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Publications |
Atlas of America's Polluted Waters
The EPA has recently published the "Atlas of America's Polluted Waters," which includes a set of maps for each state indicating which water bodies do not meet water quality standards under the Clean Water Act's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program. The unique feature of this new publication is that for the first time all 50 states have provided geo-referenced water quality data to the EPA, allowing them to demonstrate the extent of the water pollution problems in the country via detailed maps. The maps are color coded to show the type of pollutant, including sedimentation, pathogens, nutrients, toxics/metals/inorganics, toxics/organics, mercury, pesticides, and others including acid rain. Copies of this document are available from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications at no charge by calling (513) 489-8190 and requesting document EPA 840-B-00-002. Alternatively, visit the EPA's water division website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/atlas/ to view or download the atlas.
A recent EPA publication is a report called "Liquid Assets 2000," which depicts the economic impact of clean water. It provides a snapshot of the current status of water resources in this country. Over 20,000 water bodies across the country are listed as exceeding minimum water quality standards. Over 218 million Americans live within 10 miles of a polluted water body. The report discusses the powerful boost clean water can give to the economy, the many uses of clean water within the United States, and the challenges that the nation faces in cleaning up polluted waterways. The report is available for downloading on the EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/ow/liquidassets/.
The Practice of Watershed Protection
The Practice of Watershed Protection is a collection of feature articles and technical notes from the past seven years of the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) publication, Techniques. The hardcover volume of over 800 pages will be available from the CWP in January. Orders can be placed now by calling (410) 461-8324, or ordering online at www.cwp.org.
Urban Stream Restoration Practices: An Initial Assessment
Urban
Stream Restoration Practices: An Initial Assessment
This document assesses the performance of 24 different urban stream restoration
techniques from sites around the Mid-Atlantic and Mid-west regions. Included are
recommendations for applying the techniques to a variety of urban stream
environments. To order contact the CWP at (410) 461-8324, or order online at www.cwp.org.
The proceedings from the Fall 1999 USGS-sponsored workshop on Animal Feeding Operations in Fort Collins, CO is available on the USGS website. The Open-File Report 00-204, “Effects of Animal Feeding Operations on Water Resources and the Environment” includes abstracts from all the meeting sessions. To download, click on the “Proceedings” link at the USGS Animal Feeding Operations website http://water.usgs.gov/owq/AFO/.
The Urban Water Resources Research Council
The Urban Water Resources Research Council (UWRRC) has developed a new database designed to evaluate stormwater BMP effectiveness. The searchable index provides BMP performance data for more than 70 BMP studies conducted over the past 15 years. The database can be accessed on the website at http://www.bmpdatabase.org/index.html, and is also available on CD-ROM. More studies are being added to the database as they become available.
The Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual for Rivers and Streams
The Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual for Rivers and Streams is located at http://www.epa.gov/OST/standards/nutrient.html. The purpose of the guidance manual is to provide States and Tribes with methods to assess waterbody nutrient impairment and develop ecoregion-specific nutrient criteria. It provides background information on classifying rivers and streams, selecting criteria variables, designing monitoring programs, building a database to analyze nutrient and algal data, deriving regional criteria, and implementing management practices. A similar Technical Guidance Manual is also available on the same website for lakes and reservoirs.
The USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program
The USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program has developed a comprehensive online data warehouse of water quality data. The data warehouse includes 6.5 million records to provide information about the quality of water at 2,800 stream sites and 5,000 wells in 46 states, as well as links to other NAWQA and USGS data. The data can be compiled and summarized for specific geographic areas such as states or watersheds, and searched for various parameters such as areas where concentrations of a certain pesticide exceed water quality standards. The website can be found at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/data.
Ecological Urban Stream and Neighborhood Restoration
A new video is available to anyone interested in ecological urban stream and neighborhood restoration. The Urban Stream Restoration video provides a tour of six urban stream restoration sites led by Ann Riley of the Waterways Restoration Institute of Berkely, CA. The video details principles of stream restoration, community involvement, and project financing. For more information or to order a copy of the video, visit www.urbanstreamrestoration.com/.
