![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Watershed News
August 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) Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 National Wetland Program Development Grants
2) Estuary Habitat Restoration Cost Share Projects
3) 13 Programs Newly Listed in the Catalog of Federal Funding
4) Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool (OPT)
5) Free DC Training on new Plan2Fund Prioritization Tool - August 22nd and 23rd
6) Nutrioso Creek: A Nonpoint Source Success Story
7) EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free August 15th Webcast on Innovative Outreach Project with Broadcast Meteorologists
8) World Water Monitoring Day is September 18, 2007
9) Two New Publications from the National Association of Counties (NACo) Now Available
10) Lake Manassas Showcased as Part of National Lakes Survey
11) EPA Issues New Document Summarizing 17 Total Maximum Daily Loads with Stormwater Sources
12) Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) "Water Infrastructure: Successful Strategies for Local Leadership" DVD wins a Telly Award
13) International Water Association Call for Papers
14) New Report Released on Critical Research Needs for the Development of New or Revised Recreational Water Quality Criteria
15) Stormwater and the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey
16) Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
Funding Opportunities
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 National Wetland Program Development Grants
The FY07 EPA Headquarters Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) Request for Proposals is posted on grants.gov at: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=14575∓mode=VIEW. This grant program funds projects that are national in scope or projects that develop model approaches that can be used as a training tool. In addition to the overall wetland goals, the program can be used to link wetland issues to smart growth, conservation planning, stormwater management, etc. Proposals are due August 10, 2007.
Estuary Habitat Restoration Cost Share Projects
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting project proposals for estuary habitat restoration projects on behalf of the Estuary Habitat Restoration Council. Applications will be accepted until close of business on August 20, 2007. Further information can be found at http://www.usace.army.mil/cw/cecw-p/estuary_act/index.htm.
13 Programs Newly Listed in the Catalog of Federal Funding
The following thirteen new programs were added to the Catalog of Federal Funding for Watershed Protection:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs:
- Community-based Marine Debris Prevention
- Removal Grants and Open Rivers Initiative
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs:
- Snagging and Clearing for Flood Control (CAP Section 208)
- Shore Damage Attributable to Federal Navigation Works (CAP Section 111)
- Beneficial Uses of Dredged Material (CAP Section 204)
- Small Flood Damage Reduction Projects (CAP Section 205)
- Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration (CAP Section 206)
- Project Modifications for Improvement of the Environment (CAP Section 1135)
EPA programs:
- EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
- EPA Communities for a Renewed Environment Program (CARE)
Three additional programs are also listed: Small Business Innovation Research, Water 2025 Challenge Grant Program and Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. The Catalog can be accessed at www.epa.gov/watershedfunding.
Watershed Tool of the Month
Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool (OPT)
Does your watershed group need assistance deciding between competing objectives and priorities? Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool (OPT), a free web-based Watershed Planning Tool, can help. Funded by EPA's Sustainable Watershed Finance Team and developed by the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at Boise State University, OPT provides an easy way for watershed groups to build consensus as they evaluate competing goals and objectives. OPT allows users to rank competing priorities by providing a user-friendly spreadsheet that makes setting, weighting, and applying criteria simple. Your group can set its priorities with confidence and share this information with decision makers, funders, and constituents. Download Plan2Fund OPT at http://efc.boisestate.edu/opt. 
Free DC Training on new Plan2Fund Prioritization Tool - August 22nd and 23rd
Bill Jarocki, Director of Boise State EFC, will offer free OPT training sessions in Washington, D.C. on August 22nd and 23rd. For more information on the training, visit: www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html or contact Rakhi Kasat at (202) 566-1644.
Spotlight: Watersheds at Work
Nutrioso Creek: A Nonpoint Source Success Story
Arizona placed a segment of Nutrioso Creek on the state's Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 1998 because of high turbidity. The impairment negatively impacted several native fish, including one federally listed species. Arizona identified streambank erosion as the cause for the turbidity. Shortly before the creek was listed as impaired, private landowner Jim Crosswhite purchased property-the EC Bar Ranch-on Nutrioso Creek. He quickly began to address water quality and habitat concerns. Crosswhite implemented best management practices (BMPs) that controlled activities of grazing animals such as livestock and elk, restored the stream channel, and reduced turbidity. In 2007, because the impaired segment of Nutrioso Creek once again met water quality standards, Arizona recommended that it be removed from the list of impaired waters. For more information about this success story, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/Success319/state/az_nutrioso.htm.
