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BC.~ARC) pS y_ :~5 ydrologists, scientists and water managers will meet this spring in a
<br />Todd R. Bolin, Chcur second workshop to discuss how we can understand, manage and make
<br />Tom Gapinske, Vice Clrair sure we do not exhaust Minnesota's ground water.
<br />Donald Theissen, Ph.D., Secretnr•y The workshop, sponsored by the Freshwater Society and the University of
<br />Thomas B. Skramstad, Treasurer Minnesota's Water Resources Center, will focus on research needed to accurately
<br />Blyth Berg Brookman, monitor and model aquifers that most of us depend on for drinking water.
<br />Vice Chair of Programs Specifically, we hope to ask-and eventually answer-some basic questions:
<br />Bruce Bomier a What is the right size area to model and manage as a single unit?
<br />Richard S. Caldecott, Ph_D. v What data do we need, what new monitoring or measuring should we
<br />Emeritus Director undertake, so managers can protect water and assure its sustainability?
<br />Robert Elde, Ph.D. • How do the aquifers differ across the state, especially in the amount of
<br />Paul Floyd, J.D. recharge they regularly receive from rain and snow?
<br />Richard G. Gray, Sr., D.Sc.' ~ The workshop is aimed at gathering data and knowledge that will help water
<br />Stuart E. Grubb, P.G.
<br />Jo Ellen Hurr, Emeritus Director managers protect drinking water sources, evaluate requests for new wells and
<br />Barbara Luikens, M.D. ~ work to ensure that ecosystems that depend on ground water are not shortchanged
<br />John Packard by our use..
<br />Mary Safar The workshop is the second one sponsored by the Freshwater Society and the
<br />Water Resources Center. The collaboration stemmed from a report, Water Is Life:
<br />STAFF Protecting A Critical Resource For Future Generations, prepared by a Freshwater
<br />Gene Merriam, President advisory group, the Guardianship Council.
<br />Joan Nephew, Executive Director The report documented a long history of often-contradictory assessments of
<br />Scott Branch, Operations Assistant whether Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities, had enough ground water for the
<br />Chris Prok, Operations Manager future. The report concluded the experts were not sure, and it called for a
<br />Jeanne Prok, Program Manager
<br />Patrick Sweeney, Communications Director "scientifically rigorous study of sustainability that will inspire consensus among
<br />Cherie Wagner, Project Manager experts and citizens."
<br />Laura West, Administrative Assistant There is plenty of evidence that water sustainability finally has arrived on the
<br />radar screens of policy-makers:
<br />• Legislators have expressed great interest in water since the Freshwater report
<br />Ft-eshUccrter~ is published was issued. Four committees invited me to testify about the report. Michael Oster-
<br />quarterly by the Freshwater Society.
<br />holm, a Guardianship Council member, joined me in two hearings.
<br />If reprinting this material, please o Rep. Jean Wagenius and Sen. Ellen Anderson introduced bills proposing to
<br />contact t11e Society for permission, appropriate $750,000 to the Water Resources Center Center to work with local,
<br />give credit to Facets of Freshwater by
<br />the Freshwater Society, and send us a state and federal agencies, plus private nonprofit organizations, to develop a 25-
<br />copy. Fax: 952-471-7685 year plan to "protect, conserve and enhance the quantity and quality of the state's
<br />ground and surface waters."
<br />For subscription or membership
<br />information, contact us at: • The Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources issued a re-
<br />2500 Shadywood Road, quest for proposals inviting research on a "scientific assessment of ground water
<br />Excelsior, MN 55331 quality, quantity, and sustainability."
<br />or caIl 952-471-9773. I am proud the Freshwater Society has had a hand in provoking this discussion
<br />E-mail: _ F -" -' a ~ and is playing a role in efforts toresearch sustainability.
<br />Visit the Freshwater Society website
<br />at: ww ~~.~~eshv~~ater.org
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<br />~,` FACETS March 2009
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