Wastershed Protection
Quick Links:
Information and Technical Assistance Providers
Publications
Funding Resources
Training Opportunities and Resources
Model Ordinances
Misc. Tools and Resources
| Information and Technical
Assistance Providers |
 |
Adopt Your Watershed
Profiles the more than 500 active volunteer monitoring groups
and more than 1,000 watershed alliances already working nationwide.
Citizens can learn more about opportunities to join an organized
effort in their area.
http://www.epa.gov/surf/adopt
Center for Watershed Protection
Provides objective and scientifically-sound information on effective
techniques to protect and restore urban watersheds. Serves as
a technical resource for local governments around the country
to develop more effective urban storm water and watershed protection
programs.
http://www.cwp.org/
Conservation Technology Information Center
A non-profit, public-private partnership working to equip agriculture
with realistic, affordable, and integrated solutions to environmental
concerns.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/CTIC/CTIC.html
EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Access the site to learn more about watersheds, water-quality
monitoring, nonpoint source pollution, Total Maximum Daily Loads,
wetlands, and much more.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/
EPA Urban Watershed Management Branch
Researches, develops, and demonstrates technologies, systems,
and methods required to manage the risks to public health, property,
and the environment from wet weather flows and to renew decaying
urban infrastructure. Offers a variety of technical tools and
resources.
http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/
Know Your Watershed
A national watershed clearinghouse working to help watershed
partnership coordinators facilitate tangible progress toward
local goals.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/KYW.html
National Association of Counties– Watershed Management
Project
Intended to build awareness of watershed management issues and
provide technical assistance to counties.
http://www.naco.org/programs/environ/watermgt.cfm
National Association of Counties– Nonpoint
Source Water Pollution Prevention Project
Provides county officials with information about the problem
of nonpoint source pollution and potential solutions.
http://www.naco.org/programs/environ/nonpoint.cfm
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials
Teaches local officials about the sources and impacts of nonpoint
source pollution, how different land uses affect water quality,
and what towns can do to protect water quality.
http://www.canr.uconn.edu/ces/nemo/
Surf Your Watershed
Offers extensive information on local water resources.
http://www.epa.gov/surf
Terrene Institute
Works with business, government, academia and citizens to protect
the environment and conserve natural resources, with a special
emphasis on stormwater management and watershed protection.
http://www.terrene.org/
Watershed Information Network
Billed as a “roadmap to information and resources for protecting
and restoring water resources,” this site is an excellent
starting point in learning about watersheds.
http://www.epa.gov/win
Watershed Management Council
A non-profit educational organization dedicated to the advancement
of the art and science of watershed management.
http://watershed.org/
| Publications |
|
Better Site Design: A Handbook for Changing
Development Rules in Your Community
The companion guide to Consensus Agreement on Model Development
Principles to Protect our Streams, Lakes, and Wetlands. Provides
detailed rationale for each of the principles and examines current
practices in local communities, potential barriers to implementation,
economic and environmental benefits, and case studies from across
the country.
http://www.cwp.org/publicat.htm
Bridge Builder: A Guide for Watershed Partnerships
Assists local watershed partnerships addressing issues affecting
water quality.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/CTIC/Catalog/WatershedManagement.html
Building Local Partnerships Guide
Describes who should be involved and what they can bring to the
group.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/BuildingLocal.html
Clean Water in Your Watershed:
Citizens Guide to Watershed Protection
Focusing on the citizen's role in protecting watersheds, this
colorfully illustrated guide helps citizen groups work with local,
state and federal government agencies to successfully design
and complete a watershed protection or restoration project.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
Compendium of Tools for Watershed Assessment and TMDL Development
Discusses three major categories of models: watershed loading,
receiving water, and ecological. Watershed loading models simulate
the generation and movement of pollutants from the source to
discharge into receiving waters. Receiving water models simulate
the movement and transformation of pollutants through lakes,
streams, and rivers. Ecological models simulate plant and animal
communities and their response to pollutants and habitat modification.
http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/tools/choice.htm
Consensus Agreement on Model Development Principles
to Protect our Streams, Lakes, and Wetlands
Outlines 22 principles and presents a basic rationale for their
implementation.
