Virginia Water Radio

Episode 100 (February 20, 2012): George Washington, Walter Johnson, and the Rappahannock River

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:31:23 PST

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of February 20, 2012.

This week, for George Washington’s birthday, we feature a series of history-mystery sounds. Have a listen for about 20 seconds, and see if you can guess how these sounds might connect Virginia water and two Washington legends. And here’s a hint: think fast or you’ll strike out!

SOUNDS.

While our first president lived along the Potomac River, and two of his most famous Revolutionary War victories involved the Delaware and York rivers, Virginia’s Rappahannock River is the site of a famous Washington legend: that of young George throwing a silver dollar across the river. At Fredericksburg on February 22, 1936, a Washington, D.C. sports legend accepted a challenge to prove that throwing feat was at least possible. As some 8000 spectators watched and nationwide radio broadcast the event, 48-year-old, former Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson—nicknamed “The Big Train” and holder of the second-highest total of pitching wins in Major League history—tossed a late 1700s-minted dollar coin an estimated 317 feet, well beyond the Rappahannock’s approximately 290-foot width that day. As cheers erupted, The Big Train was no doubt happy and proud, but he might also have been relieved that he didn’t have to try his luck much farther downstream. Below Fredericksburg, the Rappahannock ultimately becomes about four miles wide as it enters the Chesapeake Bay between Lancaster and Middlesex counties.

For other water sounds and music, and for more Virginia water information, visit our Web site at virginiawaterradio.org, or call us at (540) 231-5463. From the Virginia Water Resources Research Center in Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: Virginia Water Radio thanks Marianne Dubinsky for the recording of the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, and Joey Mignone for the pitch call.

Sources:

Henry W. Thomas, Walter Johnson: Baseball’s Big Train (Washington, D.C.: Phenom Press, 1995), pp. 330-331;

The Estate of Walter Johnson, “Walter Johnson: The Official Web Site,” at http://www.cmgww.com/baseball/johnson/, accessed 2/20/12; and

Jon M. Bachman, “The Rappahannock River,” in Virginia Explorer, Summer 1999 (Martinsville, Va.: Virginia Museum of Natural History).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

For events related to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Quick Guide to Virginia Water–related Conferences, Workshops, and Other Events, online at http://virginiawaterevents.wordpress.com/. The site includes a list of Virginia government policy and regulatory meetings occurring in the coming week.

Episode 99 (February 13, 2012): Coal and Water, Part 3

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:22:41 PST

Click to listen to episode (7:16).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of February 13, 2012.

This week, we conclude our series on some of the connections between water quality and coal-mining in southwestern Virginia and in Appalachia generally. This week’s installment gives the perspective of a representative of a major coal-mining company. The speaker is John Paul Jones, director of environmental regulatory and external affairs for Alpha Natural Resources, headquartered in Bristol, Va. This five-minute excerpt is from Mr. Jones’ presentation at the symposium, “Coal and Water in Appalachia—The Challenge to Balance,” held November 15, 2011, in Blacksburg. Two technical notes: In the excerpt, you’ll hear the abbreviations MIRA and NMA. MIRA stands for the U.S. EPA’s Multi-criteria Integrated Resource Assessment tool for assessing coal-mining permit applications. NMA stands for the National Mining Association.

SOUND (ABOUT 5 MIN.)

Water resources are affected in significant ways by the mining and use of coal—from the impacts of mountaintop mining on coalfield streams, to acidic drainage from abandoned mine lands, to the water supplies needed for generating electricity from burning coal, to coal-combustion air emissions that can eventually reach water bodies. Our brief series of three episodes only begins to describe these connections and the challenges they present to the coal industry, environmental regulators, and the electricity-demanding public. Complexity and controversy will no doubt continue to link Virginia’s coal and water resources.

SHOW NOTES
Acknowledgments and More Information: Virginia Water Radio episodes 97 (week of January 30, 2012) and 98 (week of February 6, 2012) presented the first two installments of this series on water quality and coal mining.

Virginia Water thanks John Paul Jones for permission to use excerpts from his talk at the November 15, 2011, symposium, “Coal and Water in Central Appalachia: The Challenge to Balance,” organized by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, West Virginia Water Research Institute, and Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute; more information on the symposium and links to slide presentations by speakers are available online at http://vwrrc.vt.edu/symposium_coal2011.html. More information on Alpha Natural Resources is available from their Web site at http://www.alphanr.com.

Enhanced coordination procedures (ECP) and the Multi-criteria Integrated Resource Assessment (MIRA) used in evaluating coal-mining permit applications (and addressed in Mr. Jones’ presentation) are discussed in a November 2010 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Information on Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit Reviews under Enhanced Coordination Procedures in Appalachia, Focusing on West Virginia, available online at http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-101R (as of 2/13/12).

The Virginia Water Central News Grouper blog site (online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/) has a Coal and Water category, providing annotated links to recent news articles and other materials regarding the connections between water resources and the mining or use of coal.

