Ground Water Conference Marries Science with Cave Diving
An Explorer's Perspective of Diving Underwater Caves at Weeki Wachee Spring and Other Localities in West-Central Florida is a featured presentation in the 5th Conference on Hydrogeology, Ecology, Monitoring and Management of Ground Water in Karst Terrains sponsored by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA).
Cave divers Jeff Peterson and Brett Hemphill of Karst Underwater Research reached depths of 425 feet while exploring Caves at Weeki Wachee Spring. Films of their incredible journey will be presented at the scientific meeting. Conference-goers will meet twenty-four presenting scientists from five nations February 23 -24, 2009 at the Safety Harbor, Florida Resort and Spa.
NGWA is the World’s largest association of ground water professionals, with over 13,000 members in 70 countries has teamed up with scientists from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and a group of professional cave divers to provide two days of programming on ground water. With each of Florida’s Water Management Districts dealing with drought, water shortages and increasing demands from Florida’s water wells, it has become crucial to better understand the vast network of underground caves and springs or karst terrain which make up much of Florida’s geology.
Attendees will learn the relationship between surface and ground water in a special presentation entitled The Impact of Karst Development on Peace River Flow by Ron Basso, P.G., of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Registered attendees will also be trained on the causes and dangers of sinkholes as Man-Made and Natural Mechanisms Leading to Catastrophic Collapse in the Karstic Epler Formation of Eastern Pennsylvania is presented by Richard Hisert, of H2H Associates LLC.
The conference is a rare chance to meet directly with Water Management District personnel and gain from karst studies in, Texas, Mexico, England, Europe and the Middle East. The cost is $445 for members and $595 for non-members.
Conference organizers are Ted Gates, PG. and David DeWitt, PG, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Chairman is Todd Kincaid, Ph.D. from H2H Associates LLC. For more on the conference visit the conference information link on the NWGA website or call NGWA at 800-551-7379.
For more information, visit http://www.ngwa.org
posted on 01-26-2009
by Dougherty Return to News Page Return to Front Page
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