&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4501F)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA840-R-00-002
May2OO?
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
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Thank you to the following organizations and individuals for images used on the front cover:
Dave Davis, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Bob Nichols, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
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May 2001
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
vvEPA
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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The Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
A Watershed Decade
Contents
Foreword by Bob Wayland, Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds iv
A Watershed Decade: Time Line vi
Aquatic Resources: An American Treasure 1
Progress and Challenges 2
Meeting the Challenges
The Rise of Watershed Management 3
Controlling Polluted Runoff 9
Strengthening Water Quality Monitoring 14
Improving Information Technology 16
Protecting and Restoring Wetlands 18
Protecting Our Oceans and Coasts 21
Partnerships 25
Global Activities 30
The Challenges Ahead 32
Regional Map, Organization Chart 33
Finding OWOW on the Web 34
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Foreword
Foreword
The Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) is one of four
program offices in the Office of Water (OW) at the Environmental
Protection Agency's (EPA) headquarters in Washington, DC. OWOW shares
responsibility for safeguarding the nation's water resources with three
other OW offices, EPA's 10 regional offices, and the states, tribes, and
territories that implement many aspects of our water programs. Several
other federal departments and agencies are also partners in implement-
ing our programs, notably the Army Corps of Engineers, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture. Our sister OW offices include the Office of Science
and Technology (OST), the Office of Wastewater Management (OWM), and
the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW). Together with
OWOW, these offices implement key components of the nation's core
clean water programs. OST's responsibilities include issuing effluent
guidelines and conducting activities related to the development of water
quality standards and criteria. Among other responsibilities, OWM over-
sees implementation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit program, including storm water management,
and the administration of the State Revolving Loan Fund. OGWDW Is
charged with the critical job of protecting public health by ensuring safe
drinking water and protecting ground water.
OWOW's activities and programs further the objectives of several laws.
These include the Clean Water Act; the Ocean Dumping Ban Act; the
Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments; the Marine Plastic
Pollution Research and Control Act; the Shore Protection Act; the Marine
Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act; and the Coastal Wetlands
Planning, Protection and Restoration Act.
Off ice,of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Foreword
This report chronicles OWOW's efforts and progress over the past decade.
People are the key ingredients in OWOW's accomplishments, and our
workforce is highly trained and motivated. Approximately 175 people
currently work in OWOW, but over the history of the organization more
than 400 people have served in the Office. Each of them has brought
unique perspectives, skills, and ideas and has contributed in a variety of
ways to the accomplishments outlined on the following pages. OWOW has
made extensive use of internships, the Senior Environmental Employee
Program, exchange programs with states and other federal agencies, and
developmental rotations with regions and other EPA offices to broaden the
skills and perspectives of our staff. Nearly half of the permanent work-
force, at the time of this writing, are charter members of the organization.
There are many challenges ahead in protecting and restoring America's
aquatic resources. The American public will be served by the creativity,
dedication, and commitment of the people of OWOW as we meet those
challenges.
To learn more about EPA's Office of Water, visit OW on the Web at
www.epa.gov/ow or check out one of the four OW program offices:
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds www.epa.gov/owow
Office of Science and Technology www.epa.gov/ost
Office of Wastewater Management www.epa.gov/owm
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water www.epa.gov/ogwdw
—Bob Wayland
Director, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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A Watershed Decade: Time Line
A Watershed Decade
April 1991 Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds is approved by Administrator William Reilly.
May 1991 First American Wetlands Month is established.
May 1991 Approval of first Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) under National Estuary
Program for Puget Sound.
June 1991 Ocean dumping of sewage sludge ends.
July 1991 Revisions to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.
March 1992 EPA holds third national volunteer water monitoring conference.
April 1992 1990 national water quality report to Congress (305(b)) is released.
April 1992 Buzzards Bay CCMP is approved.
May 1992 Peconic Bay, Coastal Bend and Bays, San Juan Bay, and Tillamook Bay are designated "Estuaries
of National Significance."
August 1992 EPA and Department of the Army sign agreement on elevation and resolution of EPA concerns
with proposed wetlands permits.
August 1992 EPA's Office of Research and Development publishes An Approach to Improving Decision
Making in Wetlands Restoration and Creation.
Fall 1992 "Turning the Tide on Trash," a curriculum on marine debris for grades K through 6, is
completed.
October 1992 With an EPA grant, the Private Landowners' Wetlands Assistance Guide for Maryland is
published, the first in a series of state documents for voluntary stewardship.
January 1993
January 1993
March 1993
August 1993
August 1993
August 1993
December 1993
Management measures guidance for coastal nonpoint source programs is issued.
Narragansett Bay CCMP is approved.
Watershed '93 attended by more than 1,000 people from federal agencies, states, local
governments, watershed groups, and private sector.
Guidance on forestry best management practices to protect wetlands is issued.
OWOW represents EPA in development, with eight other agencies, of a new federal wetlands
plan to provide an effective and flexible approach to protection of wetlands.
Guidance on the level of review necessary and the flexibility afforded under wetlands
regulations is issued.
San Francisco Bay CCMP is approved.
January 1994 Fourth national directory of volunteer monitoring programs lists 516 programs in 45 states
engaging 340,000 volunteers in monitoring and cleanup projects.
January 1994 EPA and the Departments of Agriculture, Army, and Interior sign agreement to streamline
-. wetland procedures for farmers.
—March 1994 EPA approves New Jersey's assumption of the wetlands permit program.
March 1994 1992 national water quality report to Congress (305(b)) is released.
April 1994 EPA holds fourth national volunteer monitoring conference.
May 1994 Stakeholder Initiative on Alaska wetlands issues completed, provides greater incorporation of
unique environmental and social circumstances.
October 1994 Watershed Academy is launched.
October 1994 The Watershed Approach—Our Framework for Ecosystem Protection is released.
October 1994 National Water Quality Monitoring Council convenes, chaired by EPA and USGS.
October 1994 Congress increases funding for Wetlands Program Development Grants to $15 million.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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A Watershed Decade: Time Line
October 1994
November 1994
December 1994
Congress increases funding for state nonpoint source grants to $100 million.
Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds and Long Island Sound CCMPs are approved.
With The Dredging Process in the U.S.: An Action Plan for Improvement, a national dredging
policy is completed.
February 1995
February 1995
March 1995
MarchT995
June 1995
July 1995
October 1995
November 1995
November 1995
OWOW-Ied Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM) publishes
Strategy for Improving Water-Quality Monitoring in the United States.
EPA publishes a compilation of 33 fact sheets on wetlands and programs that protect them.
Galveston Bay and Santa Monica Bay CCMPs are approved.
EPA and Department of the Army issue guidance on flexibility afforded to small landowners for
section 404 discharges affecting up to 2 acres of nontidal wetlands.
Delaware Inland Bays CCMP is approved.
Charlotte Harbor, New Hampshire Estuaries, Morro Bay, Mobile Bay, Maryland Coastal Bays,
Columbia River, and Barnegat Bay designated "Estuaries of National Significance."
Sarasota Bay CCMP is approved.
EPA and four other federal agencies issue Federal Guidance for the Establishment, Use, and
Operation of Mitigation Banks as a means of achieving flexible and effective compensatory
wetland mitigation.
EPA collaborates with various stakeholders to develop forestry guidance that enhances
protection of valuable wetlands and gives greater certainty to landowners.
January 1996
April 1996
|- May 1996
May 1996
May 1996
June 1996
July 1996
August 1996
August 1996
September 1996
October 1996
October 1996
November 1996
November 1996
December 1996
January 1997
1 - - '• January 1997
,--.:"" ," - March 1997
April 1997
Uniform National Discharge Standards provisions are added to the Clean Water Act to control
discharges from Department of Defense vessels.
'1994 national water quality report to Congress (305(b)) is released.
EPA establishes nine key elements for strengthened state nonpoint source programs.
Environmental Principles for Golf Courses in the United States is released by EPA and Golf and
Environment Initiative.
National Marine Debris Monitoring Program is initiated.
The Watershed Approach Framework is published, establishing guiding principles for watershed
management.
Agreement reached on plan to dredge New York/New Jersey Harbor to protect the environment
and promote economic growth.
EPA holds fifth national volunteer monitoring conference.
EPA issues clean marina handbook demonstrating economic benefits of sound environmental
management.
Delaware Estuary and Massachusetts Bays CCMPs are approved.
Casco Bay CCMP is approved.
Web-based training begins with Academy 2000 (now called Watershed Academy Web).
Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and
Other Matter is signed.
Indian River Lagoon CCMP is approved.
Barataria-Terrebonne Estuaries CCMP is approved.
Biological Assessment of Wetlands Working Group is established to foster state, tribal, and local
assessment of wetland conditions.
American Heritage Rivers Initiative is announced.
Tampa Bay and New York/New Jersey Harbor CCMPs are approved.
Surf Your Watershed goes live on the Internet, allowing citizens to type in their Zip Codes to
learn about their local watersheds.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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A Watershed Decade: Time Line
May 1997
June 1997
August 1997
September 1997
October 1997
October 1997
November 1997
November 1997
Launching of "Year of the Ocean" (1998).
EPA holds first tribal wetlands workshop with the Oneida Nation.
New York/New Jersey Mud Dump Site is closed; Historic Area Remediation Site is opened.
Conditional approval of coastal.nonpoint source programs for Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode
Island, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Index of Watershed Indicators, describing health of the nation's 2,262 watersheds, is released.
Conditional approval of coastal nonpoint source programs for Delaware, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands.
Following Pfiesteria outbreaks on the mid-Atlantic coast, EPA and other federal agencies issue
federal response plan.
Conditional approval of coastal nonpoint source programs for Florida, New Hampshire, New
York, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
January 1998
January 1998
February 1998
February 1998
April 1998
May 1998
June 1998
June 1998
June 1998
July 1998
August 1998
September 1998
September 1998
September 1998
October 1998
October 1998
November 1998
November 1998
Conditional approval of Oregon's coastal nonpoint source program.
EPA's Science Advisory Board publishes Ecological Impacts and Evaluation Criteria for the Use of
Structures in Marsh Management.
Conditional approval of coastal nonpoint source programs for South Carolina, North Carolina,
Maine, and Virginia.
EPA and eight other federal agencies establish national goal of 100,000-acre annual net gain in
wetlands by 2005.
1996 national water quality report to Congress (305(b)) is released.
EPA celebrates American Wetlands Month with publication of the booklet Wetlands—Our Vital
Link Between Land and Water.
Conditional approval of coastal nonpoint source programs for Alabama, Connecticut,
Washington, Hawaii, Alaska, Louisiana, and California.
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force is created.
National Oceans Conference held in Monterey, California.
EPA holds first national water quality monitoring conference.
Version 1 of modernized STORET is released to meet emerging data needs associated with
watershed protection.
Environmental Management Handbook, a guide to environmental protection for ports, is published.
10th anniversary of International Coastal Cleanup Campaign.
Fifth national directory of volunteer monitoring programs lists 770 programs in all 50 states,
.engaging 460,000 volunteers is published.
Congress increases state nonpoint source grants to $200 million.