On July 21, 2011, the U.S. EPA issued the final version of its regulatory guidance to Appalachian regional offices on regulation of surface coal mining (including mountaintop mining and associated valley fills) under the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Environmental Justice Executive Order. A key feature of the guidance is the EPA’s call for states to implement a water-quality standard reflecting “best available science” about the relationship between measures of conductivity (as an indicator of the amount of total dissolved solids or salinity) and stream aquatic life. The EPA’s Web site on regulation of surface coal mining is at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/mining.cfm; this site includes links to the July 21 guidance, a news release on the guidance, and many background documents.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 98 (February 6, 2012): Coal and Water, Part 2

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:09:38 PST

Click to listen to episode (7:22).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of February 6, 2012.

This week’s episode is the second in our series on connections between water quality and coal-mining in southwestern Virginia and in Appalachia generally. This episode introduces two current water-quality challenges for coal-mining—total dissolved solids and selenium. The speaker is Carl Zipper, associate professor in Virginia Tech’s Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department. This six-minute excerpt is from Dr. Zipper’s presentation at the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Society’s October 2011 symposium, “Coal, Uranium, and Natural Gas Extraction in Virginia.” One technical note: in the excerpt you’ll hear the phrase “300 to 500 microsiemens.” This is a measure of water’s electrical conductivity, which is used to estimate the amount of solids dissolved in water.

SOUND (ABOUT 6 MIN.)

The next and final episode in this series will give the perspective of a representative of a major Virginia coal-mining company.

SHOW NOTES:

Acknowledgments: Virginia Water Radio thanks Carl Zipper for permission to use excerpts from his talk at the “Coal, Uranium, and Natural Gas Extraction in Virginia” symposium, held October 20, 2011, in Charlottesville as part of the annual meeting of the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Society. More information on the symposium and links to the slide presentation by Dr. Zipper and to those by other speakers are available online at http://www.bse.vt.edu/swcs/Workshops/2011AnnualMeeting/2011_AnnualMeeting.htm.

Additional Information: Carl Zipper and several other speakers also discussed water-quality issues for Appalachian coal mining at the November 15, 2011, symposium, “Coal and Water in Central Appalachia: The Challenge to Balance.” The symposium was organized by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, West Virginia Water Research Institute, and Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute. More information on the symposium and links to slide presentations by speakers are available online at http://vwrrc.vt.edu/symposium_coal2011.html.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 97 (January 30, 2012): Coal and Water, Part 1

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:10:09 PST

Click to listen to episode (4:28).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT
From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of January 30, 2012.

This week, we start a series of episodes on some of the connections between water quality and coal-mining in southwestern Virginia and in Appalachia generally. This week’s installment is a short introduction to coal mining in Virginia and to the unique water resources found in Virginia’s coalfields area. The speaker is Richard Davis, coordinator for abandoned mine land projects for the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. This three-minute excerpt is from Mr. Davis’ presentation at the symposium, “Coal and Water in Appalachia—The Challenge to Balance,” held November 15, 2011, in Blacksburg.

SOUND (ABOUT 3 MIN).

The next installment in this series will look at some specific water-quality challenges for Appalachian coal-mining.

SHOW NOTES
Acknowledgments: Virginia Water Radio thanks Richard Davis for permission to use excerpts from his talk at the November 15, 2011, symposium, “Coal and Water in Central Appalachia: The Challenge to Balance.” The symposium was organized by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, West Virginia Water Research Institute, and Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute. More information on the symposium and links to slide presentations by speakers are available online at http://vwrrc.vt.edu/symposium_coal2011.html.

Additional Information: The Virginia Water Central News Grouper blog site (online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/) has a Coal and Water category, providing annotated links to recent news articles and other materials regarding the connections between water resources and the mining or use of coal.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 96 (January 23, 2012): Polar Plunges for Special Olympics

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:02:13 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:22).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT
From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of January 23, 2012.

This week, we feature another series of mystery sounds. Have a listen for about 30 seconds, and see if you can guess what’s going on with this music, screams, and water splashing. And here’s a hint: When a good cause needs help, lots of people plunge right in.

SOUND.

If you guessed: excited people running into near-freezing water—you’re right! But the real mystery is: why did over 200 people jump into the cold New River one day in January 2011? They were participants in the 2011 Highlander Polar Plunge, held in Radford to raise money for Special Olympics. At winter water plunges each year around Virginia and across the country, the charity gets contributions from entry fees and from donations raised by plunging participants. The 2012 plunges in Virginia will be held on February 4 into the Atlantic Ocean at Virginia Beach, and on February 25 into the Potomac River at Dumfries, into Camp Hydaway Lake in Lynchburg, and again into the New River at Radford. Information about these events is available online at polarplunge.com.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments and Sources: For more information on the 2011 Highlander Polar Plunge, see this Radford University news release or this Roanoke Times article. Information on the 2012 Polar Plunges in Virginia is available at http://www.polarplunge.com (the Web site for the Virginia Beach plunge and accompanying activities, with links to events at other sites) and at http://www.firstgiving.com/polarplungeva (registration and fundraising for all the events). The Web site for Special Olympics nationally is http://www.specialolympics.org/ and for Special Olympics in Virginia is http://www.specialolympicsva.org/.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 95 (January 16, 2012): Pelicans

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:13:02 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:02).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT
From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of January 16, 2012.

