Watershed News

January 2007

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) Five-Star Restoration Matching Grants Program
2) Introducing NHDPlus - A National Geospatial Surfacewater Framework
3) Mosquito Creek Watershed, Colorado - London Extension Mine Drainage Treatment Project Removes Heavy Metals
4) EPA Expands Water Contaminant Information Tool
5) EPA to Examine Condition of Nation´s Lakes
6) Washington, D.C. Gets Greener
7) 2007 National Wetlands Awards Nomination Deadline Extended
8) EPA´s Watershed Academy to sponsor January 17^th Webcast on Connecting with Local Land Use Decision-Makers on Water Resource Protection
9) Two New County Water Quality Issue Briefs Available
10) National Environmental Education Week is April 15-22, 2007
11) Upcoming Conferences and Workshops

Funding Opportunities

Five-Star Restoration Matching Grants Program

The National Association of Counties, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and a new partner, the Southern Company, are soliciting applications for the Five-Star Restoration Matching Grants Program. The program provides modest financial assistance on a competitive basis to support community-based wetland, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration projects that build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training activities. Awards are between $5,000 and $20,000; the average grant is about $13,000. Projects must include a strong on-the-ground wetland, riparian, or coastal habitat restoration component and must also include a strong training, education, community stewardship and/or outreach component. Projects must involve diverse partnerships of ideally five organizations that contribute funding, land, technical assistance, workforce support, and/or other in-kind services. Projects involving only research, monitoring, or planning are not eligible for funding. Applicants must demonstrate that measurable ecological, educational, social, and/or economic benefits are expected to result from the completion of the project.

Special funding is also available under the program through a partnership with Southern Company and its operating companies (Georgia Power, Alabama Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power). In addition to EPA funding for projects located within any U.S. state or territory, $200,000 in additional grant funding from Southern Company is available for projects located in the following areas:

Georgia (excluding Union, Fannin and Towns Counties)
Alabama (excluding Lauderdale, Colbert, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Jackson, DeKalb, Cherokee and Cullman Counties)
the Florida Panhandle (west of the Apalachicola River)
southeast Mississippi (23 counties, from Meridian to the coast, with the west boundary running from Pearl River County to Union County)

Applications must be postmarked by March 9, 2007. For more information and to download an application, visit http://www.nfwf.org/programs/5star-rfp.cfm.

Watershed Tool of the Month

Introducing NHDPlus - A National Geospatial Surfacewater Framework

NHDPlus is a suite of application-ready geospatial products that build upon and extend the capabilities of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) by integrating the NHD with the National Elevation Dataset and the National Watershed Boundary Dataset. NHDPlus includes an enhanced NHD stream network with improved names, value-added attributes (such as stream order), incremental drainage areas with landscape characteristics, and flow volume and velocity estimates for pollutant dilution modeling. See http://www.epa.gov/waters for details.

Spotlight: Watersheds At Work

Mosquito Creek Watershed, Colorado - London Extension Mine Drainage Treatment Project Removes Heavy Metals

mine site in Colorado The London Extension Tunnel, a historic gold mining site, is the largest single source of metals contamination to the Mosquito Creek watershed (located 3 miles east of the Continental Divide). Although the streams in the watershed are classified as cold water aquatic class 1, widespread metals contamination has severely depleted aquatic life in Mosquito Creek and essentially eliminated it in South Mosquito Creek. In 1998 Mosquito Creek was placed on the state´s 303(d) list as impaired by zinc, lead, and cadmium, and South Mosquito Creek was listed as impaired by zinc, cadmium, iron, and manganese. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) was established for both segments with zinc as the controlling parameter.

In 1997 the London Extension Tunnel mine drainage treatment system was constructed to address heavy metal contamination in surrounding watersheds. The system removes more than 99.8 percent of the heavy metals. The treatment system removes approximately 50 percent of the zinc in the drainage, about 26 pounds of zinc per day, and averages a total metal removal of almost 47 pounds per day. On a yearly basis, approximately 8.5 tons of metals that formerly entered South Mosquito Creek are now captured by the treatment system.

Additional investigation and remediation will be required for the main stem Mosquito Creek to attain water quality standards. Since the TMDL includes both segments, goals for Mosquito Creek will need to be attained to meet the overall TMDL. However, the project demonstrates achievement of part of the overall TMDL goal, and South Mosquito Creek should now be able to support a brook trout fishery.

Find out more information about this watershed at work at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Success319/state/co_mos.htm

News

EPA Expands Water Contaminant Information Tool

EPA has expanded the Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT) to assist water utilities, public health officials and federal, state and local agencies to better plan for and respond to intentional or accidental contamination events. Launched in November 2005, WCIT is a secure, on-line database profiling chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants of concern for drinking water and wastewater utilities.

