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Watershed News
June 2006
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Watershed News is a publication of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is designed to provide timely information to groups working at the watershed level.
In this month's newsletter
1) Army Corps of Engineers and EPA Extend Public Comment Period for Compensatory Mitigation Rule
2) EPA Unveils First-Ever Assessment of U.S. Wadeable Streams
3) 2006 Great North American Secchi Dip-In
4) Storm Water Toolbox Now Available
5) Pennsylvania helping to fund solutions to acid mine drainage
6) Center for Watershed Protection Announces the Smart Watershed Benchmarking Tool
7) Copies of "After the Storm" Video Now Available
8) EPA's Watershed Academy Sponsors Webcast on the Principles of Social Marketing
9) Izaak Walton League to host Stormwater Management Webcasts
10) The Conservation Leadership Network Hosts On-line Course on The Practice of Environmentally-Sensitive Development
11) Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas' KTVT launches Envirocast
12) River Network's River Rally 2006 Has Record Attendance
13) Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
News
Army Corps of Engineers and EPA Extend Public Comment Period for Compensatory Mitigation Rule
Based on numerous requests, on May 16, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA officially extended the public comment period for the proposed Clean Water Act Section 404 compensatory mitigation rule for an additional 30 days. The new public comment deadline is June 30, 2006. The notice announcing the 30-day extension of the public comment period was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 and can be viewed at the following http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-7837.htm 
For more information regarding the proposed compensatory mitigation rule see: http://www.epa.gov/wetlandsmitigation/
EPA Unveils First-Ever Assessment of U.S. Wadeable Streams
"Wadeable streams" are those which are shallow enough to be adequately sampled without a boat. They are essential natural resources that have been under-sampled in the past. The study, Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA), is the first consistent evaluation of the streams that feed rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Alaska and Hawaii were not included in the report but have pilot projects underway.
The survey found that stream conditions vary widely across the diverse ecological regions of the country, and that streams in the West were in the best condition. Humans, the researchers found, have a significant impact on wadeable streams. A majority of streams showed evidence of human influence along the streams, such as dams, pavement and pastures. The most widespread stressors observed are nitrogen, phosphorus, and streambed sediments. The WSA is part of a series of surveys to evaluate all of the nation’s waters. Coastal condition has already been evaluated. During the next five years, EPA will sample the condition of lakes, large rivers, and wetlands. Then the process will be repeated to provide ongoing comparisons of the state of the waters and point to possible future action. For further information on the Wadeable Streams Assessment or to download a copy of the report, go to http://www.epa.gov/owow/streamsurvey/.
2006 Great North American Secchi Dip-In
The 13th Annual Great North American Secchi Dip-In is taking place across the country from June 24 - July 16, 2006. The goal of the Dip-In is to encourage volunteers to participate in monitoring and take a transparency measurement on one day between June 24th and July 16th. Volunteers may monitor any type of waterbody including lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, rivers or streams. This year there is a special focus on the Mississippi River and its associated reservoirs, lakes and streams. The transparency values are used to assess the transparency of volunteer-monitored lakes in the United States and Canada. There are now five or more years of data on more than 6,000 waterbodies in the US and Canada. For more information about participating in this event and for access to past years’ data, visit the Secchi Dip-In website at http://dipin.kent.edu/volform.htm or email dipin@kent.edu.
Storm Water Toolbox Now Available
The California Water Boards are now offering the California Storm Water Toolbox, a comprehensive set of educational and outreach tools developed as part of the Erase the Waste Campaign. All the tools in the toolbox are available for free download. Most of the outreach tools are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese and include posters, tip cards, print advertisements, neighborhood action kits and radio advertisements. Also available are after school program materials and a California Storm Water Resource Directory. To download these and other materials, visit http://www.erasethewaste.com.
Pennsylvania helping to fund solutions to acid mine drainage
Pennsylvania has awarded Growing Greener grants to find creative uses for acid mine drainage water and the metals it contains, including iron oxide, aluminum, manganese, zinc, nickel and cobalt. Some of the acid mine drainage projects that were funded include generation of electricity by running mine water through a turbine, metal reclamation to make ball bearings, use of iron oxide as a corrosion inhibitor on rebar and making snow from treated acid mine drainage runoff. For more information about the Growing Greener Grants Program, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/growinggreener/site/default.asp.
