In This Issue:

1. Symposium on Characterization & Remediation of Recalcitrant & Emerging Contaminants in June - Updated Announcement
2. 23rd Biennial Groundwater Conference & 10th Annual GRA Meeting - Announcement
3. Geostatistics Short Course - Description & Announcement
4. Legislative & Regulatory Updates - GRA Sponsors Spring Water Bill & EPA Voids Arsenic Limit
5. GRA Web Discussion Forum Started

CHARACTERIZATION & REMEDIATION OF RECALCITRANT & EMERGING CONTAMINANTS - JUNE 14-15 SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCEMENT

The Series on Groundwater Contaminants continues with this Symposium presented by GRA, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, and the Northern California Fuel Oxygenates Committee in cooperation with the Association of Engineering Geologists, International Association of Hydrogeologists, Water Education Foundation, Professional Environmental Marketing Association, Natural Resources Section of the State Bar, and the Association of California Water Agencies.

This conference will focus on the following areas:

• Case studies and comparisons of carefully analyzed successes and failures in local Bay Area.
• A detailed review of solvent stabilizers, including occurrence, treatability, case studies, toxicology, and in-situ techniques.
• A policy round table discussion on the issue of developing site cleanup strategies for emerging contaminants such as 1,4-Dioxane, Chromium VI, Perchlorate, and others in the absence of MCLs or other clear regulatory guidance.
• A focused session on advances in MtBE remediation, including exciting new developments for aerobic biodegradation and other technologies.
• A round table discussion that will feature highlights from the world of MtBE litigation, including a distinguished panel of attorneys and government representatives speaking candidly about the latest developments and implications of international, class action, and water purveyor lawsuits.
• A dynamic session on hydrostratigraphy, profiling excellence in site characterization, regional studies to improve the basin-wide perspective, and advances in geostatistical methods for anticipating contaminant migration.

Registration and Additional Information: Make your plans today to attend this two-day conference at the Wyndham Hotel in the heart of San Jose, the seat of Santa Clara County and capital of Silicon Valley. Attendance will be limited to 200, so register early!! Register online and read the complete announcement at http://www.grac.org/contaminants.html.

23rd BIENNIAL GROUNDWATER CONFERENCE & 10th ANNUAL GRA MEETING

Planning is underway for the 23rd Biennial Groundwater Conference, which will be held November 1-2 in Sacramento. The theme of the conference is "Managing California’s Groundwater: The Challenges of Quality and Quantity." For 46 years, this conference, first sponsored by the University of California and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), has been bringing to the attention of policy-makers the importance of the groundwater resource. Additional sponsors of the Conference are the Groundwater Resources Association of California, State Water Resources Control Board, Water Education Foundation and the US Geological Survey. Cooperating organizations include the International Association of Hydrogeologists. A preliminary announcement with additional information is available at http://www.grac.org/biennial.html.

GEOSTATISTICS FOR HYDROGEOLOGICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS - GRA SHORT COURSE PLANNED FOR AUGUST 2001

Instructor: Dr. Steven Carle of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Cooperating Agencies: International Association of Hydrogeologists and Association of Engineering Geologists
Location: Greater Bay Area

This two day course will aim to teach the fundamentals of geostatistics in the context of environmental and hydrogeological applications. Geostatistics offers practical approaches to addressing the impact of spatial variability of subsurface properties such as permeability, lithology, or concentrations.

Specific topics will include:

• Modeling spatial variability, with emphasis on understanding the meaning of parameters that prescribe variogram, covariance, and correlation models.
• Use of various forms of kriging and cokriging as mapping tools and estimates of uncertainty.
• Application of geostatistical simulation algorithms to stochastic simulation of continuous and categorical properties, particularly permeability and hydrofacies spatial distributions.

The course will mix theory and application by integrating working examples into the teaching of the geostatistical techniques and correct application of geostatistical methods. Check GRA's web site (http://www.grac.org/geostats.html) for more information on the course, including an expanded course description and outline.

LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY UPDATES

Assembly Bill 791 - The GRA Board has sponsored legislation that would require DHS to accept a California R.G.'s certification report regarding bottled spring water. AB 791 was introduced February 22, 2001 by Assembly Member Chavez. This bill would require that the Department of Health Services accept a certification report from a California registered geologist as presumptive evidence of compliance with the requirements of existing law. The report would be submitted as part of an application for a license for bottled water supporting the purported water type set forth on the product label. Click here for complete bill description (PDF File).

EPA Voids New Limits On Arsenic In Drinking Water, Associated Press Article By John Heilprin The EPA announced March 21, 2001 that it was withdrawing the new standards reducing allowable levels of arsenic in drinking water, pending a further review of the science and costs. It would have cut the acceptable level of arsenic in drinking water from 50 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion. Click here for complete article.

GRA WEB DISCUSSION FORUM IS UNDERWAY

Comments from members regarding the above and all other groundwater legislation issues are welcome and may be placed on our new discussion forum at http://www.grac.org/discus.

SUPPORT GRA FOR YEAR 2001 - MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ON-LINE

If you have yet to renew to for 2001, please do so at http://www.grac.org/support_GRA.html. Join GRA now and obtain the discounted membership registration rate for the upcoming Symposium on Recalcitrant and Emerging Contaminants in June. In addition, you will receive a FREE copy of the proceedings from the SCVWD October 1998 Workshop, "MtBE Investigation & Cleanup, the Challenge Continues." (Please note that this offer applies to new members only.)

FEEDBACK - CONTACT THE EDITOR

We hope that the news in this issue of HydroFlash is useful to you. Please watch for the next issue of HydroVisions in your mail box or view it online at http://www.grac.org/hydrovisions.html. To provide feedback or suggestions for future issues of HydroFlash, contact the editor Martin Steinpress. If you would like to discontinue your subscription to HydroFlash, click here.

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