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Environmental Stewardship Action Plan
Watershed Protection
Wetland Protection and Restoration
Stormwater Management
Nonpoint Source Pollution Control
Biodiversity and Habitat
Riparian Stream Buffers
Urban Greenways
Agricultural Best Management Practice
Sustainable Agriculture
Water Conservation
Watershed Protection
Watershed protection tools are many and varied. Here are some tools which span the range of goals and objectives you may have for your watershed. A brief description of the tool and a direct link to the website is included.
Policy and Planning Tools
- EPA's Water Voluntary Programs
- Directory of Citizen Volunteer Monitoring Programs
- Water Quality Monitoring
(Estuary-Net)
- EPA's Watersheds Web Site
- Surf Your Watershed provides a service to help you locate, use and share environmental information on your watershed or community.
- The "Handbook for developing watershed plans to restore and protect our waters"
is available through Google books: http://books.google.com/books?id=zlkapGLGgV4C&pg=PT329&lpg=PT329&dq=epa+watershed+report+card&source=web&ots=XLX-E57wVo&sig=-Wu42g51lq5TjmBGKHthFqQY8sE&hl=en#PPT339,M1
And the publisher http://www.dianepublishing.net/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1428904573
- Top 10 Watershed Lessons Learned .
- Watershed Protection: A Statewide Approach .
- Conservation Technology Information Center Know
Your Watershed
- New York State's Watershed Agricultural
Council.
- The Center for Watershed Protection
- The Stockholm Environment Institute-Boston
Center .
- Oxygenates in Water: Critical Information and Research Needs [PDF, 77 pp., 220KB]
- The Living Lakes Partnership,
a project of the Global Nature Fund, promotes sustainable development
in lake areas around the world.
- EPA's Watershed Tools Directory
- American Heritage Rivers - Homepage
- River Management Society
- Coral Reef Protection - A Watershed Approach from the USEPA
Regulatory Tools
- Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories demonstrates the successful implementation of the section 319 Clean Water Act Nonpoint Source program.
- Section 319(d) of the Clean Water Act: using Total Maximum Daily Loads(TMDLs) in watershed management.
Technical Tools
- Ecological Restoration: A Tool to Manage Stream Quality
- The Watershed Academy teaches several courses, and also provides contact information on many watershed courses taught by others.
- The new Inventory of Watershed Training Courses.
- BASINS: A powerful tool for managing watersheds is a multi- purpose environmental analysis system for use by agencies in performing watershed-water quality- based studies.
- Hamline University's Center
for Global Environmental Education: Watershed Action .
- The Center for Chesapeake
Communities provides communities with technical support for their
environmental protection and restoration efforts.
- WEAP is a
pc-based water planning software tool.
- STORET Home Page (Water Quality Database)
- EPA's Landscape Atlas allows you to compare your watershed to other watersheds.
Financial Tools
- The
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has grants available
for local watershed AMD projects.
- The Center for Chesapeake
Communities provides communities with financial support for their
environmental protection and restoration efforts.
- Funding Sources for Watershed Protection from the USEPA
Wetland Protection and Restoration
The future of wetlands is closely linked to land use. Green Communities need to protect and restore existing wetlands. Many tools for you to use are listed below.
Policy and Planning Tools
- EPA's Wetland Protection Hotline (800) 832-7828
- EPA Wetland Protection
- Surf Your Watershed
- The Private Landowner's Wetlands Assistance Guide Call EPA's Wetland Protection Hotline (800) 832-7828
- America's Wetlands Resource Center
Regulatory Tools
- Clean Water Act
- The Clean
Water Act 20 Years Later. By Robert W. Adler, Jessica Landman, Diane
Cameron. 1993
- Clean Water Act Section 404
- Clean Water Act
Section 401
- Ocean & Coastal Regulatory Program
- Coastal America
- National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Technical Tools
- Information from the former Terrene
Institute
- Water Resources
Publications from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
(MWCOG) 777 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20002-4239
(202) 962-3200.
- Wetland Training Institute,
Inc.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory provides many products that can be downloaded or reordered from this site, including map data and software, plus GIS digital maps.
