Sunday, August 30, 2009

Private Well Owner Outreach and Training Session - PA Free Assistance to Watershed Groups

Wilkes University and B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc. conducted a private well owner outreach and education program and summarized the findings of the 2008 and 2009 assessment at the Birchwood Lakes Community in the Pocono Mountains. The program is part of the Homeowner Outreach Program at Wilkes University and is funded as part of the C-SAW Program - Managed by the Pocono Northeast Resource, Conservation, & Development Council. This program is supported in part by the efforts of the Pocono Northeast RC&D Council, Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds, Pennsylvania Lake Management Society, Wilkes University - Center for Environmental Quality, PA Growing Greener Program, and the Carbon County Groundwater Guardians.

The education session included 3 workshops and training session related to the geology of the Poconos, the relationship between surfacewater and groundwater, private well construction, groundwater quality, the results of the 2008 and 2009 groundwater sampling, Marcellus Shale Development and a Q/A session of water quality and water treatment. The main speaker was Mr. Brian Oram, Professional Geologist who is the principle at B. F. Environmental Consultants Inc and manager for the Center for Environmental Quality - Water Quality Laboratory within the Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences Department at Wilkes University. The C-SAW program provides free assistance to watershed organizations.

The Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a nonprofit, volunteer organization providing education on groundwater, private wells and septic systems to homeowners, civic groups and students based in Carbon County, PA. The website for the organization is
http://www.carbonwaters.org

The mission of the Pocono Northeast Resource Conservation and Development Council is to enhance and improve the ecological, cultural, and economic characteristics of the area through projects and programs that promote the management, protection, and utilization of the area's resources and the vision of the Council is to be a recognized leader and advocate of natural resource and community sustainability in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Council is the administrator of the C-SAW grant program. For more information - http://www.pnercd.org

If your community or watershed organization is interested in participating or conducting an education workshop, please contact Mr. Brian Oram at Wilkes University.

For more details - visit

Community Outreach and Education Programs
http://www.bfenvironmental.com

C-SAW Program
http://www.water-research.net/Watershed/watershedtraining.htm

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