NEWS/PHOTOS

Virginia Tech graduate student Tony Timpano holds a juvenile Common Stonefly collected from a stream to determine the effects coal mining has on the condition of the aquatic ecosystem. The amount of total dissolved solids -- or salts -- generated by coal mining can have adverse effects on water quality and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in headwater streams in the southwestern Virgina coalfield. An adult stonefly is shown in the inset.

Research scientist Sheila Christopher is studying the effects of planting switchgrass within new established loblolly pine stands on hydrology and water quality to help answer the question: "How can you grow cellulosic biofuel sustainably?"

Stephen Schoenholtz is monitoring water quality at the Catawba Sustainability Center (CSC). A baseline monitoring program is ongoing to assess effects of management activities at the CSC on water quality in Catawba Creek.

Robert "Trip" Krenz of Mendota, Ill., a graduate student in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, is investigating the effectiveness of mining companies' stream restoration efforts. "Structure and function are both critical components of an ecosystem. We are looking at both these factors to determine how they are related and to get a more complete picture of the condition of these streams," Krenz said, "If the bugs are thriving and carbon is being processed, that's a good indication that we're on our way to a healthy stream."

The staff of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, pictured above, is working in partnership with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Stormwater BMP Clearinghouse Committee to produce a publicly accessible web site to serve as the Commonwealth of Virginia's reference site for stormwater BMPs. The Virginia Stormwater BMP Clearinghouse web site will link to the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook and will provide supplemental information about BMPs, BMP selection tools, research protocols to validate performance claims for manufactured BMPs, and manufactured BMPs certified for use in Virginia.


_______________Forest Hydrology and Soils at Virginia Tech