NWQMC 2006 Conference Planning Committee Update

1. NWQMC 2006 Conference Planning CommitteeUpdate • Fifth National Monitoring Conference • Monitoring Networks: Connecting for Clean Water • May 7-11, 2006 – San José, California April 12, 2005

2. Conference Steering Committee • Chuck Spooner • Dave Tucker • Jeff Schloss • Linda Green

3. Action Items • Monthly CPC Teleconferences • Vendor “Thank You” letter including invitation to 2006 meeting • Signed contracts for hotel rooms • Convention Center Contract about there-LOU is secured • “Save the Date” is out • Securing Sponsorships- USDA, AMSA, BACWA,NAWQA • Coordinating with Vol. Mon and NAWQA programming

4. Upcoming Action Items • Begin financial preparations/analysis for conference registration fee determination • Organize committee structure – who can or will help? • Program-Agenda-Plenary • NWQMC MNP Rollout, VM, NAWQA • Publicity, Sponsors & Vendors • Local Arrangements/Trips • Awards/Scholarships • Call for Papers • Web Site

5. Conference Structure • Conference Structure – Sunday – Thursday • Convention Hall setup for vendors –Sunday • Breakdown for vendors- Thursday • Sunday -registration, field trips • Monday – Workshops – full and half days – volunteer monitoring, EPA & USGS, short courses (Wetlands, Wadable Streams) • Monday - Plenary Session & EJF award • Thursday – National Network Design Rollout – Morning Sessions – Afternoon Field Trips and Workshops

6. And now for something completely different…… Workshops will be interspersed throughout the program, NOT held just on Monday. This way they will feel more integrated, there will be more opportunities to connect these to sessions, and this will alleviate pressure to fill a full day with workshops NAWQA, Vol Mon, Network Design?

7. Conference Structure • Tuesday/Wednesday AM Structure • 7:00 am – 8:00 am (continental breakfast) 8:00 – 9:30 am – four 18 min presentations & 2 mins each for questions with 10 min for panel questions etc. 9:30 – 10:30 am - Break / Posters (60 minutes) 10:30 – 12:00 -) – four 18 min presentations & 2 mins each for questions with 10 min for panel questions etc. Lunch (12:00 – 1:30)

8. Conference Structure Scenarios • Tuesday/Wednesday PM structure • 1:30 – 3:00 - four 18 min presentations & 2 mins each for questions with 10 min for panel questions etc. • 3:00 – 3:30 pm – Break • 3:30 – 5:00 pm - four 18 min presentations & 2 mins each for questions with 10 min for panel questions etc.

9. Conference Structure • Additional Activities • Poster-Vendor Reception- Monday • Thursday am* • 8:30 – 10:00 – National Monitoring in International arena • 10:00 – 10:30 am Break • 10:30 -12:00 - National Network Roll out with Q & A sessions Afternoon session for volunteer monitoring groups NAWQA and possibly two field trips.

10. Key themes will focus on: • Designing monitoring programs and networks at different scales to address multiple objectives • Linking and sharing data among multiple users • Establishing and sustaining state/regional monitoring councils, partnerships, and coalitions • Improving communication among scientists, managers, policy makers, and the public • Exploring the growth of information technology and ways to capitalize on these advances • Addressing multi-jurisdictional and international monitoring issues

11. Field Trips/Activities • The Monterey Aquarium is booked for receptions, but we can still reserve a bus to transport visitors. • The Tech Museum of Innovation (http://www.thetech.org/), across the street from the Center, is a potential site for an evening reception. • Roaring Camp Railroad offers train trips into the Redwoods on an authentic logging railroad and also offers BBQs (can be 1/2 or full day). • Gary Rowe will look into NAWQA organizing a technical/fun field trip to San Francisco Bay to look at water quality stations or go on a cruise with a technical speaker. • Winery Tours

12. Explorations • “Governator” and/or wife for reception or lunch • Terry Tamminen, the Environmental Protection Secretary on the governor's cabinet. Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition about potential participation in the conference – the executive director is a good speaker. • Faculty member from UC Berkeley to hold a workshop on statistics. • Clean Water Team Citizen Monitoring Program holding their “Train the Trainer” workshops (focused on various topics such as monitoring design, QA, etc.) for conference participants. • Jim Harrington workshop –professional and volunteer protocols. • UC Santa Cruz who has presented interesting findings on the water quality implications of global warming. • NAWQA developing potential workshops (e.g., database & EPA/USGS portal issues, groundwater vulnerability, watershed modeling training)

13. What will Contractor (Tetra Tech) do? Organizational support… • Provide staff support to all committees—help set up conference calls, produce/distribute action items, minutes • Work with committees to develop, maintain themes and consistency throughout conference planning • Develop, produce, print all conference publicity • Develop, update, maintain conference website(s) • Work with committees to implement various strategies • Help organize/lead/facilitate some sessions • Work with moderators on organization of all sessions—provide back-up support to moderators as needed • Track, log-in, etc all abstracts • Create proceedings/agenda Web? CD? • Develop, distribute guidelines for posters, speakers, moderators • Provide facilitation/organizational support during conference

14. What will NALMS do? Logistical support… • Work with convention center/hotel on all logistical issues • Work with vendors/exhibitors • Work with contractor (Tt) on website linkages (content, registration) • Accept and track registrations, send out registration confirmations • Provide logistical support onsite • Work with San Jose Visitors Bureau and Dave • Arrange field trips logistics – pay for transportation • Arrange catering ??? • Handles money

15. Council HELP • Vendors need added all to be contacted • Sponsorship Ops ($1K, $5K, & $10K) with reception, scholarship, conf item options • Committees • Workgroup suggestions for Themes and Workshops