National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC) is hosting its conference, Monitoring: Key to Understanding Our Waters . The conference will focus on seven themes that highlight the importance of monitoring in achieving the goal of clean water for all. Especially integral to effective monitoring networks are the “3C’s” of the Council’s Framework for Monitoring — Communication, Collaboration, and Coordination. These vital elements are fundamental to the overall conference themes and will therefore be woven throughout the conference agenda. The conference will be rich in scope and content and include over 300 platform presentations, a wealth of technical posters, workshops and short courses, and numerous regional tours.