Watershed News

February 2009

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) West Coast Estuaries Initiative
2) NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program
3) Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program
4) USDA Announces Two New Funding Programs and Additional Funds to Conservation Innovation Grants
5) EPA releases new online video "Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In"
6) EPA Releases Report on Sea Level Rise
7) 4th Annual Stream Cleaner Forum
8) National Water Quality Inventory Report Now Available On-line
9) EPA and Florida DEP Work Together to Restore Florida's Surface Waters
10) EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free February 18th Webcast on Green Roofs: Beautiful and Innovative Solutions to Stormwater Pollution
11) Watershed Forestry Resource Guide
12) Dutchman Creek, Illinois
13) 5th National Conference for Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Outreach: "Achieving Results with Tight Budgets"
14) World Environmental & Water Resources Congress
15) Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference
16) River Network's National River Rally
17) StormCon '09

Funding Opportunities

West Coast Estuaries Initiative

EPA Region 10 (EPA) is soliciting proposals to support the protection and restoration of high value, coastal resources in areas threatened by growth pressure. Through comprehensive watershed protection and management approaches, these grant funds will assist local and tribal governments in managing land uses while protecting watershed functions and values. Successful projects will match proposed activities to the appropriate watershed scale to ensure environmental results. An estimated $2.8 million is available. The Request for Proposals (RFP) includes only certain watersheds west of the Cascade Mountain divide. Proposals are due February 19, 2009. Visit the Web page for more specific information regarding eligibility.

NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program

The NOAA California B-WET Program, Adult and Community Watershed Education, is a competitively-based program that supports existing environmental education programs, fosters the growth of new programs, and encourages the development of partnerships among environmental education programs throughout the Monterey Bay watershed. Funded projects provide meaningful watershed education to adults and communities. This includes outcome-based programs that educate citizens about their role in protecting water quality and demonstrate behavioral changes that improve water quality and promote environmental stewardship. Applications are due on February 27, 2009.

Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program

CARE is a unique community-based, community-driven, multimedia demonstration program designed to help communities understand and reduce risks due to toxic pollutants and environmental concerns from all sources. The CARE grant program works with the eligible entities to help their communities form collaborative partnerships, develop an understanding of the many local sources of risk from toxic pollutants and environmental concerns, set priorities, and identify and carry out projects to reduce risks through collaborative action at the local level. An estimated $3 million is available. Applications are due by March 16, 2009.

News

USDA Announces Two New Funding Programs and Additional Funds to Conservation Innovation Grants

The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program offers $58.4 million in financial assistance for promoting ground and surface water conservation and water quality improvement. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, offering $23 million in 2009, strengthens coordination and cooperation between NRCS and EPA to help agricultural producers improve the environment in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Both are part of NRCS' Environmental Quality Incentives Program. USDA also announced $20 million to inspire innovation through NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants.

EPA releases new online video "Reduce Runoff: Slow It Down, Spread It Out, Soak It In"

This new 9-minute film showcases green techniques that are being used in urban areas to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on the quality of downstream receiving waters. The goal is to mimic the natural way water moves through an area before development by using design techniques that infiltrate, evaporate, and reuse runoff close to its source. Highlights include green techniques on display in 2008 at the U.S. Botanic Garden's "One Planet - Ours!" Exhibit and at the U.S. EPA in Washington, D.C., including recently completed cisterns.

EPA Releases Report on Sea Level Rise

EPA, in collaboration with other agencies, has released a report that discusses the impacts of sea level rise on the coast, coastal communities, and the habitats and species that depend on them. The report, Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region, examines multiple opportunities for governments and coastal communities to plan for and adapt to rising sea levels. The report is one of 21 climate change synthesis and assessment products commissioned by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP). CCSP was established in 2002 to provide the U.S. with science-based knowledge to manage the risks and opportunities of change in the climate and related environmental systems.

4th Annual Stream Cleaner Forum

The Cacapon Institute has announced its 4th Annual Stream Cleaner Environmental Forum, a free, curriculum-based internet activity available 24/7 to high school classes throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The SCE Forum is a Project-Based Learning exercise in which students seek solutions to the complex problems of non-point source water pollution. Through an extended, collaborative process, students investigate the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort. They engage their peers across the internet and role play as stakeholders, problem solvers, and consensus builders to formulate solutions. Students strengthen their critical thinking abilities and decision-making skills, and are given an opportunity to not only investigate, but also become actively engaged in watershed restoration efforts. The lessons are available on line now and the dialogue runs from March 9 th through April 10th.

National Water Quality Inventory Report Now Available On-line

Photo of two people checking the water quality in a lake

This report summarizes water quality assessments submitted by the states to EPA under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act. Forty-four percent of assessed river and stream miles, 64 percent of assessed lake acres, and 30 percent of assessed estuary square miles were found to be impaired for one or more of the uses designated for them by the states. Leading causes of impairment included pathogens, mercury, nutrients, and organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen. Top sources of impairment included atmospheric deposition, agriculture, hydrologic modifications, and unknown or unspecified sources. This report is a companion to electronically-submitted state water quality information available on EPA's Web site, known as ATTAINS. In addition to viewing the national summary and information by state at this Web site, users can click down to the individual waterbody level to find out more about water quality conditions.

