It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Video Learning Series: Groundwater Foundation}

This is the second blog in a series of video learning opportunities from the Groundwater Foundation. Click to see the previous blog on the Groundwater Guardian program.
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Frannie has been on the move a lot recently and has been relying on her friends at the Groundwater Foundation to help her keep up on her blogs so this week, she wants to turn the spotlight around on them!

The Groundwater Foundation was founded in 1985 and operated in its early years out of the home of President Emeritus Susan Seacrest. In her interview, she states, "Groundwater, as it exists when it's in storage, is hidden. We wanted to be the voice that would speak to people about the importance of what it does."

Over thirty years later, Groundwater Foundation staff do most of their work out of an office in beautiful Lincoln, Nebraska. As Director of Grants Jane Griffin says, "[we] try to reach people with information about the [groundwater] they are utilizing and the ways they can be in the protection and conservation of it."

As you learned last week, one of the ways communities can learn about groundwater and become engaged in protecting it is through the Groundwater Guardian program. "[Groundwater Guardians] are leaders in conservation and role models in our community", offering ways for our friends, family, and the general public to be active stewards of the environment.

Readers of Frannie's blog are already familiar with the youth education and outreach part of the Foundation's efforts. "Education is the basis for better decision-making". The activities, games, lessons, and tools that Frannie and her friends share on this blog can equip you with knowledge you will need to keep your drinking water clean for the future.

The Groundwater Foundation is grateful to people like you who want to "make a difference, care more about where they live, do more for where they live, and be more of who they are." Cheers to groundwater!

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Groundwater Week 2019 - Groundwater Foundation Scavenger Hunt!}

Frannie had an amazing time at Groundwater Week in Las Vegas, NV. She said hello to many of her old Groundwater Guardian friends at the Groundwater Foundation Symposium on Tuesday, but Wednesday and Thursday were dedicated to making new friends while doing the Groundwater Foundation Scavenger Hunt!

The Scavenger Hunt consisted of 17 companies or organizations who supported the Groundwater Foundation by donating money to help Frannie and Foundation staff do education and outreach activities.

Frannie first swam down aisle 1 to meet GICON and NAPCO Pipe & Fittings.

Then she dashed around to say hello to Cotey Chemical Corp, GEFCO, and Wyo-Ben. Wyo-Ben also donated an item to the Groundwater Foundation's silent auction fundraiser!

Next door on aisle 4, Frannie met representatives from International Pipe and National Driller.

Frannie made 3 friends on aisle 5, including A.O. Smith Water Systems, Boshart Industries, and Flomatic Valves!

She ran into some old friends at the Water Systems Council booth, who have happily supported the Foundation's education efforts for a long time.

Frannie is sorry that she missed the folks at Cascadian Water and Sun-Star Electric, Inc, but hopes to see them at Groundwater Week next year!

Frannie skipped a couple aisle to get to aisle 9, where she met friends from Simmons Manufacturing and Mount Sopris.

Frannie was getting kind of tired from swimming all over the exhibit hall, so she was happy to stop by and rest awhile at the CSI Water Treatment Systems booth.

At the far end of the hall, a nice representative from Milspec Industries welcomed Frannie and the Groundwater Foundation booth for a quick photo-op just before dinner.

Great job, Frannie! And a big Thank You to the sponsors of the Groundwater Foundation Scavenger Hunt for supporting the Groundwater Foundation's vision to protect our drinking water resources by connecting and inspiring individuals and communities to take action with the goal of having clean, sustainable groundwater.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {What-A-Cycle!}

See below for a special announcement!

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A week ago, Frannie was in Cincinnati meeting with science educators and curriculum developers for the National Science Teaching Association regional conference. While she was there she met Dennis, a climate scientist from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who was handing out a water cycle modeling activity called "What-A-Cycle"!

Frannie thought the idea was so clever but she knew she wouldn't have the time do it because she had to get ready for Groundwater Week. She reached out to her friends at the Groundwater Foundation, knowing we'd be excited to share this craft with you today.

WHAT-A-CYCLE Water Cycle Paper Craft
You'll need:

• Scissors
• Glue or Tape
• What-a-cycle paper craft worksheet
• Colored Pencils/crayons/markers (optional)

STEPS:

1. If you printed out a Black and White copy or an unlabeled copy of the What-a-cycle paper craft worksheet, you should first color it and label all the parts of the water cycle.

2. Cut out the atmospheric portion of the water cycle and then cut out the ground portion of the water cycle. You should now have 2 separate pieces.

3. Fold the lettered tabs and along the marked lines on the ground piece and start to form a 3-D version of the groundwater and runoff portions of the water cycle. Once you start to see how the flat version transforms into 3-D, glue or tape the tabs together to form the model.

4. Fold along the dotted line in the atmospheric portion of the water cycle so that the largest precipitation cloud is at a right angle to the rest of the background.

5. Glue or tape the 3-D groundwater portion of the model to the atmospheric section of the model to complete the activity.

Frannie has been blogging about the water cycle a lot these past couple months.Go back to review her water cycle blogs first, and then trace as many paths a water droplet can take as you can find. What parts of the water cycle deep dives are shown in this model? What parts are missing?

Let her know by email or through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Special Announcement!!

Catch Frannie next week on Facebook in a very special addition of "Water-Wise Wednesdays" as she completes the Groundwater Foundation Scavenger Hunt in the Groundwater Week Exhibit Hall! Frannie is excited to introduce you to several companies who make it possible for her (and her friends at the Groundwater Foundation!) to share the importance of groundwater through education.

BLOG: What a Groundwater Week!

by Jennifer Wemhoff, Groundwater Foundation

Last week, all three Groundwater Foundation staffers traveled to Las Vegas for our first Groundwater Week as part of the National Ground Water Association family. It was an awesome week - meeting NGWA staff members, board members, and members, and introducing them to the work we do at the Groundwater Foundation. Check out our website for some photos and highlights from the week. Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to be there for Groundwater Week 2019 - December 2-5, 2019 in Las Vegas.

Perhaps the most exciting part of Groundwater Week for us was the debut of a video about the work of the Groundwater Foundation. It was a lot of fun to collaborate with the team from NGWA to develop this video and tell the Foundation's story:

We're proud of the work we do at the Groundwater Foundation - and we're proud to have you be a part of it.

Show your support - donate today!

BLOG: Varied Paths and Careers in Water

by Jane Griffin, The Groundwater Foundation

It was just over ten years ago that I entered into a career in the water world when I accepted my current position at the Groundwater Foundation. A comment that I have consistently heard during the years is the water industry needs new young people to fill the jobs that will soon be available in abundance. Early on when I thought about this comment, I immediately envisioned water operators. Clearly the picture is a lot bigger than just water operators. 

I realized how far-reaching jobs that impact the water industry are when listening to a lecture given by Mogens Bay, Executive Chairman, Valmont Industries and Robert Meaney, Sr. Vice President, Valmont Industries – Retired about global water security. Bay stated “more than a question of water scarcity we are faced with the question of developing and implementing proper management practices and sound policy on a global level.” Bay continued his comments expanding on the career opportunities that exist to address this critical situation.

Do you want to be part of the solution and ensure that future generations have a safe and sufficient water supply? There are so many paths that you can follow, anything from from marketing to science. I want to share how some of today’s water experts I know ended up in their job. For some it was a clear, straightforward path; for others it was serendipitous.

olssonassociates.com

Brian Dunnigan, PE,  Water Resources Team Leader, Olsson Associates

Story: I was working as a bridge designer when I saw an intriguing job advertised in the paper – to do floodplain mapping work. Pursuing the job led to a 25-year career in floodplain management and opened the door to other opportunities for me in water resources.

Advice: Be open-minded to all opportunities that you have an interest in.  You never know which opportunity may lead to your dream job.  Sometimes things just happen!

Matt Ondrejko, Vice President Global Marketing, Valmont Industries

Story: When I was considering taking a job with Valmont Industries in the Irrigation division I was doing a lot of research on the company. I came across a video online that showed former CEO Mogens Bay talking about the need to manage and use water in the most efficient and effective way possible. He then made a statement that by 2050 the world would have 9 Billion people to feed, clothe and house. That was when it dawned on me what a great opportunity it would be to help be part of the solution for better utilizing one of our most limited resources – fresh water.

Advice: Follow your passion but be willing to deviate along the trip – take new roads. The path you start on may not be the one you end up on or even finish on. Be willing to try new things but stay true to your core values and who you are along the journey!

Jim Goeke, Professor Emeritus, University of Nebraska –Retired

Story: My choice to study geology was a natural outcome sparked by my delight collecting fossils in the strip coal mines in Illinois with my mother when I was supposed to be fishing. The more I studied geology, the more I was moved by the vast amounts of time involved. I loved the people in the discipline and being able to be outside in awe inspiring locales. It was an easy transition to get into hydrogeology because simply I have always cherished a cool drink of water and I have been always fascinated by being getting that cool water out of the ground!

Advice: investigate summer employment with a local well driller or possible summer employment with the USGS or your state geologic survey. 

wellntel.com

Marian Singer, CEO, Wellntel

Story: I was a strategy consultant doing voice of customer/market research for Fortune 250s in energy and water.  I spent a year studying the groundwater market for a large equipment manufacturer and was stunned to learn that 1M of the 15M private domestic and ag wells in the US fail every year, costing $1B or more in emergency spend and that most of the time, no one really knew what was going on with groundwater.  It seemed to me that, with the right technology and data in the cloud, each of those 15M private wells was a candidate to become a monitoring well, providing the insight well owners and communities need to manage sustainably.  After a year of research and investigation Wellntel was started.

Advice: The scope and variety of potential roles and types of companies in the water industry will continue to grow and diversify as all players - utilities, well owners, equipment companies, communities, commodity markets, technologies companies and many more - wrestle with the need to price and sustainably manage one of our most important natural resources.

James Burks, President, Senninger Irrigation

Story: I grew up with a father fully dedicated to agricultural irrigation and feel blessed to have had great opportunities to pursue the same career. To be a part of conserving such a valuable resource while feeding people is extremely gratifying. 

Advice: Sounds cliché, but following your heart helps to ensure a career aligned with your God given strengths and passions. I’m not sure who originally coined the phrase; “Find something that you truly enjoy doing and you’ll never work a day in your life”, but I’ve always thought it to be spot on.

waterforfood.nebraska.edu

Rachael Herpel Assistant Director, Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute

Story: It all began when I met Bob Kuzelka, who offered me an assistantship based on my policy experience. Before I met Bob I had envisioned myself as a town planner, but I’ve been focused on water ever since.

Advice: Technical expertise is important, but it’s the interpersonal skills that really set you apart.  Being known for working hard and keeping your commitments means a lot.

Bob Swanson, Director – Retired, USGS Nebraska Water Science Center

Story: ’Twas serendipity that led me into the water world. I had graduated at Doane with Biology and Environmental Sciences majors and was planning to head off to Montana for grad school, but couldn’t for another year. I had internships with Crete Mills (didn’t want to be a lab rat) and USDA ARS. The ARS appealed to me, but crop science wasn’t a priority. I wanted to get into natural science. An acquaintance told me that the USGS was hiring and I should look into it. I thought, “I can do that for year.” It turned into a lifelong career!

Advice: Go for the internships - USGS, DNR, Groundwater Foundation. Paid or unpaid, it doesn’t matter, the experience does. I’ve had about a dozen interns decide to change degree paths and go into hydrology just on the experience. We’ve also had our share of the hydrologist hires that have realized after 4 years of school and getting hired by USGS that water isn’t for them. I rather know it was what I wanted before graduating than after and the internships are the key.

