Conserv is working with Virginia Groundwater, LLC to prepare a report titled Underground Albemarle revised: How do groundwater ecosystem services impact optimal sustainable population size for the Charlottesville/Albemarle community? for the organization Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population. Virginia Groundwater is preparing the hydrogeology portion of the study with Conserv focused on groundwater ecosystem services and sustainability.

The study is funded in part by The City of Charlottesville, The County of Albemarle, Virginia, the Colcom Foundation, and ASAP supporters.

Conserv Executive Director Michael Collins and Virginia Groundwater Principal Nick Evans were part of the team that created the report Hydrogeologic Assessment of the Mechum’s River and Ivy Creek Basin in 2002 for Albemarle County. Virginia. This report, and a later Phase II study, prepared by Analytical Services, Inc., formed a portion of the basis for the County’s groundwater protection program, that continues in operation today.

In addition to the Groundwater study, the ASAP study includes:

• An Ecosystem Services Report, prepared by Dr. Claire Jantz, at The Center for Land Use at Shippensburg State University,
• An Environmental Footprint Analysis, prepared with the assistance of The Global Footprint Network,
• Population impacts on stream health, prepared with the assistance of Streamwatch, and
• Population impacts on air quality.

All of these studies are now well underway.