Clean Water Act Section 319

Background | Applying for & Administering Grants | Current Guidance | Past Guidance | Reports & Project Summaries

The 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act (CWA) established the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program. Section 319 addresses the need for greater federal leadership to help focus state and local nonpoint source efforts. Under Section 319, states, territories and tribes receive grant money that supports a wide variety of activities including technical assistance, financial assistance, education, training, technology transfer, demonstration projects and monitoring to assess the success of specific nonpoint source implementation projects.

Background Information

• Section 319 of the Clean Water Act
  Text of Section 319 from the CWA.
  
  
• Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant Funding History
  Table listing grant funding totals starting in 1990.

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Applying for and Administering 319 Grants

• Process for Applying for 319(h) Funds
  This page provides background information on securing 319(h) funds.
  
  
• Applying for and Administering CWA Section 319 Grants: A Guide for State Nonpoint Source Agencies
  This manual provides an overview of federal grant requirements that will guide state and territory nonpoint source agency staff when applying for and administering grants awarded under the Clean Water Act Section 319.
  
  
• Information for Tribal 319 Grants
  This page includes information on nonpoint source grant funding for tribes, tribal nonpoint source workshops and other tribal-specific resources.
  
  
• Section 319 Grants Reporting and Tracking System (GRTS)
  The Grants Reporting and Tracking System (GRTS) is the primary tool for management and oversight of the EPA’s Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Control Program.

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Current Section 319 Grant Guidance

• Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories (Oct. 23, 2003) | PDF version (22 pp, 133K, About PDF)
  These guidelines apply to grants appropriated by Congress in Fiscal Year 2004 and in subsequent years.

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Past Section 319 Grant Guidance

• Supplemental Guidelines for the Award of Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grants to States and Territories in FY 2003
  
  
• Modifications to Nonpoint Source Reporting Requirements for Section 319 Grants
  
  
• Supplemental Guidelines for the Award of Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grants to States and Territories in FY 2002 and Subsequent Years
  
  
• Supplemental Guidelines for the Award of Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grants in FY 2001
  
  
• Supplemental Guidance for the Award of Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grants in FY 2000
  
  
• Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidance for Fiscal Year 1997 and Future Years
  
  
• Process and Criteria for Funding State and Territorial Nonpoint Source Management Programs in FY 1999
  
  
• Funding the Development and Implementation of Watershed Restoration Action Strategies under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (FY 1999)
  
  
• Process for Approval of Upgraded State and Territorial Nonpoint Source Management Programs and Formal Recognition of Enhanced Benefit Status (FY 1997)
  
  
• Guidance on the Use of Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Authorities to Address Management Needs for Lakes and Reserviors (issued in 1998)
  
  
• Questions and Answers on the Relationship Between the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program and the Section 314 Clean Lakes Program

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Reports and Project Summaries

• Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories
  This site demonstrates the succesful implementation of the Section 319 Clean Water Act Nonpoint Source program. The site provides examples of successful solutions to a variety of water quality problems caused by nonpoint source pollution.
  
  
• Section 319 Final Project Reports (PDF) (101 pp, 3.3MB, About PDF)
  This document describes the purpose of Section 319 final reports, the information that should be included in the report, examples of especially effective elements from 319 reports, and ways to expand the final report to be used for outreach and education, building partnerships, and many other uses.
  
  
• Section 319 National Monitoring Program
  Projects that comprise a small subset of NPS pollution control projects funded under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act as amended in 1987. The goal of the program is to support 20–30 watershed projects nationwide that meet a minimum set of project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation requirements designed to lead to successful documentation of project effectiveness with respect to water quality protection or improvement.
  
  
• Section 319 Nonpoint Source National Monitoring Program Successes and Recommendations (November 2000, pre-print) (PDF) (36 pp, 2.2MB, About PDF)
  The Section 319 National Monitoring Program projects have quantified water quality improvements from nonpoint source controls and strengthened strategies for effective future watershed programs. Highlights are given from 23 Section 319 National Monitoring Program projects.

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