Bulletin board
Rivanna River Basin Commission: Student Internship Positions Available
Posted 11/12/09.
Stormwater Tools for Localities: Research incentive based approaches to encouraging "advanced" stormwater management (from comp plan/ordinance changes to fee structures) in support of a grant to the Commission from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. Prepare report and present to the RRBC (2010 spring, summer, and/or fall)
Rainwater Harvesting: Working the System (graduate level internship) The Commonwealth of Virginia (Virginia Department of Health) is presently developing guidelines that will enable localities to more readily approve rainwater harvesting systems for use in public and private spaces. The guidelines are being developed with input from other state agencies (DEQ, DCR, and DHCD). The internship will include joining meetings with multiple state agencies and local stakeholders, reviewing state rainwater harvesting codes, providing technical review and recommendations to RRBC staff and committees, and helping coordinate a regional and/or statewide meeting. (Spring 2010)
Rivanna River Corridor Plan: Preliminary Steps Conduct background research into river corridor planning. Interview planning staff of Rivanna localities. Research funding opportunities. Assist in writing grant proposals. Present to the Commission and other public bodies and their staff members. (Spring 2010 and beyond.)
Rivanna River Basin Commission/Technical Advisory Committee: Support the work of the Commission's Technical Advisory Committee, quarterly meetings and ad-hoc meetings of four subcommittees in between (Watershed Modeling, Rainwater Harvesting, Monitoring, and Workshops). This internship involves working with the RRBC staff to support the work of the Commission's Technical Advisory Committee and will range from meeting logistics, researching technical and policy issues to follow-up from meetings, taking subcommittee meeting notes, etc. (under-graduate or graduate level, ongoing)
Rivanna River Resources: What's Missing? Web and Graphic Resources for Understanding our Watershed. Review websites of similar organizations (Rivanna-based, other state or regional river commissions, etc.). Working with multiple existing resources bases and compilations, obtain documents and/or links to documents available online that will enhance the "Rivanna Resources" portion of the Commission's website. Work with RRBC Webmaster to modify RRBC website with additional materials selected. (under-graduate or graduate level, ongoing)
Rivanna River Basin Commission: Building an Inter-jurisdictional Body for Watershed Protection Meeting planning and support for the Commission itself, which meeting quarterly in 2010 (provide dates and times).(Suitable for under-graduates, with discrete dates and time periods. Good for satisfying community service requirements. Ongoing.)
For more information, contact Leslie Middleton, Executive Director, at 434-975-0224 between 8:00 am to 4:30 pm weekdays or email lmiddleton@embarqmail.com
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DEQ Citizen Monitoring Grant Schedule for FY 2010
Posted 6/9/09.
On June 8, 2009, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced the following schedule for Fiscal Year 2010 grants under its Citizen Monitoring Grant program:
6/29/09: Request for FY 2010 Grant Proposals released;
8/31/09: Deadline for submitting proposals to DEQ for review;
10/30/09: Grants announced and contracts mailed to awardees;
11/30/09: Signed contracts due to DEQ to begin award payment process;
1/1/10-12/31/10: FY 2010 grant project term;
2/1/10: Draft Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) submitted to DEQ (if applicable);
12/31/10: Final QAPP submitted to DEQ (if applicable);
2/28/11: Final reports due.
For more information on this program, contact Stuart Torbeck, DEQ Water Quality Data Liaison, at (804) 698-4461 or cstorbeck@deq.virginia.gov.
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State Corporation Commission Request for Comments on Energy Conservation
Posted 5/4/09; text from SCC News Release of 5/1/09, online at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/newsrel/e_dsm_09.aspx.
RICHMOND — The State Corporation Commission (SCC) invites persons and organizations interested in energy conservation to submit comments on determining practical conservation and demand response targets for the state’s three generating electric utilities.
In the 2009 session of the Virginia General Assembly, the SCC was directed to conduct a proceeding to determine achievable, cost-effective energy conservation and demand response targets that can realistically be accomplished in the Commonwealth through demand-side management portfolios administered by Dominion Virginia Power, Appalachian Power, and Kentucky Utilities.
The Commission will examine the range of consumption and peak load reductions that each utility can potentially achieve, the range of costs that consumers would pay to achieve those reductions, and the range of financial benefits or savings that could be realized if the targets were met over a 15-year period. The SCC also will determine a just and reasonable ratemaking methodology to be employed to quantify the cost responsibility of residential, commercial, and industrial customers to pay for utility-administered demand-side management programs.