Coral Reef Task Force convenes in Key Biscayne, Florida.
Congress passes Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA).
EPA joins 15 federal agencies in issuing stream restoration handbook.
February 1999
February 1999
Coastal Bend Bays CCMP is approved.
Creation of National Invasive Species Council.
April 1999
April 1999
May 1999
Watershed Information Network (WIN), a roadmap to consolidated watershed information and
services, is launched on the Internet.
EPA makes maps of state-listed impaired waters available on the Internet.
First Watershed Assistance Grants are awarded.
First Five-Star Restoration Grant is awarded.
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A Watershed Decade: Time Line
May 1999
May 1999
July 1999
October 1999
December 1999
December 1999
Final rule clarifying which ditching, channelization, and land-clearing activities are subject to
Clean Water Act wetland requirements is published.
EPA and Navy complete final regulations for Phase I "Uniform National Discharge Standards (UNDS)."
With an EPA grant, the National Association of Counties and the International City and County Managers
Association publish Protecting Wetlands, Managing Watersheds—Local Government Case Studies.
Maryland Coastal Bays and Columbia River CCMPs are approved.
Maryland becomes first state with fully approved coastal nonpoint source program.
Tillamook Bay CCMP is approved.
March 2000 Nationwide Permit 26, single largest source of generally permitted wetland losses, is eliminated
and replaced by activity-specific permits.
March 2000 Coral Reef Task Force publishes National Action Plan for Coral Reef Conservation.
- • -I:: -.i %_ 1
' March 2000 Federal court holds, in Pronsolino v. Marcus, that Clean Water Act authorizes EPA to include
*t- •" • nonpoint sources of pollutants in section 303(d)/TMDL program.
Full approval of Rhode Island's coastal nonpoint source program.
EPA holds second national water quality monitoring conference.
EPA holds sixth national volunteer monitoring conference.
EPA and USGS jointly release National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), a geographic database for
integrating and mapping information about U.S. surface waters.
River Corridor and Wetland Restoration web site launched.
EPA and Environmental Law Institute (ELI) celebrate 10 years of National Wetlands Awards.
100th Five-Star Restoration Grant awarded.
1998 national water quality report to Congress (305(b)) is released.
Revised regulations for the Total Maximum Daily Load program are published.
California's coastal nonpoint source program is fully approved.
Congress passes Estuaries and Clean Waters Act.
San Juan Bay CCMP is approved.
Congress increases state nonpoint source grants to $238 million.
EPA and three other federal agencies issue guidance on use of in-Iieu-fee arrangements for
compensatory wetland mitigation.
Puerto Rico's coastal nonpoint source program is fully approved.
Release of updated draft guidance on management measures for agriculture.
EPA publishes Tribal Wetland Program Highlights in collaboration with 12 tribes and native
organizations.
Congress passes Coral Reef Conservation Act.
EPA releases updated guidance on management measures for marinas and recreational boating.
April 2000
April 2000
April 2000
May 2000
May 2000
May 2000
June 2000
June 2000
July 2000
July 2000
October 2000
October 2000
October 2000
October 2000
October 2000
October 2000
November 2000
December 2000
December 2000
January 2001
January 2001
/March 2001
Morro Bay CCMP is approved.
Action plan to address Gulf hypoxia is transmitted to Congress.
April 2001
May 2001
Guiding Principles for Constructed Treatment Wetlands is published.
EPA marks 10-year anniversary of its toll-free Wetlands Helpline (1-800-832-7828, contractor-
operated).
EPA announces implementation of the "Tulloch Rule" to protect wetlands from discharges of
dredged material associated with mechanized equipment.
Volunteer Wetland Monitoring Resource Guide is published.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Aquatic Resources: An American Treasure
Steve Delaney,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Aquatic Resources:
An American Treasure
Our economy depends on clean water; we
all pay when water is polluted. Contamina-
tion of drinking water sources means
higher health risks and increased treat-
ment costs. Closed beaches and contami-
nated rivers mean lost revenue for local
businesses that serve tourists, anglers,
and recreationists. Swimmers at polluted
beaches and lakes face possible threats
from viruses and bacteria. Protecting our
nation's liquid assets is vital for our eco-
nomic future as well as for our own health
and well-being.
In a recent report, Liquid Assets 2000:
America's Water Resources at a Turning
Point, EPA documented the critical impor-
tance of our water resources to our
nation's economy. In many ways, clean
water is the fuel that powers the nation's
economic engine.
• A third of all Americans visit coastal
areas each year, making a total of
910 million trips while spending
about $44 billion.
• Water used for irrigating crops and
raising livestock helps American
farmers produce and sell $197 billion
worth of food and fiber.
• The $ 111 billion generated annually
by the U.S. fishing industry is
heavily dependent on healthy water-
sheds. About 70 percent of
commercially harvested fish depend
on wetlands and nearby coastal wa-
ters at some stage in their life cycle.
A Money magazine survey found that
clean water and clean air are two of
the most important factors Americans
consider in choosing a place to live.
Manufacturers use about 9 trillion
gallons of fresh water every year.
The soft drink manufacturing indus-
try alone uses more than 12 billion
gallons of water annually to produce
products valued at almost $58 billion.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Progress and Challenges
John McShane,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Progress and Challenges
The United States has made tremendous
progress in cleaning up America's waters
over the past 30 years. The nation's sig-
nificant investment in upgrading sewage
treatment and minimizing discharges from
industrial facilities has removed billions
of pounds of pollutants from our waterways
and more than doubled the number of
waters safe for fishing and swimming.
Despite this resounding success, many
challenges remain. An overwhelming
majority of Americans—218 million—live
within 10 miles of a lake, river, stream, or
coastal area that does not support its des-
ignated uses set by the states under the
Clean Water Act. States have identified
almost 300,000 miles of rivers and streams
and more than 5 million acres of lakes
that do not meet water quality goals. Many
of these waterways are not considered
safe for fishing and swimming and do not
support healthy fish or other aquatic life.
Runoff polluted by agricultural lands, resi-
dential areas, city streets, forestry
practices, and even pollutants deposited
from the air now poses the greatest threat
to our nation's waters. At the beginning of
this new millennium, problems such as
habitat destruction, landscape modifica-
tion, invasive species, and the depletion
or contamination of ground water present
new challenges not easily solved by tradi-
tional engineering-based pollution control.
Over the past decade, the Environmental
Protection Agency's Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) has helped
to lay the groundwork for a new era of envi-
ronmental protection. Many of the accom-
plishments of the past 10 years have been
achieved through collaborative watershed
partnerships. Although EPA is encouraged
by these successes, it is apparent that
much work remains to be done. Meeting the
challenges of the new millennium will re-
quire innovation, adaptation, technological
advances, and additional partnerships. The
watershed paradigm will provide the frame-
work for addressing these complex envi-
ronmental problems through coordinated,
collaborative efforts at the local level.
Our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters are
cleaner today than 25 years ago, but...
45
44
Rivers Lakes
Estuaries
....many assessed waters are still not
considered safe for swimming and fishing.
Losses of wetlands have been significantly
reduced, but....
-58.5
...less than half of the wetlands in the
contiguous states remain and annual losses
continue to exceed gains.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—The Rise of Watershed Management
Bruce Batten, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Meeting the Challenges
The Rise of Watershed Management
In 1890 John Wesley Powell, second direc-
tor of the United States Geological Survey,
suggested that the western United States
be organized into watershed units to facili-
tate an integrated approach to natural
resource management. Powell's recom-
mendations were not followed, and for the
better part of the 20th century the country
managed its water resources in a piece-
meal fashion. The industrial age trans-
formed the country: along with mass
production of consumer goods and a work-
force that moved from farm to factory, air
and water pollution fouled the skies,
streams, and shores. The publication of
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, the blowout at
Platform A in the Santa Barbara channel,
and the conflagration on the Cuyahoga
River provoked a public outcry, the organi-
zation of the first Earth Day, and in Decem-
ber 1970 the establishment of the
Environmental Protection Agency. The
Administration and Congress crafted a new
Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972, which pro-
vided uniform national technology-based
pollution control requirements for most
industrial and municipal "point sources" of
water pollution. The act also provided for
water quality-based controls where the
minimum technology approach was inad-
equate.
In 1987 the CWA was amended to provide
for programs to abate polluted runoff in
discharges not conveyed by point sources
(e.g., pipes, channels, outfalls, etc.). Sub-
stantial grant support for these programs
followed.
These efforts, pursued by governments at
all levels, industry, and private citizens,
brought about considerable progress but
also revealed the limits of effectiveness of
separately implementing the programs.
They also highlighted the prevalence of
problems not readily amenable to solution
through traditional tools—sprawl, terrestrial
habitat destruction, air deposition, and
others.
In 1990 EPA was in search of a new para-
digm that could guide efforts in the last
decade of the 20th century and beyond.
Looking at a number of EPA's own geo-
graphically targeted efforts, the Agency
recognized that the time had come for a
basin-wide approach like the one Powell
had envisioned. Efforts to clean up the
Chesapeake Bay in the 1980s had illus-
trated the value of such an approach. A
coalition of concerned citizens, academi-
cians, and government officials recognized
that the bay's aquatic resources would still
be at risk even if all the sewage treatment
plants were brought into compliance with
the law. Only through coordinated efforts
at all levels of government, and among
both the public and private sectors, and
through the use of both mandatory and
voluntary programs would the bay's impor-
tant resources be restored. Several other
geographically based programs, such as
the National Estuary Program, the Great
Lakes Program, and the Wellhead Protec-
tion Program, were also beginning to
demonstrate the advantages of bringing'
together the people who use and benefit
from the water resource to plan for and
implement environmental improvements.
Thus began the Office of Water's move-
ment from a pollutant-by-pollutant,
industry-by-industry, facility-by-facility
fragmented approach to a more holistic ,
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—The Rise of Watershed Management
watershed approach. EPA began to actively
encourage states, tribes, local, and other
federal partners to join in taking this
"place-up" perspective. By focusing on the
problems holistically within a watershed,
managers at all levels could; better under-
stand the cumulative impact of various
activities, determine the most critical
problems, better allocate limited financial
and human resources to address those
needs, engage stakeholders, win public
support, and make real improvements in
the environment. Over the past 10 years,
the Office of Water has encouraged this
approach not only for its own programs (non-
point sources, wetlands, permits, standards,
drinking water, and coastal programs) but
also as a way to integrate efforts of sister
agencies, states, tribes, local govern-
ments, industry, and nonprofits.
Regional Pilots
In the early 1990s EPA initiated a large
number of watershed projects in each of
the 10 regions to broaden the practice of
watershed management. EPA staff played
a variety of roles, ranging from leader and
catalyst to facilitator and participant. The
successes of many of these initial
projects—Savannah River, Clear Creek,
Canaan Valley, Merrimack River, and Big
Darby, to name a few—confirmed that the
Agency was headed in the right direction.
ilTo spread the word about the watershed
^approach, OWOW has employed a variety of
routreach efforts, including newsletters,
^national conferences, publications, and
^campaigns. Through a series of annual"
|reports, OWOW helped document early
Swatershed success stories. " ~
Watershed Events
Since 1991 OWOW has worked with other
federal agencies to publish Watershed
Events. Through this popular newsletter,
with a circulation of more than 6,000,
OWOW continues to provide a vehicle to
share ideas, tools, and success stories
among federal, state, local, and private
watershed practitioners across the coun-
try. Copies are available at www.epa.gov/
OWOW/info/WaterEventsNews.
