slots and rooms may be assigned and authorizations granted in a timely manner. (Task) Committee Meeting Request forms must be received no later than Friday, March 17, 2006.

Requests received after the March 17th deadline will be considered on a space-available basis (No Exceptions). If your (task) committees are planning to meet, please encourage the Chair to submit their request ASAP. If you have any questions, please contact Wayne Davis at (703)295-6034 or by email at wdavis@asce.org. The fax number for the EWRI is (703)295-6371.

Additionally, if your contact information has changed please notify Wayne Davis immediately at (703)295-6034 or by email at wdavis@asce.org with any updated contact information.

Ordering Information: Visit http://www.pubs.asce.org or call 1-800-548-2723 (U.S.) / 1-703-295-6300 (Int’l.) / 1-703-295-6278 (Fax)

Guidelines for Cloud Seeding to Augment Precipitation, Second Edition (ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 81)

Guidelines for Cloud Seeding to Augment Precipitation, Second Edition, provides practical details of what is involved in using the cloud seeding technology. This Manual of Practice incorporates pertinent background on the science and practice of weather modification by cloud seeding to augment precipitation. The sections of this manual include the societal, environmental, and economic aspects of precipitation enhancement by cloud seeding, legal aspects associated with weather modification operations, scientific basis, cloud seeding modes, and instrumentation and status of precipitation enhancement technology. Also included is an executive summary, which deals with the complex issues that arise with the development and application of the cloud seeding technology. It is intended to provide water resources managers and others with the information and references needed for decision making regarding the use of cloud seeding to augment available water supplies.

Sharing Water in Times of Scarcity: Guidelines and Procedures in the Development of Effective Agreements to Share Water Across Political Boundaries

When two or more independent governments share a common water resource, the timing and magnitude of the respective individual uses can be continual sources of conflict. Water scarcity is evident throughout much of the western United States and consequently water sharing between the states is expanding in scope. The growing use of shared water resources is often a major source of legal and political conflict. The problem is magnified in the international area. In 1995, ASCE initiated the Shared Use of Transboundary Water Resources (SUTWR) Project, whose purpose was to review existing transboundary water sharing agreements and develop guidelines and procedures for the development of agreements that would limit potential conflict while providing an appropriate balance between efficient use of the water resource for economic purposes, public health, and ecological protection. Part I of the Task Committee Report, Model Water Sharing Agreements for the Twenty-First Century, provided three separate model agreements focusing on the allocation and use of shared waters and on resolving conflicts in such waters. This book, Part II of the Task Committee Report, provides narrative guidelines and procedures for the initial formulation stage of the water sharing process. It forms a bridge between the theory and practice of effective shared water management, and provides a process that all states and/or nations can use when creating or modifying a transboundary water sharing agreement. Topics Include: Foundation of Effective Water Sharing; Water Sharing across Political Boundaries; Resource Assessments; Administration of Agreements; and Water Allocation Strategies.

This task committee report explores the features and trends in state water planning since 1986. Historically, the federal government was the planner for large-scale water resource development. Now the states are the major players in this process. This shift is a result of several events, such as: devolution of federal water programs, emergence of a sustained focus on environmental protection and restoration, elimination of funding for the Water Resources Planning Act of 1965, and changes in federal cost sharing policies. Contemporary state water plans continue to have ties with the past, but they also reflect changing social preferences and strong support for environmental protection and restoration. These water plans incorporate a wide range of water quantity and quality components, such as source water assessment and total maximum daily loads. Also, there has been a rekindling of the “watershed focus”, an emergence of sustainable development as a planning goal, and the introduction of new techniques such as adaptive management and shared vision modeling. This report compiles the critical water resources planning actions and strategies for all 50 states, and will be of interest to state and federal water planners and water resource agencies.

The organizing committees for the upcoming conference is currently seeking abstract submissions.

7th International Conference on HydroScience & Engineering*
September 10-13, 2006, Philadelphia, PA

Advanced Detention Routing: Improving the Operation and Effectiveness of Detention Facilities - New Seminar!

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Guidelines for Cloud Seeding to Augment Precipitation, Second Edition (ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 81)