Upcoming Webinar Event - Groundwater Levels, Extraction and Climate Connections in the United States, 1949-2009.

The next Penn State Water Resources Extension webinar on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM EST will discuss Groundwater Levels, Extraction and Climate Connections in the United States, 1949-2009.  The presenter will be Dr. Tess Russo, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State University.  
 
When: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 12:00 to 1:00 PM
Title: Groundwater Levels, Extraction and Climate Connections in the United States, 1949-2009Presenter: Tess Russo, Assistant Professor, Department of Geosciences, Penn State University
Where: the live webinar can be viewed at https://meeting.psu.edu/water1

Webinar description:
Groundwater constitutes a critical component of our water resources, especially during dry seasons and droughts, and in regions lacking reliable access to surface water. This seminar will cover the results of a continental-scale study revealing groundwater depletion trends. Analysis of historical groundwater level records indicates groundwater storage declined between 1949 and 2009 throughout much of the continental United States. Most notably, groundwater level declines in the southern and eastern U.S. are comparable to declines in areas of the often-discussed water stressed areas of the High Plains and southwest U.S. The causes of groundwater level change are multifaceted, varying in time and space across the U.S. Correlations between pumping rate and groundwater level were observed in a majority of counties. Climate is also clear controlling factor on groundwater levels, with changes in groundwater level correlating well with long-term climate patterns including the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. 

About the Presenter:
Tess Russo is a hydrologist who focuses on quantifying hydrologic system responses to environmental change with the objective of informing management and restoration decisions. Tess received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and was an Earth Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University before joining the Geosciences Department at Penn State as an assistant professor in August 2014. Her research interests include riparian flow and solute dynamics, managed aquifer recharge, and agricultural water management, including quantification of both regional-scale water availability and field-scale transport of agrochemicals. Tess currently has projects in India, Kenya, Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, and the United States. 

How to Participate

• The live webinar will occur from 12:00 to 1:00 PM and is accessible at: https://meeting.psu.edu/water1
• You can access this webinar simply by signing in as a "guest".
• Taped versions of each webinar in the series are available at: http://extension.psu.edu/water/webinar-series/past-webinars
• If you have not registered for past water webinars, please visit the following website to register so we can keep you updated about future webinar offerings: http://extension.psu.edu/water/webinar-series/schedule/registration
• If this will be your first webinar, you may want to test your computer and internet connection for compatibility at:https://meeting.psu.edu/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Additonal Upcoming Webinars 
Additional webinars on various water resources topics will be offered each month - generally on the last Wednesday of the month. A full schedule of upcoming webinars can be found at: http://extension.psu.edu/water/webinar-series/schedule

• December 17, 2014 – The Development of Sustainable Bioremediation Technologies to Solve Global Water Challenges, Dr. Rachel Brennan, Penn State University

Please pass this along to anyone that might be interested in attending these webinars.

Bryan Swistock
Water Resources Extension Specialist
Penn State University