Water symposium set for March 31

• The Rockfall Foundation and UConn Climate Adaptation Academy present an environmental symposium about changing precipitation patterns on Friday, March 31 from 8 am to 1pm at the UConn Middlesex County Extension Office, 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam. The focus is “Water: Too Much or Not Enough?” and the symposium will examine shifting patterns that produce extreme weather occurrences from rain bombs to drought. Discussion will include the impacts on communities and a variety of adaptive responses for municipalities, residents, and businesses.

David Vallee, Hydrologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service’s Northeast River Forecast Center, will give a keynote address “Examining Trends in Temperature, Precipitation and Flood Frequency in the Northeast; A Tale of Extremes.” Other presenters and panelists will discuss the effects on our personal lives and the communities we live in, including the challenges of managing infrastructure, maintaining adequate water supplies, supporting local agriculture, fighting insect borne disease, and planning for smart design. Participants include:

• Amanda Ryan, Municipal Stormwater Educator, UConn CLEAR and Michael Dietz, CT NEMO Program Director - Addressing how the type and frequency of storms affects compliance with MS4 requirements and the effectiveness of LID solutions.

• David Radka, Director of Water Resource and Planning, Connecticut Water Company and Ryan

• Tetreault, CT Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Section - Discussion of public and private water supplies with a focus on how we ensure sufficient clean water for all.

• Ian Gibson, Farm Manager, Wellstone Farm - Relating the local agricultural experience of a small farmer and how changing precipitation patterns alter the way he farms.

• Roger Wolfe, Mosquito Management Coordinator, CT DEEP Wetland Habitat & Mosquito Management Program How best to control changes in mosquito populations caused by heavy rains and periods of drought.

• Anne Penniman, ASLA, Principal/Owner, Anne Penniman Associates - Insight on how site development (plant material, surface material, drainage) can be modified to better tolerate and accommodate changing precipitation patterns.

• Kirk Westphal, PE, CDM Smith Project Manager for CT State Water Plan - An update on the development of Connecticut’s first State Water Plan and how citizens can participate in the process.

“The symposium will be of key interest to local elected and appointed officials, land use planners, developers, and town planning and commission members,” said Robin Andreoli, executive director of the Rockfall Foundation. “And the presentations and follow-up discussions should engage all who are concerned with effective community planning.”

To register or for additional information, visit www.rockfallfoundation.org or call 860347-0340. Support is provided in part by CDM Smith, Xenelis Construction, Milone & MacBroom, and Planimetrics. Proceeds benefit the environmental education programs of the Rockfall Foundation.

The Rockfall Foundation supports environmental education, conservation programs and planning initiatives in the Lower Connecticut River Valley through financial grants and educational programming. Founded in 1935, it is one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations. The Foundation owns and maintains the historic deKoven House in Middletown, which is a community center with meeting rooms and office space for non-profit groups.