http://www.cwp.org/publicat.htm
Daylighting: New Life for Buried Streams
Describes how local governments across the country have benefited
from "daylighting" streams – deliberately restoring
rivers, creeks, or stormwater drainages that are covered by culverts
or pipes to the open air. Demonstrates the range of daylighting
projects that have been completed; illustrates how some projects
have been designed, facilitated, and funded; and identifies some
of the challenges encountered and lessons learned.
http://www.rmi.org/images/other/W-Daylighting.pdf
Delineating Watersheds– A First
Step Toward Effective Management
A fact sheet that describes and illustrates the process of delineating
watersheds.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
Ecological Restoration:
A Tool to Manage Stream Quality
Describes how stream quality can often be managed by using ecological
restoration techniques in conjunction with more traditional management
approaches, such as point source permitting.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/Ecology
EPA Wetlands Fact Sheets
A series of easy-to-read fact sheets designed to provide basic
information on issues surrounding wetlands.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/wetlands/contents.html
Getting in Step: A Guide to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed
Provides tools to develop and implement an effective watershed
outreach plan.
http://www.statesnews.org/clip/policy/step.pdf
Getting to Know Your Local Watershed Guide
Describes the information needed and where to get it to put together
a successful watershed management plan.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/GetToKnow.html
Groundwater & Surface Water: Understanding
the Interaction Guide
Describes the connection between groundwater and surface water.
Discusses watershed management approaches that protect vulnerable
groundwater uses.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/GroundSurface.html
Guiding Principles for Constructed Treatment Wetlands:
Providing Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat
Includes guiding principles for siting, design, construction,
operation, maintenance, and monitoring of constructed treatment
wetlands. Also includes information about EPA policies, permits,
regulations, and resources.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/constructed/guide.html
Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability
This handbook explains wetland ecology, functions and values
and includes wetland project ideas, regulatory avenues for wetland
protection, case studies, and an extensive resource section.
http://www.iwla.org/SOS
Healthy Lakes Need Wise Lake and Watershed Management
This full-color poster illustrates two watershed overviews: one
benefits from control practices, the other is impacted by sources
of sediment and pollution.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
Internet Watershed Educational Tool
Provides a technical and multi-perspective response to local
watershed issues intended to help educate local officials and
other concerned citizens about water resources.
server.age.psu.edu/dept/grads/parson/research/home.htm
Kansas Surface Water Register
Provides a detailed listing of designated uses of major classified
streams in Kansas.
http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/pdf/befs/register99.pdf
Kansas Water Plan
The Kansas Water Plan addresses the management, conservation,
and development of the state’s water resources.
http://www.kwo.org/kwp/main.html
Kansas Water Quality Assessment Reports
Provide an assessment of the state’s surface water quality
based on information compiled from KDHE’s Water Quality
Monitoring Network. (Commonly referred to as “305(b) reports”.)
http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/pdf/bow/305brp14.pdf
Kansas Water Quality Limited Segments
Lists the state’s water-quality-limited surface waters
based on information compiled from KDHE’s Water Quality
Monitoring Network. (Commonly referred to as “303(d) report”.)
http://www.kdhe.state.ks.us/befs/303d/index.html
Lake Smarts: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Solving Lake Problems
A how-to manual of field-tested, easy and affordable projects
to help you clean up, improve and maintain the lakes and ponds
in your community.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
Low-Impact Development Design Strategies:
An Integrated Design Approach
Describes a radically different approach to conventional stormwater
management that combines a hydrologically functional site design
with pollution prevention measures to compensate for land development
impacts on hydrology and water quality.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lidnatl.pdf
Low Impact Development Literature Review and Fact Sheets
A summary of the information available regarding the pollutant
removal effectiveness of the most common Low Impact Development
(LID) practices. Also includes four fact sheets that describing
local projects where LID practices were used.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lidlit.html
Monitoring Lake and Reservoir Restoration
Explains how to design and implement a lake monitoring program
during and following a lake restoration project.