Watershed '93 and Watershed '96
In 1993 and 1996 OWOW spearheaded
two major national conferences on water-
shed management. Watershed '93: A
The Guiding Principles
of the Watershed Approach
• Geographic Focus—Management activities are
directed within watersheds—the areas that drain
to surface water bodies pr that recharge ground
waters or a combination of both.
nps—Those who live, work, and depend
on the resources in the watersheds help shape
(cey decisions and take actions. Watershed
tjjfertherships include public sector and private
%»-r •_...._ j-epreserrtatives.
ll^f^punci Management Techniques—Collectively,
4""~ """ ' ' stakeholders employ an iterative
i-making process whereby problems are
solutions determined, and actions
^s ,;eft-? Environmental, economic, and social
foiyectives .are integrated into the decision-
process. :
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—The Rise of Watershed Management
National Conference on Watershed Manage-
ment, cosponsored by 11 federal agencies
and supported by numerous stakeholders,
attracted more than 1,000 people from all
walks of life to hone their understanding of
watershed approaches, build new relation-
ships, learn from others' experiences, and
explore options for the future. A follow-up
conference, Watershed '96, attracted nearly
twice as many participants, and countless
others joined the conference through satel-
lite downlinks from across the country.
Adopt Your Watershed
In 1997 to encourage stewardship of the
nation's water resources, OWOW launched
an "Adopt Your Watershed" campaign.
OWOW created a-national, on-line catalog
(www.epa.gov/adopt) of organizations in-
volved in protecting local water bodies,
including formal watershed alliances,
local groups, and schools that conduct
activities such as volunteer monitoring,
cleanups, and restoration. More than
3,000 groups are listed watershed-by-
watershed, making it easy for anyone to
find out how to get involved.
•Realigning policies and procedures to
; integrate the watershed approach has been
challenging. Through a high-level Watershed
; Management Policy Committee and various
pinteragency workgroups, OWOW facilitated
'many EPA and cross-agency reinvention
| efforts. Some programmatic changes, such as
^removing barriers to issuing permits on a
i watershed basis, have dramatically reshaped
r the way EPA, other federal agencies, and the
{states do business.
Watershed Framework Document
In 1996 guided by several years of water-
shed experiences, OWOW published
Watershed Approach Framework
(www. epa. gov/ O WOW/watershed/frame-
work.html), which helped further define
the watershed approach and established
its key guiding principles. The document,
developed with input from state and tribal
officials, outlined specific steps EPA's
Office of Water could take to better support
the watershed approach. It also described
how states and tribes could adopt compre-
hensive statewide watershed frameworks.
In 1992 EPA adopted a six-pronged strategy to support the
watershed approach.
• Try it—Initiate and carry out activities on a watershed basis.
• Advertise it—Promote the approach using a variety of
opportunities, including conferences, newsletters, and
publications.
• Integrate it—Align programs on a watershed basis.
• Finance it—Provide funding for pilot projects and capacity building.
• Develop tools for it—Provide training and technical assistance.
• Measure it—Monitor success and make changes as necessary.
Over the past 10 years, this six-part strategy has borne considerable
fruit, and it continues to guide EPA's efforts to reinvent its programs in
support of the watershed approach.
In 1998 EPA teamed up with River Network, a national nonprofit
organization specializing in organizational skill-building, to establish
the Watershed Assistance Grants Program. The purpose of this program
is to support local watershed partnerships during their development
and to contribute toward watershed protection and restoration actions.
To date, 69 projects have been funded, totaling more than $1 million.
The funded projects include the following:
• The Mississippi River Basin Alliance (Mississippi) is helping
communities implement nutrient management and watershed
planning systems to address the "dead zone" at the mouth of the
Mississippi through a facilitated consensus-building process of
public meetings, workshops, and conferences.
• The Rogue Basin Coordinating Council (Oregon) is preparing a
collaborative assessment of all human-made barriers to
anadromous fish passage within the basin and developing an
action plan for barrier removal.
• The Navajo Nation (Arizona) is implementing a community
program to address the concerns of resource degradation and
implement best management practices.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—The Rise of Watershed Management
State Rotating Basin Approach
Year
1
Basin
Groupings
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
[ | Data Collection
IT 1 Assessment/Priorities
Year Year Year Year Year
23456
ID Actions
Plan Review
Approval
Implementation
Process Guides
In 1995 OWOW published Watershed
Protection: A Statewide Approach
(EPA-841-R-95-004). It describes the ben-
efits of rotating basin management
programs and provides examples of suc-
cessful programs set up by state agencies.
Another publication, Watershed Protection:
A Project Focus, provides a blueprint for
designing and implementing successful
watershed projects.
To help finance the approach, OWOW has
used its limited resources to support
model efforts and to build local and state
capabilities. Clean Water Act section 319
grants and state wetlands development
grants, for example, now support more
comprehensive approaches to dealing with
nonpoint source pollu-
tion and wetland
protection. Recogniz-
ing the need for
additional funding at:
the local level, EPA
launched the Water-
shed Assistance
Grants Program in
1998.
i«a» VWtm»dPr<*clJon:
< ASttMVteAeproKll
The Catalog of Federal
Funding Sources for
Watershed Protection
(EPA-841-B-99-003), first
published in 1997 and re-
issued in 1999, remains a
best-seller among federal, state,
and local watershed practitioners
alike. The second edition of the document
highlights federal grants and loans that may
be used at the local level to support water-
shed projects, and it contains references
to many other good publications and web
sites on funding and technical assistance.
[Good tools, sound science, and experienced
[^personnel are instrumental to successful
Lwatershed management. OWOW has re-j
[sponded to these needs with state-of-the-art
; training and technical assistance.
The Watershed Academy
In 1994 OWOW initiated the Watershed
Academy to provide training for federal,
state, local, and private watershed practi-
tioners. Over the years, more than 20
states have received direct assistance for
developing comprehensive state water-
shed approach strategies. The Academy's
Inventory of Watershed Training Courses
(EPA-841-D-98-001), which currently in-
cludes summaries of 180 courses, provides
easy access to information about training
opportunities offered by other federal and
state agencies, as well as the private sector.
In addition to field and classroom experi-
ences, the new Web-based (www.epa.gov/
watertrain) training site now includes
40 self-paced modules and self-tests and
offers an entirely Internet-based Distance
Learning Certificate Program.
EPA/OPM Watershed
Partnerships Seminar
Working in partnership with the U.S. Of-
fice of Personnel Management's (OPM)
Management Development Centers, EPA
designed and implemented several Water-
shed Partnership seminars. These 2-week
residential seminars emphasize commu-
nity-based partnership building and deci-
sion-making in unique geographic areas.
Basic skills, potential pitfalls, and rewarding
results of community-based environmen-
tal partnering and decision-making are
explored. Tools and strategies for building
partnerships and working effectively at the.
community level are provided. This seminar
is the only course developed collaboratively
by an agency and OPM to be incorporated
into OPM's Management Development cur-
riculum. About 150 EPA staff, 40 representa-
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—The Rise of Watershed Management
tives of other federal agencies, 30 state
employees, and 50 private sector, local gov-
ernment, and nonprofit organizations have
completed the seminar.
Lessons Learned
Top Ten Watershed Lessons Learned (EPA-
840-F-97-001), a publication developed by
OWOW in 1997, took stock of the Office's
experiences and offered solid advice to
watershed managers on important lessons
learned over the past decade. This docu-
ment continues to offer valuable advice to
both new and old watershed practitioners
on what works and what does not.
Stream Corridor and
Ecosystem Restoration
Fifteen federal agencies, with leadership
from EPA and the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture, developed a guide to restoring
stream corridors so that they can be used
for drinking water supply, fish and wildlife
habitat, recreation, and agriculture, as well
as flood prevention and erosion control.
Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles,
Processes, and Practices (EPA-841-R-98-
900) reflects the collective experience,
skills, and technology of these federal
agencies and their private sector partners.
Recognition of the value of stream corri-
dors has come with the understanding of
what has been lost through uninformed or
misguided actions on many streams and
the watersheds that nourish them.
Taking full advantage of new Internet technologies, OWOW
launched the Surf Your Watershed (www.epa.gov/surf) web site in
April 1997. Simply by pointing and clicking, citizens can find their
watershed, learn about its condition, and link to other key
environmental data.
Building on Surf, OWOW joined forces with other federal agencies in
1999 to develop the new Internet-based Watershed Information
Network(www.cleanwater.gov/win) to provide consolidated
information about watershed programs and resources. WIN answers
basic questions like the following: "What is the environmental
condition of my watershed?" "What tools are available?" "How can I
get involved?" Information is broken down watershed-by-watershed,
covering more than 2,000 watersheds in the country. WIN also links
users to financial, technical, and hands-on assistance available from EPA
and other federal and nonfederal partners.
WIN includes the Index of Watershed Indicators (IWf), which describes
the health of the aquatic resources of each watershed. IWI uses a
scoring system based on a number of layers of data such as state water
quality assessments, fish consumption advisories, and incidence of
contaminated sediments. IWI also provides information on the relative
vulnerability of each of the nation's watersheds to future
contamination.
Surf Your Watershed
A Service to Help You Locate, Use, and Share
Environmental Information about Your Place.
Watershed
Information
Network
To measure our success to date, a number of
federal agencies, including EPA, are pooling
their resources to support 13 regional
watershed roundtables across the country.
These roundtables, which will culminate in
a National Watershed Forum in the
summer of 2001, are bringing
diverse stakeholders together
for dialogue and information
exchange on community-
based watershed protection
and restoration efforts. In 2001
OWOW will release a
watershed restoration report
summarizing the findings of
the roundtables and suggesting
new directions.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—The Rise of Watershed Management
Management on a Rigorous;
* . " Vy^/f j4 ^
'The TMDL Program
Under section 303(d) of the 1972 Clean Water Act, states, territories, and authorized tribes are required to develop
lists of impaired waters—-303(d) lists. These impaired waters do not meet the water quality standards that states have
setforthem, even after point sources of pollution have installed the required levels of pollution control technology.
The law requires that states establish priority rankings for waters on the lists and develop Total Maximum Daily Loads
(TMDLs) for these waters.
What Is a TMDL?
A TMDL specifies the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality
standards, and it allocates pollutant loadings among point and nonpoint pollutant sources. By law, EPA must approve
or disapprove state lists and TMDLs. If a state submission is inadequate, EPA must establish the list or the TMDL.
TMDLs are a form of "pollution budget" and can be the analytical underpinning for watershed management and
protection decisions by the' local community and the state.
In recent years OWOW has taken several steps to support the use of the watershed approach through the TMDL program.
