The Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) held its annual conference on September 24, 2024 in Hanover, Va. Approximately 90 individuals attended. Eight invited speakers gave presentations on diverse topics that ranged from the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share (VACS) program to achievements by a nonprofit stream monitoring group and from harmful algal blooms to coastal flooding.
Three professors from Virginia Tech spoke:
- Kang Xia, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech;
- Anamaria Bukvic, Department of Geography, Virginia Tech; and
- Austin Gray, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech.
A farmer and conservation specialist with Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District, who partners with Virginia Tech researchers and others, highlighted study results of cover crops used on his farm. The Virginia Water Resources Research Center (VWRRC) was a partnering organization that helped plan, coordinate, and promote the conference. Shown in the photo below (left to right) are Kang Xia, who spoke about PFAS in Virginia’s water and soils; Kevin McGuire, director, VWRRC; Anamaria Bukvic, who spoke about coastal flooding and adaptations; and Austin Gray, who spoke on plastic and microplastic debris in aquatic ecosystems. Slides from the presentations are available on the Conference website.
