United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office Of Water
(4501F)
EPA 840-N-95-003
Fall 1995
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Page;
Watershed Events
Fall 1995
SUCCESS, from page 1
With the Govern-
£* CDA ment Performance
WCT/1 and Results Act
(GPRA) as the key driving force, the
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) is completing the National
Goals Project The project will
establish a series of national environ-
mental goals and milestones for
measuring the success of EPA
programs over the next ten years.
For its share, the Office of Water has
developed two-tier environmental
indicators for the Clean Water Act
and the Safe Drinking Water Act
programs. Tier I indicators include:
wetland acreage; waters meeting
designated uses; and point source
loadings to surface and ground
waters. Shellfish bed closures,
marine debris, and biological integ-
rity are Tier II indicators.
In a memorandum dated September
11,1995 proposing the indicators to
his Regional colleagues, Bob
Perciasepe, Assistant Administrator
for Water, stated "One of my highest
priorities is to integrate the use of
environmental indicators into
everything we do." Indicators will
be incorporated into the current
Regional Management Agreements
and, when established, the National
Environmental Performance Partner-
ship System with the states. EPA is
working with several pilot states to
determine the best measures of
success for state programs. The new
system will give states accountability
while simultaneously offering them
program flexibility.
Watershed Events
• AaU-AlMkUix
From the Regional perspective, with
EPA Region 8 as an example...
Nearly all watershed efforts have
measures of success. These mea-
sures reflect goals to improve or
protect the integrity of the aquatic
ecosystem, including the ground/
surface water interface. Measures
of success range from chemical
water quality change, such as a
reduction in coliform bacteria or
zinc concentration, to the return of
targeted fish species to the water-
shed, to positive change in the
structure of the macroinvertebrate
community. Where the protection
of a pristine area is of concern,
measures include the development
of conservation easements, the
trend of biological indicators, or
protection of riparian corridors in
city or countywide plans.
Many environmental problems,
however, have developed over a
long period of time and will not be
solved quickly. Therefore, interim
measures of success are needed to
evaluate watershed efforts. These
measures are often related to the
functioning of a stakeholder group,
such as a watershed council.
Examples of such measures in-
clude—coming to agreement on
goals and objectives; supporting
and finding a neutral watershed
coordinator; increasing participa-
tion over time, especially by
recalcitrant or suspicious stakehold-
ers; monitoring activities coordi-
nated among several agencies;
establishing a volunteer monitoring
effort; increasing public awareness
about watershed issues; increasing
trust among stakeholders; identify-
ing a project that everyone can
agree to support (or at least not
object to); and development of a
common database.
The goal of the Ten-
nessee Valley Author-
ity (TVA) is to ensure
that each stream, river, and lake in
the Tennessee Valley is ecologically
healthy, biologically diverse, and
supports its beneficial uses. TVA is
accomplishing this goal through
River Action Teams—self-managed
teams of environmental engineers,
aquatic biologists, and education
specialists charged with protecting
and improving the Valley's twelve
subwatersheds.
River Action Teams conduct stream
assessments to identify protection
and improvement needs in their
watershed. The teams also work
with government officials, industries,
and citizen groups to pinpoint
pollution sources and fix problems.
Their performance is measured by
the number of hydrologic units with
1) current stream assessments,
2) problem causes identified,
3) correction/protection activities,
4) coalitions under development, and
5) coalitions in place.
TVA also measures improvements in
reservoir ecological health based on
indicators for algal production,
dissolved oxygen, fish community
health, benthos, and sediment
toxicity. An overall reservoir health
rating is calculated from these
measurements and reported to the
public through RiverPulse, an annual
report on the condition of the Ten-
nessee River and its tributaries.
Current performance goals focus on
reducing the total number of reser-
voirs in poor ecological health and
increasing the number of tributary
reservoirs in good ecological health.
In 1996, TVA plans to conduct
customer surveys to obtain feedback
on public attitudes related to water
L.
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Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Pace 3
quality improvement and to evaluate
the success of River Action Team
efforts. This is critical, according to
Wayne Poppe, Acting Manager of
TVA's Clean Water Initiative,
because "the real measure of success
comes when people's attitudes begin
to change and they willingly accept
responsibility for improving water
resources."
As one of 21 agencies initially
selected to comply with the Govern-
ment Performance and Results Act,
TVA is continuing to improve its
performance indicators to make them
more results-oriented and
customer-focused. As a result of
these efforts, TVA was recognized
as one of the top ten "Exemplar"
Reinventing Government models by
the former director of OMB, Leon
Panetta, and designated as a "Rein-
vention Laboratory" by Vice Presi-
dent Al Gore. In June 1995, TVA's
Clean Water Initiative received the
prestigious Hammer Award for
excellence in reinventing govern-
ment
The United States
Geological Survey
(USGS) provides both
short- and long-term,
broad-scale assessments of the
quality of the Nation's fresh water
through its National Water-Quality
Assessment (NAWQA) program. As
part of USGS's mission, these
assessments are designed to support
the development and evaluation of
management, regulatory, and moni-
toring decisions by Federal, State,
and local agencies to protect, use,
and enhance the Nation's water
resources.
The short-term success of NAWQA
is measured by its response to
priority environmental and public
health concerns. For example,
NAWQA has investigated the
occurrence of nutrients and
pesticides in rivers and ground-
water. Next, it will investigate
volatile organic compounds,
providing information necessary
for a number of Federal water
quality regulations.
