# Presentation: 318168

## Collaboration and Outreach Workgroup

- West Palm Beach
- November 2006

## Conference Overall Theme 

**Monitoring:  Keystone for Understanding Our Waters**
**Major Tracks:  About 5 need to be developed**

## Council Decision

**THE Conference seems to be transitioning from one to promote the work of the Council to being THE Conference that deals with all aspects of monitoring, assessment and reporting.**
**Have we moved away from using the conference to direct the work of the Council?**
**Is this appropriate?**

## Potential Session Topics

**Monitoring Framework**
**Design **
**Event Monitoring**
**Real Time Monitoring**
**Assessing Methods and Data Comparability**
**Applying New Methods and Innovative Techniques**
**Synthesizing and Sharing Data**
**Data Interpretation**
**Data Analysis and Interpretation (GIS)**
**Improving Communication Among All Stakeholders**

## Potential Sessions Topics 

**Climate Change – Environmental Impacts **
**Wetlands**
**Lake Monitoring**
**Groundwater**
**Linking Watershed Components**
**Monitoring Success Stories**
**Data-based Decision Making**

## Potential Sessions Topics

**Contaminant Focused Sessions (Hg, Nitrogen, Nutrients, Pesticides, Emerging Contaminants) **
**Atmospheric Deposition**
**Human and Ecological Health**
**Biological Monitoring (Microbes, Toxicity, Benthos)**
**Integrating Monitoring and Prediction**
**Linking Monitoring and Modeling-new**
**Linking Land Use to Water Quality**
**Linking Watersheds to the Ocean (NPS)**

## Potential Sessions Topics

-       **Monitoring Networks (NMN, NPS, WATERS)**
**      ****Monitoring Councils; Volunteer Monitoring**
******    ****Collaboratives**
******    ****Large Scale Programs (NAWQA, Interstate Issues)**
******    ****Highlight Local Monitoring **
******    ****Regional Observing Systems**
******    ****State Monitoring Programs**
******    ****Tribal Issues and Monitoring**

## Conference Facilitation

**Working to develop an MOA with WEF**
**Establish EPA-funded contractor functions**
**Decision:  Maintain the character and culture of the conference.  This will require close collaboration between WEF and the CPC.  The CPC has final approval of program and content (themes and sessions).**

## Web-site Review 

**C&O members will review**
**Determine number of site visits? (Judy)**
**	****Discuss during December monthly call**
**Implement revisions before “Save the date” is distributed**

## Monitoring Council Tool Box Development (Val, Toni) 

-     **Val to update FL summary of Councils**
**·     Val to develop new fact sheet**
**·     Host conference call among Councils; discuss Conference (Leslie McGeorge?)**
**·     Use call to encourage communication and needs**
**·     Encourage inclusion of volunteer groups**
**·     Repackage Chattanooga workshop (Linda to review, not lead)**
**·     Discuss during December C & O call**

## Data Assessment and Interpretation Tool Box (Jeff and Geoff)

**Jeff will contact Geoff to determine level of commitment**
**Identify existing tools**
**Identify potential tools and development partners**
**Can we encapsulate for 2008 session or workshop?**
**If  “C & O” can not address, Is WIS group interested?**

## Council Communication Strategy (Toni)

**C&O members will review and provide feedback to Toni by December 1****st**** for December 20****th**** C & O conference call)**
**Discuss Communication Plan Elements and schedule discussion at March Council mtg**** **

## Review Council Products:  		Factsheets

** ****Continue use of existing format.**
** ****Revised factsheets by 2/15 (send to Dave) **
** ****C & O review during March Council mtg**
** ****Revised Factsheets due to USGS by ____???**
** ****New factsheets available for web posting by   Summer 2007?**** **