EPA and Florida DEP Work Together to Restore Florida's Surface Waters

EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) are taking actions to protect and restore both recreational uses and aquatic life in Florida waters. These actions include EPA issuing a formal determination under the Clean Water Act that "numeric" nutrient water quality criteria are necessary in Florida. Florida is accelerating its efforts to adopt numeric nutrient criteria into state regulations. Numeric nutrient criteria will significantly improve Florida's ability to address nutrient pollution in a timely and effective manner.

The federal determination (PDF) (10 pp, 198K, About PDF) is intended to build upon the substantial investments that Florida has made in nutrient data collection, analysis, and stakeholder involvement, and is fully consistent with the state's and EPA's commitment to a stronger nutrient control program. The new numeric nutrient water quality standards will help Florida improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its water quality management tools, identify waters impaired because of nutrient pollution, establish Total Maximum Daily Loads and Basin Management Action Plans and derive National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit limits.

Webcast

EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free February 18th Webcast on Green Roofs: Beautiful and Innovative Solutions to Stormwater Pollution

EPA's Watershed Academy sponsors free monthly Webcasts for watershed practitioners from around the globe. Many communities across the country are struggling to address impacts from stormwater runoff on their water resources due to increased development. Innovative low impact development practices such as green roofs can help manage stormwater runoff very effectively and provide communities with beautiful amenities. On Wed., February 18, 2009, Steven W. Peck, Founder and President of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Robert D. Cameron, Center for Green Roof Research at Penn State University, and Tom Liptan, with Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services will discuss the benefits of green roofs and share their experiences as leaders/pioneers in the green roof movement in the United States and North America. Registration opens February 4th.

Watershed Tool of the Month

Watershed Forestry Resource Guide

The Watershed Forestry Resource Guide was created through a partnership of the Center for Watershed Protection and the US Forest Service. This Website is a central clearinghouse for all things related to forests and watersheds. There have been many recent efforts towards managing urban forests for watershed health that have resulted in a variety of highly useful tools and training materials. Information is organized into four major categories: forest planning and assessment, reducing stormwater runoff, forest friendly development and planting and maintaining trees. This site compiles these resources into a format that can be easily accessed and downloaded.

Spotlight: Watersheds at Work

Dutchman Creek, Illinois

Uncontrolled runoff from non-irrigated crop production had impaired the aquatic life designated use of Dutchman Creek, causing the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) to add the creek to the 1998 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list of impaired waters for nutrients and siltation. Stakeholders implemented a successful EPA-funded outreach and education program in the Dutchman Creek watershed that promoted no-till agricultural practices and prompted landowners to convert more than 400 acres of environmentally sensitive land back into forest. These changes improved water quality and restored the creek's aquatic life use, allowing Illinois to remove the creek from its 2008 303(d) list of impaired waters.

Upcoming Conferences and Workshops

5th National Conference for Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Outreach: "Achieving Results with Tight Budgets"

May 11-14, 2009. Portland, Oregon. The 5th National Conference for Nonpoint Source and Stormwater Outreach will provide practitioners from around the country the opportunity to learn and share ideas on developing and implementing nonpoint source and stormwater outreach strategies that produce positive, measurable outcomes, comply with NPDES requirements, and can be successfully implemented with modest budgets. The conference will serve local, regional, state and federal professionals tasked with educating various audiences on nonpoint source pollution, stormwater pollution, watershed protection and promoting sustainable behavior changes in challenging economic times.

World Environmental & Water Resources Congress

May 17-21, 2009. Kansas City, MO. Organized by EWRI and ASCE, this Congress' central theme is the great rivers of the world and the engineering challenges of balancing environmental and development issues while achieving a sustainable future. It is imperative that those working on the front lines - at the environmental/water engineering nexus - share insights from research and practical experience in the field to generate best practices for the future on issues such as river system management, environmental issues, watershed management and restoration, dam safety, hydraulic structures, and so much more.

Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference

May 18-20, 2009. Portland, ME. Organized by New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. The three-day conference brings together all those in New England and New York State involved in NPS pollution management, including participants from state, federal, and municipal governments, private sector, academia, and watershed organizations.

River Network's National River Rally

May 29-June 1, 2009. Baltimore, MD. Baltimore, Maryland will play host to the 10th National River Rally. And, like the nine River Rallies preceding it, River Rally 2009 is sure to be an event you won't want to miss. Highlights include:

A series of intensive, 4-hour workshops on Friday afternoon
Over 70 additional workshops covering topics of interest to staff, volunteers and board members of river conservation organizations
Office hours, mentoring sessions and real life, in-person conversations with funders and exhibitors
The River Heroes Banquet: a memorable and inspirational night of celebrating our own leaders
Unsurpassed networking opportunities

StormCon '09

August 16-20, 2009. Anaheim, CA. In addition to serving municipal and government professionals, StormCon offers sessions on sediment and erosion control practices for contractors, and techniques for special sites, such as airports and ports. StormCon offers non-technical stormwater sessions that will benefit those completely new to stormwater, as well as advanced sessions for seasoned professionals.

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