This week we feature another mystery sound. Have a listen for about 10 seconds, and see if you can guess what kind of birds are making the clucking or croaking sounds. And here’s a hint: You might find this throaty creature in a dive.

SOUND.

If you guessed pelicans, you’re right! Two pelican species occur along Virginia’s coast: records show the White Pelican as only an occasional visitor on the Eastern Shore, but increasing numbers of Brown Pelicans have been seen around Virginia coastal waters since the 1980s. Brown Pelicans are known for their feeding behavior of plunging into water to trap fish in their large, expandable throat pouch. In 1970, after their populations had significantly decreased over several decades, Brown Pelicans were listed as a federally endangered species. But a ban on the pesticide DDT, restrictions on similar pesticides, and various habitat-protection efforts have helped Brown Pelicans make a remarkable recovery along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and the species was removed from the federal list in 1985. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Sound Clips” Web site for making this week’s sound available for public use.

SHOW NOTES:

Acknowledgments: The sound of baby pelicans was taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Sound Clips” Web site, at http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.htm (accessed 1/17/12). This sound was featured previously in Virginia Water Radio Episode 37 (week of 10-11-10).

Sources: Information on pelicans was taken from A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, by Chandler S. Robbins et al., St. Martin’s Press, 2001 edition; the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s “Brown Pelican Fact Sheet” (PDF file), November 2009, online at http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/pdf/brown_pelicanfactsheet09.pdf; Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Bird Guide” Web site at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search; and Cornell’s “Birds of North America Online” Web site at http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna (subscription required for this site).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 94 (January 9, 2012): State Water Control Board

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:52:54 PST

Click to listen to episode (3:17).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of January 9, 2012.

This week we listen in on a recent meeting by one of Virginia’s key citizen boards that oversees state policies and regulations on water resources. Have a listen for about 90 seconds.

SOUND.

You’ve been listening to excerpts from the September 22, 2011, meeting of Virginia’s State Water Control Board. The Board’s key duties include water-quality standards, wastewater permits and their enforcement, water-supply planning and policy, wetlands regulation, groundwater management, petroleum storage-tank regulations, and financial assistance for wastewater infrastructure. According to the Virginia Code, Water Control Board members are “by their education, training, or experience, [to] be knowledgeable of water quality control and regulation and...fairly representative of conservation, public health, business, and agriculture.” The seven-member board meets at least quarterly, usually in Richmond. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for providing a recording of the board’s September 2011 meeting.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments and Sources:

Audio of the September 22, 2011, State Water Control Board (SWCB) meeting was provided by Cindy Berndt of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). PDF files of SWCB meetings are available through the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall Web site at http://www.townhall.state.va.us/index.cfm (posted by meeting date; the site is searchable for specific agencies). Information on the SWCB was taken from the “State Water Control Board Overview” provided online by the Virginia DEQ at http://www.deq.state.va.us/cboards/#water (accessed 1/9/12), and from the Virginia Code, Sec. 62.1-44.15. (The Virginia Code is available and searchable online at the Virginia General Assembly’s Legislative Information System, online at http://leg1.state.va.us/.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 93 (December 19, 2011): "Pack of Neurons," by Bob Gramann

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:46:19 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:39).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

PLEASE NOTE: No episodes of Virginia Water Radio will be posted for the weeks of 12/26/11 and 1/2/12. Best wishes for the holidays!

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of December 19, 2011.

This week, we feature a musical selection that reminds us of how a water-based environment is vital not only around us but also inside of us. Have a listen for about 45 seconds.

MUSIC.

You’ve been listening to part of “Pack of Neurons,” by Bob Gramann on his 2008 CD, “Mostly Live.” The song is a light-hearted look at the fundamental role of neurons, or nerve cells, in transmitting the electrical impulses that control humans’ mental and physical processes. Those nerve impulses are transmitted between neurons by changes in the concentration of electrically-charged atoms of sodium and potassium. Water is vital as the solvent for those charged atoms, known as ions. And not just in neurons, but in all biological cells, a water-based solution is the medium in which biochemical substances exist and react. In the words of famous chemist Linus Pauling, “One of the most striking properties of water is its ability to dissolve many substances...and solutions are very important kinds of matter—important for industry and for life.” Thanks to Bob Gramann for permission to use this week’s music.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: “Pack of Neurons” and “Mostly Live” are copyright by Bob Gramann, used with permission. Bob Gramann’s Web site is http://www.bobgramann.com/. According to Mr. Gramann, the title of “Pack of Neurons” was inspired by the use of this phrase in the opening chapter of The Astonishing Hypothesis, a 1994 book by Francis H.C. Crick on human consciousness. Dr. Crick shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine with James Watson and Maurice Wilkins for their discoveries of the structure of the DNA molecule and how that structure allows DNA to transfer genetic information (http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/dna_double_helix/readmore.html, 12/20/11).

