Reducing contaminants means more fish in Delaware's Christina River are safe to eat. Managing the water flow in Galveston Bay allows oysters to thrive. And around the world, reducing conflicts over water and other natural resources helps to promote peace.

Water Management and Policy: Local and Global Perspectives, the third symposium in a series focused on humans and climate, was held June 7 at the St. Jones Reserve in Dover, as part of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR). The event was sponsored by the University of Delaware's Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) in partnership with the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).

In keeping with DENIN’s multidisciplinary approach to environmental solutions, speakers included experts in ethics, geology, hydrology, law and a representative of U.S. Sen. Chris Coons.

Kelly Valencik of DNREC led a marsh walk, explaining methods DNERR technicians and scientists use to gather data and monitor water.

“This is a living example of science in action at a research field site,” she said. “This important research will help to shape decisions on how best to preserve and improve our environment.”

Students from UD graduate programs and Wesley College received valuable insights from seasoned scientists presenting at the symposium. Students presented posters on topics ranging from coastal salinization through groundwater/surface water interactions to chemical methods for determining the electron storage capacity of biochar.

“Managing our water well is important locally and globally, and the graduate students here will have this important responsibility in the future,” said Jeanette Miller, DENIN associate director.

For further information, please visit: http://www.denin.udel.edu