Although TMDLs have been required by the Clean Water Act since 1972, states and EPA did not emphasize
implementation of section 303 (d) until the mid-1990s. Several years ago citizen organizations began to bring legal
actions against EPA seeking the listing of waters and development of TMDLs. To date, there have been about 40 legal
actions in 38 states. EPA is under court order or consent decrees in many states to ensure that TMDLs are established
by either the state or EPA.
Some 2,000 TMDLs have already been developed, but states, tribes, and EPA have listed about 20,000 waterbodies as
needing TMDLs because of more then 36,000 impairments (combination of pollutants and waterbodies). These
waterbodies represent approximately 40 percent of the nation's assessed waters, including more than 300,000 river
and shore miles and 5 million lake acres.
Regulations to implement the TMDL provisions of the Clean Water Act were established in 1985 and amended in 1992.
In July 2000 additional revisions were adopted. The current regulations mandate that states list impaired and
threatened waters, develop TMDLs, and make progress toward attaining state water quality standards. Additional
funding has been secured to support state and EPA efforts, and OWOW is working to provide technical assistance to
make it easier to develop TMDLs. Over the past year and a half, OWOW has issued a series of protocol documents for
pathogens, nutrients, and sediments; posted maps of impaired waters and key policy documents on the TMDL web
page; and sponsored numerous workshops and training sessions for key partners.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Controlling Polluted Runoff
Controlling Polluted Runoff
During the last decade of the 20th cen-
tury, nonpoint source (NPS) pollution or
"polluted runoff" emerged as the leading
threat to our nation's waters. Beginning
in the 1990s, OWOW, state water quality
agencies, and other public and private
sector groups began to devote considerable
resources and energy to combating this
emerging national problem.
The National Nonpoint Source
Program
Under section 319 of the Clean Water Act,
all states and territories and more .than 50
tribes have established NPS management
programs to control polluted runoff. Con-
gress began to award NPS grants to states
on an annual basis in 1990, increasing
funding from $38 million in fiscal year
(FY)1990 to $100 million in FY1995, to
$200 million in FY1999, and finally to
$238 million in FY2001. Through these
grants, EPA has funded a variety of pro-
grams and on-the-ground projects to address
pollution from farmland, animal feeding
operations, septic tanks, urban and subur-
ban developments, and forestry operations;
to repair and protect damaged stream-
banks, riparian areas, and wetlands; and
to educate homeowners, students, and
others on steps they can take to prevent
NPS pollution. Most projects are imple-
mented in conjunction with other
partners, including the U.S. Department of
Agriculture; other federal, state, and local
government agencies; and local watershed
associations and citizens groups.
Nonpoint Source Success Stories
To highlight the achievements of states,
tribes, local governments, watershed
groups, and private citizens in reducing
polluted runoff, OWOW published two vol-
umes of Section 319 Success Stories
(EPA-841-S-94-004 and EPA-841-R-97-001).
Highlights include the reopening of previ-
ously polluted waters to shellfish
harvesting; the return of trout to streams
from which they had been absent for de-
cades; the reduction of pollutants running
off from farms; the development of new
state-enforceable authorities that are
resulting in widespread implementation of
needed management practices throughout
the state; and the formation of effective
local citizen-based partnerships to
remediate local NPS pollution problems.
Volume III, to be released in 2001, will
show even greater progress.
The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution
Control Program
Recognizing that the high concentration of
human population in coastal areas (with
more than 50 percent of Americans living
within 50 miles of coastal waters) places
great stress on coastal water quality, Con-
In recent years, states have taken several major
steps to increase the effectiveness of their NPS
programs. Most significantly, states have
upgraded their NPS programs to reflect nine key
elements that the states and OWOW collectively
agree represent high-quality programs. These
include clear, quantified goals and objectives;
effective partnerships with all public agencies and
private-sector groups that have a role to play in
controlling NPS pollution; implementing the right
mix of both statewide approaches to tackle
widespread problems and watershed-based
approaches to protect water quality where people
live and work; and well-organized priority
systems.
Many states have significantly increased their own
funding programs (beyond the 40 percent match
required for section 319 grants) to accelerate the
states' implementation of NPS and watershed
programs. Some of these states (e.g., California,
Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and
Wisconsin) are providing significant sums ranging
from $10 million to more than $50 million annually
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Controlling Polluted Runoff
gress enacted the Coastal Zone Act Reau-
thorization Amendments of 1990 to focus
special efforts on combating NFS pollution
in coastal waters. Congress mandated that
EPA publish "management measures,"
which describe the best available, economi-
cally achievable techniques to protect
coastal waters from nonpoint source pollu-
tion, and that states develop programs in
conformity with those measures. OWOW's
publication of those management mea-
sures was a ground-breaking event in the
history of NFS pollution control, in that it
presented one large volume of the best
available information on NFS control tech-
niques, their effectiveness, and their
costs. At present, six states have fully
approved coastal nonpoint pollution control
programs; another 23 conditionally approved
programs are working toward final approval.
These state programs include, as required
by law, state-enforceable policies and
mechanisms as necessary to ensure imple-
mentation of the management measures.
State Enforcement Authorities
Although most state NFS activities are
implemented on a voluntary basis, with
technical and/or financial assistance
provided by the states and others, many
states have enhanced their programs by
adding enforceable authorities to their
implementation "toolboxes." A number of
states have added specific authorities
regarding storm water controls, forestry
practices, and the management of animal
feeding operations. OWOW has assisted in
this effort by working with the nonparti-
san Environmental Law Institute to
develop a set of three volumes that high-
light the different approaches currently
used by states to ensure that needed NFS
measures are implemented. These include
direct requirements that particular mea-
sures be implemented, "bad actor" laws that
supplement voluntary approaches (usually
with financial support) with regulatory
backup, enforceable state water quality
standards, and general nuisance laws.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Controffmg Poffutecf Runoff
ImjDoiia
Over the past 13 years, the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF) has funded nonpoint source
and estuary projects. In FY2000 almost $190 million was made available for NPS projects, with 28 states
taking advantage of the CWSRF's flexibility. A total of more than $1.2 billion has been provided to NPS and
estuary projects over the life of the program. The types of NPS and estuary projects continue to diversify,
ranging from implementation of agricultural best management practices to septic tank upgrades and
underground storage tank remediation. Land conservation to protect wetlands, riparian areas, and sources
of drinking water continues to gain a growing share of the CWSRF.
Working with Other Federal
Agencies
Federal agencies manage almost one-third
of all land in the United States, and they
also manage many of the nation's water
resources. Therefore, federal agencies such
as the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land
Management, the National Park Service,
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
Bureau of Reclamation, and others play a
critical role in the protection of our
nation's water quality. These agencies and
others, including EPA, recently signed a
Unified Federal Policy that charts the fu-
ture course of concerted federal activities
to manage watersheds to protect water
quality. In addition, EPA and state
nonpoint source agencies work extremely
closely with the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture and others to combine expertise,
personnel, and funds (e.g., section 319,
USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives
Program, and USDA's Conservation
.Reserve Program and Wetlands Reserve
Program) to implement numerous joint
programs and projects throughout the
United States.
Accounting for Results
An essential program management tool is
the collection and storage of information
on program implementation in an easily
accessible format to enable monitoring of
past performance and appropriate program
improvements based on that monitoring.
Early in the program, OWOW developed a
Grants Reporting and Tracking System to
allow tracking of section 319-funded
activities. OWOW is currently modifying
that system to greatly enhance its' capabil-
ity to track improvements such as
pollutant reductions that result from
funded projects. Furthermore, OWOW is
linking this system to other systems, both
existing and under development, which
will allow the Office to determine the cor-
relation between project implementation
and actual water quality improvements.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Controlling Polluted Runoff
*-.»»- ^ - "
societyis coatinuingj tc^gov^aTia^
-^environmental quality, includind;waterjqua|ity^ . _; ..' ._ X'-^ ^% I:fr,s^;S,;;:;| li
OWOW has worked closely with national expert organizations, including the Center for • ;
Watershed Protection, the Watershed Management Institute, the Center for Low-Impact
Development, and the Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials program, as well as with
various governmental agencies and associations, to assemble, analyze, and disseminate
information on how to manage growth and development in a manner that protects water
quality. Some of the most useful and successful volumes that OWOW has published or
supported are Site Planning for Urban Stream Protection, Rapid Watershed Planning Handbook,
Low-Impact Development Design Strategies, and a multivolume set of periodicals. Watershed
Protection Techniques. EPA has also collaborated with the National Association of Counties
(NACo) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) on Protecting
Wetlands, Managing Watersheds...Local Government Case Studies. In addition, OWOW has
created an extensive Web-based Model Ordinance Database that includes many actual municipal
ordinances and also provides guidance on the many options that local governments have to
modify these examples and adapt them to local circumstances and needs.
With support from OWOW, several sustainable growth pilot projects are under way in the
National Estuary Program, including futures and visioning tools development at the Massachusetts
Bays Estuary and Maryland Coastal Bays, development and build-out analyses in the Delaware
Estuary, model community planning in Puget Sound, and an examination of the impact of
regulatory programs on land use in the Lower Columbia Estuary. OWOW is also working to link
the use of "Smart Growth" principles to other EPA programs, such as ground water protection,
storm water management, brownfields redevelopment, and water quality permitting.
"As a former planning official myself, let me assure you that we respect the roles of the states and local
governments in making land use decisions, and we are working to respond to the requests many have made
to provide information on how the decisions can be made with sensitivity to impacts on aquatic resources."
—Bob Wayland, NACo/ICMA Workshop, September 2000
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Control/ing Polluted Runoff
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
Along the Gulf of Mexico's Texas-
Louisiana Shelf, a large "dead zone"
forms each summer. This condition,
which scientists call hypoxia, is
characterized by reduced sunlight
and decreased oxygen levels.
Scientific evidence indicates that
excess nitrogen from the 31-state
Mississippi/Atchafalaya Rivers
drainage basin drives the onset and
duration of hypoxia. Approximately
40 percent of the U.S. fisheries landings,
including a substantial part of the nation's most
valuable fishery (shrimp), comes from this
productive area.
Mississippi River Basin
This map is not to scote.
Since 1996 OWOW has provided
leadership for a state/tribal/
interagency task force, charged with
developing an action plan to reduce
Gulf hypoxia. Efforts to address
hypoxia were bolstered in 1998
when Congress passed the Harmful
Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research
and Control Act (HABHRCA). In
October 2000 the Task Force reached
consensus on a final action plan. A
major goal of the Action Plan for
Reducing, Mitigating, and
Controling Hypoxia in the Northern
Gulf of Mexico, published in January
2001, is to significantly reduce the
size of the hypoxic zone to less than
5,000 square kilometers (1,930
square miles), a reduction of the
hypoxic zone by about half of the
average, over the next 15 years. The
action plan calls for the
development of strategies by states
and tribes, on a subbasin basis, to
achieve a 30 percent reduction in
discharges of nitrogen through the
river system to the Gulf.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Strengthening Water Quality Monitoring
Strengthening Water Quality
Monitoring
Over the past decade, EPA has worked
closely with states and other partners to
significantly improve the quality of envi-
ronmental information and to make it
easier for water quality managers as well
as citizens to obtain and understand such
information. The vastness of our geogra-
phy, the abundance of our water
resources—3.5 million miles of rivers and
streams—and the number of parameters
of interest make adequate monitoring
coverage a major challenge.