Sources: Information on the importance of water as a solvent in living things was taken from General Chemistry by Linus Pauling (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1970), p.447. A basic, animated introduction to how neurons work is available from the Children’s Hospital Boston Web site at http://www.childrenshospital.org/research/_neuron/index.html, 12/20/11. A more detailed explanation (but still very readable and also with animations) is available from the University of Bristol (England) Web site, “Brain Basics: The Fundamentals of Neuroscience,” online at http://www.bris.ac.uk/synaptic/basics/basics-0.html, 12/20/11.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 92 (December 12, 2011): Whale Sounds

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:21:34 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:19).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of December 12, 2011.

This week we feature more mystery sounds. Have a listen for about for about 25 seconds and see if you can guess what kind of mammal is making the swishing sounds and then the strange cries. And here’s a hint: take a deep breath, sing a song, and think big!

SOUNDS.

If you guessed whales, you’re right! The first sounds were the spouting that occurs when resurfacing whales breathe through their blowhole, which is a nostril on top of their head. The second sounds were a Humpback Whale breeding song. As many as 15 species of whales—including six species on the federal Endangered Species List—are believed to pass by Virginia’s coast at least occasionally. For example, sightings of migrating Fin and Humpback whales—both of which are endangered—are the hoped-for prize of wildlife-watching cruises that run out of Virginia Beach from December to March. Accidental ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, reduction of prey, and habitat disturbances are some of the main threats to the endangered whale species that pass by Virginia. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to the National Park Service for making this week’s sounds available for public use.

SHOW NOTES:

Acknowledgments: The whales recording was taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sound Clips Web site at http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.htm (available for public use). The Humpback Whale vocalization is a National Park Service recording made available for public use on the “Community Audio” page of the Internet Archive Web site, at http://www.archive.org/details/HumpbackWhalesSongsSoundsVocalizations (12/13/11). Some of this week’s sounds and information were previously included in Virginia Water Radio Episode 21 (week of June 14, 2010).

Sources: Information on whale species found in waters off Virginia’s coast was taken from The Marine Mammals of Virginia (with notes on identification and natural history), by Robert A. Blaylock, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 1985; online at http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/vsgcp/vsgcpe85001.pdf. Information on federally endangered whale species was taken from the National Marine Fisheries Service Web site at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/cetaceans/ (12/12/11) and from A Guide to Endangered and Threatened Species in Virginia, by Karen Terwilliger and John Tate (Blacksburg, Va.: McDonald and Woodward, 1995). Information about whale watching trips off Virginia Beach is available from the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Web site.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 91 (12-5-11): Virginia Marine Resources Commission

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:03:06 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:28).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of December 5, 2011.

This week we feature a variety of sound and voice to introduce the scope of one of Virginia’s oldest natural-resource agencies. Have a listen for about 30 seconds.

SOUND.

Streambeds, tidal waters, shellfish, finfish, wetlands, docks, piers, marinas, and other coastal and inland aspects of water resources fall under the regulatory and management responsibilities of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, which you heard in an excerpt from its October 25, 2011, meeting. As stated by the Commission’s Web site, “The Code of Virginia vests ownership of ‘all the beds of the bays, rivers, creeks, and shores of the sea in the Commonwealth to be used as a common by all the people of Virginia,’ and directs the Marine Resources Commission to manage those natural resources as a public trust.” The modern Commission was organized in 1968, but its origin dates to Virginia’s creation in 1875 of an Oyster Police Navy and a Fish Commission. The Commission’s three main areas of work now are fisheries management, habitat management, and law enforcement by the Virginia Marine Police, the successor to the Oyster Navy. The eight-member citizens’ board that oversees the Commission’s work meets monthly in Newport News.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: Audio of the October 25, 2011, meeting of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission was taken from the Commission’s Web site at http://www.mrc.state.va.us/calendar.shtm (accessed 12/5/11). The shorebirds recording was taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sound Clips Web site at http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.htm (available for public use). Other sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio.

Sources: Information on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's history and activities was taken from the Commission’s home page at http://www.mrc.state.va.us/. Click the following for information on the Commission’s three main program areas: Fisheries Management, Habitat Management, and Law Enforcement (Virginia Marine Police).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 90 (November 28, 2011): Tundra Swan

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:10:36 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:18).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of November 28, 2011.