Written comments on the issue must be submitted by July 31, 2009. All correspondence should be sent to the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission, Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, VA 23218, and refer to case number PUE-2009-00023.
Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so at the SCC’s website:http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Click on the PUBLIC COMMENTS/NOTICES link and then the SUBMIT COMMENTS button for case number PUE-2009-00023.
The SCC will convene a public hearing to receive evidence from interested parties and SCC staff at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. It will be held in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, in downtown Richmond. The SCC intends to webcast the audio portion of the hearing via the Internet. Instructions can be found on the SCC website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The SCC will submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by November 15, 2009.
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Summary of 4th National Water Policy Dialogue
Posted 1/07/09
In September 2008 the American Water Resources Association (AWRA), the Environment and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers (EWRI/ASCE), and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) brought together water resource experts from the public and private sector, congressional staff, and federal agencies to review the results of three National Water Policy Dialogues conducted by AWRA in 2002, 2005, and 2007 at the request of 10 federal water resource agencies. The purpose of the September Dialogue was to identify the challenges that would be faced by the incoming Administration and the 111th Congress when they took office in 2009.
Included here is the summary of the September Water Policy Dialogue and a copy of the letter sent to the President, all governors, and key leaders in Congress following the 2007 National Water Policy Dialogue. Cick to download the summary in PDF format.
If you have questions concerning the September dialogue or the previous dialogues, please feel free to contact
Dr. Gerry Galloway (gegallo@umd.edu , 571-334-2103)
Mr. Richard Engberg (dick@awra.or, (540) 687-8390)
Mr. Brian Parsons (BParsons@ASCE.org, (703)-295-6071)
Mr. David Conrad
(conrad@nwf.org ; (202) 797-6697).
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Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force Updates
Most recent update (posted 5/29/09)
May 29, 2009: Some fish illnesses and deaths observed in rivers, Virginia reports
(text taken from http://www.deq.virginia.gov/info/newsreleases.html?show=653, 5/29/09)
RICHMOND, VA. -- Scattered reports of dead fish in Virginia's western rivers have been received since mid-May this year, and in some areas anglers and fish biologists are finding significant numbers of fish with lesions, according to the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Reports of dead fish and fish with lesions, similar to what has occurred in past years, have come in to DEQ and DGIF from these rivers:
• North Fork of the Shenandoah River in Shenandoah County (from the New Market area downstream to beyond Woodstock).
• Upper portions of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in Rockingham County (mainly upstream of Elkton).
• Lower sections of the North, Middle and South rivers in Augusta and Rockingham counties.
• Upper James River near Buchanan in Botetourt County.
The number of reported fish kills has been small this year, as streams are just beginning to warm and waters have been high because of recent rains. As in other years, it is difficult to estimate the number of diseased or dead fish. In the affected rivers, the fish kills appear to be mild, with a few dead fish per mile in most areas. With the exception of the single report from the upper James River indicating a high percentage of fish with lesions, biologists generally have seen around 15 percent to 25 percent of fish with lesions.
Weekly observations and fish health evaluations are continuing this spring, and scientists are collecting water and fish samples from the Shenandoah and upper James rivers before, during, and after any disease or fish kill outbreaks.
Scientists recently have found a link between Aeromonas salmonicida – a bacterium found in the diseased river fish – and lesions and deaths of experimentally infected laboratory fish. A significant focus of current investigations is to determine the source of this bacterium and how it is transmitted, and to determine why certain fish appear to be more susceptible than others.
The kills are most severe among smallmouth bass and sunfish, but other types of fish also have been affected. Many of these fish develop skin lesions before dying. Other fish, though, have only fungal infections and many have died without any visible skin lesions. The fish kills have begun in the spring when water temperatures rise above the mid-50s and in past years have run from early April until mid-May.
The investigating agencies and the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force encourage the public to provide information on the location, number and type of fish found dead or sick in the Shenandoah and James river systems. Anyone with information is asked to call the DEQ regional office in Harrisonburg at (540) 574-7800, or toll-free in Virginia at 1-800-592-5482. Information also can be emailed to fishreports@deq.virginia.gov.
Previous Updates:
4/27/09: Virginia investigators prepare for possible fish kills
RICHMOND, VA. -- The Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries are directing ongoing scientific studies this year in preparation for potential fish kills. Spring 2009 investigations will focus on weekly observations, continued fish health evaluations and in-depth study of possible bacterial causes of the kills.