The long-term objectives of the
NAWQA program are to describe
current water-quality conditions
for a large part of Hie Nation's
freshwater streams, rivers, and
aquifers; describe how water
quality is changing over time;
and improve understanding of the
primary natural and human
factors that affect water quality
conditions. Such data provides
insight into the success of water
quality management efforts and a
direction for future panning.
To measure the
success of highway
runoff control
strategies, water quality experts
need to gather a lot of data—on
everything from land use, to
traffic volume, to highway
maintenance practices, to the
effectiveness of existing
stormwater drainage systems.
Then they need to analyze the
relationship between these sets of
facts.
More and more state transporta-
tion agencies are working to meet
this challenge. They are moti-
vated by concern for protecting
the habitat of endangered species,
preventing and controlling soil
erosion, and demonstrating
compliance with national
stormwater regulations.
Some transportation agencies are
proposing specially-designed
master plans that can gauge the
success of future water quality
efforts by identifying precisely
where and how the state would treat
its highway runoff within a
sub-basin. These master plans favor
a watershed approach as opposed fx>
a "crisis-oriented," project-by-
project planning strategy.
The following attributes make
master plans an effective measuring
device:
» Mitigation options will be
identified, so project develop-
ment becomes more efficient;
* Pre-selecting suitable mitigation
sites will enable a more efficient
allocation of resources;
• Permitting processes will take
less time;
• Early purchase of right-of-way
mitigation sites will reduce long
term project costs;
• Regulators prefer proactive
rather than reactive resource
management;
• Once the master plan is carried
out, there will be fewer delays
due to water quality issues; and
• Maintenance issues will be more
easily incorporated into design.
The Nature
Conservancy's
Conservancy* CTNC) dogged
focus on rare
species serves as a keystone in its
effort to construct a framework for
measuring conservation success.
See SUCCESS, page 4
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Page 4
Watershed Events
Fall 1995
SUCCESS, from page 3
Clearly, if all those species and
ecological communities which
comprise a natural landscape are
thriving, we can conclude that
conservation efforts are succeeding.
While these ecological measures are
both necessary and sufficient to
assess conservation success in theory,
in practice it is impracticable to
monitor all species populations,
everywhere. Therefore, a hierarchical
structure incorporating both
programmatic-level indices and direct
measures of conservation impacts is
needed to measure success.
TNC has identified several program-
matic measures of success, in-
corporating questions such as—"Is
there a strategically identified portfo-
lio of well designed protected ar-
eas?"; "Is there perennial funding
available for the care of these pre-
serves?"; and "Is there support for
conservation management among the
local constituency?" The advantage
of these measures is that they are
relatively easy to quantify. The
disadvantage is that they are not
sufficient to assess the biological
diversity of a landscape; the ultimate
goal of conservation efforts.
In comparison to programmatic
measures of success, measures of
conservation impact reflect changes
that occur in ecological time. These
measures can be direct measures of
population health (population status
and trends) or they can be indications
of ecological processes (e.g., change
in hydrological dynamics). Unlike
programmatic measures, conservation
impacts are often difficult to quantify,
however, they offer the most direct
indication of ecological health and
conservation success.
US Army Corps
of Engineers
At the program-
matic level, there
are several
efforts currently
underway within the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (Corps) to
address the issue of performance
measurements, although these are
not necessarily tied specifically to a
"watershed approach" or developed
exclusively for the Corps' environ-
mental program.
Selected as a pilot program under the
auspices of the President's 1993
National Performance Review and
the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), the Corps'
National Operation and Maintenance
(O&M) Plan of Improvement calls
for performance measures in several
"business functions"—hydropower,
navigation, recreation, flood control,
and environmental stewardship. One
"product" of environmental steward-
ship is providing "optimally produc-
tive natural resources." Their
efficient and effective delivery is
defined through several performance
measures, including:
• the percent of Corps lands
included in Fish and Wildlife
Service Endangered Species
Recovery Plans that are managed
in accordance with plan specifi-
cations;
• the percent of wetland acres on
Corps project lands that are
protected through such actions as
designation and management as
environmentally sensitive areas;
• of Corps lands identified in the
North American Waterfowl
Habitat Management Plan as
"High Priority Habitat Area of
Major Concern," the percentage
that are protected; and
• the percent of Corps-designated
mitigation lands meeting man-
dated outputs in terms of fish
and wildlife populations.
As part of a broader effort, the Corps
is also currently developing a
comprehensive set of Civil Works
Program performance measures
covering all facets of its Civil Works
mission. Performance measures
applied to Civil Works projects
would address four "products" of the
environmental program: compliance
with applicable environmental
treaties, laws, executive orders, and
regulations; mitigation for environ-
mental resources affected; mainte-
nance of environmental resources;
and restoration of environmental
resources. Development of perfor-
mance measures for these environ-
mental "products" is currently
underway.
Pursuing an effort to
measure the success of
the coastal management
program nationwide,
the National Oceanic Atmospheric
Administration's (NOAA) Office of
Ocean and Coastal Resource Man-
agement recently selected a consor-
tium of Sea Grant Colleges to study
the effectiveness of the coastal
program in meeting the core objec-
tives of the Coastal Zone Manage-
ment Act
Led by Marc Hershmen of the
University of Washington, the team
will use outcome measures, such as
changes in the rate of habitat loss
nationwide, to quantify effective-
ness. In cases where such data is not
available, the team will use "process
measures," such as management
program policies, for the analysis.