This week we feature another mystery sound. Have a listen for about 20 seconds and see if you can guess what kind of winter Virginia visitor is making these calls. And here’s a hint: the name might suggest looking graceful in a very cold place.

SOUND.

If you guessed Tundra Swans, you’re right! Tundra Swans, formerly called Whistling Swans, breed in the Arctic but winter along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts. In Virginia, the birds are found between November and March around the Chesapeake Bay, on the Eastern Shore, and in Back Bay in Virginia Beach. Tundra Swans are one of three swan species potentially found in Virginia. Non-native Mute Swans live year-round on park land and golf courses but also in natural habitats, where their aggressive behavior can displace Tundra Swans and other native birds. And Trumpeter Swans historically migrated through Virginia, but by the 1900s commercial harvests, habitat loss, and pollution had removed this species from most eastern U.S. areas. Decades of conservation efforts, however, are helping restore Trumpeter Swan populations. Thanks to Lang Elliott of NatureSound Studio and to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for permission to use this week’s recordings.

SHOW NOTES:

Acknowledgments: The sounds of individual Tundra Swan calls (first set of sounds) were taken from “Tundra Swan” on the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott and NatureSound Studio (online at http://www.naturesound.com/); the sound of a Tundra Swan flock was taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sound Clips Web site at http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.htm, and from The Fish and Wildlife Service recording was previously included in Virginia Water Radio Episode 20 (week of June 7, 2010).

Sources: Information about Tundra Swans and other swans was taken from Life in the Chesapeake Bay-3^rd Edition, by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006), pp. 161-162; A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, by Chandler S. Robbins et al. (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001); the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ (DGIF) Fish and Wildlife Information Service Web site at (http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information; the DGIF’s “Tundra Swan Trax” Web page at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/swan/descriptions.asp; Cornell University Lab of Ornithology’s “All About Birds” Web site at http://www.allaboutbirds.org; and the Cornell Ornithology Lab’s “Birds of North America Online” Web site at http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna (subscription needed for this Web site).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 89 (November 21, 2011): "Rappahannock Rapids" by Morey A. Stanton

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:38:51 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:29).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT
From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of November 21, 2011.

This week we feature a delightful banjo tune inspired by one of Virginia’s major rivers. Have a listen for about 45 seconds.

MUSIC.

You’ve been listening to part of “Rappahannock Rapids,” written by Morey A. Stanton. After many years of visits to Rappahannock River Campground in the Culpeper County town of Richardsville, Mr. Stanton wrote the tune for the staff at the campground, who now feature it on their Web site. The headwaters of the Rappahannock River, and of its major tributaries the Hazel and Rapidan rivers, begin at the Blue Ridge in Fauquier, Rappahannock, Madison, and Greene counties. The Rappahannock ends at its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay, where the river separates Lancaster County on the Northern Neck from Middlesex County on the Middle Peninsula. The river’s approximately 184-mile length is rich with natural beauty and aquatic habitats, local and national history, and of course, rapids! Thanks to Rappahannock River Campground for permission to use this week’s music.

For other water sounds and music, and for more Virginia water information, visit our Web site at virginiawaterradio.org, or call us at (540) 231-5463. From the Virginia Water Resources Research Center in Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: “Rappahanock Rapids” is posted at the Web site of Rappahannock River Campground, http://www.canoecamp.com/; used with permission. This week’s information and music were previously included in Virginia Water Radio Episode 24 (week of July 12, 2010).

Sources: Information on the Rappahannock River was taken from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Web site at www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=170, 11/21/11. For a musical selection on the removal of Embrey Dam from the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, please see Virginia Water Radio Episode 71 (week of 7-11-11).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

For events related to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Quick Guide to Virginia Water–related Conferences, Workshops, and Other Events, online at http://virginiawaterevents.wordpress.com/. The site includes a list of Virginia government policy and regulatory meetings occurring in the coming week.

Episode 88 (November 14, 2011): Loons

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:19:00 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:05).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of November 14, 2011.

This week we feature another mystery sound. Have a listen for about 20 seconds, and see if you can identify what’s making the various high-pitched calls, which may sound like a yodel, hoot, or wail.

SOUND.

If you guessed a loon, you’re right! The distinctive calls of loons are associated with lakes and other water bodies in Canada and the northern United States, where five species of loons breed. But Virginia’s coastal areas provide winter homes for two species, the Common Loon and Red-Throated Loon. Unfortunately for Virginians, however, these birds do not make their calls in winter. Loons are known for their swimming and diving abilities, and they typically go on land only during breeding. The Common Loon, as its name implies, is well-known as a symbol of wildlife and wilderness, and the species has been extensively studied as an indicator of water quality, including particularly the effects of mercury and acid rain. Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to Lang Elliott of NatureSound Studio for this week’s sounds.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: The loon sounds were taken from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sound Clips Web site at http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.htm, and from “Common Loon” on the Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs-Eastern Region CD set, by Lang Elliott with Donald and Lillian Stokes (Time Warner Audio Books, copyright 1997), used with permission of Lang Elliott and NatureSound Studio (online at http://www.naturesound.com/). The Fish and Wildlife Service loon recording was previously included in Virginia Water Radio Episode 32 (week of September 6, 2010).

