Ground Water / Surface Water Interactions Workshop

Presented to the Advisory Committee on Water Information

By Jeffrey R. Loser, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

April 2, 2002

At the last Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI) meeting,
Rodney DeHan discussed with you the need for a hands-on workshop
relating to ground water and surface water interactions and their
implications for watershed health and management. Individuals expressed
interest in serving on a planning committee for this activity and they
had their first meeting to discuss this item. This planning group agreed
to meet again by teleconferencing, but no further planning of this
workshop has occurred over the last year. However, the National Water
Quality Monitoring Council has discussed it through its Watershed
Components Interactions workgroup. The Watershed Components Interactions
workgroup wants to see this workshop held but suggests that this
activity should not be a big symposium because there are a number of
national symposia each year that incorporate this topic. Rather, we
suggest a working meeting of invited experts on the topic of GW-SW
interactions.

The purpose of the working meeting would be to evaluate existing
scientific knowledge of the issue and of gaps in our knowledge that must
be filled in order to establish the basis for eventual policy decisions
to address this issue. The result of the workshop will be a blueprint or
framework for action related to ground and surface water interactions.
The framework will identify, among other things:

-   Our current knowledge and understanding of the principals relating
    to ground and surface water interactions;

-   The tools that are available to model the interactions, including
    their strengths and weaknesses;

-   The programs and regulations that are available to work on these
    concerns;

-   The gaps in our knowledge, tools, and programs on this subject; and,

-   How we use this information to improve our policy decisions
    regarding watershed health.

The Watershed Components Interactions workgroup has agreed to
re-initiate the planning of this hands-on workshop, so those who had
expressed interest in the past will be contacted again to serve on the
planning committee.

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) - Robert Goldstein

Western States Water Council (WSWC) - Yujuin Yang

Texas Water Development Board

The Groundwater Foundation

National Association of Counties (NACO) - Charles Hunsicker (2000 mtg.)

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) - Chuck Bach (2000 mtg.)

the discussed this and it was agreed that this activity should not be a
big symposium but rather a working meeting of 20-25 invited experts on
the topic of GW-SW interactions. The purpose of the working meeting
would be to develop a product. WHAT PRODUCT OR RESULT DO WE WANT TO COME
FROM THIS MEETING OF EXPERTS???

Also, at FL we discussed the possibility of having the expert panel meet
in conjunction with another conference or symposium? WHAT CONFERENCE
WERE WE CONSIDERING? The GWPC is having its annual forum Sept. 22-25,
2002 in San Francisco; this conference will have a GW-SW Intereactions
topic of presentations (Understanding the Concept of a 3-D Watershed).
The NGWA is having its 2002 Ground Water Expo Dec. 9-11, 2002 in Las
Vegas. WAS IT ONE OF THESE?

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR MY PRESENTATION WILL BE WELCOME!!

I reviewed the May 2001 ACWI meeting minutes: the following write-up is
included regarding this activity: