About Us

Mission

The mission of the Virginia Water Monitoring Council (VWMC) is to promote and facilitate coordination, collaboration, and communication among water monitoring programs throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Vision

Water resources information of appropriate quantity and quality is available so that the conditions of Virginia’s waters are known and informed decisions can be made on the preservation, protection, and use of the Commonwealth’s waters.

 Background

The VWMC seeks to foster cooperation and communication among groups involved in all types of water monitoring activities in Virginia. The VWMC is interested in physical, chemical, and biological monitoring, as well as the evaluation of those factors that affect changes in water quality and quantity. The interests of the VWMC include the full range of aquatic resources – ground and surface waters in freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments – and associated watershed characteristics in Virginia.

The initiative to form the VWMC began in 1999 in response to needs identified and supported by consensus of the water-monitoring community in Virginia. The VWMC was modeled after the national program, the National Water Quality Monitoring Council.

Membership

As of 2023, approximately 775 members, belonging to more than 275 different organizations, contribute to the success of the VWMC.  To join the VWMC, send your name, water-monitoring affiliation (if applicable), and contact information (email address, mailing address, and phone number) to vwmc@vt.edu.

Leadership

Leadership is provided by the VWMC Steering Committee. This committee generates ideas for new program areas, helps implement the VWMC program activities, and provides oversight of the work of ad hoc committees. VWMC members who are interested in serving on the VWMC Steering Committee should contact vwmc@vt.edu.

Current officers include:

    • Chair – Liz Chudoba, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Virginia Office)
    • Vice-chair – Samantha Briggs, Izaak Walton League of America
    • Secretary – Matthew Batdorf, County of Henrico, Public Works Engineering and Environmental Services Division

Current Steering Committee members include:

    • Matthew Batdorf, Henrico County, Department of Public Works, Engineering and Environmental Services Division
    • Abigail Belvin, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, School of Government and International Affairs
    • Mark Bennett, U.S. Geological Survey
    • Samantha Briggs, Izaak Walton League of America
    • Terri Brown, University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Department of Natural Sciences
    • Liz Chudoba, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Virginia Office)
    • Weedon Cloe, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Water Supply
    • Reid Downer, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
    • Chris French, Volunteer Moitor
    • Jonathan Matthews, Newport News Waterworks
    • Katie Register, Clean Virginia Waterways
    • Stephen Schoenholtz, Virginia Water Resources Research Center
    • Stacey Sovick, Henricopolis Soil & Water Conservation District

Administrative support is provided by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center at Virginia Tech and Clean Virginia Waterways at Longwood University.