The National Water Quality Inventory Report to Congress (prepared
under section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act) is the primary vehicle for
informing Congress and the public about general water quality con-
ditions in the United States. This document characterizes the extent to
which states are meeting the water quality standards they have set for
their waters underthe Clean Water Act, identifies widespread pollution
problems of national significance, and describes various programs
implemented to restore and protect our waters.
Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made in improving
the consistency, comprehensiveness, and quality of this report and the
state reports on which it is based. A work group of state and EPA repre-
sentatives has addressed, among other issues, problems of inconsistent
state assessments and the lack of comprehensive coverage of waters.
As a result of these efforts, states are now taking advantage of modern
information technology to provide more current and comprehensive
information. States are issuing electronic updates, thus reducing the
paperwork burden; they are moving toward comprehensive assessments
of all waters; and they are mapping water quality information. EPA
provides technical support to states that need to create or upgrade their
assessment databases and their mapping capabilities.
In addition to water quality reporting under section 305(b), states are
also required, under section 303(d), to identify waters that are not
attaining water quality standards. EPA is working closely with its state
partners to develop a consolidated assessment approach that will stream-
line and improve the quality of these two reports. The benefits of the
consolidated approach are improved decision-making on impaired
waters and clearer communication to the public on the condition of the
nation's waters. EPA is working closely with a variety of stakeholders,
including state water quality agencies, farming organizations, environ-
mental groups, and industrial facilities, to make this approach a reality.
Volunteer Monitoring
Citizen volunteers are valued partners in
the nationwide effort to monitor and protect
our waters. Quality-assured data collected by
trained volunteers can supplement profess-
ional data, especially in areas that would
otherwise be unmonitored. Volunteers can
help establish baseline information, observe
trends, and detect emerging pollution prob-
lems. Over the past 10 years, OWOW has
worked to improve the credibility of data
collected by volunteers; encourage accep-
tance of such data by state, local, and
federal agencies; and promote the growth
of volunteer monitoring in all states.
OWOW's volunteer methods manuals for
streams, lakes, and estuaries are widely
used, as is a plain English volunteer guide
to quality assurance. OWOW also supports
a national newsletter for volunteer moni-
tors, regular national and regional
conferences, a list-server for the exchange
of questions and information, and a na-
tional database (yosemite,epa.gov/water/
volmon.nsf) of volunteer environmental
monitoring programs.
Water Quality Monitoring Council
The National Water Quality Monitoring
Council, formed in 1997 by EPA and the
U.S. Geological Survey, serves as an inter-
agency forum for seeking consistent and
scientifically defensible federal and state
water quality monitoring methods and strat-
egies, and for defining a national agenda of
needed monitoring, research, and assess-
ment models and tools. The Council has
sponsored two national conferences on
water monitoring and published a series of
technical studies on the state of water qual-
ity monitoring, along with recommendations
for improvement. OWOW cochairs the Coun-
cil, which includes 35 representatives from
federal, interstate, state, tribal, local, and
municipal governments; watershed groups;
universities; and the private sector, includ-
ing volunteer monitoring programs.
,14 ;iS
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Strengthening Water Quality Monitoring
Biological Monitoring
States are adopting increasingly more comprehensive and sophisticated monitoring
approaches that not only measure levels of chemical pollutants but also assess the
biological condition of waters—specifically, the health of aquatic communities such as
benthic macroinvertebrates, fish, and algae. These bioassessments can be used to better
understand existing aquatic resources, protect aquatic life, detect underestimated or
missed problems, help water resource managers set priorities, assess the effectiveness of
management actions, and track long-term trends in water quality. Over the past 10 years,
EPA has produced a number of tools to help states develop and implement biological
monitoring techniques. These include updated bioassessment protocols for wadable
streams; new methods for lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries; and a database summarizing
state bioassessment programs. In 1997 OWOW helped form a new national work group
with the objective of improving methods and programs to evaluate the biological
integrity of wetlands. This work group, composed of scientists from six federal agencies,
six states, and seven universities, will soon publish a series of modules that describe the
"state of the science" of wetland biological assessment.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Improving Information Technology
Improving Information Technology
New and innovative technologies are revo-
lutionizing the way environmental data
can be collected, stored, displayed, and
disseminated. Over the past 10 years,
OWOW has taken full advantage of the
latest Internet and data management
systems to enhance the delivery of infor-
mation to our partners and to the public.
A Modernized Data
Management System
STORET (short for "storage and retrieval")
is EPA's largest computerized environ-
mental data system (www.epa.gov/storet).
It serves as a central repository for the
nation's water quality, biological, and
physical data and is used by state environ-
mental agencies, EPA and other federal
agencies, universities, private citizens,
and many others. EPA also maintains the
Legacy Data Center, or LDC, which con-
tains historical water quality data dating
back to the early part of the 20th century
and collected up to the end of 1998.
STORET contains data collected beginning
in 1999, along with older data that has
been properly documented and migrated
from the LDC. STORET was completely
modernized in the 1990s and transformed
from a complex mainframe system to a
flexible PC-based system designed to be
used by professionals and volunteer orga-
nizations alike. The LDC and STORET
have been Web-enabled, allowing anyone
with a standard web browser to navigate
both systems interactively or create files
of water quality data that can be down-
loaded to a typical personal computer.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Improving Information Technology
OWOW has worked cooperatively with the U.S. Geological Survey over the past decade in developing geographic
information system (CIS) tools such as the Reach Files and the National Hydrography Dataset. These tools will allow
important water quality and flow information from a variety of databases to be connected and consistently mapped. They
will also improve communication to the public on water quality issues of concern, including which local waters are
impaired, what the uses of those waters are, and what pollutants are impairing them.
The Reach Files are a series of national hydrologic databases that uniquely identify and interconnect the stream segments
or "reaches" that compose the U.S. surface water drainage system. The three versions of the EPA Reach File that currently
exist, known as RF1, RF2, and RF3, were created from increasingly detailed sets of digital hydrography data produced fay
the U.S. Geological Survey. OWOW enhanced these hydrography datasets by assigning a unique reach code to each stream
segment, determining the upstream/downstream relationships of each reach, and, when possible, identifying the stream
name for each reach.
Although these hydrography datasets can be used for some key analyses, most of the real power comes when other data is
connected (or "reach indexed") to them. Under the new National Hydrology Dataset, one can map and display very
localized stream information and overlay it with water quality information from other databases. These databases include
the TMDL Tracking System, used by EPA to maintain information about state lists of impaired or polluted waters; the 305(b)
Assessment Database, used by the states to maintain their surface water assessment results under section 305(b) of the Clean
Water Act; and the Water Quality Standards Database, which contains information on the specific uses for which
waterbodies are designated (such as swimming and fishing) by the states.
8-Digit Cataloging Units
Stream Reaches
within a Cataloging Unit
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting and Restoring Wetlands
Protecting and Restoring Wetlands
Wetlands provide a number of environmen-
tally and economically important functions
in watersheds, such as flood control, water
quality protection, ground water recharge,
spawning areas for fish, and wildlife habi-
tat. By the mid-20th century, when
improved scientific understanding brought
public recognition of these contributions,
the coterminous United States had lost
more then 50 percent of its original wet-
lands base. Nationally more than 100
million acres of wetlands had been drained
or filled, and in many watersheds less than
15 percent of the original wetland acreage
remained. As a result, our waters are more
polluted, our cities and farms are more
prone to.floods, and many wetland-depen-
dent species are in decline, threatened, or
endangered. Although wetland conversions
continue, the national loss rate has declined
significantly over the past 40 years—from
460,000 acres to 60,000 acres annually.
Other stressors, however, now affect wet-
land health, including pollutant loadings,
hydrological modification, invasive species,
and habitat fragmentation. Over the past
decade, OWOW has worked toward a bal-
anced framework of voluntary stewardship
and protection programs, strengthened
state and tribal programs, promoted regu-
latory protection for wetlands, emphasized
restoration of former wetlands, and devel-
oped tools for wetland monitoring.
Avoidance/No Net Loss of
Wetlands
. To increase protection of the nation's criti-
cal resource waters and floodplains,
OWOW worked with the USAGE to adopt
two new general conditions in the Nation-
wide Permit Program. In addition, to help
ensure mitigation accountability in the
Wetlands Regulatory Program, OWOW led
an interagency team that issued final
guidance on the use of in-lieu-fee com-
pensatory mitigation that will help ensure
effective replacement of impacted wet-
lands.
Strengthened State/Tribal/Local
Wetlands Programs
OWOW provides technical information,
program guidance, and financial assis-
tance to help strengthen state, tribal, and
Under Clean Water Act (CWA) section 404, a permit must be obtained before dredged or
fill material may be discharged into "waters of the United States," which include many
wetlands. This permit program is administered by the Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) or
approved states under guidelines issued by EPA. It ensures that the environmental impacts
of proposed discharges are avoided and minimized to the extent practicable, and that
unavoidable impacts are mitigated or offset through wetland restoration or other activities.
Overthe past decade, OWOW has worked closely with the USAGE to clarify the
requirements of the program and to improve environmental performance.
In 2000 Nationwide General Permit 26, the long-debated "catch-all" authorization that was
the single largest source of generally permitted wetland losses, was eliminated. The
underpinnings of this nationwide permit had been challenged by the National Academy of
Sciences, and it was replaced by six activity-specific general permits limited to minimal
environmental impacts. In addition, in 2000 the threshold for obtaining a Nationwide
General Permit was lowered to 1/2 acre (from 10 acres as late as 1996), and significant
conditions protecting floodplains and critical resource waters were added. In 2000 EPA
worked with the USAGE on regulatory changes (known as the "Tulloch Rule") to clarify
the scope of activities covered under section 404 to ensure that activities such as
mechanized excavation, channelization, and other activities that involve discharges of
dredged or fill materials are evaluated under CWA permitting requirements.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting and Restoring Wetlands
local capacities to protect and manage our
nation's wetlands. The Wetland Program
Development Grants Program, which be-
gan in FY1990 at $1 million per year, now
provides $15 million annually to states,
tribes, territories, and local governments
to establish effective programs to safe-
guard wetland resources. These grants
have funded more than 1,000 projects,
including efforts to incorporate wetlands
into traditional water programs, monitor
and assess the quantity and quality of
wetlands, enhance restoration tech-
niques, educate the public about wetlands,
and develop partnerships at the watershed .
level. In addition, OWOW's partnerships
with the Association of State Wetland
Managers and the Association of State
Floodplain Managers has also helped
enhance state capacity. EPA funding has
gone to support training and conferences
on wetland protection and restoration
strategies, reaching more than 5,000
people in the past decade.
State Assumption and State
Programmatic Permits
OWOW worked closely with Michigan and
New Jersey to help them assume the
federal permit program. EPA assisted New
Jersey in developing the legislation
needed to meet the assumption require-
ments, assisted in developing implementing
regulations, and coordinated with the other
involved federal agencies (USAGE, Fish
and Wildlife Service). Other states (such
as Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont,
Pennsylvania, and Maryland) administer
State Program General Permits (SPGPs) as
a means to reduce unnecessary duplica-
tion between state and federal programs.