Center for Watershed Protection Announces the Smart Watershed Benchmarking Tool
This self-assessment tool helps local communities integrate and align their urban watershed programs to meet their water resource goals, help local program managers make better decisions on watershed restoration priorities and help local watershed groups work with their local governments to encourage adoption of practices that would improve scores.
This guidance document contains:
- The complete benchmarking tool with step-by-step guidance on how to complete the tool and interpret community scores;
- detailed profile sheets that describe each of the 14 Smart Watershed programs, including a case study, tips for implementing or improving the program, and further resources and links
- overview of smart watershed programs, its benefits and applications for local communities; and
- further details on restoration budgeting and adapting the tool for special community conditions.
To obtain a free copy of the Smart Watershed Benchmarking Tool, visit http://www.cwp.org.
Copies of ”After the Storm” Video Now Available
The EPA is pleased to make available additional copies of ”After the Storm” - a half hour television program about watersheds that was co-produced by EPA and The Weather Channel (TWC). The show highlights three case studies-Santa Monica Bay, the Mississippi River Basin/Gulf of Mexico, and New York City-where polluted runoff threatens watersheds highly valued for recreation, commercial fisheries and navigation, and drinking water. Key scientists and water quality experts, and citizens involved in local and national watershed protection efforts provide insight into the problems as well as solutions to today's water quality challenges. ”After the Storm” also explains simple things people can do to protect their local watershed-such as picking up after one's dog, recycling household hazardous wastes, and conserving water.
VHS copies of the ”After the Storm” program can be ordered for free by calling the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at 513-489-8190 or 800-490-9198 or by sending an email to nscep@bps-lmit.com. When you request a VHS copy, please refer to EPA # 840-V-04-001.
This tape is intended for education and communication purposes in classrooms, at conferences, etc. It may also be aired on cable or other TV stations, as EPA owns full rights to the program. Stations may air all or a portion of the program. However, if a portion of the program is aired, EPA asks that the broadcast include a statement that the program was co-produced by EPA and The Weather Channel.
Webcasts
EPA’s Watershed Academy Sponsors Webcast on the Principles of Social Marketing
EPA’s Watershed Academy sponsors monthly Webcasts to offer free for watershed practitioners around the globe. On Wednesday, June 28th, Charlie MacPherson from Tetra Tech and Christopher Conner from EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program will provide an overview of social marketing principles and then outline the steps needed to make audiences aware of an issue, recognize audiences’ underlying motivations, and encourage behavioral change. On May 17th, in conjunction with American Wetlands Month, the Academy hosted a Webcast on integrating wetlands into watershed protection efforts. This Webcast and the supporting technical information were developed by the Center for Watershed Protection through support provided by the EPA Office of Water&rsquos; "Wetlands Program Development Grant Program." For more information about how local tools can help protect wetlands, please visit: http://www.cwp.org/wetlands/index.htm . Specific training on wetland permitting and the Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory process can be found on the Watershed Academy Web site at www.epa.gov/watertrain.
Audio versions of these and past Webcasts are available at: http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. The next webcast, slated for July 19th will feature Pat Bradley, Assistant Chief of EPA’s State and Regional Branch, Water Permits Division, who will discuss the benefits of watershed-based NPDES permitting.
Izaak Walton League to host Stormwater Management Webcasts
The Izaak Walton League is hosting a series of webcasts on Alternative Practices for Highway Stormwater Management. This four-part Webcast series will outline the latest techniques available to help transportation agencies save money, comply with water quality and water supply regulations, and improve water quality with context-sensitive stormwater management practices, including low impact development techniques. Each session will include valuable background information and specific guidance on how to apply these principles for highway projects. The series will also address barriers to using innovative stormwater management techniques and how to overcome those barriers. On June 15th 2006 the Izzak Walton League will host Planning Highway Projects Using Alternative Practices for Stormwater Management. Visit http://www.iwla.org/sos/sosweb.htm for more information and to register.
The Conservation Leadership Network Hosts On-line Course on The Practice of Environmentally-Sensitive Development
Through presentations, case studies and interactive exercises, this course provides "why" and ”how-to” advice to members of the development community and others interested in practical, cost-effective ways to apply the principles and techniques of environmentally sensitive development to the real-estate industry. Course topics include: project planning, design and financing, project marketing, construction and green building and conservation subdivision design. This 8-week course is offered from June 19-August 20, 2006. The cost is $425. For more information about the course and to register, visit http://www.conservationfund.org/pagespinner.asp?article=2682&back=true.
