The effects of uranium mining and septic tanks on water resources will be among the featured issues at the 2009 Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference April 23 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Keynote luncheon speaker for the conference will be Robert Glennon, a specialist on water law and water issues from the University of Arizona. Glennon recently wrote "Unquenchable: American's Water Crisis and What to do About It."

Conference spokeswoman Janet Carter said the conference, which is free to the public, will offer more than 50 other presentations, many of which will run concurrently.

"Uranium mining is always one of the hotter topics," Carter said.

The effects of septic tanks on water surface and groundwater resources also will be discussed. The session will focus on a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, which was funded in part by the West Dakota Water Development District and the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The conference begins at 7 a.m. with registration, followed by opening remarks from USGS officials Mark Anderson and Dan Driscoll.

More information is available online at http://sd.water.usgs.gov/WSDconf/program.pdf