Sources: Information on loons was taken from A Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America, by Chandler S. Robbins et al., St. Martin’s Press, 2001 edition; from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Fish and Wildlife Information Service Web site at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information; from Cornell University Lab of Ornithology’s “All About Birds” Web site at http://www.allaboutbirds.org; and from the Cornell Ornithology Lab’s “Birds of North America Online” Web site at http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna (subscription needed for this Web site).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 87 (November 7, 2011): "Falls of Richmond" by Timothy Seaman

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:13:02 PST

Click to listen to episode (2:26).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of November 7, 2011.

This week we feature a musical selection that celebrates a whitewater jewel in the middle of Virginia’s capital city. Have a listen for about 40 seconds.

You’ve been listening to “Falls of Richmond,” performed by Timothy Seaman on his 2004 CD, “Virginia Wildlife,” from Pine Wind Music. The falls of Richmond are the series of scenic and dramatic rapids marking the Fall Line in the James River, where the river flows out of the Piedmont and into the Coastal Plain. While providing today’s Richmond with natural habitat, scenery, and challenging whitewater paddling, the falls area also has many historical connections to the city’s role in transportation, industry, and the Civil War. The James River Park System, started from an initial land donation in 1972, now includes 550 acres of shoreline and islands throughout most of Richmond’s Fall Line area, creating what the Friends of James River Park call a “watery and woodsy gem of a public park.” Thanks to Timothy Seaman for permission to use this week’s music.

Acknowledgments: Music on the CD “Virginia Wildlife” is copyright 2004 by Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission. “Falls of Richmond” was also featured in the sound segment of Virginia Water Radio Episode 62 (week of 4-18-11).

Sources: Information about the James River falls at Richmond was taken from the James River Association’s James River Water Trail Map (Middle Section, Map 6); and the Web site of the James River Park System, at www.jamesriverpark.org/index.php (source of quote is http://www.jamesriverpark.org/visit-the-park/about-the-park.php). The “Virginia Wildlife” CD was a collaboration between Mr. Seaman and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries; for more information, visit https://www3.dgif.virginia.gov/estore/proddetail.asp?prod=VW219.

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 86 (October 31, 2011): High-water Mark Sign Dedication for New River at Radford

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:59:16 PDT

Click to listen to episode (3:34).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of October 31, 2011. This week’s somewhat-longer episode features comments from an October 18 ceremony unveiling a record high-water marker for the New River at Radford. The comments are by Richard Harshberger, vice-mayor of the City of Radford; Anthony Phillips, who donated the Radford high-water marker; Dave Wert, meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service’s Blacksburg office; and Peter Corrigan, service hydrologist at Blacksburg office. Have a listen for about two minutes.

[Richard Harshberger:] “Good morning. On behalf of the City of Radford, I’m honored and pleased to receive the second high-water-mark sign in the Commonwealth.”

[Anthony Phillips:] “The actual hurricane that produced these record floods developed down in the Caribbean on August 5^th, 1940..... After it made landfall, it really slowed down, and actually spent three days over the southern Appalachians. And it started raining here in Virginia on August 13, and of course this flood occurred on August 14. And it spent three or four days over land, just producing copious amounts of rainfall. The water that produced this record rainfall actually occurred over Floyd in the Little River, which runs into the New upstream...they got 17 inches in two days in Floyd County.”

[Dave Wert:] “It’s flooding, and flash flooding specifically, that produces overwhelmingly the most number of deaths annually across the nation.... Just a simple Category 1 hurricane coming in on the border of Georgia and South Carolina—a lot of people think that Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, the stronger the storm, the more the potential impact. That’s not the case, especially when it comes to a flash flood or flooding situation.”

[Peter Corrigan:] “But, you know, one thing that we’ve noticed in the past five years, 10 years, in increase in massive flooding. Pennsylvania, Nashville, Tennessee, Atlanta, Georgia—floods that have greatly eclipsed past records. So, you know, we’re looking at, this is the highest we’ve ever achieved [at Radford] but there’s no reason it can’t be exceeded, even by significant amounts. Iowa broke a record by 10 feet just recently as 2008, a river that had 100 years of records. So, this is the highest it’s reached, but it’s not to say it couldn’t reach higher. And we hope not.”

As you heard, the record high level for the New River at Radford was produced by rainfall from an August 1940, category 1 hurricane that came ashore along the Georgia-South Carolina border. That hurricane’s rainfall raised the river level to about 22 feet above flood stage. The Radford high-water marker is one of three so far in Virginia and 56 nationwide for the National Weather Service’s and U.S. Geological Survey’s High Water Mark Sign project, which aims to increase communities’ awareness of flooding history and potential.