Bill Alley, Director of Science and Technology, National Groundwater Association 

Story: My interest in water began when I participated as an undergraduate in a study of acid mine drainage in Colorado during the summer. 

Advice: Keep an open mind and try to get a good grounding in the basic sciences.

So, as you can see, the paths to the careers are as varied as the jobs themselves.  As you start or transition in your career keep an open mind, you never know, you may get a degree in Art History – and end up with a motivating, challenging and rewarding job at the Groundwater Foundation! 

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {2017 Groundwater Foundation National Conference}

She's back!  Frannie the Fish spent most of last week in the lovely mountain city of Boise, Idaho for the 2017 Groundwater Foundation National Conference.  In the picture above, you can see her working hard to let people know about the Girl Scout Keep it Clean! and Ask Me About Groundwater patches for girls of all ages.

Frannie got to hear from amazing speakers like Pat Mulroy, from the Southern Nevada Water Authority, and Bill and Rosemarie Alley, authors of High and Dry: Meeting the Challenges of the World's Growing Dependence on Groundwater, as they discussed some of the most important issues surrounding groundwater at home and abroad.  Frannie also got to tour Boise's wastewater treatment plant and learn about Boise's struggle against the groundwater contamination they found when they were constructing a new park in the beautiful Boise River Greenbelt.

Frannie's favorite part of the conference was the Recognition Round Table Luncheon, where she got to hear from four leaders of Groundwater Guardian communities about outreach opportunities and solutions they've developed to solve groundwater issues in their area.  Each Groundwater Guardian speaker sat at the table for just a few minutes before moving on, but Frannie liked the personable experience and the chance to ask very specific questions about topics like sponsored field trips to the treatment plants in under-served communities and cost-sharing programs for well closure.

If you couldn't join Frannie at this conference, don't worry!  We are currently working to upload a conference summary and dozens of pictures on our website and we'll update the blog as soon as it's live.

Can't wait til then to learn more about groundwater?  Check out our Hydrogeology Challenge to see how water flows underground.

BLOG: Beautiful Boise

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

It's pronounced "Boy-see" NOT "Boy-zee." It was one of the original pilot communities involved in the Groundwater Guardian program, and has been designated every year since 1994. It's also the host of the 2017 Groundwater Foundation National Conference.

It has a population of over 250,000 and its nickname is the City of Trees. In fact, According to oral history, French-Canadian fur trappers named Boise in the early 19th century. The trappers, after crossing the hot, dry desert, crested a hill and, gazing down up on the woods surrounding the Boise River, exclaimed “Les bois! Les bois!” (“Woods! Woods!”). Fort Boise was established in July of 1863 to keep peace in the mining camps and to protect the Oregon Trail pioneers from Indian raids. The City of Boise was established quickly and served as a service center for gold and silver miners in the nearby mountains and foothills. The wooded Boise River is now the scenic backdrop for a beautiful and popular greenbelt path and so many species of trees have been planted that today Boise is known as the “City of Trees.” 

Boise is home to a number of interesting and unique attractions, including:

Basque Museum and Cultural Center (208-343-2671, 611 W. Grove St.)
Boise is home to the largest concentration of Basques per capita in the U.S., and Boise also has North America’s only Basque museum, the internationally renowned Oinkarl Basque Dancers and authentic Basque eateries.

Esther Simplot Park (614 N Whitewater Park Blvd.)
An expansive 55-acre site encompasses approximately 23 acres of ponds suitable for fishing, wading and swimming. The park features include trails, docks, wetlands, boardwalks, shelters, grassy open areas, a playground, bridges and restrooms. A meandering stream will connect the park’s two ponds with Quinn’s Pond. It is the most recent addition to the “Ribbon of Jewels”—a string of riverside parks named for prominent local women. 