In these (and other states with compre-
hensive or partial SPGPs) the state's
permit can eliminate the need to get a
separate permit from the Corps of Engi-
neers. SPGPs can serve as a stepping
stone toward full assumption of the federal
permit program. Additional funding to
assist state efforts to become more active ,
partners in wetlands protection, manage-
ment, and restoration can increase the
states' involvement nationwide and can
lead toward more states assuming the
federal permit program.
^Outreach is another important tool used to
increase long-term wetland conservation and
^management by enhancing public under-
eStanding of the value of wetlands and
^supporting innovative programs that
^encourage private, state, tribal, and local
'actions to conserve wetlands.
National Wetlands Awards
Since 1989 OWOW and the Environmental
Law Institute have cosponsored the Na-
tional Wetlands Awards Program. Since
1999 cosponsorship has expanded to in-
clude the.Forest Service, the Natural
Resources Conservation Service, the Na-
tional Marine Fisheries Service, and the
Fish and Wildlife Service. The awards
program is designed to honor individuals
from across the country who have demon-
strated outstanding innovation and
dedication to wetlands education, re-
search, volunteer leadership, private land
stewardship, development, and wetland
program development. The winners pro-
vide shining examples of how individuals
can make a difference in wetland protec-
tion and restoration.
Steve Delaney,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wetland mitigation banking can result in environmentally sound
com-pensatory mitigation and be an effective tool for watershed
managers. In 1995 EPA and four other agencies issued the Federal
Guidance for the Establishment, Use, and Operation of Mitigation
Banks, laying out how and when banking might be appropriately
used. Mitigation banks help ensure mitigation occurs in advance of
adverse project impacts and can result in economies of scale relating
to the planning, implementation, monitoring, and management of
mitigation projects. In addition, banks can be a way to reduce
uncertainty in the section 404 permit program, fay providing a source
of effective compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts.
Currently, more than 300 mitigation banks are operating or in the
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting and Restoring Wetlands
American Wetlands Month
In 1990 OWOW joined its partners in es-
tablishing American Wetlands Month.
Across the country every May, federal
agencies, state, tribal, and local govern-
ments, and private and nonprofit
organizations celebrate the vital role our
nation's wetlands play in the ecological
and economic system. American Wetlands
Month conferences, held every year since
1996 have attracted more than 1,400
people from across the country who have
shared valuable information on wetland
conservation and education efforts.
Wetlands Helpline
In 1991 OWOW established a toll-free
information service on wetlands. The
Helpline (1-800-832-7828) has provided
information to more than 50,000 callers.
The Five-Star Restoration Program
The Five-Star Program (www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/5star) is
so named because each project involves at least five partners. It often
brings together organizations that have not traditionally worked
together, including local corporations, public interest groups, youth
corps, students, and government agencies. This voluntary partnership
program offers a model for working together to improve our waters.
None of us can do it alone, and we certainly will not move ahead if we
duplicate efforts and compete with each other.
One important aspect of the program is to provide young people with
work experience, on-the-job training, and education in land
stewardship and ecosystem restoration to secure ecological,
educational, and social benefits for the community. Many Five-Star
projects provide outdoor classroom or alternative education
experiences for at-risk youth. This approach helps prepare the nation's
environmental workforce for the future and develops an informed
citizenry to meet the environmental challenges of tomorrow. Since
the start of the Five-Star Program in -1998, the pjrogram has received
more than 500 proposals represervtingjeVery'state of'the ulp[oq,
involving close to 2,000 partnerorganizations. For th
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting Our Oceans and Coasts
Protecting Our Oceans
and Coasts
We Americans are deeply connected to our
coastal waters. In fact, more than half the
nation's population—139 million people—
live along our country's shorelines.
Because of increasing pressures on our
fragile coastlines, OWOW has placed spe-
cial emphasis over the past decade on
building new partnerships among govern-
ments, citizens, businesses and other
stakeholders. However, the continuing
migration of our population to the coasts
and the fragile resources of this coastal
fringe mean that a safe and certain future
has not been secured.
The National Estuary Program
Since its inception in 1987, the National
Estuary Program (NEP) has continued to
bring communities together to protect and
restore their estuaries. There are now 28
estuaries in the program,.and each of them
has developed or is developing a Compre-
hensive Conservation and Management
Plan (CCMP), to be used as a blueprint to
guide restoration and preservation activi-
ties in the estuary. Within the past 10
years, 23 estuary programs have com-
pleted their CCMPs; they are now
implementing action plans. The remain-
ing five programs are expected to have
final CCMPs in 2001. Many accomplish-
ments have been realized through the
NEP, most notably the restoration and
protection of almost 1 million acres of
habitat nationwide.
NAMJ2HST
The watersheds of the National Estuary Program
-23"j\iati
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting Our Oceans and Coasts
Air-Water Initiative
Over the past decade, we have discovered
that coal-fired power plants, automobiles,
and other sources of airborne pollutants
are a major cause of water pollution, af-
fecting many of our estuaries and coastal
waters. The Air-Water Initiative, which
began in 1995, is part of the Office of
Water's efforts to assess the problem of air
deposition of pollutants and to find solu-
tions that protect
water quality. An
Air-Water Coordi-
nator has been
designated to facili-
tate communica-
tion among the EPA
S£cfe Dclancyf U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Steve Delaney, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water, Office of Air and Radiation,
other EPA offices, and other federal agen-
cies. The initiative has also funded atmo-
spheric deposition monitoring and
assessment in various coastal areas,
workshops aimed at both scientists and
managers, education materials and train-
ing, and other outreach activities de-
signed to focus attention on air pollution
impacts on water quality.
Harmful Algae Blooms and
Pfiesteria
Following toxic outbreaks of Pfiesteria.
along the eastern seaboard in 1997, the
White House called for a centralized fed-
eral response capability in the event of
future outbreaks. In response, EPA and
NOAA led the development of the Federal
Event Response Plan for Harmful Algal
Blooms: An Initial Focus on Pfiesteria, Fish
Lesions, Fish Kills, and Public Health. The
plan responded to state requests for assis-
tance during major outbreaks, and it was
distributed in 1998. EPA also funded 11
state agencies in the eastern United
States and along the Gulf of Mexico to
support existing and new rapid response
and monitoring programs for Pfiesteria,
funded a clearinghouse for Pfiesteria-
related information, and developed a fact
sheet for the public in English and Spanish.
Buzzards Bay in southeastern Massachusetts is known for its variety of habitats, including salt marshes, tidal
streams, eelgrass beds, tidal flats, barrier beaches, and rocky shores. The bay is one of 28 estuaries in the
National Estuary Program.
Over the years, cumulative impacts of local land uses, such as agriculture, industry, and recreation, have
degraded water quality and contaminated shellfish beds. To address these threats, the Buzzards Bay NEP has
worked with local and community organizations to implement innovative solutions.
High levels of fecal coliform bacteria, conveyed principally from storm water, were found to be the major
cause of shellfish bed closings, so watershed partners worked together to fashion a solution. They developed a
3-acre constructed wetland system to remove sand, silt, trash, and other debris from storm water discharges.
Thanks to reductions in bacteria levels, more than 4,000 acres of shellfish beds have been reopened. The
shellfish bed restoration strategy is typical of water quality efforts in the Buzzards Bay watershed. For each
problem identified, coordinated education efforts, restoration activities, and monitoring activities are
undertaken to improve the area's water resources.
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting Our Oceans and Coasts
Ocean Survey Vessel Peter W. Anderson
The 165-foot-long Peter W. Anderson is an ocean-going vessel that assists the EPA regions
in coastal and marine survey and monitoring operations. The majority of the Anderson's
missions involve surveys for designation and monitoring of ocean dredged material
disposal sites; however, included in its approximately 30 missions per year are water
quality surveys, public outreach efforts, coral reef studies, public health surveys of
municipal sewage outfalls, evaluations of the impacts of deposition of pollutants into
coastal and marine areas, and international assistance activities in the Wider Caribbean
area. Among the ship's accomplishments in the past decade are providing substantial
assistance in surveying damage from a large petroleum spill in the Delaware River and
locating for recovery operations several arsenic trioxide canisters lost from a container-
ship during a severe storm in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Meeting the Challenges—Protecting Our Oceans and Coasts
Vessel Sewage Discharge Program
Over the past 10 years, OWOW has increased its outreach efforts to make states aware of their authority,
under section 312 of the Clean Water Act, to designate all or part of their waters as a no-discharge zone
(NDZ) for vessel sewage. The results have been a significant increase in the number of states involved in the
program and an overall increase in the number of NDZs. Currently, 18 states have all or portions of their
waters designated as an NDZ for vessel sewage, resulting in 71 NDZ designations nationwide. A major
benefit of the designations has been the reopening of some shellfish beds previously closed because of
fecal contamination.
Uniform National Discharge Standards
EPA has partnered with the Department of Defense (DOD) to promulgate Uniform National Discharge
Standards (UNDS) to regulate discharges incidental to the normal operation of DOD vessels. In 1999 EPA
and DOD promulgated a joint rule that identified 25 discharges, such as bilge water and gray water, that
required control. The rule also identified another 14 discharges that were determined not to require
control. EPA and DOD are now developing performance standards for the 25 discharges based primarily on
potential environmental impacts and feasibility.
Cruise Ships
OWOW is currently conducting a national assessment of the cruise ship industry in response to a petition
received from the Bluewater Network on March 17, 2000. The petition asked OWOW to assess whether
discharges from cruise ships are harming the marine environment. The assessment should be completed in 2001.
Capacity Building
OWOW provides extensive technical support and training opportunities to help build capacity at the local
level for coastal watershed protection. Over the past 10 years, OWOW has sponsored numerous workshops
and training sessions on the following topics:
• Regulatory and nonregulatory tools available to local decision-makers for protecting their
coastal resources.
• Volunteer monitoring in estuaries.
• Land use impacts on water quality; development of comprehensive environmental monitoring
plans for NEPs.
• Solutions to build capacity for addressing long-term funding challenges in estuary programs;
negotiation and facilitation skills.
« ':'. f^ffff ' ]
• Creati,p^ alternative futures scenarios to address growth impacts in coastal environments.
"
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Partnerships
Partnerships
OWOW has broadened its impact and
effectiveness by reaching out to work in
partnership with the public and private
sectors. Today, more than ever, OWOW
recognizes that it must involve everyone—
other government agencies, businesses,
communities, and individuals—to meet its
environmental goals.
Many agencies and organizations have
increased their commitment to ensure
that they and their members do the right
thing to protect water quality. OWOW has
financially and actively supported a num-
ber of these voluntary efforts, including
the golf industry's development of Golf and
the Environment: Environmental Principles
for Golf Courses in the United States (see
box), the ski industry's new Environmen-
tal Charter, the U.S. Post Office's new
Beneficial Site and Landscape Guidelines,
and best management practice handbooks
by the pork and wheat industries.