http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom
Nonpoint Source News Notes
A periodic newsletter focusing on the condition of the water-related
environment, the control of nonpoint sources of water pollution,
and the ecological management and restoration of watersheds.
http://www.epa.gov/owow.info/NewsNotes/
Protecting Floodplain Resources:
A Guidebook for Communities
Includes discussions on the history of floodplain and natural
resource management, multiple uses of floodplains, planning for
resource protection and restoration, and four case studies.
http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom
Protecting Wetlands, Managing Watersheds:
Local Government Case Studies
Provides local government case studies that offer practical strategies
to help protect wetlands and manage watersheds. Programs for
public education, financing, wetlands mitigation, GIS and much
more are provided by local government practitioners from across
the country.
http://bookstore.icma.org
Putting Together a Watershed Management Plan Guide
Describes the process of putting together a plan that all with
a stake in the watershed can agree to implement.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/PutTogether.html
Rapid Bioassessment Protocols: An Introduction
Reviews methods for assessing the health of streams and watersheds
based on the fish, invertebrates, and plants found in streams.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/acad2000/rbp/
Rapid Watershed Planning Handbook
Manual designed for use by watershed managers and professionals
in developing planning and management strategies for the future.
http://www.cwp.org/publicat.htm
Recommended Practices Manual:
A Guideline for Maintenance and Service of Unpaved Roads
Describes and illustrates cost effective techniques and practices
that can be used to enhance stability and maintenance of unpaved
roadways while reducing sedimentation and improving the quality
of surface waters.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/unpavedroads.html
Restoring Streams in Cities: A Guide for Planners, Policymakers,
and Citizens
Offers alternatives to traditional practices that can be used
both to prevent and repair ecological damage to streams.
http://www.islandpress.org/books/bookdata/reststr.html
Stream Visual Assessment Protocol
Uses visual characteristics and a simple scoring system to identify
problems and provide a general overall assessment.
http://www.ncg.nrcs.usda.gov/pdf/svapfnl.pdf
Site Planning for Urban Stream Protection
Explains new concepts and terminology for transforming outdated
subdivision codes into more environmentally sensitive and economically
attractive development criteria.
http://www.cwp.org/publicat.htm
State Wetlands Assistance Guide:
Voluntary Stewardship Options for State's Private Landowners
A generic template developed by the National Wetlands Conservation
Alliance designed for use by local agencies and organizations
to assist private landowners with stewardship options and programs.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/wetlands/WAG/index.html
Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes and Practices
A technical assistance document designed to promote the development
of a stream corridor restoration plan.
http://www.usda.gov/stream_restoration
Top Ten Hints for Successful Watershed Management
Article lists the top 10 suggestions provided by successful watershed
coordinators.
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/CTIC/Catalog/WatershedManagement.html
Top 10 Watershed Lessons Learned
Developed in partnership with over 100 watershed practitioners,
this document describes the top 10 lessons (positive and negative)
learned in working to restore and protect watersheds across the
nation. Includes examples to illustrate each lesson and key contacts
and resources for networking.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/lessons
Toward Understanding New Watershed Initiatives
Discusses characteristics and concepts of watershed partnerships,
elements for evaluating such partnerships, factors that influence
their success, and lessons learned from past and current partnerships.
http://www.tu.org/library/conservation/watershed.pdf
Urbanization and Streams: Studies of Hydrologic Impacts
Contains summaries and analyses of reports and case studies intended
to provide documentation of problems and sources, as well as
a foundation for further investigation.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/urbanize/report.html
Visual Tools for Watershed Education
Focuses on how visual tools such as maps, graphics, models, and
stories can help leaders, teachers, and the media communicate
meaningfully on the concept of watersheds.
http://www.neetf.org/watershedfinal.pdf
Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Methods Manual
Provides step-by-step methods for monitoring key lake water-quality
problems using citizen volunteers.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitor/lakevm.html
The Volunteer Monitor's Guide to Quality Assurance Project Plans
An easy-to-follow guide to the development of quality assurance
plans for volunteer programs designed to ensure the collection
of high quality data.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/monitoring/volunteer/qappcovr.htm
Visual Tools for Watershed Education
A report that focuses on how visual tools such as maps, graphics,
models, and stories can help leaders, teachers, and the media
communicate meaningfully on the concept of watersheds.
http://www.neetf.org/pubs/watershedfinal.pdf
Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual
This document includes sections on conducting in-stream physical,
chemical, and biological assessments as well as land-use or watershed
assessments.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/stream
Water Quality Indicators Guide: Surface Waters
Concerned about conditions in your neighborhood stream or lake?
