Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) would like to invite interested watershed stakeholders to attend the annual 2011 New Hampshire Water and Watershed Conference: From Our Headwaters to the Sea – Living in a Changing Water World, on Friday and Saturday, March 25th and 26th, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., registration is from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and will be held at the Hartman Union Building at Plymouth State University located at 17 High Street in Plymouth, NH. For additional information about the conference, including the agenda and session descriptions, and to register please visit Plymouth State University’s Center for the Environment website at: www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2011-nh-water-and-watersheds-conference
The organizing committees of the annual New Hampshire Water Conference and the New Hampshire Watershed Conference are once again offering a single, comprehensive event for 2011. The purpose of the merger is to combine talent, resources, and audiences from both events into a unique, two-day event designed to meet the information and networking needs of lake, river, and watershed groups; environmental organization; volunteer monitors; municipal board and staff members; elected officials; local and regional planners; policy makers; scientists; educators; consultants and students. In addition to DES, the conference sponsors include, GeoInsight, Inc., In-Situ, Inc., Plymouth State University, University of New Hampshire NH Water Resources Research Center, US Geological Survey Water Resources of NH and VT, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB), Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc., and the White Mountain National Forest.
On Friday, the conference will kick off with a presentation by Sarah Pillsbury and John Boisvert titled “New Hampshire’s Water Resource and Infrastructure Issues – from the Headwaters to the Sea”. Sarah is the Administrator of the Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau at DES and has worked for the department for 25 years. She is currently the staff lead on the DES’ efforts to comprehensively plan for New Hampshire’s water future. John has served as the Chief Engineer for Pennichuck Water Works of Merrimack NH since 2006, and has over 25 years of experience in water resources engineering. He is a member of the New England Water Works Association, the NH Water Works Association, and is a member of the NH Legislature’s Water Infrastructure Sustainability Funding Commission. Following the plenary, the conference attendees will then have five concurrent tracks to choose from encompassing twenty-five sessions, including “Headwaters”, “Rivers and Streams”, “Lakes Wetlands and the Coastal Zone”, “Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Infrastructure”, and “Groundwater”.
On Saturday, the conference will commence with a session titled “Forests, Water, People, Land Use and Climate Change – Managing the Unavoidable and Avoiding the Unmanageable” by Paul Barten, Professor of Forest Resources at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. Dr. Barten is the Director of the Forest-to-Faucet Partnership and received his Ph.D. in forest hydrology, watershed management, and water resources engineering from the University of Minnesota. He also chaired the 2008 National Research Council study Hydrologic Effects of a Changing Forest Landscape. In addition to the plenary session, the Saturday conference attendees will have four informative tracks to choose from with twenty-two sessions, including “Land Use Change”, “Local and Regional Strategies”, “National and Statewide Strategies”, and “Skill Building and Water Quality”.
There is a different audience emphasis each day – Friday’s presentations are designed more for technical/professional audiences while Saturday’s presentations have been developed with lay/volunteer audiences in mind; local officials and state policy makers will find the sessions on both days very informative. Throughout both days of the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to network with other professionals, policy makers, educators, consultants, local river advisory committees, lake associations, volunteer monitoring groups, watershed associations, and other organizations. In addition, posters and other exhibits from consulting firms, students, and river and lake organizations throughout the state will be on display. Continuing Education credits (CEUs) are available for wetland and soil scientists, and additional CEUs are currently being sought.
The cost to attend the conference is $40/day or $70 for both days, and $25/day for students. The registration fee includes light refreshments, the plenary, lunch, two 60-minute sessions, a two-hour hands-on workshop, and display session. This conference provides a state-wide forum for learning and networking about issues related to water resources in New Hampshire. You won’t want to miss this opportunity!
If you would like more information or have any questions regarding the conference, please call Jacquie Colburn, Lakes Coordinator at DES at (603) 271-2959 or email her at Jacquie.Colburn@des.nh.gov.