The Water Environment Federation (WEF)
The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has released a new CD-ROM, called Aqua Venturer ©, aimed at educating secondary students and others about water history. The interactive CD-ROM game tells the story of water, its treatment and use throughout history, and its importance to life on Earth. The multimedia game was designed by Jim Swenson of New Media Magic and uses anecdotes, colorful photos, video clips and music to highlight the role of clean water in the development of civilizations over the past 10,000 years. For more information or to order Aqua Venturer ©, call the WEF at (800) 666-0206, or order from their website at www.wef.org.
Greening the Garden State: A Report on Sustainable Business Actions in New Jersey
The New Jersey Office of Sustainable Business has published a report entitled, “Greening the Garden State: A Report on Sustainable Business Actions in New Jersey.” The aim of the report is to provide a list of businesses in New Jersey that have embraced sustainable business practices and/or are producing environmentally preferable products. The businesses listed in the report’s database are devising new methods and new products that create jobs and increase company efficiency while improving the quality of life in New Jersey. If you do business in New Jersey and are interested in other businesses that offer products and/or services which can reduce our impact on the environment, Greening the Garden State can be ordered or downloaded from the Building a Greener New Jersey website at www.bgnj.org/.
Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey report to Congress
The US EPA has released a new Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey report to Congress. The purpose of the survey was to document the needs of the public water systems eligible to receive Drinking Water State Revolving Fund money, and to determine what infrastructure improvements need to be made to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The needs survey estimates that public water systems will require $150.9 billion dollars over a 20-year period to ensure that people across the country continue to receive safe drinking water. Transmission and distribution projects represent the greatest category of need, with $83.2 billion dollars required. To find out more about the needs survey, visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/needs.html.
25 Ways to Protect Your Stream and Streamside Property
New materials are available from the Pennsylvania DEP to help landowners, watershed organizations and others to protect and restore their streams. A brochure, “25 Ways to Protect Your Stream and Streamside Property,” provides tips to property owners and a list of native plants to use in streamside landscaping. The GreenWorks video “Stream Restoration: Communities Coming Together” focuses on planning and implementing a stream restoration project. The booklet “Stream Restoration in Pennsylvania: Ten Case Studies” describes different types of stream restoration and riparian buffer projects across the state, including lessons learned and practical tips from the project participants. These new materials were developed by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network Restoration program, and copies are available by calling Pat Pingel at (717) 772-5637, or e-mailing Ppingel@state.pa.us.
A publication has been developed by the River Network to help grassroots river and watershed conservation groups find funding for projects. The “Directory of Funding Sources” provides detailed profiles of foundations, corporations, state and federal agencies, and other nonprofits that support small watershed groups, as well as a few sources that support tribes. The book also contains sections on grant writing tips, indexes and resources. To order your copy, call the River Network at (503) 241-3506, or visit their website at www.rivernetwork.org.
Guiding Principles for Constructed Treatment Wetlands: Providing Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat
The federal Interagency Workgroup on Constructed Wetlands has developed a new document entitled, “Guiding Principles for Constructed Treatment Wetlands: Providing Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat,” that describes guidelines for designing, constructing, siting, operating, maintaining, and monitoring constructed wetlands. Information on current Agency policies, permits, regulations, and resources, and answers to common questions are also provided in the document. The Interagency Workgroup on Constructed Wetlands includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Services, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Bureau of Reclamation. Visit the EPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/constructed/guide.html to download a PDF version or request a paper copy.