Follow the step-by-step process in this guide to find out what
the problems are – and how to address them.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
A Watershed Approach to Urban Runoff:
Handbook for Decision-makers
A handbook for local officials and citizens that outlines the
process for understanding your watershed; the watershed management
approach to assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating;
an overview of assessment and management tools; and provides
detailed insights into best management practices and sample site
plans.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
Watershed Ecological Risk Assessment Case Studies
http://www.epa.gov/ncea/placebas.htm
Watershed Protection: A Project Focus
This report describes a process for planning and implementing
local watershed projects and presents some lessons learned in
previous projects.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/focus/index.html
Watershed Protection Techniques
A periodic journal that contains condensed summaries on the latest
research and experience with urban best management practices,
stream restoration efforts, environmental planning, wetland creation/
restoration, and watershed research.
http://www.cwp.org/publicat.htm
Watershed Success Stories: Applying the Principles and Spirit
of the Clean Water Action Plan
The thirty success stories presented in this report demonstrate
how coordinating efforts of federal, state, and local partners
can lead to innovative restoration solutions to address a wide
variety of water quality problems.
http://www.cleanwater.gov/success/
Wetlands Information Resource Guide
A resource guide for educators that includes listings and sources
of curricula activities and materials; slide shows and videos;
regulatory and legislative information; and conservation and
planning materials. (publication # EPA902-K-94-001)
http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom
Wetlands and Watershed: Six Case Studies
Includes six case studies from six local governments, large and
small, urban and rural, in a variety of natural environments.
http://bookstore.icma.org
Workshop Report on Characterizing Ecological Risk at the Watershed
Scale
http://www.epa.gov/ncea/ecorisk.htm
| Funding Resources |
|
Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection
Highlights nearly 70 federal funding sources (grants and loans)
that may be used at the local level to fund a variety of watershed
projects.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/fund.html
Funding Sources for Water Quality
Describes a variety of federal funding programs for water quality
protection.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/funding.html
| Training Opportunities and
Resources |
|
EPA Watershed Academy
Provides training and information on implementing watershed approaches
to local officials and private practitioners of watershed management.
Sponsors training courses and develops training materials; it
also publicizes watershed-related training materials developed
by others.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy.htm
EPA Watershed Academy 2000
Offers a distance learning program of self-paced training modules.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/acad2000.html
Getting In Step: A Guide to Effective Outreach In Your Watershed
A training module that provides tools to develop and implement
an effective watershed outreach plan.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/acad2000/gettinginstep/
Inventory of Watershed Training Courses
Provides one-page summaries of 180 watershed-related training
courses offered by federal and state agencies, as well as resource
professionals in the private sector. (publication # EPA 841-D-98-001)
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/watershed/wacademy/catalog.html
Watershed Training Opportunities
Describes watershed training opportunities sponsored by EPA's
Watershed Academy, including training courses, publications,
watershed management facilitation services.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/watershed/wacademy/wtopps.html
Working at a Watershed Level
An introductory watershed-training course based on principles
of watershed ecology, analysis, planning, management and community
involvement.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/watershed/wacademy/interfed/shedcors.html
| Model Ordinances |
|
Consensus Agreement on Model Development Principles to
Protect our Streams, Lakes, and Wetlands
Outlines 22 principles and presents a basic rationale for their
implementation.
http://www.cwp.org/publicat.htm
Local Ordinances: A User's Guide
Preparing local ordinances and regulating new development comprise
the theme of this comprehensive guide for local planners. Each
chapter gives the scientific, environmental and regulatory backgrounds
and basic problem associated with each issue, and includes ideas
for creating a community ordinance that can help developers and
citizens protect water quality and conserve wildlife and habitat.