Webcasts
EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free August 15th Webcast on Innovative Outreach Project with Broadcast Meteorologists
EPA's Watershed Academy sponsors free monthly Webcasts for watershed practitioners from around the globe. On Wed., August 15, 2007, the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) will discuss Earth Gauge, an innovative outreach project involving television meteorologists. NEETF will explain how local broadcast meteorologists from around the country are helping to raise the environmental IQ of the American public. Registration opens August 8th. For more information or to access archived audio versions of past Webcasts, please visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.
News
World Water Monitoring Day is September 18, 2007
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) and its primary international partner, the International Water Association (IWA), invite citizens and organizations from around the globe to give their local water bodies a check-up. Held annually between September 18 and October 18, the World Water Monitoring DayTM program encourages communities around the world to perform basic monitoring of their watersheds. An easy-to-use test kit enables everyone from children to adults to test for a core set of water quality parameters including temperature, pH, clarity, and dissolved oxygen. Results are shared with participating communities around the world through the World Water Monitoring DayTM website. To register for this event and obtain test kits, please visit the World Water Monitoring DayTM website at www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.
Two New Publications from the National Association of Counties (NACo) Now Available
NACo has updated a publication entitled Using GIS Tools to Link Land Use Decisions to Water Resource Protection. The guide provides practical case studies, a list of commonly available tools, and a newly created tools assessment section. County Wetlands Data Guidebook is another new NACo publication, which provides a practical introduction to wetlands data and is designed to help county officials obtain and utilize wetlands data and maps for county purposes. These publications are available now at www.naco.org/techassistance under "Water Quality." NACo developed these resources with financial assistance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Lake Manassas Showcased as Part of National Lakes Survey
On July 18, EPA, along with Virginia environmental agencies, demonstrated techniques being used around the country this summer to survey the condition of the nation's lakes. Lake Manassas in Virginia is one lake that is being sampled as part of the national lakes survey, and is also the main drinking water supply for the City of Manassas. The "Survey of the Nation's Lakes" is a federal and state partnership to assess conditions by studying 909 lakes, ponds and reservoirs whose profiles are representative of all lakes in the United States. The nationwide survey is designed to estimate the percentage of the nation's lakes that are in good, fair, or poor condition. It examines ecological, water quality, and recreational indicators, and will also assess how widespread stressors including nitrogen, phosphorus, and acidification are across the country.
The report on the lakes survey will be released in 2009. For more information on the lakes survey, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/lakes/lakessurvey/. This study is part of a larger EPA effort to assess coastal waters, rivers and wetlands. A similar survey, for wadeable streams, was completed in 2006. The plan is to repeat the surveys on a five-year cycle to analyze the success of efforts to manage and improve overall water quality.
EPA Issues New Document Summarizing 17 Total Maximum Daily Loads with Stormwater Sources
EPA recently issued a new document called "Total Maximum Daily Loads with Stormwater Sources: A Summary of 17 TMDLs." This report summarizes 17 TMDLs that have been developed for stormwater sources in 16 states throughout the country during the past eight years. They represent a range of pollutants, models used, and different allocation and implementation methods that will be helpful to TMDL practitioners and NPDES permitting agencies and permittees as they develop and implement new stormwater source TMDLs. The document may be viewed online at: www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/techsupp.html.
Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) "Water Infrastructure: Successful Strategies for Local Leadership" DVD wins a Telly Award
The Telly Award is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest videos and films. EPA's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) received a 2007 Bronze Telly for their new DVD that highlights how local governments are addressing aging sewer and water systems to meet current and future challenges facing our communities. The DVD features five local officials telling how they successfully met the needs of their communities for sustainable water infrastructure. The staggering costs of maintaining and improving water and wastewater systems challenge local leaders in practically every American community. The LGAC is an officially chartered federal advisory that provides advice and recommendations to assist the EPA in developing a stronger partnership with local governments. The video can be accessed at www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure.
International Water Association Call for Papers
The International Water Association Young Water Professionals Programme is looking for individuals to present papers at the 4th IWA Young Professional Conference in Berkeley, California July 16-18, 2008. Paper outlines are due on September 28, 2007. This event will provide an international forum for students, young researchers and professionals working in the water sector to present their work and meet their peers from all over the world. More information on the call for papers and the Conference can be found at www.iwa-ywpc.org.
New Report Released on Critical Research Needs for the Development of New or Revised Recreational Water Quality Criteria
The March 2007 Experts Scientific Workshop provided a forum where 44 U.S. and international experts discussed critical research and science needs for developing new or revised recreational ambient water quality criteria in the near-term. The report summarizing the experts' conclusions in seven topic areas is now available at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/recreation/.
Designed to protect swimmers from illnesses due to exposure to pathogens in recreational waters, the existing criteria are more than 20 years old. Since then, scientists have learned much about molecular biology, virology, and analytical chemistry. This new information will help build a stronger scientific foundation for up-to-date recreational water quality criteria.