The team will look at three core
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Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Page 5
coastal issues: 1) protection of
natural resources; 2) public access
to the coast; and 3) assistance to
ports and other water dependent
uses. The study will also look at
how simplified regulatory proce-
dures are and how expedited
decision making is in connection
with coastal programs. During Fall
1995, the team will conduct a
national literature review. A survey
of coastal states and territories will
begin in early 1996, with the final
analysis scheduled for release next
September.
As another means of measuring
success, a database illustrating
money generated by the positive
economic impact of coastal re-
sources management will soon be
available from NOAA.
The Natural Resources
Conservation Service
(NRCS), formerly the
Soil Conservation
Service, is working on
ways to better assess the impacts of
its efforts on the long-term
sustainability of natural resources
and the economic, social, and
cultural concerns of local
communities.
Every five years, NRCS conducts
the National Resources Inventory
(NRI) on nonfederal, rural land in
the United States. The NRI reflects
the outcomes of agency activities.
For example, the 1992 NRI report
shows that farmers and ranchers
reduced cropland erosion by about
one-third from 1982 to 1992.
An NRCS team is developing
ecosystem health indicators, for use
in conservation planning and
assessing the effects of
implementation. In addition, NRCS
is developing indicators for water
quality and quantity and aspects of
human well-being, such as producer
income, recreation value, and
cultural resource value. NRCS's soil
and snow survey and water supply
forecasting programs are also
serving as pilot studies under the
Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA). The GPRA
requires agencies to submit five-year
strategic plans by 1997 and annual
performance plans beginning in
1999.
NRCS also operates a database that
stores 45 categories of information
on each of its Public Law 83-566
Small Watershed Protection Program
projects, including how many people
benefit from the project; the acreage
of enhanced wetlands; and the
purposes of the project. This infor-
mation can be used to assess where,
and for what purposes, program
funds are being used and to show the
benefits associated with investments
in water quality.
The Illinois Environ-
mental Protection
Agency (Illinois
EPA) is focusing on
enabling and empowering local
stakeholders to take charge of the
fate of their watersheds. The
agency will accomplish this mission
through a holistic approach to
watershed planning, focusing on all
of the resource concerns within a
watershed and coordinating Federal,
State, and local involvement in
watershed management activities.
This is a unique approach to water
quality protection in that a compre-
hensive watershed plan for the
protection of drinking water (sur-
face and ground water) and control
of water pollution are being inte-
grated.
One aspect of this approach is to
build some consensus statewide on
what a watershed is, and why and
how to protect it. The Illinois EPA
will achieve this by scheduling a
series of regional workshops to
obtain input from local watershed
practitioners for the development of
a model watershed planning pro-
cess.
A second aspect of this approach is
to provide technical assistance
tailored to each individual water-
shed. The Illinois EPA is prepared
to answer questions such as—
"What is the current condition of
our watershed in relation to its
uses?"; "What condition should our
watershed be in to support such
uses?"; and "What actions can we
take to achieve this level of qual-
ity?"
The success of the state's watershed
program will be judged on the
ability of the Illinois EPA to ener-
gize local stakeholders to voice
opinions and take action for water-
shed planning. Success is also
contingent on the agency's capacity
to provide technical assistance to
communities as requested.
The Bureau of
Reclamation is
currently design-
ing watershed
policy that will define and measure
success on a case-by-case basis.
Many of Reclamation's regional
and area offices are already incor-
porating this concept in planning
their projects.
Recognizing careful planning as a
key element in the success of water
See SUCCESS, page 6
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Watershed Events
FalM 995
SUCCESS, from page 5
quality projects, the Mid-Pacific
Regional Office and the Pacific
Northwest Regional Office are busy
working to develop environmental
impact statements for reclamation
projects in local watersheds. The
offices are cooperating with agen-
cies associated with the projects to
examine a variety of operational
alternatives on a regional and
site-specific scale.
In addition, the Kansas-Nebraska
Area Office is preparing a Resource
Management Analysis as part of the
contract renewal process for water
service contracts on the Republican
River. The analysis will define the
existing goals of Federal, State, and
local agencies and analyze water-
shed management alternatives.
The main goal of Reclamation's
watershed activities is to maintain a
healthy watershed system that
simultaneously supports a viable
aquatic species population and the
economic benefits of its projects.
As the agency continues to strive
toward its mission of being the
foremost figure in the realm of
water resource management,
measuring success is becoming a
crucial task.
In summary, these programs reveal
that agencies are actively working
to develop performance measures
that are compatible with the
watershed approach. Though the
measures and efforts are different
for each agency and level of
government, the common ground
that they share will allow their
measures and efforts to become
more and more consistent and
cohesive over time.
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Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Page 7
Look at What's Been Dome!
In Wisconsin, three water
quality monitoring techniques are
used to evaluate the success of
nonpoint source control efforts.
Under the Signs of Success (SOS)
program, the Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources compares
rural and urban stream sections
adjacent to areas with Best Manage-
ment Practice (BMP) nonpoint
source controls, to those without
them. Observations of riparian and
in-stream habitat over a one to two
year time span provide a quick
gauge of the success of BMPs.
Critical Sites Monitoring provides a
more intensive, one to three year
monitoring effort, isolating a single
barnyard and monitoring runoff
above and below it with the use of
automatic water sampling devices.
Master Monitoring Sites monitor
habitat, aquatic insects, fish, and
water over a ten year, plus, period
in an attempt to detect changes on a
watershed scale. Watersheds of
various stream types (e.g., low
gradient, high gradient, warm water,
cold water) located throughout the
state are monitored. For more
information on the monitoring
programs, contact Michael A.