Financial Tools
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- Wetlands Reserve Program
- The Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant Program
Other Tools
- USGS
has an extensive bibliography of resources related to wetland restoration.
- National
Watershed Network
- Managing
Conflict
- The
Anacostia Watershed Society
- United States
Code Title 33, Sec. 1251
Stormwater Management
To protect the quality of our waters, we must look at how stormwater
is managed. The tools you need will depend on many factors: 1) whether
your community is urban, rural or suburban, 2) whether the communities'
major function is residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural,
and 3) the proximity of habitat for sensitive flora and fauna. A great
first step in finding out about stormwater is courtesy of the Center
for Watershed Protection.
More tools for implementing your communities' stormwater management plan are given below.
Policy and Planning Tools
For information on urban stormwater tools, click here.
- Stormawater
Strategies: Community Responses to Runoff Pollution, a Report from
Natural Resources Defense Council
- Maryland Department of the Environment Stormwater Publication List (410) 631-3543.
- Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program
- Region 6's Stormwater Page
- Surf Your Watershed State List
- The
Stormwater Management Department of Orange County, FL
- The
City of Tallahassee Stormwater Utility
- The County of San Diego has developed several Residential
Best Management Practices to prevent pollution from runoff.
Regulatory Tools
- Clean Water Act
- Water Quality Act of 1987 -- Section 402(p) (available at p.104)
- NPDES Permiting Program
Financial Tools
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program
- SRF Funding Framework -- Policy and Guidance
- Interim Economic Guidance for Water Quality Standards: Workbook
- Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program Funding Programs
- Proposed Funding for State Water Programs Using Voluntary Environmental Management Systems Federal Register: January 21, 1997, Page 3036 - 3038.
Other Tools
- Design of Stormwater Wetland Systems: Guidelines for Creating Diverse and Effective Stormwater Wetlands in the Mid-Atlantic Region is available from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 777 North Capital St., NE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20002-4201 for $25. Make checks payable to MWCOG.
- Storm Drain Stenciling
- Nonpoint Source Control Pointers
Nonpoint Source Pollution Control
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water.States report that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.
There are a variety of options for preventing and reducing NPS pollution in your communities. Please check these resources for more information.
Policy and Planning Tools
- Know your Watershed including:
National Watershed Network; National Watershed Library; Train the Facilitators
for Watershed Management; Watershed Management Guidelines; Watershed
Management Starter Kit; Watershed Partnerships; and National Watershed
Network Directory.
- Virginia Nonpoint Source Pollution Awareness
- Pennsylvania's Nonpoint Source Management Program
Regulatory Tools
- Section 319 of the Clean Water Act
- Enforceable State Mechanisms for the Control of Nonpoint Source Water Pollution, a report by the Enviornmental Law Institute.
Technical Tools
- NonPoint Source Pollution Control Program
- Techniques for Tracking, Evaluating, and Reporting the Implementation of Nonpoint Source Urban Control Measures
- Watershed protection techniques from the
Center for Watershed Protection Silver Springs, Maryland
Financial Tools
- EPA's Office of Water provides a listing of funding sources and other financial tools.
- Growing Greener - Pennsylvania
Other Tools
- California's Information Center
for the Environment Lots of great links.
- .Environmental Alliance for Senior
Involvement .
- NPS Pollution Control pointers and other educational materials.
Biodiversity and Habitat
Biodiversity and habitat protection activities are key to maintaining the species and ecosystem diversity upon which we depend for food, medicine, and recreation, etc. There are many tools which aim to maintain, restore and enhance biological diversity - from planting native plants in our gardens and park areas to restoring streamside riparian areas. This issue is a great one for involving all members of the community, from school children to corporations.
Policy and Planning Tools
- Restore America's Estuaries describes local efforts to restore estuarine habitat.
- The World Resources
Institute has published several articles on Biodiversity Strategy.
- Here are several links to Biodiversity Resources compiled by Sustainable
Communities Network
- The
American Museum of Natural History's Biodiversity Website
- The Biodiversity Conservation Network
.
- Tree
City USA, sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation
with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters,
provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national
recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of
towns and cities that more than 93 million Americans call home.