WCIT includes both regulated and non-regulated contaminants and provides current, reliable data from peer-reviewed reports and research. The system includes general information for 93 contaminants and now includes additional information in four new data categories: drinking water treatment; wastewater treatment; environmental impacts; and infrastructure decontamination.

Access to WCIT data is password protected and qualified individuals must apply to EPA and undergo screening before being granted access. Currently, drinking water and wastewater utilities, State drinking water primacy agencies and laboratories, drinking water and wastewater associations partnering with EPA, state and local public health officials, and federal officials (including government laboratory personnel) are eligible for access.

To apply for access to WCIT visit http://www.epa.gov/wcit .

EPA to Examine Condition of Nation´s Lakes

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation EPA is embarking on a three-year study to determine the state of America´s lakes. The "Survey of the Nation´s Lakes" is the first-ever attempt to assess real-world conditions by studying 909 lakes, ponds and reservoirs whose profiles are representative of all lakes in the United States. The survey, a joint effort among EPA, the states and some tribes, will:

determine the ecology of the lakes and the factors which influence their condition
stimulate and implement ideas within all levels of government - federal, state, regional and local
build state and tribal capacity for monitoring and analyzing lake water quality data
collect a set of lake data for better management of lakes
develop baseline information to evaluate progress

Survey samples will be taken from natural and human-made freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs next summer. Bodies of water included in the survey will be a minimum area of 10 acres in area and at least 39 inches deep.

The last time EPA catalogued the status of lakes was in 1972-1976, when 815 lakes were evaluated nationwide. The new study will resample 113 lakes from the earlier survey for comparison.

What will it measure?

Researchers will look at water chemical quality, turbidity, color, conditions of shoreline habitat, and pathogen indicators. Other conditions will also be measured. Researchers will use the same sampling techniques among all lakes to provide uniform results and permit comparisons across the country.

This study is part of a larger EPA effort to assess coastal waters, rivers and wetlands. A similar survey, for wadeable streams, was completed earlier this year. All of the surveys will be repeated to analyze the success of efforts to manage and improve overall water quality. The report on the lakes survey will be released in 2009.

More information about the Survey of the Nation´s Lakes: http://www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey/.

Washington, D.C. Gets Greener

Last month the D.C. Council passed a bill requiring all new commercial buildings over 50,000 square feet to meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards of the U.S. Green Building Council. The requirements will take effect in 2012 and apply to new construction and major renovations by private developers as well as city-owned commercial projects. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, the "LEED Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings´ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality." For more information about the U.S. Green Building Council and the LEED certification program, visit http://www.usgbc.org/ .

2007 National Wetlands Awards Nomination Deadline Extended

The National Wetlands Awards Program celebrates individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, innovation or excellence in wetlands conservation. Their work covers programs or projects on the regional, state and local levels, and their efforts to educate the public and surrounding communities about the value of wetlands, the programs that are available to protect and restore wetlands, and the value of cooperation among grassroots organizations, educational organizations, private landowners, and government agencies lead to the successful protection of wetland resources. National Wetlands Awardees show how individuals can and do make a difference.

The National Wetlands Awards Program recognizes extraordinary individual achievement in six categories: Education and Outreach; Science Research; Conservation and Restoration; Landowner Stewardship; State, Tribal, and Local Program Development; and Wetland Community Leader. The winners in each category will be honored in a ceremony on Capital Hill in May 2007.

The awards are co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Highway Administration.

For more information about the National Wetlands Awards or to submit a nomination, please visit http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org or call (202)939-3247. The deadline for submitting nominations has been extended to January 15, 2007.

Webcasts

EPA´s Watershed Academy to sponsor January 17^th Webcast on Connecting with Local Land Use Decision-Makers on Water Resource Protection

clip art of an instructor EPA´s Watershed Academy sponsors free monthly Webcasts for watershed practitioners from around the globe. On Wed., January 17^th, Chet Arnold from the University of Connecticut´s Center for Land Use Education and Research, John Rosum with the Connecticut NEMO Project and Dave Dickson with the National NEMO Network will present a Webcast entitled, Using NEMO - Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials - to Advance Watershed Management. NEMO is a national award-winning program of the University of Connecticut that educates local land use decision makers on the links between land use and water resource protection. In this session, the educational offerings, geospatial technology tools, and local impacts of the Connecticut program will be discussed. The instructors will also highlight the National NEMO Network, an affiliated group of projects in 30 states. Registration for this Webcast will open on January 10^th, 2007.

