President’s Letter

by Julia Steenberg

How are you holding up? I hope you and yours are well and are getting through these last few months all right. It’s been a whirlwind for me as I work from home with two little ones and teach distance learning. Although at times it feels as though it is still March, Memorial Day has passed, and the school year is ending. Some of us received six inches of snow on Easter and frost in May, but it has been a pleasant spring and we are headed into summer. Lake Vermilion experienced ice out on May 1^st and my kids were swimming in 74° water just three weeks later. I hope you are enjoying the change in weather and have found time to relax and recharge outside. 

At the Geological Survey, we’ve continued our mapping and research mostly from home. We’ve been able to continue some fieldwork and data collection within proper guidelines. Early spring and late fall is the best time for my field work, and I was able to get out for a few short day trips in Dakota County. 

At MGWA our work has continued without fail. I am always encouraged and grateful for all our volunteers. Our boards and committees quickly adapted and learned to host meetings on Zoom and make motions and vote via email. Attendance is up! Many of our other commitments aren’t happening, and those from out of the core metro area don’t have to worry about the virtual commute. The newsletter team continues its great work and articles are still coming in. The Chloride White Paper is nearly complete and the next one on the Groundwater Act is well underway. Student scholarships and groundwater education grants were awarded this spring. The Education Committee is making plans for MGWA to continue to be a resource to raise awareness about our groundwater resources. Our members have continued their support through membership, and for that I am also encouraged and grateful! Because of all these efforts, MGWA is holding steady. 

We were all disappointed we couldn’t meet this spring. Looking back through our archives, I couldn’t find another time, at least within the last 30 years, that we’ve had to cancel a conference. That’s amazing, and I believe it’s at the core of what keeps MGWA going. Although there is still much uncertainty about what the fall will bring, your MGWA board continues to discuss and research options for a safe and effective MGWA conference this fall. In the meantime, stay safe and support one another.