Susquehanna River Basin Commission Hosts 3-Part Webinar Series On Groundwater Project Renewal Process

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is hosting a three-part webinar series on Groundwater Project Renewals as part of its Public Water Supply Assistance Program starting January 28.

Water system operators, managers, board members and trustees of public water systems, consultants, project sponsors, and partner state governmental agency staff would benefit from these webinars.

The webinars are designed to provide a greater understanding of the Commission’s renewal process to all project sponsors and their consultants with targeted information in compact presentations.

The webinars will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on--

-- January 28: Groundwater Project Renewals: A Two-Step Process. Anyone with an upcoming renewal should attend this webinar.  This webinar will discuss the two-step process for submitting a groundwater renewal application. 

For most projects, submitting a renewal application is a two-step process involving submission of a Commission approved aquifer testing plan (plan) or aquifer testing waiver (waiver), followed by a groundwater withdrawal application. However, not all projects will either be required to or be able to meet the typical and preferred process. 

This webinar will cover requirements of the entire renewal process, from start to finish, by discussing project renewal deadlines, projects with or without Commission approved plans, and renewal applications.

-- February 25: Operational Monitoring and Operational Testing. This webinar will describe what operational monitoring and operational testing are, the key differences between them, and why one or both may be appropriate for a project.

The Commission encourages projects to collect and maintain operational monitoring data that provides information about the performance of a project’s groundwater source and supports groundwater withdrawal renewal applications. 

Hydrogeological data collected through operational monitoring over a project’s approval term is important for evaluating sustainability and assessing potential impacts of the withdrawal. Operational monitoring, combined, as needed, with operational testing, may provide all of the data needed for a renewal. 

This webinar will cover the importance of identifying and addressing data gaps, operational monitoring versus operational testing, and the Commission’s role in providing guidance to monitoring, testing and data gaps.

-- March 25: Water Level Monitoring. This webinar will provide a better understanding of how routine water level monitoring data is collected, reviewed, and the benefits of water level monitoring for a project. The webinar will describe the Commission’s regulations regarding water level monitoring and how the data can be used by a project to assess its sources.

These webinars are being offered free of charge, but you must register. Participant limit is 100 for each webinar.

Click Here to register.  Questions should be directed to Dave Haklar at 717-238-0423 ext. 1108, Mike Appleby, P.G. at 717-238-0423 ext. 1208, or send an email to: PWSAP@srbc.net.  

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

[Posted: January 13, 2021]  PA Environment Digest