Green Ports/Green Ships
Programs
Through the Green Ports and Green Ships
Programs, OWOW has successfully pro-
moted environmental stewardship
concepts for U.S. ports. Under the Green
Ports Program, OWOW helped the Ameri-
can Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)
produce an environmental handbook that
helps port managers implement environ-
mentally sound practices to address
potential sources of water and air pollution
and to manage solid and hazardous waste.
Under the Green Ships Program, EPA
funded the Chamber of Shipping of
America to produce a handbook for vessels
that provides the shipping industry with
environmentally friendly ship operation
practices and complements the AAPA
handbook.
NACo/ICMA
OWOW's partnerships with the National
Association of Counties (NACo) and the
International City/County Management
Association (ICMA) have helped build local
government officials' awareness of water-
shed protection issues. Since 1995, OWOW
has supported wetland and watershed work-
shops at NACo and ICMA's biannual
national meetings and have trained over
2,000 local government officials. EPA sup-
ported NACo and ICMA in the publication
of wetland and watershed case studies and
has distributed these case studies to more
than 2,000 local government officials and
watershed associations. EPA has also used
NACo's network of county officials and
managers to share information on com-
munity-based coastal initiatives, such as
wellhead protection and agricultural water
reuse programs.
In 1995 OWOW became involved in the multisector Golf and
Environment initiative to catalyze and support voluntary environmental
improvements in the golf industry. The goal is to help the industry
become a model through continued cooperation in environmental
stewardship and public education. Accomplishments include devel-
opment of a set of guiding Environmental Principles for Golf Courses in
the United States, design and implementation of an environmental
performance measurement pilot project, preparation of a collaboration
guide to facilitate planning and partnership at the local level, and
development of siting guidelines for golf course developers and local
governments. In addition, the group sponsors national conferences to
share information.and ideas on golf and the environment.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Partnerships
OWOW has been a partner with the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) for many years. WHC has had
numerous successes in helping large landowners, particularly corporations, manage their unused lands in an
ecologically sensitive manner for the benefit of wildlife. More than 105 companies are WHC members, as
are two dozen conservation organizations. More than 550,000 acres in 43 states, Puerto Rico, and eight
other countries are managed for wildlife through WHC-assisted projects—cooperative efforts involving
management, employees, community members, local conservation groups, and local, state, and federal
agencies.
OWOW and WHC have adopted two (in 1995 and 2001) Memoranda of Understanding to further their common
interests. They have worked together on such projects as the Cooper River (South Carolina) Corridor Project
and the St. Clair River (Michigan) Waterways for Wildlife project. These projects involved partnerships with
companies like Amoco, Bayer DuPont, and Ford, as well as conservation organizations like Ducks Unlimited.
Each year OWOW supports WHC's Wildlife Symposium, which brings together representatives from wildlife
conservation groups, industry, and the community to share information and their enthusiasm about enhancing
and restoring wildlife habitat at corporate sites. In 2001 WHC announced a record number of more than 1.2 million
acres being managed for wildlife. WHC is also a partner with OWOW in the Five-Star Restoration Program,
which brings together citizen groups, corporations, youth conservation corps, students, landowners, and
Nonpoint Education for
Municipal Officials
Thanks to OWOW's partnership with the
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials
(NEMO) Project at the University of Con-
necticut Cooperative Extension, scores of
towns and communities across the coun-
try are examining how their local land use
plans, regulations and practices can better
protect water resources. NEMO uses state-
of-the-art GIS and remote sensing to help
community decision-makers and landown-
ers better understand the relationship
between their activities and water re-
sources. NEMO training workshops for
EPA's National Estuary Programs have led
to the creation of local coalitions to exam-
ine the effects of growth on quality of life
and natural resources, reviews of local
ordinances, and build-out analyses. In
addition to providing financial support,
OWOW serves as member of NEMO's
interagency advisory group.
Know Your Watershed
Beginning in 1993, OWOW teamed up with
the Conservation Technology Information
Center to launch a campaign to
encourage rural and agricul-
tural communities to play an
active role in managing their
watersheds. Over the past seven
years, the "Know Your Watershed" cam-
paign has built a national partnership of
agricultural commodity groups, farm
organizations, agricultural retailers, in-
KNOWYOUR
WATERSHED
dustry, and others to address the conser-
vation of natural resources, watershed
protection, and nonpoint source pollution.
In addition to developing many highly
popular booklets and a video about getting
started on local watershed projects, "Know
Your Watershed" has been a great vehicle
for disseminating information about water
quality as well as wetlands and source
waters. A new Core 4 project offers solid,
science-
based _
information Conservation fop Agriculture's Future
for farmers
on ways to implement practices to con-
serve natural resources, such as weed
and pest management, conservation buff-
ers, and conservation tillage.
Center for Marine Conservation
Since 1986 ^ ^
OWOWhas ^"\CEYER F°R
partnered CjJ MARINE
with the ^Upr CONSERVATION
Center for
Marine Conservation (CMC) to establish
and maintain the annual International
Coastal Cleanup Campaign (ICCC). The
ICCC is the largest volunteer environ-
mental stewardship activity in the world.
In 1999, more than 770,000 volunteers,
including 11,142 divers, from 78 countries
cleaned up over 4,290 tons of trash from
11,361 miles of shoreline and underwater
sites. EPA also has partnered with CMC to
develop the statistically based National
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Partnerships
Marine Debris Monitoring Program, in
which volunteers gather scientifically
valid marine debris data. Currently, 162
monitoring sites are established, and at
128 of them data are being collected. Even-
tually there will be 180 monitoring sites
in the contiguous United States, Alaska,
Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
The Girl Scouts of the United
States of America
In 1999 OWOW partnered with the Girl
Scouts of the United States of
America to establish a new
Water Drop Patch Program. To
date, more than 6,000 girl
scouts nationwide have earned
patches by completing watershed
stewardship activities. The project recently
received an award from the National Envi-
ronmental Education and Training Founda-
tion for excellence in environmental
education. OWOW also participates in an
interagency effort, "Linking Girls to the
Land," to promote hands-on conservation
activities for thousands of girl scouts.
Federal Agency Collaboration
Coastal America
The Coastal America partnership, of which
EPA is a charter mem-
ber, was established in
1992 to provide a forum
for interagency collabo-
ration to leverage the
authorities, expertise,
and resources of each
member agency to address
the problems of habitat loss and
degradation, nonpoint source pollution, and
contaminated sediments in the coastal
environment. OWOW serves on both the .
National Implementation Team and the
Education and Outreach Committee.
Recently, Coastal America has launched
several innovative partnerships to help
further its protection and restoration goals.
The Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center
network links major aquariums around the
country with federal agencies to increase
public awareness and involvement in
;S; Coral Reeff ask Forcer
Coral reefs and their associated communities of seagrasses,
mangroves, and mudflats are sensitive indicators of water quality and
the ecological integrity of the ecosystem. They are important fishery
and nursery areas and recently have proved to be very important
economically as tourist attractions. Reefs also provide protection
from erosion. And, like rain forests, coral reefs may hold the key to
new cures and vaccines.
OWOW has led EPA's participation in the Coral Reef Task Force,
which is charged under the new Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000
to coordinate federal research, preservation, and restoration
activities to protect coral reef ecosystems. On March 2, 2000, the Task
Force issued the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. The
action plan is being implemented by several working groups to the
Task Force, one of which, the Water & Air Quality Working Group, is
chaired by EPA. Major accomplishments of the Working Group to
date include clarification by EPA and the Corps of Engineers of the
protection provided under the Clean Water Act and other laws for
activities that affect coral reefs, establishment of special conditions in
Clean Water Act section 404 general permits for protecting coral
reefs, creation of a volunteer diver reef monitoring program in the
Caribbean, and increased interagency coordination and technical
coastal resource protection and restora-
tion. The military's Innovative Readiness
Training Program links the training needs
of the armed forces with coastal ecosystem
restoration needs. Military units have been
involved in several Coastal America projects
to date, including the removal of decommis-
sioned dams to restore spawning habitat for
anadromous fish populations. The National
Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership
is a voluntary private-public partnership in
which corporations join with federal and
state agencies to restore wetlands and other
aquatic habitats. Since its inception, •
Coastal America has sponsored more than
500 restoration and protection projects
around the country.
Wetlands Interagency
Working Group
During the early 1990s, wetland programs
were criticized as unduly complex, inconsis-
tent, burdensome, and even ineffective. An
interagency work group met to consider how
to improve and streamline federal wetland
programs. In August 1993 the work group
identified more than 40 improvements
designed to make the federal programs
more "fair, flexible, and effective." Major
themes included reliance on sound science
in the decision-making process and in-
creased coordination with state, local, and
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Partnerships
tribal efforts. The group's efforts led to a
groundbreaking 1995 National Academy of
Sciences study on the identification and
delineation of wetlands. Another major
accomplishment was the creation of an
administrative appeals process to allow
landowners to appeal wetland delineations
and permit denials without costly and time-
consuming judicial proceedings. In addition,
streamlined permitting was offered for small
business expansions and homeowners. To
simplify wetland identifications for the
nation's farmers, the agencies agreed to
rely on a single wetland determination by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture on
farmlands for both Food Security Act and
Clean Water Act programs.
National Dredging Team
OWOW serves on the National Dredging
Team (NDT), an iriteragency effort estab-
lished in 1995 to promote national and
regional consistency on dredging issues
and to provide a forum for conflict resolu-
tion and information exchange early in
the dredging process. Since 1995 the NDT
has established nine Regional Dredging
Teams (RDTs). The NDT has also devel-
oped and issued guidance on the creation
of Local Planning Groups, or LPGs, (in
1998) and on the procedures for elevating
issues from RDTs and LPGs to the NDT (in
1999). The NDT sponsored a workshop in
1999 to address Coastal Zone Management
Act consistency issues involved in the
dredging process and sponsored a major
conference in 2001 to address future chal-
lenges in the dredging program.
American Heritage Rivers
The American Heritage Rivers Initiative is an
innovative effort to foster improvements in
environmental protection and natural re-
source conservation, historic and cultural
preservation, and economic revitalization in
river communities. Without any new regu-
lations on private property owners or state,
local, and tribal governments, the program
is about making more efficient and effec-
tive use of existing federal resources,
cutting red tape, and lending a helping
hand. OWOW has been instrumental in
developing and supporting the American
Heritage Rivers Initiative.
The Clean Water Action Plan:
A New Watershed Framework
Beginning in 1998, nine federal agencies
joined with state, tribal, and local partners
to identify 111 key actions to protect and
restore the nation's waters and to build a
new watershed framework for coordinating
their plans and programs. Among some of
the accomplishments under the Clean Water
Action Plan was the development of Unified
Watershed Assessments. All 56 states and
territories, the District of Columbia, and
more than 80 tribes submitted these com-
prehensive assessments of watershed
health. More than 300 Watershed Restora-
tion Action Strategies are in various
stages of implementation to coordinate
efforts to reduce pollution, protect natural
resources, and restore wetlands and ripar-
ian zones. OWOW has played a major role
in other collaborative efforts, including:
• Coastal Monitoring Strategy
A new Coastal Research and Monitor-
ing Strategy issued in September
2000 presents a basic assessment of
the nation's coastal research and
monitoring needs and recommends
an integrated framework to'protect
vital coastal resources. The Strategy
reflects input from a wide range of
groups and individuals, including
nongovernment organizations, state
and local governments, tribes, the
research community, and other inter-
ests.