Boise River Greenbelt (208-384-4240, multiple starting points, including Kathryn Albertson Park) 
The 25- mile riverfront Greenbelt, ideal for walking, jogging, bicycling, skating and general relaxing, meanders through Boise. The paved pathway connects several parks throughout the city. 

World Center for Birds of Prey (208-362-8687, 5668 W. Flying Hawk Ln.) 
Visitors can see rare falcons and eagles up close and the inner workings of an endangered species program. This unique center on the outskirts of Boise is the most sophisticated facility in the world for breeding and releasing birds of prey

Snake River Valley Wine Region 
There are nearly 30 Idaho wineries within a 45 minute drive of downtown Boise. Ten wineries and vineyards are located in the Southwest Idaho Urban Wine District. The region boasts award-winning wines and innovative wineries. Lush orchards, scenic valleys and rugged mountains provide the perfect backdrop for wine tasting.

Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial (208-345-0304, 777 S. 8th St.) 
This memorial is an example of what can happen when a community and an entire state come together for a cause. The first in the U.S. to honor Anne Frank, it offers lessons on courage, strength, dignity of human spirit and the value of human rights for all men and women, and it will have a lasting impression on those who visit. 

Table Rock (Southeast of downtown Boise) 
This prominent local landmark is a popular spot for hikers and outdoor adventurers. Table Rock offers challenging hiking and mountain biking trails, and is easily accessible from the Old Idaho Penitentiary parking lot. Offering stunning views of the Boise skyline, foothills and the Treasure Valley, Table Rock is a favorite among trail enthusiasts. 

Idaho Botanical Garden (208-343-8649, 2355 Old Penitentiary Rd.) 
Located in Boise’s Old Penitentiary historical district, the Idaho Botanical Gardens enhances the community’s quality of life by promoting a love of nature, and offering an enriching garden experience through educational programs, botanical collections, a variety of entertainment, cultural and community events. 

Idaho State Capitol Building (208-334-2475, 700 W Jefferson St.) 
Idaho’s Capitol Building is the only one in the United States heated by geothermal water. The hot water is tapped and pumped from a source 3,000 feet underground. Geothermal energy has a long history in Boise starting back in the late 1800s.

Join us and be in Boise for the 2017 Groundwater Foundation National Conference! Come early and stay late to enjoy all that Boise has to offer. We hope to see you soon!

Find out more about Boise at www.boise.org.

BLOG: Have you been to a water festival?

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

This week I was digging through our photo archive (yes, we still have a print photo archive, complete with negatives!) looking at pictures of the Nebraska Children's Groundwater Festival. It's been about 12 years since The Groundwater Foundation organized this festival (the community of Grand Island has done a fantastic job since taking over the festival, and has made it their own) and while we participate as a presenter every year, we miss out on seeing the impact of the festival as a whole. 

Looking through the pictures reminded me of three things - the fun those kids had learning about groundwater, the effort it takes to put on a festival, and the amazing people we met along the way.

Enjoy this look back. And if you've never been part of a water festival, you're missing out! Consider getting one started in a local school or in your community

Wally and Wanda Water Drop were the festival's mascot in its early years.

Former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr and Groundwater Foundation founder Susan Seacrest. The festival often played host to a number of VIP attendees, including governors, senators, EPA and USGS directors, and local celebrities.

The festival included an exhibit hall, which was a student favorite.

Kids got to learn in a fun, hands-on environment.

A student poster contest was also part of the festival.

Willard Scott, weather guy for the Today show in the 80s/90s, paid a visit to the festival.

GW Gecko became the new mascot of the festival in the early 2000s.

Students participate in a festival "game show" with their peers.

Presenters were happy to wear goofy hats to help kids learn about groundwater!

The relationships with people like former Groundwater Foundation board member Marlene Rasmussen made organizing the festival more meaningful.

Kids just wanna have fun!

Former Governor and Senator Mike Johanns was a frequent festival guest.

Nebraska football legend Tom Osborne, and U.S. Senator at the time, Tom Osborne and his wife Nancy show off their festival t-shirts.