Miller, Water Resources Specialist,
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, phone (608) 267-2753,
fax (608) 267-2800.
With an average altitude of
50 feet below sea level, the
protection of drinking water is a key
environmental issue in the Nether-
lands. In an effort to prevent
contamination of drinking water
supplies by agrichemicals and
manure from dairy operations, the
Center for Agriculture and the
Environment, based in Utrecht,
Netherlands, developed a series of
new farm management tools.
Known as "yardsticks," the tools
allow farmers to calculate a numeri-
cal score to quantify the environ-
mental impact of their management
strategy. The score is based on the
type of pesticide and fertilizer
applied, the application rate per
acre, the timing of each application,
and the method used.
This breakdown allows farmers to
calculate ways to improve their
scores using the yardstick as a
model. The yardstick scores also
offer a measure of the performance
of Best Management Practices,
important to demonstrating the
success of water quality protection
efforts.
During the next year, the Institute
for Agriculture and Trade Policy
will begin experimenting with the
pesticide and fertilizer yardsticks in
the United States. For more infor-
mation, contact Mark Ritchie,
Executive Director, Institute for
Agriculture and Trade Policy,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, phone
(612) 379-5980, fax (612)
379-5982.
EL partnership with other
gencies and state and local
governments, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers is helping to restore
the degraded Anacostia River
watershed in the Washington, DC
area. Employing the concepts of
beneficial uses of dredged material,
the Corps' Baltimore District
dredged 3.3 miles of the river in
1992 in order to maintain its naviga-
tion channel. Approximately
150,000 cubic yards of the dredged
material was then placed in
Kenilworth Marsh and planted with
350,000 freshwater marsh species
transplants.
For a total cost of $1.9 million, the
project restored 32 acres of func-
tional wetlands, degraded into
barren mudflats at low tide from
years of sediment deposition,
providing high quality fish and
wildlife habitat. Kenilworth Marsh,
managed by the National Park
Service, is the last remaining
freshwater tidal emergent wetland
in the District of Columbia.
The Corps plans to dredge another
2.1 miles of the navigation channel
in 1997. This time it will use the
dredged material to restore 45 acres
of tidal emergent wetlands in
Kingman Lake (near Robert F.
Kennedy Stadium) and 30 acres of
river fringe wetlands. For more
information, contact Steve
Garbarino, Corps of Engineers
Baltimore District, phone (410)
962-6750.
"The significant problems we face
cannot be solved at the same level
of thinking we were at when we
created them."
Albert Einstein
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PageS
Watershed Events
Fall 1995
Don Brady, EPA Watershed
Branch Chief, presented papers
in August 1995 at the Second
International Association of Water
Quality Specialized Conference on
Diffuse Pollution in Brno and Prague
in the Czech Republic. Eastern
European countries showed particu-
lar interest in applying the watershed
approach for designing and imple-
menting water quality programs in
response to Brady's presentations
entitled "Basic Comparison—
Legislative, Governmental, and
Non-Governmental Bodies for Water
Quality Management: An American
View" and "The Watershed Ap-
proach."
Ohio River Valley Water
JL Sanitation Commission has
initiated a two-year study of the
impacts of combined sewer over-
flows on the course of the Ohio
River that runs through the Cincin-
nati/Northern Ohio area. The
Commission is developing a water
quality model for evaluating wet
weather impacts. The model will be
adaptable for evaluating other large
river systems in communities across
the country. Call ORSANCO, phone
(513) 231-7719, for information.
NEWS BITS
dumps, installed settling ponds and
bulkheads, and used limestone to
combat acid runoff. Funding and
technical assistance for the restora-
tion efforts has been provided by
EPA, private sources, and mining
companies.
A Clean Water Act rule issued
on August 7,1995 by EPA
(Federal Register, August?, 1995,
p.40230) sets new stormwater
compliance standards for Phase n
stormwater dischargers, including
commercial and retail establish-
ments, light industries, institutions,
and municipal storm sewers serving
less than 100,000 people (Phase I
stormwater requirements are not
affected by the rule). Phase II
facilities defined as "a significant
contributor of pollutants to waters of
the U.S.," (a.k.a. Phase n, Tier II)
must apply for discharge permits by
August 7,2001, if still required by
then-existing regulation. In the
interim, EPA will work on develop-
ing a non-permit control strategy that
will target environmental problems
associated with these facilities. For a
copy of the Register notice (6pp.),
call 1-800-274-6737 and indicate
your request for Doc. #03-883.
noted that in regions of
poorly-drained, clay soils, surface
water contamination should be
targeted and in regions of
well-drained, sandy soils, ground
water should be the focus. Helsel
stressed that agencies should mea-
sure their performance as a means of
tracking the direction and speed of
water quality improvements.
In a March 1995 survey conducted
by the Council of State Govern-
ments, state environmental and
natural resource agencies indicated
that lack of funding, lack of public
and scientific understanding, and
opposition from special interests are
likely to impede ecosystem projects.
States also requested that EPA
develop quantitative measures of
progress, or environmental indica-
tors, that relate to ecosystem protec-
tion goals and can be used to allocate
funding according to environmental
outcomes, as opposed to administra-
tive measures. For more information
about "Ecosystem Connections:
Results of CSG Ecosystem Protec-
tion Questionnaire," contact the
Council of State Governments,
phone 1-800-800-1910, fax (606)
244-8001.
In Colorado, members of the
Animas River Stakeholders group,
formed in 1994, are working to
restore the Upper Animas Basin.
