UNIVERSITY PARK — In observance of National Drinking Water Week, Penn State Extension and the state Department of Environmental Protection are collaborating with numerous other sponsors to offer the 2014 Pennsylvania Groundwater Symposium.
Scheduled for May 7 at the Ramada Inn Conference Center in State College, registration for the event is open here through April 25.
“Building Groundwater Knowledge through Monitoring” is the theme of the symposium, which will provide a forum for nearly 200 researchers, students, professionals and educators working in the groundwater field to exchange information and promote protection of groundwater resources throughout the state.
“Millions of Pennsylvanians rely on groundwater for their drinking water,” said symposium coordinator Bryan Swistock, extension water resources specialist. “National Drinking Water Week provides the perfect opportunity for us to convene a symposium of groundwater experts who can share information to better understand and protect this vital natural resource.”
The daylong symposium will begin at 8:30 a.m. with opening remarks by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Chris Abruzzo and several plenary talks on groundwater monitoring and policy. Morning and afternoon concurrent sessions will focus on shale-gas issues, aquifer studies and groundwater modeling. An afternoon poster session also will be presented after a buffet lunch.
The nominal registration fee of $30 is made possible through the support of symposium sponsors, including Penn State Extension, the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Ground Water Association.
Additional partnering agencies include the U.S. Geological Survey, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The agenda and other details are available at the symposium Web site. For more information, contact Swistock at 814-863-0194 or by email at brs@psu.edu.