This volume contains articles from the 20th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments and Water. Primarily a technical conference, each year the platform sessions, poster presentations, and workshops represent the leading edge in environmental science and technology. The meeting promotes a collaboarative approach between scientists, engineers, environmental consultants, industry, and regulators dealing with environmental contamination. This yearly conference began 21 years ago to inform the environmental remediation efforts of the DEP and the EPA. What started as a group of Academics providing informal assistance to the EPA is now an international conference that presents current research with the support of a high level scientific advisory board. The conference follows trends and adapts the conference agenda accordingly. The largest ever attendance at the 2004 meeting was at nearly 1000 due to the caliber of the researchers and engineers presenting at the conference. Content is especially relevant to environmental remediation professionals for acquiring current knowledge and technologies that can be immediately applied in the field.