Over 100 years of mining in the
basin contaminated the river with
heavy metals to the point that
stretches of it are lifeless. So far, the
stakeholders have moved mine
At the May 12, "More Bang for
our Bucks: Can Sustainable
Agriculture Preserve Natural Re-
sources and Farm Profits?" briefing
sponsored by the Environmental and
Energy Study Institute, Dennis
Helsel of the U.S. Geological Survey
discussed the benefits of wetlands in
purifying agricultural runoff. He
The Buffalo River Stewardship
Foundation's preliminary
socio-economic study on the Buffalo
River (Arkansas) watershed com-
pared the economic costs of
agribusiness versus the recreational
use of the river and concluded that
recreation (including the river's
intrinsic value) was worth more;
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1
Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Paae9
$47,452,400 compared to
agribusiness's $36,294,000. Susan
Baker of the Harvard Institute of
International Development and
Foundation economist Jesse Gordon
made six recommendations for
policy to conserve the watershed.
Among the recommendations are the
use of conservation easement
purchases and leases and a "tourism
tax" (exempting local residents)
earmarked for pollution reduction
projects. For more information,
write Jesse Gordon, BRSF, P.O. Box
5003-161, Harrison, AR 72602, or
email to steward@wildfirel.com.
~D epresentatives of the North
-TVPlatte Valley and Lingle-Fort
Laramie conservation districts, the
Town of Torrington, the Goshen
County Commissioners, and the
United States Department of
Agriculture's Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) signed
an official watershed plan during a
ceremony at the Torrington, Wyo-
ming Town Hall on September 15.
Several urban and rural wells in the
area have nitrate levels that exceed
EPA's Maximum Contaminant Limit
of 10 parts per million. Once
funded, the plan will address sources
of nitrate, focusing on improving
irrigation systems, fertilizer applica-
tion, and management of animal
waste runoff. Contact NRCS for
more information, phone (307)
532-4880 or (307) 533-4290.
A Federal Advisory Committee
has been formed to provide
recommendations to the EPA on how
to address cross-cutting issues
associated with urban wet weather
discharges. One of the three
workgroups will address urban
watershed related issues. For more
information, contact Will Hall,
phone (202) 260-1458.
The U.S. EPA/Region 5 office
has awarded a grant to Wayne
County, Michigan for the Rouge
River National Wet Weather Demon-
stration Project The urbanized
Rogue River watershed includes 48
communities with a combined
population of over 1.5 million. The
project will focus on two wet
weather sources of pollution flowing
to streams: 1) surf ace runoff from
overland flow; and 2) runoff carried
through storm drains and combined
sewer overflows (CSOs). CSOs
carry raw sewage and stormwater to
wastewater treatment plants in the
same pipe. Often the pipes become
full during rain events or snowmelt
and the effluent-laden stormwater is
released directly to waterways to
prevent it from backing up into
homes.
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Streambank Stabilization Work-
shop and Restoration Project—
TVA's Chickamauga-Nickajack
River Action Team has contracted
with Bestmann Green Systems, Inc.,
to lead a streambank stabilization
training workshop and ecological
restoration project Erosion along a
400 foot section of the eastern edge
of North Chickamauga Creek
threatens to undermine the parking
lot of Chattanooga's North
Chickamauga Creek Greenway. A
two-day course will provide partici-
pants with specialized training and
hands-on experience in innovative
streambank stabilization and
bioengineering methods (Contact
Linda B. Harris, TVA:
423-751-6453).
Workshops on Cost Effectiveness
and Incremental Cost Analyses;
(CE/ICA) for Environmental
Planning—
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Institute for Water Resources,
provides workshops describing CE/
ICA analytical software tools for
comparing the environmental
outputs and economic costs of
alternative plans for watershed and
ecosystem planning (costs to be
reimbursed by the workshop host).
The format, including software
demonstration, is offered as a
half-day executive session or a
full-day, hands-on session designed
for those who are charged with
completing the analyses (Contact
Ken Orth: 703-355-0054).
Statewide Watershed
Management Course—
In September, EPA's Office of
Water sponsored a course in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that
focused on developing and apply-
ing a framework for statewide
watershed management Several
EPA Region 3 states provided
presentations on watershed man-
agement in their jurisdictions. In
response to requests for a repeat
presentation of the course and for a
condensed version geared toward
managers from water and other
state agency programs, the Office
of Water will sponsor similar
workshops in other EPA Regional
cities throughout 1996 (Contact
Greg Currey: 202-260-1718).
Watershed Events welcomes the
submission of training opportunities.
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Page 10
Watershed Events
Fall 1995
NEW IN PRINT
FHWA Seeks Staff Water
Quality Specialist for
One-Yaar Assignment
Administration's Natural and
Cultural Resources Team Is ,
looking for a water ctuaJity ,
specialist to join ite .'staff. Tne
candidate can appiy for a
federal agency detail, or he or
sh0 can apply under the
Intergovernmental Personnel
Act 0PA) covering exchanges
among the federal govern-
ment and state and local
governments, universities,
and tribaf otgarttealions,
Assignment: one year. U»ca»
Item Washington, D.C.
Safaiy: up to GS 13 ecjutva- _
tent Job duties: dev$ioplftg
policy, developing and man-
aging research projects,
writing reports, worktrsg on
Interagency task forces, and
providing technical assistance
to field offices and state
DOTs. For details, caaFr0d
Bank at (202) 366-5004.
"Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, com-
mitted citizens can change
the world, indeed, it's the
only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead
ecos, the environmental communi-
que of the states, May/June 1995—
This issue of ecos, published by the
Council of State Governments
(COG), provides a summary of
ecosystem-based environmental
initiatives on a state-by-state basis.
Contact the Council of State Govern-
ments, phone 1-800-800-1910, fax
(606) 244-8001. Or look up ecos on
COG's home page on the World
Wide Web, URL=http://
www.csg.org/ecos/environ.html.
Info Access, Issue Number 54, June
1995, EPA 220-N-95-009—
This issue of Info Access provides a
listing of environmental World Wide
Web sites and offers information on
developing a library collection,
knowledge management, and docu-
ment delivery in the electronic era.
Info Access is available on EPA's
Gopher and on EPA's website under
"NEWS" at http://www.epa.gov.
For a copy of the June issue of Info
Access, contact Mary Hoffman at
(919) 968-3849. For more informa-
tion about the EPA Library Network,
contact Jonda Byrd, National Library
Network Program Manager, phone
(513) 569-7183, or via email to
byrd.jonda@epamail.epa.gov.
Chesapeake Bay: Introduction to
an Ecosystem—
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Chesapeake Bay Field Office
developed this 30 page educational
primer for the Chesapeake Bay
Program. The primer discusses the
interrelationship of soil, air, water,
plants, and animals (including
humans) that form the Chesapeake
Bay ecosystem; the geologic history
of the Bay; current problems facing
the Bay and what individuals can do
to help restore it; and includes
descriptive "Bay Facts." For a free
copy of the primer, contact the
Chesapeake Bay Program at
1-800-YOUR-BAY.
Watershed Protection: A
Statewide Approach (EPA
841-R-95-004)—
This EPA publication describes how
to implement a five-year, rotational
watershed management plan for major
state river basins. For a copy, contact
NCEPI at (513) 489-8190.
Watershed Protection: A Project
Focus (EPA 841-R-95-003)—
This EPA publication describes how
to implement the watershed protection
approach for specific watersheds. For
a copy, contact NCEPI at (513)
489-8190.
Evaluation of Environmental Invest-
ments Procedures Manual Interim:
Cost Effectiveness and Incremental
Cost Analysis (IWR Report
#95-R-l)—
This Corps interim manual provides
step-by-step instructions for how cost
effectiveness and incremental cost
analysis can be used in restoration and
mitigation planning and decision-
making. The manual is accompanied
by software that automates the
procedure's calculations. For copies,
fax requests to (703) 355-8435
(preferred), or call Arlene Nurthen,
phone (703) 355-3042. For more
information, contact Ridge Robinson,
phone (703)355-2786.
Trade-Off Analysis for Environmen-
tal Projects: An Annotated Bibliog-
raphy (IWR Report #95-R-8)—
This Corps literature review focuses
on opportunities for using trade-off
methodologies and group processes in
environmental plan formulation and
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Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Paop 11
evaluation. For copies, fax requests
to (703) 355-8435 (preferred), or call
Arlene Nurthen, phone (703)
355-3042. For more information,
contact Joy Muncy, phone (703)
355-0009.
Economic Valuation of Natural
Resources: A Handbook for
Coastal Resource Policymakers—
This NOAA publication addresses
basic economic concepts of environ-
mental valuation, including willing-
ness to pay, cost-effectiveness
analysis, economic impact analysis,
and sustainable development.
Regional case studies present
practical applications of concepts.
For copies of the report, contact the
NOAA Coastal Ocean Office, phone
(301) 713-3338, fax (301) 713-4044.
Cumulative Impacts Assessment
Guide for Michigan's Wetland
Permit Program—
This OCRM report includes a review
and critique of existing techniques
for assessing cumulative wetland
impacts and provides recommenda-
tions for incorporating these impacts
into the wetlands permit review
process. The report also identifies
data needed to assess cumulative
impacts and provides information on
decision-making that will withstand
legal challenges. For a copy of the
report, contact Kenneth Walker,
OCRM Coastal Programs, phone
(301) 713-3113, ext. 169.
New Publications of the
U.S. Geological Survey—
Free copies of this monthly catalog
are available by written request to
the U.S. Geological Survey, 582
National Center, Reston, VA 22092.
The catalog is also accessible via the
USGS's World Wide Web home
page at URL=http://www.usgs.gov.
CYBER SPACE
The following is a listing of Internet
resources which may be of interest
to readers. To be added to the
mailing list of "Internet Newsbrief,"
an electronic update service from the
EPA Headquarters Library, contact
Robin Murphy at ALL-IN-1
murphy.robin or at (202) 260-5080.
Watershed Events appreciates
Robin's contribution of these re-
sources for readers.
RTF Seminar Series
URL=http://www.rff.org
Resources For the Future will
present a Wednesday Seminar Series
at their Washington, DC office for
serious discussion and debate of
environment and natural resource
related policy and research issues.
To subscribe to the electronic
seminar mailing list, send the
following message—Subscribe
RFFSEM-L Your Full Name—to
LISTSERV@AMERICAN.EDU.
National Environmental Informa-
tion Resources Center
URL=http://www.gwu.edu/~greenu/
This cooperative effort of George
Washington University and the U.S.
EPA provides a listing of Internet
resources on environmental topics,
grouped by name and subject and a
list of interactive discussion groups.
Superfund Program Information
URL=http://www.epa.gov/docs/
OSWERSuper/
Guidelines for pesticide and toxic
substances testing developed by
EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesti-
cides, and Toxic Substances in an
effort to minimize variations in test
procedures used to meet regulatory
requirements.