For other water sounds and music, and for more Virginia water information, visit our Web site at virginiawaterradio.org, or call us at (540) 231-5463. From the Virginia Water Resources Research Center in Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: The comments in this episode were recorded by Alan Raflo at the October 18, 2011, Radford High Water Mark Sign Unveiling and Dedication, Bissett Park, Radford, Virginia. A 20-minute recording of the entire ceremony is available at http://vwrrc.vt.edu/virginia_water_radio/mp3_archive/RadforddedicationOct182011.mp3.

Sources and More Information: Information about the High Water Mark Sign Project is available at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/water/high_water. Photos from the unveiling at Radford on October 18 are available at New River Flood Marker Unveiled in Radford, Virginia Water Central News Grouper blog, 10/18/11.

Recent Virginia Water News

Episode 85 (October 24, 2011): Virginia Statewide Water-supply Planning

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:24:02 PDT

Click to listen to episode (2:53).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of October 24, 2011.

This week, we listen in on a recent public hearing about a subject that’s been on the agenda of every Virginia locality at some point between 2005 and 2011. Have a listen for about 60 seconds.

SOUND.

You’ve been listening to the county attorney of Montgomery County at an October 11 Board of Supervisors’ public hearing on a regional water-supply plan and a local drought-declaration protocol. Chances are that your town, county, or city’s governing body has had a similar public hearing recently. Since 2005, all Virginia localities have been involved in a statewide water-supply planning process mandated by the 2003 Virginia General Assembly, following the severe drought of 1999 to 2002. Like Montgomery County, many localities have participated in regional plans, and November 2011 is the deadline for submitting those plans to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Localities that chose to submit individual plans were required to do so between 2008 and 2010, depending on the locality’s population. The local and regional plans are to be incorporated into a state water resources plan for submission to the General Assembly and the governor.

SHOW NOTES

Sources and more information:

The sound excerpts used in this episode were recorded by Alan Raflo at the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors meeting in Christiansburg, Va., on October 11, 2011. Video of the complete meeting is available online at http://montgomeryva.pegcentral.com/.

SB 1221 in the 2003 Virginia General Assembly required the following:

“The [State Water Control] Board, with the advice and guidance from the Commissioner of Health, local governments, public service authorities, and other interested parties, shall establish a comprehensive water supply planning process for the development of local, regional, and state water supply plans consistent with the provisions of this chapter [Chapter 227 of the Virginia Code]. This process shall be designed to (i) ensure that adequate and safe drinking water is available to all citizens of the Commonwealth, (ii) encourage, promote, and protect all other beneficial uses of the Commonwealth's water resources, and (iii) encourage, promote, and develop incentives for alternative water sources, including but not limited to desalinization.

“Local or regional water supply plans shall be prepared and submitted to the Department of Environmental Quality in accordance with criteria and guidelines developed by the Board. Such criteria and guidelines shall take into account existing local and regional water supply planning efforts and requirements imposed under other state or federal laws.”

The plans were required to include information on the following: water sources; water use; natural resources; water-demand management or current conservation practices; drought response and contingency plans; projected water demand; and a statement of need based on the adequacy of existing water sources to meet current and projected water demand over the planning period (a minimum of 30 years to a maximum of 50 years).

The full text of SB 1221 is available at the Virginia Legislative Information System’s Web site, at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=031&typ=bil&val=sb1221.

Information about the water-supply planning program is available from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at this Web site, http://www.deq.state.va.us/watersupplyplanning/. Information about the expected compilation of the local/regional plans into a state water plan is available at this DEQ site: http://www.deq.state.va.us/watersupplyplanning/statwat.html. For more information, please contact Tammy Stephenson at the DEQ’s Blue Ridge Regional Office in Roanoke at (540) 562-6828, e-mail: tammy.stephenson@deq.virginia.gov.

For a summary of the process, including a table of which localities prepared individual plans and which participated in regional efforts, please see “Water Supply Planning on the Agenda in Virginia and Several Other States,” Virginia Water Central November 2009, p.7, online at http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/watercentral.html.

Recent Virginia Water News

Episode 84 (October 17, 2011): "Wind in the Maples/Sugartree Branch" by Timothy Seaman

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:23:36 PDT

Click to listen to episode (2:47).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of October 17, 2011.

This week we feature an instrumental musical selection about the trees whose colors are the star of the fall, and about a Virginia stream whose name derives from the same trees’ springtime product. Have a listen for about 50 seconds.

MUSIC.

