ORBCRE and ORBA members study various aspects of water quality and water resource management, and work with stakeholders throughout the basin to develop management plans and seek sustainable investments aimed at maintaining water resources. The conference will include organizational meetings, followed by a series of presentations on topics including flood control and risk reduction, climate change mitigation, sustainable rivers and others. The event also includes a tour of Marshall’s environmentalism efforts, showcased on the Marshall University Green Trail, and field trips to the Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Apple Grove State Fish Hatchery.
Marshall University is one of the original members of the ORBCRE collaboration, and university personnel been active in the development of ORBA. Dr. Charles Somerville, dean of Marshall University’s College of Science, serves as a trustee and a member of the ORBCRE Executive Committee, and serves on the ORBA Steering Committee.
“Co-hosting the ORBCRE and ORBA meetings here at Marshall University provides a great opportunity to bring together the major regional players in water resource management, and to make their discussions open to our students and the concerned public,” Somerville said. “Water resource management is a tremendously important issue for the Appalachian region, and I am happy that Marshall University can play a role in facilitating these discussions.”
A schedule of events can be found at ohioriverbasinalliance.com. For more information, contact Somerville by phone at 304-696-2424 or by e-mail at somervil@marshall.edu.
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Photo: Dr. Charles Somerville, dean of Marshall University’s College of Science, is serving as host of the Ohio River Basin Consortium for Research & Education (ORBCRE) and the Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA) meetings Sept 27-29.