The California Groundwater Association (CGA) held its 52nd Annual Convention and Trade Show Nov. 16-18, 2000 at the Doubletree Hotel Monterey and the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA.

The three-day show, held during California Groundwater Week as proclaimed by Gov. Gray Davis, was one of the most memorable shows in CGA history.

Convention features included a membership breakfast and general meeting, California Groundwater Association Auxiliary (CGAA) luncheon, and a banquet featuring annual award presentations and a live auction, the manufacturer/supplier annual meeting, the CGAA annual breakfast, and a grand finale party at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The Trade Show held in conjunction with the annual Convention featured some 70 exhibitors including drilling rig manufacturers, pump manufacturers, and many other groundwater industry product suppliers. Special seminars were conducted on topics including drill rig safety, advantages and disadvantages of variable frequency drives and control valves, job costing and project scheduling, impacts and remediation of MTBE problems, new drilling systems, water treatment, retirement planning, groundwater technical potpourri, electrotelluric sounding methods, the Kern Water Bank Recharge project, and direct push technologies.

Demonstrations during the Convention included rig operating safety techniques, grouting applications and bioaugmentation, or use of bacteria to remediate contaminated soils.

Special awards presented at the event included: Contractor of the Year, Ron Taylor, Auberry Builders Supply, Auberry, CA; Technical of the Year, Carl Hauge, California Department of Water Resources; Supplier of the Year, Larry Jessee, Rainmaker, Chico, CA; and Woman of the Year, Marsha Mickelson, Jerry and Don Yager Pump and Well, Petaluma.

Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Frank Portera, Stan Weimer and John Schrack.

The Best Booth Award for the Trade Show was presented to Hays Pumps The company also offered a "Who wants to be a Quantum-Heir" contest at its booth hosted by "Regis Fishfin" with Quantum pumps as prizes for winners.

CGA officers for 2001 are John Hofer, president; Larry Finfrock, vice president; Thomas Hicks treasurer; David Landino Sr., secretary; and Steve Greenwood, immediate past president.