Maintaining Your BMP – A Guidebook for Private Owners and Operators in Northern Virginia
A new guidance for maintaining BMPs is available from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). “Maintaining Your BMP – A Guidebook for Private Owners and Operators in Northern Virginia” is designed for individual property owners, homeowners association representatives, and residential/commercial property managers, and applies to all regions of the country. This guidebook outlines the basic maintenance and planning tasks to help keep BMPs functioning properly and includes information on types of BMPs, general maintenance needs, and who should carry out maintenance, inspections, and planning for BMP maintenance costs. The guide also contains a sample inspection checklist, a BMP maintenance costs planning sheet, and a local government resource guide. Visit the NVRC website at http://www.novaregion.org/es_pubs.htm#bmp to download a PDF version or request a paper copy.
Choices for Communities: Wastewater Management Options for Rural Areas
From the National Small Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) comes the booklet, “Choices for Communities: Wastewater Management Options for Rural Areas.” Written by Mike Hoover from the North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Waste Management Programs, this booklet discusses wastewater management options for rural communities. The booklet examines alternatives to conventional septic systems, alternative wastewater collection technologies, and land-based treatment and disposal technologies. Advantages and disadvantages are included. The cost-effectiveness of land-based technologies is discussed using case studies of several North Carolina towns. In addition, centralized and decentralized approaches are compared, based on a detailed analysis of costs by the EPA using a hypothetical rural community. This 16-page booklet can serve as a resource for local, state, and public health officials; engineers; finance officers; contractors/developers; managers; planners; researchers; and state regulatory agencies. The cost is $0.50. To order, call the NSFC at (800) 624-8301 and request Item #WWBLMG09, or visit the NSFC website at http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/NSFC_WhatsNew.html#NewProducts.
The US EPA recently published a new document highlighting watershed training courses and other services offered by its Watershed Academy. “EPA Watershed Training Opportunities” (EPA 841-B-01-002) describes the academy's training programs, publications, watershed management facilitation services, and Web-based training courses, as well as related courses and educational materials produced by EPA's Office of Water. The document is available at http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/wtopps.html. Paper copies may be obtained by calling (800) 490-9198 (refer to the document number when ordering).
EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance has developed a compliance and tracking information system for state and local governments and federal agencies as a way to access and easily use facility-level inspection, violation and enforcement data.
The "Integrated Data for Enforcement Analysis” (IDEA) system and its retrieval component, Online Tracking Information System (OTIS) allows non-technical users to access data and perform analyses with little or no technical knowledge of how the underlying data systems work. Data shown is a combination of federal and state data. The system also provides geographic and demographic information. For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/idea/otis.
The Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences has released a new publication designed to educate Pennsylvania citizens about water’s uses and value to individuals and society. The booklet, called “Valuing Pennsylvania’s Water Resources,” is geared toward members of watershed groups, public officials, water supply managers, and interested citizens. The goal of the booklet is to motivate readers to make better decisions about water use and to express their preferences about water management to government officials. Copies of the booklet are available free of charge from the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Distribution Center at 814-865-6713.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has added a new water quality page to their website. The new page features ocean beach water quality information and links to county health departments and other coastal related web sites. It lists any ocean beaches that are closed due to water quality or any special beach conditions. Visit the site at www.state.nj.us/dep and click on the “Ocean Beach Info” icon.
The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts has issued its 10th Anniversary issue of Pennsylvania Resources. The publication, “A Habitat for Life,” looks at some of the ways humans depend on natural resources, how change can impact habitats, and some positive and negative consequences associated with human activities. Also included is information on the Bayscape Program, which focuses on creating environmentally sound landscapes that benefit people, wildlife and the Chesapeake Bay. Pennsylvania Resources 2001 is available at www.pacd.org.
Injuries to Hudson River Fishery Resources: Fishery Closures and Consumption Restrictions
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released a report that describes how the accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Hudson River fish has dramatically affected the River’s fishery resources. The report is called “Injuries to Hudson River Fishery Resources: Fishery Closures and Consumption Restrictions,” and is part of a Natural Resource Damages Assessment (NRDA) of PCB contamination in the Hudson River. It found that the Hudson River fishery has been and continues to be injured as a result of the closures and consumption advisories. The report concludes that additional reductions in PCB levels in the Hudson will be necessary to remove the fishing restrictions in the Hudson River. The report can be viewed on the DEC’s website at www.dec.state.ny.us.