On Wed., February 21^st, 2007, Gary Johnson from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Mark Tedesco from EPA´s Long Island Sound Office and Darrell Brown from EPA´s Coastal Management Branch will provided an overview of TMDLs and trading through the National Estuary Program. For more information or to access archived audio versions of past webcasts, please visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts .

Outreach and Education

Two New County Water Quality Issue Briefs Available

The National Association of Counties (NACo) recently released two issue briefs published with support from EPA. The first issue brief, Using GIS Tools to Link Land Use Decisions to Water Resource Protection, provides a list of commonly used GIS tools available to help county leaders link land use decisions to water resource protection. In addition, five county case studies are profiled.

The second issue brief, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) A Watershed Planning Tool for Counties, is designed to provide local government staff and officials with information to help navigate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies Total Maximum Daily Load Program. Total Maximum Daily Loads have been the impetus for many county-led or supported water quality improvement success stories, some of which are profiled in this issue brief.

For questions, contact Erik Johnston, NACo staff member, at ejohnston@naco.org or 202-942-4246. The issue briefs are available on NACo´s Web site at www.naco.org/techassistance/ under "Water Quality" or by visiting the links below.

Using GIS Tools to Link Land Use Decisions to Water Resource Protection: .

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) A Watershed Planning Tool for Counties: .

National Environmental Education Week is April 15-22, 2007

The National Environmental Education & Training Foundation is coordinating National Environmental Education Week (NEEW) from April 15-22, 2007. NEEW is designed increase the educational impact of Earth Day by creating a full week of educational preparation, learning, and activities in K-12 classrooms, nature centers, zoos, museums, and aquariums, www.eeweek.org . Now in its 3^rd year, NEEW is fast becoming one of the largest environmental education events in the country and is made possible through the generous support of Canon, U.S.A. Inc. New features in 2007 include:

The Richard C. Bartlett Award for Environmental Education which will recognize outstanding environmental education programs in both formal and non-formal settings with grants awarded to the winning organizations. Details about the award - eligibility requirements, application deadlines, etc. will be available in February, 2007. Award winners will be announced in May, 2007.
An on-line Nature Bee which will encourage student identification of wildlife habitats, flora and fauna in their communities. Grade appropriate questions will be developed by a National Teachers´ Advisory Committee and will be accessible on-line through www.eeweek.org . Questions will be posted in March, 2007.

To join as a partner, go to www.eeweek.org and click on Register today (home page). For those who have participated in the past, sign-up once again to be counted as a 2007 partner. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Schultz at eeweek@neetf.org . For more information about the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, visit http://www.neetf.org .

Upcoming Conferences and Workshops

AWRA 2007 Spring Specialty Conference – 3^rd National Water Resources Policy Dialogue
January 22-23, 2007, Arlington, VA. The First and Second National Water Resources Policy Dialogues brought together water resources experts from around the Nation to focus on the policy needs of the Nation. The Third Dialogue will build on the results of these Dialogues with the aim of providing decision makers with guidance in the formulation and development of water resources policies attuned to societal needs and preferences. At the conclusion of the Third Dialogue, an after-action report will be prepared that will be distributed widely within the Administration, the Congress, the Nation´s Governors and the attendees of the Dialogue. For more information, visit http://www.awra.org/meetings/DC2007/index.html.

Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure: Innovations for the 21st Century
March 21-23, 2007, Atlanta, Georgia. There is still time to get in on the Early Bird Registration for Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure: Innovations for the 21st Century. Sign-up by January 10^th at http://www.payingforwater.com/register and save up to $125!

Paying for Sustainable Water Infrastructure: Innovations for the 21^st Century will bring together stakeholders from all levels of government and the private sector to explore creative methods to pay for sustainable water infrastructure today and into the future. It is the first of its kind to address the challenge of integrating the many diverse tools and strategies to pay for sustainable water infrastructure. The Conference will provide a forum to exchange ideas about how best to meet the challenges confronting water infrastructure today. With 28 sessions in four tracks, the topics covered will focus on innovations that reduce costs and increase investment in drinking water and wastewater systems and programs. Please see the website for updated information on Conference plenary speakers and agenda topics: http://www.payingforwater.com/register . For more information regarding the Conference, please contact Kelly Kunert at kunert.kelly@epa.gov .

Be sure to check EPA& Watershed Funding Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html

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Mention of any commercial enterprise, product, or publication does not constitute endorsement by EPA. Also, EPA does not endorse any group´s policies, activities or positions on any federal, state or local legislation.

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