Weed Killers by the Glass
http://www.ewg.org/Weed_Killer/
Weed_home.html
Presents the results of a recent study
completed by the Environmental
Working Group of herbicide and
pesticide contamination of tap water.
The study, which began in May, tested
tap water in 29 cities in the corn belt,
Louisiana, and Maryland.
ARS Water Database
URL=http://hydrolab.arsusda.gov/
arswater.html
The U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service data-
base provides precipitation and runoff
data for small, agricultural watersheds
throughout the United States useful in
reconstructing storm hydrographs.
Coastal Marsh Project
URL=http://perelandra.umd.edu/
Marsh.html
Sponsored by NASA's Mission to
Earth and the University of Maryland,
the project assesses the health of
coastal marshes and identifies areas at
risk using satellite imagery and
cartographic information from the
National Wetlands Inventory.
Chemical Fact Sheets
URL=http://www.epa.gov/docs/
chemfact/
These Office of Prevention, PesticMes,
and Toxic Substances fact sheets
provide information on the production,
use, environmental fate, health and
environmental effects, and regulations
pertaining to selected chemicals.
WaterWiser
URL=http://www. waterwiser.org
This cooperative effort of the Ameri-
can Water Works Association and the
See CYBER SPACE, page 12
-------
CYBER SPACE, from page 11
U.S. EPA provides bibliographies,
articles, and a book listing on water
conservation and efficiency. A
forum for discussion, an events
calendar, and links to other water
resources are also offered.
Native Americans and
the Environment
URL=http://minerva.cis.yale.edu/
~lisamc/native_env.html
Provides bibliographies on topics
such as land and water rights, fishing
rights, natural resource management,
and others. Links to resources on
environmental racism, environmental
justice, and environmental equity are
also included.
U.S. Water News On-line
URL=http^/www.mother.com/
uswaternews
Print version of U,S, Water News,
plus additional articles.
USGS On-Line Link
URL=http^/info.er.usgs.gov/
Recent press releases are available
under USGS Information Releases.
Scientific information on the
Nation's water resources is accessible
by selecting the water icon.
NAWQA Program
URL=http://wwwrvares.er.usgs.gov/
nawqa/nawqa_home.html
Information on the program, study
units, and a bibliography. Or write to
the Chief, NAWQA, U.S. Geological
Survey, 413 National Center, Reston,
VA 22092.
Bureau of Reclamation
On-Line Link
UEL=http://www.usbr.gov
Recent press releases, speeches, and
water resource data are available
through Reclamation's home page.
Watershed Events FalM995
While In Cyber Space-
Explore Watershed Highlights
A companion publication to Watershed Events is now available on the
Internet on the EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
(OWOW) home page. Unlike Watershed Events, Watershed High-
lights is not developed around a feature article. It is designed to
provide a forum for individuals and organizations to share information
relevant to watersheds.
Posted at least once a month, Watershed Highlights includes legislative
information; Federal, State, and local program information; current
best sellers; and oldies, but goodies related to the watershed approach
and ecosystem management. There are two ways to access Watershed
Highlights on the Internet:
1) Go to URL=http://www.epa.gov/OWOW and click on "What's
New?"
2) or...Go to URL=http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/nps/wtrintro.html
Readers are encouraged to submit information for Watershed High-
lights and comments to John Pai at OWOW, via email to
pai.john@epamail.epa.gov., or fax to (202) 260-2529.
ffijs^i -I :/
fe'buBpn'boafd & phasing over to &
f Sx^iaigfeWfee Internet 'Ttienew eonfiguralteowin malcfc
of file servers J list servers, gophers, m& ifce Wotfd Wide Wefc, ,
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In addftibfi, Ni^SlhiPO^e MP& Inl^dtbii Sxch^ge's
cgsaisdojnf 0fou$ openfecl lii Seplefriber* rf y«u nave an
' ac*3»«?l ar«j ypu wotild life to wbsqtibe t?
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you will receive a i#eiconie message wplairarag $1$ tfisous^or*, - -
^sia|djte^|>feaiums. Toposl^;the.'l|Sitsendf«&ss&$esto:;;
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Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Paoe 13
Introducing...
We have added a new feature in this issue of Watershed Events. We
are introducing to our readers, the most relevant programs or
activities under the -watershed approach in different agencies; what
the programs are and what they do. Hopefully, this new feature will
help our readers to take advantage of the services these programs
and activities have to offer.
Water Resource Programs of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Historically, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) water resources
development program has been charged with improving and maintaining
navigable waterways and reducing flood damages. Accompanying these
primary missions are complementary programs for generating hydroelectric
power, providing water supplies, protecting coastal shorelines, managing
natural resources, and providing recreational opportunities.
The Corps' water resources program has changed significantly over the last
two decades, however, shifting from construction of new projects to the
improved operation of existing projects with increased concern for the
environment. Environmental restoration is now a priority mission in the
budgetary process and the Corps can participate in the modification of
existing projects for the purposes offish and wildlife habitat restoration.
Broadly, the Corps' role in environmental quality is supported by several
federal laws, executive orders, and treaties, including the Fish and Wildlife
Coordination Act of 1958, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,
and the Water Resources Development Acts (WRDA) of 1986 and 1990.
For example, Section 307(a) of WRDA 1990 establishes "no net loss of
wetlands" and an "increase in the quality and quantity of the Nation's
wetlands" as goals of the water resources development program.