Maryland residents can surf the web to find out information about environmental permits in their area. The MDEnvironment is a monthly newspaper published by the Maryland Department of the Environment. In addition to the monthly features such as the MDE public meetings and hearings schedule, enforcement and compliance notes, permitting activity (found in the For The Record section), and MDE people and employee express, the MDEnvironment covers articles on current environmental issues and events in the State. To view, visit http://www.mde.state.md.us/mdenvironment/index.html.
Wastewater Resources for Small Communities
A new CD-Rom is available from the National Small Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) to help small communities manage wastewater issues. The CD, “Wastewater Resources for Small Communities,” is geared toward professional engineers and operators, government agencies, local officials, researchers and homeowners. Highlights include state-by-state statistics on the status of septic systems in the US, fact sheets describing technologies for treating wastewater, and more than 300 articles from various NSFC publications released since 1989. To order, call NSFC at 800-624-8301.
Hydroexplorer Comes to Your Home
The Water Education Foundation has a new computer game called “Hydroexplorer Comes to Your Home” available to help teach five- to ten-year olds about water resources. Kids learn about water conservation, pollution prevention, the hydrologic cycle, and how water gets to the home. Using basic computer skills, players search for clues as they guide a mini-sub from a rain cloud through the maze of water pipes underground, through the treatment plant, and into either a house or an apartment. Players tour the floor plan, seeking out opportunities to make wise water use choices. For more information or to place an order, visit the WEF website at http://www.watereducation.org/schoolprograms.asp#secondary.
The EPA has produced a 24-page booklet geared toward concerned citizens aged 10-15 that presents key findings of the National Water Quality Inventory in an easy-to-read format. Readers can find out what percentage of our nation’s waters are clean, what pollutes the waters that aren’t, and what they can do to help. The booklet includes projects, a water quiz, a glossary, and a list of resources for more information. “What’s Up With Our Nation’s Waters?” can be viewed at www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/nationswaters/waters.pdf or can be ordered by calling 1-800-490-9198, and asking for publication number EPA 841-F-00-005.
The EnviroMapper application provides users with interactive Geographic Information System (GIS) functionality using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spatial data. It can map various types of environmental information, including air releases, drinking water, toxic releases, hazardous wastes, water discharge permits, and Superfund sites. Select a geographic area within EnviroMapper and view the different facilities that are present within that area. Create maps at the national, state, and county levels, and link them to environmental text reports. You can even insert dynamically created maps in your own webpages. If you have a web browser, you can use EnviroMapper. EnviroMapper allows users to view spatial data at the national, state, and county levels, as well as utilize GIS functionality, such as displaying multiple spatial layers, zooming, panning, identifying features, displaying latitude and longitude, and querying single Envirofacts points. The Enviromapper can be accessed at http://maps.epa.gov/enviromapper/.
Internet Newsbrief is a weekly service from the EPA Headquarters Information Resources Center that provides a sampling of new and/or useful Internet resources for EPA staff and other environmental professionals. The subject of the Newsbrief changes weekly; examples of recent topics include Geographic Information Systems, Invasive Species, and Environmental Chemicals. Viewers can also visit the Newsbrief archive to check out past issues. The current EPA Internet Newsbrief can be found at http://www.epa.gov/natlibra/hqirc/inb/current.htm.
EPA’s Nonpoint Source Control Branch staff has compiled a partial list of some of the best nonpoint source documents available for both the public and professionals. Each entry includes a short summary and information about how to obtain a copy of the document. Visit the EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/owow/nps/bestnpsdocs.html to view the list.