Since 2004, unexplained fish kills have occurred in the Shenandoah River basin. During 2007 and 2008 similar events took place in the upper James and Cowpasture rivers. No kills have been observed in these rivers in 2009, though April and May are the most likely time for occurrences.
The kills are most severe among smallmouth bass and sunfish, but other types of fish also have been affected. Many of these fish develop skin lesions before dying. Other fish, though, have only fungal infections and many have died without any visible skin lesions. The fish kills have begun in the spring when water temperatures rise above the mid-50s and generally have run from early April until mid-May.
A detailed summary of findings through the 2008 fish kill season is available on the DEQ website at www.deq.virginia.gov. Fish health studies indicate that fish in the affected rivers are subjected to multiple stresses and reveal significant damage to the skin, gills and internal organs. The fish being studied also contain a large number of parasites, but scientists have not been able to connect this condition directly to impairment or fish kills. Biological pathogens, or fish diseases, have received more attention in the past two years and suggest a strong relationship between certain fish bacteria and the springtime fish kills.
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's National Fish Health Lab in Leestown, W. Va., recently have found a link between Aeromonas salmonicida – a bacterium found in the diseased river fish – and lesions and deaths of experimentally infected laboratory fish.
A significant focus of current investigations is to determine the source of this bacterium and how it is transmitted, and to determine why certain fish appear to be more susceptible than others. Scientists will continue to collect water and fish samples this spring from the Shenandoah and upper James rivers before, during, and after any disease or fish kill outbreaks.
State agencies and their partners have led multiple investigations into these fish kills. In 2005, DEQ and DGIF formed the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force, which includes university and government scientists, environmental groups, fishing guides, other state agencies and volunteer monitors – all with a common goal of finding the cause of the kills. This group has helped identify, conduct and evaluate research into possible causes of the fish kills.
Studies by state and federal scientists and university researchers have centered on water chemistry, fish diseases, and general health of fish and other aquatic life. Water quality studies have not identified any specific chemicals at levels that would be expected to cause the fish kills.
Many of the contaminants found in the rivers have not been studied, and there is no information on the levels at which they could affect aquatic organisms. A second group at USGS is studying whether combinations of contaminants could increase their strength, or whether they cause problems with immune system function that could help explain the fishes’ susceptibility to diseases. Scientists also are trying to determine whether there is a correlation among contaminants that could cause the intersex condition that is prevalent among smallmouth bass and sunfish.
Researchers have credited the public with providing significant assistance in the investigation. Many of the outbreaks were reported by fishermen, landowners and other river users. Knowing the timing and location of these events allows scientists to concentrate on the areas where fish kills are active. This information also allows DEQ and DGIF to collect current information on locations and severity of fish kills, and to share this information with the public through periodic updates on the agency websites.
DEQ and DGIF ask the public to continue to report observations of diseased or dead fish. Key information includes types and numbers of fish, location, and any unusual circumstances. Digital photographs are particularly helpful. Anyone with information on dead or dying fish is encouraged to contact the DEQ regional office in Harrisonburg at (540) 574-7800 or toll-free in Virginia at 1-800-592-5482. Information and photos also can be emailed to DEQ at fishreports@deq.virginia.gov.
November 17, 2008
Following is a press release from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on the results of investigations in 2008 into fish kills in the Shenandoah and James river basins.
RICHMOND, VA. -- The Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force met November 17, 2008, to review the latest research on the causes of unexplained fish kills in several Virginia river systems since 2003. The meeting included presentations and discussions of findings during 2008. Though researchers have not identified a cause, they are evaluating several significant findings.
The work plan for 2009 will be developed with input from the task force’s science subcommittee and should be finalized by early January. The general focus of work for 2009 will be on disease-causing organisms, fish health and water quality.
As researchers continue to gather valuable information, task force members are considering several theories. This includes the possibility of multiple stressors on fish populations that make the cause of the kills more complex than a single contaminant, virus or bacteria.
The Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, co-chairs of the task force, set priorities earlier in 2008 for available funds and coordinated a number of investigations this year. For example, studies in 2008 included sampling before, during and after fish kills in the rivers experiencing those problems. The investigation also emphasized rivers where fish kills have not occurred, expanded lists of chemical analyses with a focus on storm flows, and fish health studies.
