In This Issue:

1. Symposium on Recalcitrant & Emerging Contaminants, Updated Agenda - June 14-15
2. Geostatistics for Hydrogeological & Environmental Applications Short Course - July 31 & August 1
3. Principles of Groundwater Flow and Transport Modeling Short Course - September 18-20
4. Symposium on Arsenic, Initial Announcement - Early October
5. 23rd Biennial Groundwater Conference & 10th Annual GRA Meeting - November 1-2
6. House Appropriations Subcommitte Restores USGS/NAQWA Funding
7. Legislative Updates
8. Groundwater Events Calendar is On-line

1. CHARACTERIZATION & REMEDIATION OF RECALCITRANT & EMERGING CONTAMINANTS - June 14-15

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 Symposium 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.

If you have not yet registered and would like to, please do so immediately by calling GRA Executive Director, Kathy Snelson at (916)446-3626.

• Updated Symposium Agenda - Contaminants_Agenda.pdf.
• Event to be held at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose, location details - HotelInfo.pdf.

2. SHORT COURSE ON "GEOSTATISTICS FOR HYDROGEOLOGICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS" - July 31 & August 1

This two-day course is being sponsored and organized by the California GRA with the Geology Department, San Jose State University and in cooperation with the International Association of Hydrogeologists and the Association of Engineering Geologists. This course aims to teach the fundamentals of geostatistics in the context of environmental and hydrogeological applications, will be held July 31 and August 1 at San Jose State University.

Geostatistics offers practical approaches to addressing the impact of spatial variability of subsurface properties such as permeability, lithology, or solute concentration. The instructor is Dr. Steven F. Carle of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. 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 - which form is best for specific applications.
• 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.

Theory will be presented with a goal of enhancing understanding of how to correctly apply geostatistical methods. Prior exposure to basic statistics and linear algebra is recommended, but not required. In advance of the course, students are encouraged to donate trial data sets to use as instructive example applications. (In submitting data sets for instructional use, please follow these formatting instructions) The instructor will demonstrate geostatistics applications with GSLIB (public domain software). This will not be a software training course, rather, the emphasis will be on acquiring working knowledge, conceptual understanding, and awareness of both the usefulness and limitations of geostatistical methods in environmental and hydrogeological applications.

For more information, or to register for this event, contact Donna Geyen at (916)446-3626 or check out the event web page at geostats.html.

3. SHORT COURSE ON "PRINCIPLES OF GROUNDWATER FLOW AND TRANSPORT MODELING" - September 18-20, 2001

This 3-day course, offered by the California GRA with the University of California Cooperative Extension/Groundwater Hydrology Program and the Geology Department of California State University, Sacramento and in cooperation with the International Association of Hydrogeologists, introduces the conceptual principles and practical aspects of groundwater modeling. The course objective is to provide a solid understanding of the principles, methods, assumptions, and limitations of groundwater models, as well as hands-on experience with the planning, preparation, execution, presentation, and review of a modeling project. The course includes review of the concepts of groundwater flow and transport, and of finite difference and finite element methods. It will also include an overview of various software programs for groundwater flow and transport modeling and accompanying pre- and post-processing programs. The second half of the course features hands-on exercises based on the USGS MODFLOW flow model, and MT3D, a widely applied fate and transport model. Class exercises include site-specific models as well as basin/watershed wide models.

Instructors for the course include Dr. Graham Fogg, Dr. Thomas Harter and Peter Schwartzman. The course will be held at the California State University, Sacramento in Sacramento on September 18-20, 2001.

For more information or to register for this event check the event web page at GW_FlowTransport.html.

4. SYMPOSIUM ON ARSENIC, INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - Early October

The Groundwater Resources Association will be hosting the third symposium in The Series on Groundwater Contaminants: Arsenic. Cooperating organizations include the International Association of Hydrogeologists, USGS, National Ground Water Association, Water Education Foundation, Association of California Water Agencies, and others. The Symposium will be held in Sacramento in early October.

The format of the one-day conference will be similar to GRA's recent symposium on Hexavalent Chromium and includes the following sessions: 1) Arsenic Geochemical Characteristics and Distribution, 2) Risk, Toxicology and Regulations, 3) Water Supplies and Social, Political, Economic and Legal Issues, and 4) Treatment and Remediation.

A preliminary announcement is available at Arsenic_Symposium.html.

5. 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 biennial.html.

6. HOUSE APPROPRIATION SUBCOMMITTEE RESTORES USGS/NAQWA FUNDING

The House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee last Thursday restored over $90 million for the U.S. Geological Survey, giving the agency a total of $900 million for fiscal year 2002. In particular, funding for the NAWQA program, which was set to receive a 30% cut under the budget proposal of President Bush, was fully restored to fiscal year 2001 levels plus inflation, according to subcommittee staff. The bill received bipartisan support and now goes to the full House Appropriations committee for approval next week. GRA participated in a coalition with other groundwater-related organziations nationwide to forward a letter to key federal legislators requesting restoration of funds for NAQWA for fiscal year 2002. So the restoration of funding stays intact through the entire federal legislative process, Take Action Now! Send a letter of support regarding USGS Water Resources funding to your House and Senate members as soon as possible. Sample support letter: SampleLetter.pdf.

7. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Senate Bill 847: Introduced by Senator Ackerman, the bill amends section 13540 of the Water Code by changing the standard according to which the Department of Health Services may prohibit the injection of recycled water into an aquifer that is used, intended to be used, or suitable to be used, as a source of water for domestic purposes. The previous standard allowed the injection of recycled water only when it would not "impair" the water quality of the receiving aquifer. The proposed new standard would instead allow DHS to approve the injection of recycled water if, after a public hearing, DHS finds that such use of recycled water is "protective of public health." In addition, the bill would clarify that DHS has the authority to order abatement of any condition that it deems to pose a threat to public health. Complete Bill Description

Senate Bill 538: Introduced by Senator Cost, the bill adds section 239 to the Water Code which would require the Department of Water Resources to investigate and study the feasibility of additional groundwater storage and reclamation projects in the counties of Kern, Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange,Riverside, and San Diego. Complete Bill Description

Senate Bill 471: Introduced by Senator Sher, the bill amends section 116275 of the Health and Safety Code by expanding the applicability of secondary drinking water standards to a contaminant in drinking water that may affect the taste of water. Currently the standards only apply to contaminants that affect the odor or appearance of drinking water. Complete Bill Description

Senate Bill 868: Introduced by Senator Costa, the bill would enact the Water Bond Act of 2001. The bill would provide an unspecified amount of bond money to finance a clean, reliable water supply and drought year water supply infrastructure program. Complete Bill Description

8. WEB SITE ADDITION - GROUNDWATER EVENTS CALENDAR

GRA has added a comprehensive Groundwater Calendar to its web site. You may post or view Groundwater related events at GW_Calendar.html.

FEEDBACK - CONTACT THE EDITOR

We hope that the news in this issue of HydroFlash is useful to you. 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.