New GIS Coverage for New Jersey Lakes
The NJ Bureau of Freshwater and Biological Monitoring is producing a new spatially accurate GIS coverage for the lakes in New Jersey using ArcView. The polygons have been extracted from the 95/97 Landuse/Landcover coverage available at the DEP. Only polygons classed as artificial or natural lakes have been selected. The creation of the coverage is a large improvement on the current coverage, since the lakes will now match the 95/97 aerial photography available through the NJ DEP as well as accurately represent the location of standing water bodies within New Jersey. The Bureau is looking for knowledgeable people to review the coverage for errors as well as populate it with additional information. For more information, contact Leigh Lager at 609-292-0427 or llager@dep.state.nj.us.
Digital Earth is an ambitious concept to incorporate everything from topographical and population maps to data about migration and weather patterns into a seamless geospatial system accessible worldwide to citizens and scientists alike. The Digital Earth Initiative seeks to facilitate and promote the use of geo-referenced information from multiple sources over the Internet. This requires interoperability among the software systems that provide geospatial data, maps, services, and user applications. Geospatial interoperability is based on shared agreements - whether formal government standards or consensus industry specifications - governing essential geospatial concepts and their embodiment in communication protocols, software interfaces, and data formats. Visit http://www.digitalearth.gov/.
Schmid and Co., Inc. has recently published two new books detailing scientific and regulatory information for New Jersey and Pennsylvania higher plants, with special reference to wetland indicator and rarity status. In addition, the books provide alphabetical checklists by both Latin scientific and English common names, growth habit descriptions (native tree, introduced annual herb, etc.) and plant family names for each plant. For more information or to order, contact Jim Schmid, (610) 356-1416, or visit their website at www.schmidco.com/.
The National Resources Defense Council has published a report documenting the most effective strategies being employed by communities around the country to control urban runoff pollution. The report includes 100 case studies intended to provide a resource for local decisionmakers, municipal officials, local citizens, and environmental activists with regards to local water quality and stormwater management. Originally published in 1999, a new chapter on low-impact development was added in October 2001. To view the report online, visit the NRDC website at www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/storm/stoinx.asp.
Guiding Principles for Constructed Treatment Wetlands
The booklet, “Guiding Principles for Constructed Treatment Wetlands: Providing Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat,” was developed by an interagency workgroup to assist developers, municipalities, and others interested in using constructed wetlands as water treatment systems. The booklet provides information on the legal, technical and policy issues involved with constructed treatment wetlands. To order, call the Wetlands Help line at 1-800-832-7828 and ask for publication EPA-843-B-00-003.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) recently released “New Jersey’s Environment 2000,” a comprehensive overview of the quality of the air, water, and other natural resources of New Jersey. The report offers the public a plain language look at the state’s environmental achievements and challenges. It includes information on endangered species, air quality, water quality, site clean-ups, toxic emissions, and open space preservation, as well as information on how citizens of New Jersey can help protect their environment. The report can be viewed at DEP's website at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/njenv2000/ .
Wetlands Protection through Clean Water State Revolving Funds Fact Sheet
The National Small Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) has developed a fact sheet outlining how the Clean Water State Revolving Fund works, the various types of funding available, categories of eligibility, sources of repayment, and where to obtain additional information. The fact sheet is geared toward local and state officials, planners, managers, finance officers, and anyone who is looking to receive funding for wetlands protection projects. To order the free fact sheet (shipping charges apply) call the NSFC at 800-624-8301, or e-mail nsfc_orders@mail.nesc.wvu.edu and request Item #FMFSFN31.
Nonpoint Source Capacity Building Website
A new website has been developed by the Nonpoint Source Capacity Building and Funding Work Group, a joint State-EPA workgroup. The site provides links to technical support tools for engineering, information technology, legal assistance, project management, outreach, and planning. It is geared toward watershed groups and local governments that might need help with activities such as permitting, enforcement, contracting, fund raising, and resource management. For more information, visit the EPA website at www.epa.gov/owow/nps/partnership.html.