Technical Tools
- Looking to restore your
Urban Forests?
- National Arbor Day Foundation's
home page: Technical assistance for communities that wish to plant
and care for trees.
- Workplace Habitat Program National Wildlife Federation
- Backyards are a great place
to start encouraging native plant and animal diversity.
- Green Landscaping with Native Plants.
- National Biological Information Infrastructure The NBII is an electronic gateway to biological data and information maintained by federal, state, and local government agencies; private sector organizations; and other partners around the nation and the world..
- The Southeastern Estuarine
Research Society
- An Introduction
to Estuaries from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System
Financial Tools
- The Environmental Finance Program may have a funding solution for you.
Other Tools
- Beneficial Landscaping.
- The Wildlife Habitat Council
is dedicated to the creation, conservation, and enhancement of nesting
habitats for songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors. and migratory
birds on corporate lands.
Riparian Stream Buffers
Riparian Buffers are used to reduce excess amounts of sediment, organic material, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants in surface runoff; reduce excess nutrients and other chemicals in shallow groundwater; moderate water temperatures to improve habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms; provide a source of organic material and large woody debris for fish and other aquatic organisms; lessen detrimental impacts to riparian areas including stream channels and adjacent lands caused by high and low water flows; reduce the rate of lateral stream channel movement; provide habitat for cover for numerous species of wildlife during some period of their life cycle; and produce wood products such as lumber, firewood and posts.
Policy and Planning Tools
- Agriculture Network Information Center
- Water quality Improvement by the use of Planted
and Riparian Buffers.
- .The Natural Resources Conservation Service has as its goal the installation of 2 million miles (up to 7 million acres) of conservation buffers by the year 2002.
- Stream_Restoration (Interagency, U.S. Government)
Regulatory Tools
- For laws and policies on environmental restoration, read the EPA's The Environmental Professional, 1991, Volume 13, pp.186-194 written by John J. Berger.
Technical Tools
- The Blackland
Research Center's Water Science Laboratory
- The Agriculture Network Information
Center Website also provides links to technical assistance on the
design of riparian buffer zones.
- Read how a farming community in the Salmon Creek watershed minimized
the effects of future flood damage through stream buffers in this article
from the Bodega
Land Trust.
- Stewards
of the Stream, a comprehensive look at Riparian Buffer Systems.
- Visit the Riparian
Resources Homepage.
- The Pennsylvania Bureau of Watershed Conservation has provided a Forest
Buffer Toolkit .
- Save Our Streams Program
Financial Tools
Urban Greenways
Urban greenways are islands of green among concrete. They improve quality of life, provide habitat for wildlife, and often provide pedestrian walkways and bike trails. The tools below will help make greenways a reality in your community. A brief description of the tool and a direct link to the web site is included.
Policy and Planning Tools
- The plan to link East Coast cities
from Maine to Florida with a 2,500 mile traffic-free path.
- Conservation
Fund's Homepage on Greenways.
- Project For Public Spaces.
- The history of Urban
Agriculture in Philadelphia.
- The Council on the Environment of New York City's Open
Space Greening Program.
- Municipal Ordinances that promote human-scale neighborhoods are highlighted in the Nov.-Dec. 1998 issue of New Urban News, PO Box 6515, Ithaca, NY 14851 (607) 275/3087.
Regulatory Tools
- Local Zoning (refer to local planning commissions).
Technical Tools
- Trails and Greenways
Clearinghouse provides technical assistance to advocates and developers
across the country.
- Community Resources
helps public agencies, community groups and nonprofits develop long-term
open space and resource management plans.
Financial Tools
- DuPont
Awards Program for American Greenways.
- State and Local Open Space Funds (check with state/local planning commissions).
- Local Taxes.
- Private Donations (citizens / businesses).
Agricultural Best Management Practices
Agricultural management practices are an important part of controlling non-point sources of runoff into our streams, lakes and estuaries. There are numerous tools, techniques and resources available to assist with this effort.