You’ve been listening to part of “Wind in the Maples” and “Sugartree Branch” performed by Timothy Seaman on his 2002 CD, “Sycamore Rapids.” Virginia is home to eight native maple species, including Red Maple and Sugar Maple, the two main species that turn Virginia’s countryside into a blaze of color each fall. Along streets and in backyards, those two natives share the color show with Norway Maples and other non-native species. The rising springtime sap of Sugar Maples is famously tapped to make maple sugar, but several other maple species are also used for sugaring. Evidently named for this practice, Sugartree Branch is an approximately two-mile long stream on the Blue Ridge in the St. Mary’s River Wilderness area of Augusta County. But streams get more than just a name from maples. As a major component of Virginia’s forests, maples join with many other trees in exerting a large influence on water quality, flow, and habitat of Virginia’s water resources. Thanks to Timothy Seaman for permission to use this week’s music.

SHOW NOTES

Acknowledgments: “Wind in the Maples,” Sugartree Branch,” and “Sycamore Rapids” are copyright 2002 by Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used with permission. “Sugartree Branch” was also featured in the sound segment of Virginia Water Radio Episode 47 (week of 12-20-10).

Sources and More Information: Information on maple trees in Virginia was taken from Common Native Trees of Virginia, Virginia Department of Forestry, 2007 (PDF available online at http://www.dof.virginia.gov/edu/resources/pub_Native-Trees-Va_2009.pdf, as of 10/17/11); the “Dr. Dendro” Web site provided by the Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, online at http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/doctor/doctor.cfm; and the Virginia Department of Forestry’s 2010 State of the Forest (available online at http://www.dof.virginia.gov/info/index-forms-docs.htm), which identifies Red Maple as the number-one tree species in Virginia by number of trees and the number-five Virginia tree by volume.

The various maple species used for making maple sugar are listed by various sources, including the University of Minnesota Extension (http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/dd6286.html) and the Vermont Department of Forests Park, and Recreation’s mapleinfo.org Web site.

Information about St. Mary’s Wilderness is available from the U.S. Forest Service brochure available online (as a PDF) at http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/r8/gwj/gp/pdf_files/saint-mary%27s.pdf (as of 10/17/11). Sugartree Branch is one of several Virginia streams that have received liming treatments in an attempt to counteract the impacts of acid precipitation on trout and other aquatic life. Scientific information about Sugartree Branch and other trout streams in the St. Mary’s River watershed is available in the U.S. Forest Service’s 2002 report, Condition of Fish Populations and Habitat in the St. Mary’s River and Selected Tributaries Before and After Limestone Sand Treatment (PDF available online at http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/catt/pdf/va/2003_va_catt_report_2.pdf, as of 10/17/11).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events

Episode 83 (October 10, 2011): Waterways Trash and Cleanups

water@vt.edu (Virginia Water Resources Research Center) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:08:30 PDT

Click to listen to episode (2:28).

Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.

TRANSCRIPT

From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of October 10, 2011.

This week we feature another series of mystery sounds. Have a listen for about 35 seconds, and see if you can guess the water connection to this list of items and their sounds. And here’s a hint: this is an aquatic case of garbage in/garbage out.

SOUNDS.

If you guessed—trash found commonly in waterways—you’re unfortunately right! In fact, those were the top ten trash items collected by volunteers in the 2009 Virginia Waterways Cleanup. Each year between September 1 and October 31, Clean Virginia Waterways, located at Longwood University in Farmville, leads a statewide effort by thousands of volunteers to remove trash from Virginia’s streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. Participating groups include schools, businesses, churches, watershed associations, and other organizations. The Virginia effort is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, organized annually since 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy. Thanks to Joey Mignone and Ocean Moore for making this week’s sounds, and let’s let them have the last word: PLEASE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS CLEAN!

SHOW NOTES

Sources: Information on the Virginia Waterways Cleanup was taken from the Clean Virginia Waterways Web site at http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/iccva.htm. To coordinate a site or sign up as a cleanup leader, please fill out the Site Captain Signup Form found the Web site listed above. More information is available at (434) 395-2602 or cleanva@longwood.edu. Information on the International Coastal Cleanup is available online at www.oceanconservancy.org/iccmedia.

According to the Clean Virginia Waterways Web site (at http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/toptenva.htm), the estimates of the “top ten” items collected in the 2009 Virginia cleanups—representing about 88 percent of all the trash collected that year—is as follows:

Cigarettes/Cigarette Filters = 14,679 (13.91%);

Beverage Bottles (Plastic) 2 liters or less = 13,297 (12.60%);

Beverage Cans = 12,942 (12.26%);

Bags (plastic) = 10,642 (10.08%);

Food Wrappers and Containers = 10,249 (9.71%);

Cups/Plates/Forks/Knives/Spoons = 9,995 (9.47%);

Beverage Bottles (Glass) = 7,910 (7.50%);

Caps/Lids = 6,577 (6.12%);

Straws/Stirrers = 3,838 (3.64%);

Bags (paper) = 2,487 (2.36%).

Recent Virginia Water News

For news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper, available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.

Water Meetings and Other Events