Here is a summary of the fish kill investigation findings to date:
Water quality and environmental conditions – DEQ monitored every two weeks from March through May at multiple sites in the Shenandoah, James and Cowpasture rivers, and several comparison streams, for metals. Dr. Dan Downey of James Madison University conducted a study on the South Fork Shenandoah River and a heavily farmed tributary, Cub Run, that evaluated physical and environmental conditions, metals, nutrients, organic chemical, and pesticides. This was done at frequent intervals before, during and after storm events between March and May 2008. The fish kills have occurred mostly during the spring months, starting when water temperatures reach about 59 degrees Fahrenheit in March and April, and ending when temperatures reach the mid- to upper 70s in mid-June. Fish kills appear to be connected to spawning periods for many of the fish species that have been affected. Water quality data from these studies and from extensive sampling during previous fish kill seasons have not identified any contaminants at levels that exceed water quality criteria or known levels of concern for toxic chemicals. This monitoring does not cover every possible water quality parameter, though it does include the most likely potential contaminants.
Analyses of "passive samplers" (imitation fish tissue) – Passive samplers were placed at multiple sites in the Shenandoah and Cowpasture rivers in spring 2007 by the Friends of the North Fork and DEQ. Additional samplers were deployed in spring 2008. These samplers imitate fish tissue and "accumulate" chemicals during a four- to six-week period and allow measurements of chemicals that are normally not detected in conventional water samples. A wide range of chemicals were detected and quantified, but no chemicals were found at levels equal to or above known water quality criteria at any sites.
Bottom-dwelling stream life – Dr. Reese Voshell of Virginia Tech led a multi-year study that evaluated invertebrate communities in the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah and a number of tributaries. Data analyses included comparisons with other large river systems, historical comparisons in the Shenandoah River, and indications whether areas with severe fish kills had corresponding harm to small creatures living on stream bottoms. None of the large river sites in the Shenandoah basin showed significant reduction in biological conditions. The health of small stream creatures showed no patterns that corresponded with areas of heavy fish kills. The data provided no evidence that toxic substances were present in amounts that would cause biological harm. In general, the presence of these creatures in the large river sections appears to be consistent with streams that have high levels of nutrients.
Fish health – Studies of fish health continued in 2008 by Dr. Vicki Blazer of the U.S. Geological Survey, and Dr. Don Orth of Virginia Tech and associates. Studies focused on fish kill areas in the Shenandoah, James and Cowpasture rivers and included comparison sites in the Rappahannock, New, North Fork Holston and other rivers. Fish were collected before, during and after fish kills. Specimens were examined externally and internally for lesions, general health and abnormalities of skin, gills and internal organs. In addition, parasites were identified and quantified, microscopic analysis was conducted on gills and internal organs, and blood chemistry was evaluated. As seen in previous years, male fish from the Shenandoah and Cowpasture rivers had a high incidence of immature female eggs in the testes, known as intersex. The studies suggest that a wide variety of parasites, bacteria and viruses caused infections in fish that died. It is not known whether fish kills and reproductive issues are linked.
Bacteria and viruses – In 2008, Dr. Rocco Cipriano of USGS conducted bacterial analyses on numerous specimens from fish kill and comparison sites before, during and after kills in the Shenandoah, James, Cowpasture and other rivers. Cultures were obtained from skin, gills and internal organs. The findings show that pre-kill fish had diverse types of bacteria, but no symptoms. Once the fish kills and symptoms such as skin lesions began, the dominant bacteria shifted to Aeromonas salmonicida. When fish kills ended in mid- to late June, the bacteria in fish from the rivers with fish kills returned to the diverse groups seen before the kills. Specimens examined from streams without fish kills did not appear to host Aeromonas salmonicida at any time, even when fish kills were occurring in other rivers. Aeromonas salmonicida causes furunculosis, a disease with symptoms consistent with those observed in dead and dying fish in the Shenandoah, Cowpasture and James rivers. However, the investigation has not determined whether the bacteria caused the fish kills or is related to them.
Fish kills mainly have affected smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish, though the incidence of fish deaths was relatively low in 2008. DEQ and DGIF continue to coordinate the investigation and efforts to obtain additional funding for future work.
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Virginia Governor's Commission on Climate Change Recommendations
(Posted 11/14/08)
On November 13, the Virginia Governor's Commission on Climate Change approved its final list of over 100 recommendations. The group will met on December 4 to approve its final report. The recommendations considered at the November 13 meeting, and other Commission materials, are available at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/info/climatechange.html.
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