The Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA) enters its sixth year as an organization this 1997. We have about 600 members and over 100 additional individuals statewide that have expressed an interest in GRA activities. Our membership consists of a wide array of disciplines and interests with California groundwater being the common interest. The diversity of our membership requires us to provide a balanced approach to California groundwater issues. Active participation in GRA assures that your concerns are addressed and implemented, as appropriate to the overall membership. We look forward to making 1997 a stellar year for providing technical leadership to California groundwater issues. Join us in making 1997 a very successful year.

State Officers elected to lead GRA during 1997 are David Von Aspern of Wallace-Kuhl & Associates as Treasurer, Tim Parker of Law Engineering as Secretary, Brian Lewis of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) as Vice President, and myself as President. Many thanks to our 1996 State Officers, namely, Kent Parrish (URS Consultants) our Past Vice President and Steve Goldberg (Downey, Brand, Seymour & Rohwer) our Past Treasurer, who helped make 1996 such a successful year. We look forward to their continuing involvement as leaders of GRA as either Advisory Committee Chairs and/or members of the Board of Directors.

GRA had a Strategic Planning Retreat and Board of Directors Meeting on Sunday January 19 and Monday January 20, 1997. The objectives for the Retreat were to develop a mission statement and identify short and long term goals for GRA. The quarterly Board of Directors Meeting addresses day-to-day operational issues and activities for 1997, and also reaffirmed items developed during the Retreat. See article, Page 3.

GRA Board of Directors Meeting

During the Board of Directors Meeting, we discussed a variety of items, including the 1997 Budget, proposed changes to our Bylaws, Executive Director Applicants and the search committee, the California Council of Geoscience Organizations, the 1997 Annual Meeting and Seminar, and GRA's participation in the dedication of Placer Hall, the new United States Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources Center and Science hall at California State University at Sacramento. Meeting minutes will be forthcoming. Schedules for HydroVisions and Board of Director Meetings for 1997 also were issued. Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held at Placer Hall in Sacramento on April 19, 1997. Please see the calendar of events for HydroVision deadlines and Board of Directors Meeting schedule.

Forthcoming Events

GRA will be participating in the grand opening of Placer Hall, at California State University at Sacramento (CSUS) on Friday, April 18, 1997. The California District Office Water Resources Division of the USGS and CSUS collaborated their efforts constructing Placer Hall, the new science building at CSUS. The USGS will house their research operations at the facility and will in turn provide a variety of internships and opportunities to interact with the students at CSUS. The grand opening ceremony will include tours of the facility and will encourage the exchange of information. GRA as a contributor to Placer Hall (see article in this HydroVisions) will have an informational booth at the ceremony. All members are invited to participate in this event.

Our 1997 Annual Meeting will be held on September 15 and 16, 1997, at the Radisson Hotel in Sacramento, California. The annual meeting theme is "Ground Water and Future Supply." The meeting is being held jointly with the University of California Water Resources Center Biennial Ground Water Conference. This meeting is being co-sponsored by the DWR, California State Water Resources Control Board, Water Education Foundation, and GRA. We have a tremendous agenda with technical sessions ranging from groundwater quality and quantity issues to major hazards and remediation issues facing the industry. Place this event on your calendar. Additional information on this event is included in this HydroVisions.