Welcome to November! Here’s what’s new from the Critical Issues Program:

•  The 2016 Critical Issues Forum took place on October 27-28, hosted by the Payne Institute for Earth Resources at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. The topic of the Forum was “Addressing Changes in Regional Groundwater Resources: Lessons from the High Plains Aquifer”. The Forum was attended by a wide range of scientists, economists, water managers, policy experts, students, water industry professionals, and representatives from federal, state, and local agencies and organizations. The ideas, perspectives, approaches, lessons, and future outlooks discussed at the Forum will be made publicly available in a forthcoming report. You will also be able to watch videos of the speakers’ presentations as they become available on the Forum website. In the coming months we will be maintaining a focus on groundwater resources with new case studies, factsheets, and additional web content.

Click "Read More" to see more news

The 2016 Critical Issues Forum, Addressing Changes in Regional Groundwater Resources: Lessons from the High Plains Aquifer concluded today at the Colorado School of Mines Ben H. Parker Student Center. An initial summary of social media posts using #CIForum16 were compiled connecting people to various resources, but also communicate interesting questions raised at the event. A summary report will be available within the next year. 

On October 20, 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its U.S. Winter Outlook, and the updated La Niña forecast took center stage. Mike Halpert, Deputy Director of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC), and David Miskus, also of CPC, briefed reporters and answered questions on NOAA’s winter forecast. Click “Read More” to see the highlights.

There is still time to register for this event! The 2016 Critical Issues Forum, Addressing Changes in Regional Groundwater Resources: Lessons from the High Plains Aquifer, will be held October 27-28 in Golden, Colorado. If you are a current student or belong to an AGI member society, you will receive a discount on full priced registration. More information, including a full list of speakers, is available on the Forum website, http://bit.ly/ciforum16.

Welcome to October! Here’s what’s new from the Critical Issues Program:

•  The 2016 Critical Issues Forum is rapidly approaching. The roster of speakers is complete, the agenda is available online, and registration is now open. The topic of the forum is “Addressing Changes in Regional Groundwater Resources: Lessons from the High Plains Aquifer”. If you are interested in issues of water supply, usage, policy, and management, we invite you to join us in Golden, Colorado on October 27-28.

•  We hosted our latest webinar, “Desalination as a Source of Fresh Water” on September 20th. If you missed it (or want a refresher) you can find a video recording and further resources here.

•  We’ve expanded our Maps & Visualizations page, adding 5 new maps covering water resources in Georgia and Oklahoma, environmental monitoring and management in Utah, global climate information, and geoscience features in Puerto Rico.

Click "Read More" to see more news

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) Policy Program’s workshop, “Opportunities and Needs in Integrated Water Prediction, Risk Assessment, and Management for Coastal Resilience,” concluded on September 28th, providing insights to coastal scientists and managers on how to better serve their communities. The second day built on themes discussed in earlier sessions, shifting the regional focus to the Great Lakes. Click “Read More” to see highlights from the second day:

On September 27th and 28th, our Critical Issues intern attended a workshop hosted by the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Policy Program: “Opportunities and Needs in Integrated Water Prediction, Risk Assessment, and Management for Coastal Resilience.” The first day focused on resilience issues along the Eastern seaboard. We have summarized highlights from the first day below:

On Tuesday September 20, the Critical Issues Program hosted a webinar on the state of desalination in the United States and further afield. The three speakers were Tzahi Cath (Colorado School of Mines), Jessica Jones (Poseidon Water), and Katherine Zodrow (Montana Tech). Topics covered included the past, present, and future of desalination technologies; the costs and waste management challenges of desalination plants; the recently opened seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad, California; and brackish groundwater use and desalination in Texas. A recording of the webinar and the speakers’ slides can be found at bit.ly/desal-webinar.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) held their latest Monthly Climate Briefing on September 15, 2016, and we have summarized the highlights for you below:

Register today for the 2016 Critical Issues Forum on Addressing Changes in Regional Groundwater Resources: Lessons from the High Plains Aquifer, which will be held October 27-28, 2016 in Golden, Colorado. Members of AGI member organizations receive a discount on full priced registration. Book your accommodations by September 30 and register by October 15 for lower rates.