Policy and Planning Tools
- The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) at Purdue University
is a comprehensive resource of information on agricultural management
practices. Under their Farm Resource Management Section they offer some
of the following resources. Conservation
Tillage; A number of Agricultural Management Practices are
offered by CTIC. ; A Best
Management Practices Reference Library .
- EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program
provides information on nutrient and toxic reduction to the Bay. The
Chesapeake Bay Trust also
provides guidance and methods to clean-up the Bay.
- Spray Drift of Pesticides is a fact sheet providing EPA's position on spray drift issues and a summary of responsibilities and activities of the EPA and others.
Regulatory Tools
- Local Ordinances and Manuals
- American Farmland
Trust outlines several regulatory/technical tools to conserve agricultural
lands.
Technical Tools
- Check out the Sustainable Agricultural
Network's web site for information on managing pests.
- The use of vegetative
strips for reducing sediments and chemical loadings from agricultural
runoff.
- Ecosystem Management Tools from
the Soil and Water Conservation Society.
- Irrigation
BMP's for Groundwater Protection from Pesticides.
- Example Photographs of Best Management Practices.
- BMP's
for specific agricultural systems(e.g, row crops, vegetable crops,
groves, etc.).
- BMP's
for fertilizer use and atrazine usage.
- The Monitoring Tool Box is a practical, easy-to-use guide for farmers
interested in measuring, on an on-going basis, the impact of management
decisions on their land, finances & family. The Tool Box costs $35 and
is available through:
Land Stewardship Project, 2200 4th St., White Bear Lake, MN 55110 (612) 653-0618. - How much do you know about poultry
issues (health and safety issues, species information, and husbandry)?
The University of Arizona's Department of Animal Care has prepared a
self instruction module and an open book quiz.
Financial Tools
- The Sustainable Agriculture Research And Education (SARE)
Program has funded hundreds of projects to explore and apply economically
profitable, environmentally sound and socially supporting farming systems.
Sustainable Agriculture
Agriculture has changed dramatically, especially since the end of WWII. Food and fiber productivity soared due to new technologies, mechanization, increased chemical use, specialization and government policies that favored maximizing production. Although these changes have had many positive effects and reduced many risks in farming, there have also been significant costs. Prominent among these are topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, the decline of family farms, continued neglect of the living and working conditions for farm laborers, increasing costs of production, and the disintegration of economic and social conditions in rural communities. A growing movement has emerged during the past two decades to question the role of the agricultural establishment in promoting practices that contribute to these social problems. Today this movement for sustainable agriculture is garnering increasing support and acceptance within mainstream agriculture.- U of C Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.
Policy and Planning Tools
- The Leopold Center
for Sustainable Agriculture.
- Community Supported Agriculture
of North America. and Alternative
Farming Systems Information Center are two good resources about
CSAs.
- The University of California's
Award Winning Website lists crop and livestock production
information, biologically integrated farming systems, news releases
and publications.
- SAN is the communication and outreach
arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
- Sustaining Pennsylvania Agriculture
.
- Sustainable Farming
Connection.
- The Watershed Agricultural Program of New York city's Water Supply Watersheds
Regulatory Tools
- Environmental
Laws Affecting State Agriculture listed by State.
- American Farmland
Trust outlines several regulatory/technical tools to conserve agricultural
lands.
Technical Tools
For technology, news, discussion and information, read the following on-line magazines:
Financial Tools
- SARE's Producer
Grant Projects .
- Penn State's Sustaining Pennsylvania
Agriculture Website.
Water Conservation
That most precious natural resource, water, is too often taken for granted. "Although considered a renewable resource, water is often in short supply or of poor quality"..A.J.Clemmens.
Policy and Planning Tools
- Irrigation and Water Quality Research Programs.
- What is Learning
to be Water Wise and Energy Efficient about? Find out!
- Water Supply Forecasts for the entire country.
Technical Tools
- Water Information Program.
- Visit the Bureau of Reclamation's
Water Share site
- Free
Educational Software available from the Leopold Center on the water
cycle.
- The main focus of the Conservation Fund's Freshwater
Institute's programs is the conservation and efficient use of water
resources.
Financial Tools
- FEMP:
the Federal Energy Management Program's financing team.
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