http://www.terrene.org/catalog.htm
Model Ordinance for Wetland Protection
Covers applicability and non-conforming activities, permit requirements,
standards and procedures for permits, sanctions for violations,
and enforcement procedures.
http://bookstore.icma.org
Model Ordinances on the Web
Features real-world and sample ordinances intended to provide
language and ideas that communities can incorporate when constructing
an ordinance for their local area.
http://www.cwp.org/
Model Ordinances to Protect Local Resources
Provides information needed to develop effective resource protection
ordinances. Includes model ordinances to serve as a template.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/ordinance/
| Misc. Tools and Resources |
|
Agricultural Management Practices for Water Quality Protection
This web-based training module introduces eight basic types of
agricultural practices that are suitable for reducing or minimizing
water quality impacts, as part of an overall watershed approach.
http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/agmodule/
BASINS – Better Assessment Science
Integrating
Point and Nonpoint Sources
A software package that provides an integrated watershed modeling
framework and supports analysis of point and nonpoint source
management alternatives.
http://www.epa.gov/OST/BASINS
Data Access and Support Center
Maintains the state’s database of digital spatial information.
This information is used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
to create electronic maps.
http://gisdasc.kgs.ukans.edu
Ecological Restoration: A Tool To Manage Stream Quality
This guide describes how stream quality can often be managed
by using restoration techniques in conjunction with more traditional
management approaches, such as point source permitting.
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/Ecology
EPA Wetlands Information Hotline
Phone: 800 / 832-7828
E-Mail: wetlands-hotline@epamail.epa.gov
Answers requests for information about wetlands regulation, legislation
and policy, wetlands values and functions, and wetlands agricultural
issues.
Farm-A-Syst /Home-A-Syst
Supports the voluntary efforts of farmers, ranchers, and urban
and rural residents in protecting the quality of the environment
by building awareness of how activities pose pollution risks,
as well as the importance of water quality and environmental
protection.
http://www.wisc.edu/farmasyst/
http://www.uwex.edu/homeasyst/
Floodplain Maps
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) identify areas of 100-year flood
hazard in a community.
http://www.fema.gov/msc/
Geologic Maps
Geologic maps are an important source of natural-resource information,
depicting the bedrock (solid rock directly beneath the soil)
at or near the earth's surface as if the soils and vegetation
had been removed. These maps present a three-dimensional shape
of the bedrock geology on a flat piece of paper using lines,
symbols, and colors.
http://www.kgs.ukans.edu
Hydrologic Atlas
http://www.kgs.ukans.edu
Index of Watershed Indicators
A compilation of information on the health of water resources
in the United States. The Index looks at a variety of indicators
that point to whether rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and coastal
areas are "well" or "ailing" and whether
activities on the surrounding lands that affect our waters are
placing them at risk.
http://www.epa.gov/surf/iwi
Internet Watershed Educational Tool
Provides a technical and multi-perspective response to local
watershed issues intended to help educate local officials and
other concerned citizens about water resources.
http://server.age.psu.edu/dept/grads/parson/research/home.htm
Introduction to Watershed Planning
A web-based training module that introduces a flexible framework
for watershed planning and points out key factors that help make
planning successful.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/acad2000/planning/
Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Lake Water Quality Trends
Describes statistical methods for trend assessment in water quality,
with an emphasis on lakes.
http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom
Topographic Maps
Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, topographic maps show
important natural features such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers,
and streams. Topographic maps also show the contour elevations
of the land surface and allow users to visualize the three-dimensional
land surface.
http://www.kgs.ukans.edu
Urban Stream Restoration:
A Video Tour of Ecological Restoration Techniques
An information packed video tour of six urban stream restoration
sites.
http://www.urbanstreamrestoration.com/index2.html
Watershed Tools Directory: A Collection of Watershed Tools
Provides one-page summaries of 250 watershed tools. Each summary
includes key information such as a description of the tool, contact
names and phone numbers, and information about intended users.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/tools
Wetland Functions and Values
This web-based training module reviews the extraordinary contributions
that wetlands make to our water quality, economy, recreation,
environmental health, and other areas.
http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/wetlands/