The Corps may pursue specific environmental restoration activities under
one of several generic legislative authorities. Section 1135 of the WRDA of
1986 authorizes the implementation of environmental restoration projects
through structural or operational changes to completed Corps projects. The
Section 1135 program is budgeted for up to $25 million per year, with no
single project to exceed $5 million without Congressional authorization.
Section 204 of WRDA 1992 authorizes the Corps to protect, restore, and
create aquatic and ecologically related habitats, including wetlands, in
connection with dredging for construction, operation, or maintenance of
Corps navigation projects.
Section 1103 of WRDA 1986 gives the Corps authority to plan and imple-
ment restoration projects in support of the Upper Mississippi River Environ-
mental Management Plan (UMRS-EMP), which was established to help
balance increased commercial navigation on the Upper Mississippi River
Watershed Events :. , ,;
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•of Reclamation ', ' " '"", ,
Eifean Katie, NaSenal Oceanic- "
m$ A^s£N**& A#»SW$t«*to ,,
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See INTRODUCING..., page 14
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Page 14
Watershed Events
Fall 1995
INTRODUCING..., from page 13
system with other economic, environmental, and recreational objectives.
Habitat rehabilitation and enhancement projects, which focus on restoring
high value fish and wildlife habitat, comprise the largest element of the
UMRS-EMP.
The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act of 1990
authorizes several agencies, including the Corps, to implement restoration
projects that provide for the long-term conservation of wetlands and depen-
dent fish and wildlife populations in coastal areas. In addition, Corps author-
ity for new individual studies and projects to restore ecological resources (for
example, the Kissimmee River, Florida; the Anacostia River, Washington,
DC and Maryland; and the Everglades, Florida) has been authorized by
Water Resources Development Acts and Congressional Committee resolu-
tions.
[For more information, contact Leigh Skaggs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Institute for Water Resources, (703) 355-3091.]
Transportation Enhancements Fund
Water Quality improvements
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) set
aside a total of $2.8 million over six years for special projects which improve
communities and the environment.
The Transportation Enhancements initiative provides funding for 10 catego-
ries of projects—including mitigation of highway runoff. ISTEA gives new
players in the transportation planning process—environmentalists, commu-
nity groups, and others—input into how federal transportation funds are
spent
In Pennsylvania, for example, the state Department of Transportation estab-
lished a special advisory committee of environmental groups to solicit and
evaluate proposals for Enhancement projects and make recommendations.
As of June 1994, approximately $650 million had been spent on Enhance-
ment activities. The wide range of water projects funded through this pro-
gram include erosion control, wetland restorations, highway runoff control,
and fish ladders.
[For more information, contact Fred Skaer, FHWA, Office of Environment
and Planning, phone (202) 366-2058.]
**th« Nation behaves well if it &&$& the mm&&®to&&% & a$ss&
which it mast turn over to the ae»
paired to value."
President Theodore Roosevelt
Orleans* LA {0on*ac| Lyrt
Virtual Reafity* scissored b*$rf&«
'
Or, uiHe«r»o
Oiego, CA'
*''
l' Peter E • Stock,
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1
Fall 1995
Watershed Events
Page 15
The Reader is Always Write (Right)!
Two Watershed Events readers wrote us regarding the Did You Know? facts in the Summer 1995
issue. We appreciate their comments.
Carter D. Christenson, Deputy State Conservationist, New Hampshire writes...
"Watershed Events is a very informative bulletin. But in reading the Summer issue, I took
interest in your Did You Know? section on page 10. The first item says, 'The quantity of
water on earth remains constant, 326 cubic miles.' I know that cannot be correct, but you
now have my curiosity up. How many zeros did you leave off the answer?"
Several other observant readers found this error as well and called us. llie first item should read:
The quantity of water on earth remains constant—326 million cubic miles. (Note: One cubic mile
contains one trillion gallons of water.)
David Farrington, P.E., Oklahoma, wrote in reference to the "Did You Know?" fact that "Watering
the lawn and washing the car consume 100 gallons of water"...
"This is not the case in Oklahoma. During July or August it is not uncommon to use 500
gallons or more to water the lawn. When we wash a car at home the water usage is 30
gallons or less. First we hose the car down, then it's water and soap in a 5 gallon bucket to
wash, then a final rinse. If I take it to the car wash, it will use less than 8 gallons if I feed the
machine twice. The normal commercial car wash uses less than 1 gallon per minute of
operation."
a Matter of Fact,.
Rangeland is land where the native vegetation is
mostly grasses or similar plants, herbs, or shrubs
suitable for grazing or browsing. More than 99
percent of the Nation's rangeland is west of the
Mississippi River.
Prime farmland is rural land with the best combina-
tion of physical and chemical characteristics for
producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed
crops, that is available for these uses. The Nation's
prime farmland is 65 percent cropland, 14 percent
forest land, 11 percent pastureland, and six percent
rangeland. The rest is other undeveloped rural
land.
With 36.8 million acres of prime farmland, Texas
has more than any other state.
From 1982 to 1992...
14.8 million acres were converted from cropland
to pastureland, 4.2 million acres to developed
land, 3.1 million acres to forest land, and 2.1
million acres to rangeland.
Federal land tolaled408 million acres in 1992
21 percent of the Nation's total area.
Nevada has more Federal land by far than any
other state, with 60 million acres. That's 85
percent of me state.
Source: National' Resources Inventory, A summary of
natural resource trends in the U.S. between 1982 and
1992, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,
April 1995.
-------
&EPA
Office of Wetlands, Oceans,
and Watersheds (4501F)
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
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