NJ DEP Vernal Habitat Identification Protocol
The NJ DEP has released a protocol for identifying vernal habitats, as well as a companion form for use in conjunction with the application checklist for general permits. DEP is also providing mapping assistance for locating the vernal habitats already identified and certified. The mapping will be updated and refined on an ongoing basis as the list of certified vernal habitats is developed. After the list is finalized, they will develop digital GIS maps showing the locations of vernal habitats so that when an application for a freshwater wetlands permit is submitted, DEP can easily determine whether or not the site contains vernal habitats. For more information and to view the protocol, visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/landuse/fww/vernal/index.html.
The Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) staff contributed an article called “Channel Protection – An Assessment of Current and Past Stormwater Management Criteria” to the November issue of the American Water Resources Association monthly magazine. The article investigates the various approaches to providing channel protection through stormwater management criteria, including two-year peak discharge control, over-control, distributed runoff control, and one-year extended detention. To view the article, visit www.cwp.org/channel.pdf.
The EPA’s Office of Water has published an interagency report entitled, “Protecting and Restoring America’s Watersheds: Status, Trends, and Initiatives in Watershed Management.” The report describes watershed-related activities implemented in the recent past. It includes case studies and evaluates programs and partnerships representative of the larger national efforts under way to move stakeholders toward a watershed management approach. For a copy of the report, call the National Environmental Service Center for Environmental Publications at 800-490-9198 (ask for EPA publication 840-R-00-001). To view the report online, visit www.epa.gov/owow/protecting.
Stormwater Treatment Slideshow CD-ROM
The Center for Watershed Protection has released a CD-ROM featuring three slideshows, “A Review of Stormwater Treatment Practices,” “The Sizing of Stormwater Treatment Practices,” and “Choosing the Right Stormwater Treatment Practices.” Users can show the presentations as-is or use them as a source of graphics and data to cut-and-paste into their own presentations. The CD is $25 from the CWP website at www.cwp.org.
Third Edition of Managing Lakes and Reservoirs
Limnologists from the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) have produced the third edition of their popular book, Managing Lakes and Reservoirs. The book is geared toward citizens who live around lakes, and provides answers to questions about how to best manage and protect their important resource. The book was originally published in 1998 as The Lake and Reservoir Guidance Manual. For more information or to purchase a copy, visit the NALMS website at www.nalms.org.
Urban Lake Management Techniques 12
The Center for Watershed Protection has released a special issue of Techniques devoted to defining how development impacts lakes and reservoirs, and examining ways to reduce these impacts with watershed management practices. The publication includes articles on such topics as land use/impervious cover influences, crafting a lake protection ordinance, and influences of septic systems at the watershed level. To order, visit www.cwp.org.
Restoring Riverfronts: A Guide to Selected Federal Funding Sources
American Rivers has prepared this directory of selected federal funding programs to help communities take advantage of sources of federal assistance that might be tapped for riverfront revitalization and restoration efforts. The purpose of this directory is to provide basic information to river advocates and communities on a selected array of federal programs, ranging from technical assistance to grants and loans. To download a copy, visit www.amrivers.org/riverfronttoolkit/fundingreport.htm.
Wetland and Watershed Protection Toolkit: Guidance Materials for Local Governments in New York State
This Toolkit is a collection of materials designed to encourage, aid, and improve the incorporation of wetland and watershed management into local government comprehensive planning. Designed by the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM), the Toolkit is geared toward facilitating the development use of wetland and watershed management plans, increasing understanding of and compliance with wetland regulations, and reducing point and nonpoint source pollution. To view the document online, visit http://aswm.org/lwp/nys.
Effects of Management Practices on Wetland Birds
The USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center has released a comprehensive series of literature syntheses on North American wetland birds. The focus of the report is to provide information on the management of breeding habitat and how management practices affect the habitats of wetland birds other than waterfowl. The individual species accounts include range maps, breeding ran