Stormwater and the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey
This year, EPA will begin working with stormwater Phase I and II communities and state permitting authorities to better document stormwater capital needs (costs for stormwater infrastructure that will be needed over the next twenty years) in the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS). The CWNS is a report to Congress on the capital needs for wastewater, stormwater, and nonpoint sources. While stormwater has been a listed category in the CWNS for some time, reporting of these needs by Phase I and II communities has been very limited. In preparation for the 2008 CWNS, EPA plans to work closely with community stormwater managers to better document and report these important needs. In order to help improve reporting and reach out to local government managers, EPA is announcing a series of webcasts on the CWNS process. The first few webcasts will provide an overview of the CWNS and the process used to document and report capital project needs. In the early fall, there will be a Webcast targeted toward Phase I and II stormwater managers. For more information on these free webcasts, visit www.epa.gov/cwns/cwns2008.htm.
Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
10th Annual Southeast Watershed Roundtable: Sustaining Our Water Infrastructure through Watershed-Based Approaches
August 1-3, 2007, Braselton, Georgia. Presenters from around the Southeast and beyond will showcase communities, utilities and industries blending innovative strategies for water supply, waste-water and watershed management, based on the EPA´s Four Pillars of Sustainable Water Infrastructure: Better Management; Full Cost Pricing; Water Efficiency; and Watershed Approach. For more information, visit http://www.southeastwaterforum.org/index.asp.
3rd International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology
August 6-9, 2007, Houston, TX. The objective of the Conference will be to provide a major interdisciplinary forum for presenting new approaches from relevant areas of environmental science, to foster integration of the latest developments in scientific research into engineering applications, and to facilitate technology transfer from well-tested ideas into practical products, waste management, remedial processes, and ecosystem restoration. For more information, see www.aasci.org/conference/env/2007.
International Conference on Karst Hydrogeology and Ecosystems
August 13-15, 2007, Bowling Green, KY. For more information, see http://hoffman.wku.edu/karst2007/k2007.html.
International Conference on Water Resources Management
August 20-21, 2007, Honolulu, HI. For more information, see www.iasted.org/conferences/home-578.html.
StormCon'07
August 20-23, 2007, Phoenix, AZ. The sixth annual North American Surface Water Quality Conference and Exposition - StormCon is a source for NPDES Phase II training in all aspects of stormwater management for municipalities, consultants, highway and heavy construction contractors, . developers, regulated industries, and special sites, such as ports and airports. For more information, see http://stormcon.com/sc.html.
National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Workshop: Monitoring For Decision Making
August 26-30, 2007, Austin, TX. For more information, see www.rivers.txstate.edu/NPS07.
Wetlands 2007 - Watershed-wide Strategies to Maximize Wetland Ecological and Social Services
August 27-29, 2007, Williamsburg, VA. This national symposium will examine scientific, legal and management tools to protect and restore headwater wetlands and streams through watershed management plans. Such plans can sustain and improve the ecological and social services provided by wetlands and related water resources. For more information, see http://aswm.org.
Regional Water Symposium-Sustainable Water, Unlimited Growth and Quality of Life: Can We Have It All?
August 29-Sep 1, 2007, Tucson, AZ. For more information, see www.swhydro.arizona.edu/symposium.
10th Annual River Symposium and Environmental Flows Conference
September 3-6, 2007, Brisbane, Australia. This year's symposium will focus on the emerging field of river management and Environmental Flows. The program will feature presentations on innovative practices and case studies from all over the world and a wide range of perspectives on managing river flows for people and ecosystem health. For more information or to register, visit http://www.riversymposium.com.
Nutrient Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Development Workshop
September 4-5, 2007, Alexandria, VA. Under a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. EPA, Water Environment Federation (WEF) is conducting the "Nutrient TMDL Development Workshop" to help build the capacity of stakeholders to develop approvable and implementable watershed-based nutrient TMDLs. Offered at no cost, this 1.5-day workshop will cover the basic tools, methodologies, and programmatic issues critical to successfully developing and implementing nutrient TMDLs. The target audience includes federal, state, tribal, local, and regional officials; watershed groups; regulated point source dischargers; agricultural groups; developers; and other stakeholders. The workshop content is focused towards stakeholders with little or no prior experience developing nutrient TMDLs. Registration information can be found at http://www.wef.org/ConferencesTraining/TrainingProfessionalDevelopment/Workshops/nutrient-tmdl.htm.
Be sure to check EPA and Watershed Funding Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html
To subscribe to Watershed News, simply send a blank email to:
watershed-news-subscribe@lists.epa.gov
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.