Job Announcement - Environmental Health Data

Environmental Health Data Coordinator, VA Department of Health (#EN015) – Job Closing Date:November 3, 2017 – Richmond, VA 

https://virginiajobs.peopleadmin.com/postings/91857

Stormwater Webcasts

Chesapeake Stormwater Network Webcasts 

The following webcasts are free, but registration is required. 

To register, see http://chesapeakestormwater.net/events/categories/webcasts/2017-webcast-series/. 

• Tracking and Eliminating Illicit Discharges – November 2, 2017
• Good Housekeeping and Municipal Pollution Prevention – November 16, 2017
• The Impervious Cover Model: Revisited – December 14, 2017

All webcasts will be archived with other past webcasts at http://chesapeakestormwater.net/training-library/archived-webcasts/.

USAID position opening - IPM

Open Position – Communications coordinator for the USAID Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab program

This position will serve as communications coordinator of the unit’s Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab program (IPM-IL), including all print communications and electronic communications. As the IPM-IL communications coordinator, you will work alongside the IPM team and the unit’s communication director to raise awareness of the program through online and offline channels. Specifically, you will:

• Ensure that program communications conform to donor branding and marking;
• Aligning program communication efforts with Virginia Tech’s public relations strategies and communication procedures;
• Identify and develop relationships with media personnel and program partners and agencies to promote IPM-IL objectives, services, outputs and events;
• Serve as the program media contact; 
• Organize and oversee promotional events; 
• Write, edit and publish website, blog, email newsletter and other communications content; 
• Maintain program presence on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook; 
• Consult and provide advice on graphic design; and 
• Measure and report on the effectiveness of communications program activities.

This position will report to the Director of the IPM Innovation Lab and will work closely with the OIRED Communication’s Director, as well as the OIA communications team, to fulfill strategies and tactics to raise the profile of IPM-IL with the press, the public, program partners, the donors and the university community. Such tasks include editing reports; writing press releases and success stories; creating flyers, brochures, and posters; writing web content; managing social media; and creating PowerPoint presentations and re-purposing stories of broader public interest by revising and submitting them to VT News. Assist in proposal preparations, departmental project communications as requested, coordinate report preparation, assist in arranging meetings and conferences, travel to IPM Innovation Lab sites in foreign countries, take and prepare minutes of meetings, and likely interact with a wide array of foreign nationals.

The candidate will function as an integral member of the OIA communicator team, which meets monthly to coordinate communications work and meet the vice president’s goals outlined in the vice president’s communications plan.

More details are available at https://listings.jobs.vt.edu/postings/80178

Water Education Grant opportunity

Especially for you folks who are teachers or naturalists:

The Lexus Eco Challenge is an exciting national STEM competition for grades 6–12 that awards a total of $500,000 in grants and scholarships to eligible teachers, students, and schools each year. This STEM competition for grades 6–12 is built on three challenges: Land & Water, Air & Climate, and an invitation-only Final Challenge. 

http://lexus.scholastic.com/challenges

Chesapeake Bay Grant Proposal Deadline - October 1

Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund – Applications Due: October 1, 2017 

A total of 310,882 is available for proposals emphasizing environmental education or action-oriented restoration and conservation activities for the Chesapeake Bay. Applications will be accepted from state agencies, local governments, and non-profits. For more information on the program and to access the application, see http://dls.virginia.gov/commissions/cbr.htm?x=ags. Direct questions to Scott Meacham atsmeacham@dls.virginia.gov. The funding comes from “Friend of the Chesapeake” license plates.

Ohio Streams Guide

I learned about this through my West Virginia watersheds connections.

Explore it at  http://www.hilliardschools.org/sec/pdf/ohiostreamguide.pdf

Great Falls of the Potomac

I ran Great Falls in a kayak in 1997, just a few weeks after running the Upper Youghiogheny River. That established my expertise back then. More recently, some of my friends (including some mentioned in this article) used to run it regularly.

 ====================

from Redbull.com 3days ago

By Kitt Doucette

Rafa Ortiz and friends find world-class Class V whitewater a stone’s throw from our nation’s capital.

“Being on the river and running waterfalls has a lot to do with embracing the present moment,” said Mexican kayaker Rafa Ortiz, known for his steely nerves and incredible skills paddling the gnarliest whitewater on the planet. “As soon as I’m in my kayak and the water hits my face, everything else just washes away.”

Rafa puts himself between a rock and a hard place

© Greg Mionske

Growing up in Mexico City and learning how to kayak in Veracruz, escaping the city to find that feeling of freedom on the river meant a minimum of a four-hour drive. So when Ortiz met Tom McEwan in Veracruz and learned about Great Falls on the Potomac River, he couldn’t wait to come check it out.

(Lots of photos follow.)

Virginia Native Plants

Jefferson Chapter, Virginia Native Plant Society Newsletter – http://vnps.org/jefferson/newsletters/ -- The latest edition of The Declaration includes information on upcoming member meetings and other community events.

Underwater videography submersible ROV's

I'm keeping an eye on these options.  Click to see the video clip.  Share your feedback.

Virginia Watershed Educators Directory

For those of you in Virginia, look around the interactive map at 
www.vwrrc.vt.edu/virginia-water-educators/

Irma impact on Mid-Atlantic Watersheds

from ssstormchasers.org

Hurricane Irma Strengthens Warnings Likely Later Today Leeward Islands. Trend Westward Continues 

Sep. 4th, 2017

Hurricane Watch continues for the Leeward Islands and warnings will like be required later today. Watches and Warnings are likely to be extended westward to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as well. Hurricane Irma is a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. The motion to the west southwest continues this morning and as the hurricane loses latitude it increases the risk to the entire Greater Antilles chain. The outflow of the hurricane is improving as the overall presentation. Irma seems to be growing in size as well.

...NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS IRMA A LITTLE STRONGER...

Invasive Hops - South Branch of the Potomac River

This is new to us near Green Spring near https://goo.gl/maps/y4yqVgHkyTw . My first guess was Japanese hops (Humulus japonícus) by the 3-lobed leaf, distinct from Common hops; but I may be in the wrong family altogether.  Might it be common hops?