Outreach and Education
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas’ KTVT launches Envirocast
The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) has been able to increase awareness for their water quality message, due in part, through a grant from the EPA’s Clean Water Act Section 319 Grant Program. TSSWCB has partnered with StormCenter Communications and the North Central Texas Council of Governments to bring Envirocast to Dallas/Fort Worth’s KTVT. The station has a website dedicated to weather and watershed information, including a ”find your watershed” feature, current environmental news stories and a learning center with several interactive graphics. A special feature is dedicated to the 2005 hurricane season. Check out this new outreach effort at http://ktvt.iewatershed.com/.
River Network’s River Rally 2006 Has Record Attendance
Over 500 participants from 44 states and 16 tribal groups attended the River Network’s River Rally last month in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. In addition to workshops and fieldtrips, five River Heroes were honored: Gershon Cowen (Alaska), Larry Master (New York), Barry Sulkin (Tennessee), Bill Townsend (Maine), and Beth Maynor Young (Alabama), and David Borden (New Hampshire) received the 2006 James R. Compton Award for River Achievement. Planning for next year’s River Rally has already begun. Mark your calendars for May 18-22, 2007 in Stevenson, Washington. For a complete wrap-up of the 2006 River Rally and to find out more about next year’s event, visit http://www.rivernetwork.org/rally.
Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
Stream Restoration and Protection in the Mid-Atlantic Region, June 14-16, 2006, Montclair State University's New Jersey School of Conservation, Branchville, NJ. The Annual Conference of the Mid-Atlantic Sections of the American Water Resources Association will feature workshops on stream restoration and panel discussions on permitting, regulations, funding and partnerships. For more information visit http://awra.org/state/new_jersey/mac2006/.
NPDES Permit Writers’ Training Course,
June 26th - 30th, 2006, Austin, Texas;
August 7th-11th, 2006, Davis, California;
September 18th-22nd, 2006, Albany, NY and
October 23rd-27th, 2006, Woodbridge, Virginia.
The objective of the course is to provide the basic regulatory framework and technical considerations that support the development of wastewater discharge permits as required under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program. This free course is designed for new permit writers. Contact Betty Peterson at npdescourse@tetratech-ffx.com.
Wetlands 2006: Applying Scientific, Legal and Management Tools to the Great Lakes and Beyond, August 28th-31st, 2006, Traverse City, MI. The Association of State Wetland Managers annual symposium will address the application of sound science in wetland protection and restoration in the Great Lakes Region and identify challenges and high priority areas. Special sessions will focus on the role of wetlands in climate change and carbon sequestration, developing a tribal wetlands program and remote sensing and mapping. Visit http://www.aswm.org/ for more information.
2006 New York City Watershed Science and Technical Conference
September 20th-21st, 2006, Fishkill, NY. The conference will bring scientists and technical experts together with watershed stakeholders and the public, to technically inform, present research findings and technical data, exchange ideas, and present information collected to date with regard to the protection of the nation's largest unfiltered surface water supply. For more information, visit http://www.nywea.org/.
National Beaches Conference, October 11th-13th, 2006, Niagara Falls, NY. This 3-day conference is sponsored by EPA in collaboration with the Great Lakes Beach Association. It will provide a national framework for discussion of beach water quality issues, exchange of information, and coordination of efforts in research and decision making. For more information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/OST/beaches/.
2006 Watershed Institute, October 23rd-26th, 2006, Deer Creek Resort and Conference Center, Columbus, OH. The Center for Watershed Protection has designed the 2006 Watershed Institute to equip watershed professionals with the tools needed to develop comprehensive watershed plans. This intensive, interactive four-day program will focus on prioritizing funding and staff, field and desktop methods for completing watershed plans, interpreting and integrating data and practical resources to affect change in the community. For complete details, visit
http://www.cwp.org/WI06/wi06info.html.
Be sure to check our EPA's new Watershed Discussion Forum! This new on-line message board offers watershed practitioners and citizens a platform to exchange ideas, so that innovative solutions and ideas can be easily shared. Please visit http://www.epa.gov/watershedforum/ and join in! Anyone can view the discussion, but one must register to post messages.
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