To our Water Monitoring Colleagues around the Nation: As Co-Chairs of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (or "Council"), we are pleased to release the sixth edition of our online newsletter National Water Monitoring News :http://acwi.gov/monitoring/newsletter/national-monitoring-news_fall2012.pdf

This newsletter provides a forum of communication among water practitioners across the Nation. In support of the national Council’s mission, this newsletter is geared to foster partnerships and collaboration; advance water science; improve monitoring strategies; and enhance data integration, comparability, and reporting.

This edition highlights many events, activities, and new products and we hope the information is useful for your water needs. Among the topics included:

Highlights from the Council’s 8th National Monitoring Conference (April 30 – May 4, 2012, Portland, OR) New Council Resource – Water Quality Data Portal Tools and Technology

Electronic field forms for the 2012 National Lakes Assessment New How's My Waterway? mobile website Updates on monitoring including: U.S. Geological Survey’s Cooperative Water Program U.S. EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys U.S. Forest Service’s Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Program Chesapeake Bay Program monitoring of 2011 storm effects Wildfire effects on source water quality Spotlight on the State monitoring programs from California, Vermont and Florida Volunteers monitoring and the coastal Phytoplankton Monitoring Network Updates on National Monitoring Networks including: National Ground Water Monitoring Network Albemarle Sound’s study as part of the National Monitoring Network for U.S. Coastal Waters and Their Tributaries Lake Michigan water quality near Chicago

Many thanks to the editorial board: Cathy Tate, Dan Sullivan, Wendy Norton, Alice Mayio, and John Hummer; Kim Martz for the layout, and to all contributors nationwide. On behalf of the entire Council, we hope you enjoy this newsletter and we encourage your feedback and input in future editions!

Respectfully yours,

Mike Yurewicz, USGS Co-Chair and Susan Holdsworth, EPA Co-Chair

To learn more about the National Water Quality Monitoring Council please visit:http://acwi.gov/monitoring/