• National Coastal Condition Report
The first-ever National Coastal Condi-
tion Report will present a broad base-
line picture of the condition of
coastal waters. In 2000 EPA, along
with the National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric Administration, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the
U.S. Geological Survey, issued a public
and peer-reviewed draft for comment.
When the final report-is issued at
the end of FY2001, it will provide
national-level coastal assessment
information on water quality, sedi-
ment quality, biota, habitat, ecosys-
tem integrity, and public health. The
report will serve as a useful bench-
mark for analyzing the future progress
of coastal management programs.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Partnerships
EPA and Bird
Conservation
Partners in Flight and Migratory Bird Conservation
As a logical extension of its work in protecting natural ecosystems and their associated wildlife,
OWOW became involved in bird conservation efforts in the early 1990s. The primary focus was the
broad coalition Partners in Flight, which formed around a widespread concern that populations of
bird species that breed in North America but winter in Latin America were in steep decline. OWOW
joined scores of other federal agencies, states, nongovernment organizations, academic institutions,
and the forest products industry in a concerted effort to better define the problems faced by these
"neotropical migrant" bird species and to begin to fashion solutions that draw on the combined
expertise, authorities, energies, and resources of all of the partners:
By the mid-1990s, OWOW had moved into a leadership role in representing EPA in Partners in
Flight and began to broaden its efforts into other bird conservation initiatives and activities,
working in close cooperation with people from many parts of the Agency. In the late 1990s,
Partners in Flight expanded its scope of concern to include all land birds and played a key role in
establishing an all-bird-species conservation initiative that included Mexico and Canada, known
as the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI). Partners in Flight and similar
initiatives for shorebirds, waterfowl, and colonial waterbirds focus on developing conservation
objectives, grounded in science and tailored to the continent's diverse ecosystems, and on
developing the technical tools needed for monitoring and habitat management. NABCI builds on
these in establishing institutional mechanisms with needed resources for the delivery of on-the-
ground conservation action. OWOW has also played a leadership role in NABCI and has provided
critical support to bird conservation through funding, helping to establish links among
interested parties, providing information on bird conservation to EPA programs, establishing a
comprehensive bird conservation web site (www.epa.gov/OWOW/birds), and other assistance.
EPA serves on the federal Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds established to
coordinate activities under Executive Order 13186. This is an expansion of the role EPA has
played under the North American Waterfowl Conservation Act, serving on the Migratory Bird
Conservation Commission, which acquires and restores wetland habitat.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Global Activities
Global Activities
In addition to hosting visitors from around
the globe who are interested in learning
more about its programs, OWOW is ac-
tively involved in a number of international
initiatives to address issues that transcend
our nation's borders.
The London Convention
Adopted in 1972, the London Convention
(LC) established a global system to protect
the marine environment from pollution
caused by ocean dumping. During the
1990s, the LC banned incineration at sea
and the dumping of industrial wastes and
low-level radioactive wastes. In 1992 the
parties to the LC began a comprehensive
review of the Convention. This review
resulted in the 1996 Protocol, a new treaty
that is separate from the LC. The Protocol
sets forth a regime that is more stringent,
more comprehensive, and more protective
of the marine environment than the LC.
The United States signed the Protocol in
1996 and is working toward its ratifica-
tion. Although the Protocol is not yet in
effect, the United States is already consis-
tent with its substantive provisions.
Cartagena Convention
The Convention for the Protection and
Development of the Marine Environment
of the Wider Caribbean Region (the
Cartagena Convention), which was
adopted in 1983, is the only legally binding
environmental treaty for the Wider Carib-
bean. It has several protocols addressing
issues such as oil spills, specially pro-
tected areas and wildlife, and pollution
from land-based sources. In 1999 efforts
culminated in the adoption of the land-
based protocol. OWOW has been involved
in the drafting, negotiations, and imple-
mentation of the Cartagena Convention.
OWOW has also funded pilot projects in the
region to implement the land-based
sources protocol, incorporated implement-
ing language into EPA regulations, and
assisted in research efforts in the Wider
Caribbean.
MARPOL
The International Convention for the Pre-
vention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL)
was created to minimize waterborne and
airborne pollution from cargo vessels oper-
ating in U.S. and international waters.
OWOW has provided technical support
and assisted in negotiations to address
emissions from ships (adopted in 1998),
anti-foulants, invasive species carried in
ballast water tanks, and garbage (amended
in 2000).
Convention on Biodiversity
The Convention on Biodiversity was
adopted at the 1992 United Nations Con-
ference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) as a means to conserve global
biological diversity. Although the United
States has not yet ratified the Convention,
the U.S. Government has been an active
participant in Convention activities..
OWOW has provided technical expertise,
especially in the ecosystem areas of ma-
rine and coastal diversity and freshwater
diversity.
Washington Declaration on Land-
Based Sources
More than 100 countries adopted the Glo-
bal Program for Action for the Protection of
the Marine Environment from Land-based
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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Global Activities
Activities in 1995. OWOW was intimately
involved in the planning and hosting of
this conference and continues to work
toward the protection of the marine envi-
ronment from land-based pollutant sources
through its implementing programs.
International Year of the Ocean
OWOW coordinated EPA's activities sup-
porting the 1998 celebration, International
Year of the Ocean. This international cam-
paign to heighten awareness of ocean and
coastal issues has led to an increase in
research monies for ocean issues, in-
creased coordination among agencies, and
heightened public awareness. Highlights
of this year-long interagency effort in-
cluded the National Oceans Conference
in Monterey, California; identification of
national priorities for ocean and coastal
waters; and implementation of high-
priority actions.
The Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands
Celebrating 30 years of worldwide wetlands
protection efforts, the Ramsar Convention
on Wetlands boasts 123 member nations
that have identified more than 1,000 wet-
land sites of international importance and
spurred a vast array of technical research,
policy development, and support networks.
OWOW participates in the Convention's
triennial meetings as an official member
of the U.S. delegation, which is led by the
State Department and the Fish and Wild-
life Service. OWOW has been particularly
active in providing information resources
for countries developing wetlands protec-
tion and management policies.
1NTECOL: International Wetlands
Conference
Every 4 years, the world's top wetland
scientists, policymakers, and managers
convene to share information on the full
spectrum of wetlands issues. OWOW par-
ticipates in this global gathering to share
its progress on the watershed approach,
wetland policy advances, and information
resources. The most recent conference
was held in 2000 in Quebec. OWOW co-
sponsored the event, led several panel
sessions, taught technical mini-courses
on wetlands, staffed an EPA wetlands infor-
mation booth, and provided practical
wetlands management observations.
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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The Challenges Ahead
"When we try to pick out anything by itself in nature we find it
hitched to everything else in the universe."—John Muir
Steve Delaney,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Challenges Ahead
Our rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands
are the lifeblood of our nation. They pro-
vide a variety of services from drinking
water to recreational opportunities to trans-
portation and food. As a nation we are
beginning to recognize that clean water is
intrinsically tied to our quality of life.
Americans are deeply concerned about
their waters, and OWOW has witnessed
strong public support for efforts to keep
them, clean and safe.
Although much progress has been made,
many challenges remain. OWOW will
strive to be at the forefront in helping the
country meet these challenges. OWOW
will continue its efforts to clean up pol-
luted waterbodies, restore degraded
habitats, and address new and growing
threats such as urban sprawl and inva-
sive species. These efforts will take
creativity, commitment, and the involve-
ment of many partners.
Over the long term, securing healthy and
sustainable aquatic ecosystems will re-
quire strategies that make greater use of
market mechanisms; tap the energy and
perspective of state and local stewardship
groups, industry, and government; and
provide a foundation of fair, flexible, and
effective regulation. As we begin this new
millennium, OWOW firmly believes that a
watershed framework offers the best op-
portunity for bringing people and
strategies together to address the chal-
lenges ahead.
Sprawl and Watersheds.
„ ii * '.... iErsa'^WW'WniiPilBiiiiiiiPiniii niaaKiKniHihnuii: "iSfiKii'lhifnillliiijisTiS1"™!1 •wi*!
Sprawl has been identified as one of the leading causes of
degradation in many watersheds. Development activities, especially
unplanned growth, can result in increased storm water runoff with
higher and faster flood peaks, streambank erosion, habitat loss, and
groundwater recharge problems. Once 10 percent of a watershed is
developed or paved over, streambeds start to degrade because of
increased runoff. Some states and local communities are embracing
"smart growth" and taking initiatives to protect and restore streams
and adjacent floodplains.
Nonindigenous, invasive species are now recognized as a major
environmental threat capable of causing major adverse impacts on
ecosystems, economies, and human health. They cost our country an
estimated $138 billion per year in economic losses and control costs
alone. According to the National Estuary Programs, invasive species
now constitute the largest single threat to the biological diversity of
the world's coastal waters.
S. van Mechelen, Michael Kraak,
University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands,
courtesy of Mission Sea Grant
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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U.S. EPA Regions
) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Air
and Radiation
Office of Solid Office of Prevention,
Waste and Pesticides and
Emergency Response Toxic Substances
Office of Research
and Development
Office for
Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance
Office of
Water
Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water
Office of Science
and Technology
Office of Water
American Indian
Environmental Offici
Office of Wastewater
Management
Office of Wetlands, Oceans,
and Watersheds
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
US EPA, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (4501F), Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-7166, (202) 260-6294 (fax)
www.epa.gov/owow
Robert H. Wayland HI, Director
,!
^ •' Louise Wise, Director, Policy, Communications, and Resource Management J
Wetlands Division
(202) 260-7791
(202) 260-2356 (fax)
John Meagher, Director
Greg Peck, Acting Associate Director
Phil Oshida, Associate Director
John Goodin, Chief, Wetlands and
Aquatic Resources Regulatory Branch
Stan Austin, Acting Chief, Wetlands
Strategies and State Programs Branch
Oceans and Coastal
Protection Division
(202) 260-1952
(202) 260-9960 (fax)
Suzanne Schwartz, Director
Craig Vogt, Associate Director
Dave Redford, Acting Chief, Marine
Pollution Control Branch
Darrell Brown, Chief, Coastal
Management Branch
Assessment and Watershed
Protection Division
(202) 260-704O
(202) 260-7024 (fax)
Charles Sutfin, Director
Carl Myers, Associate Director
Don Brady, Chief, Watershed Branch
Dov Weitman, Chief, Nonpoint Source
Control Branch
Margarete Hebei; Chief,
Monitoring Branch
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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TEXT VERSION
OF WETLAHDS, OCEANS, & WATERSHEDS
I Working ujith Partners to Protect fimerica's Water Resources,
What's New
Concerned Citizens
Frequently Asked Questions
oceans, coasts, estuaries
-__
monitoring water quality -It
polluted runoff
I' Wo
I" Qua
Visit OWOW's homepage at www.epa.gov/owow
Special Features
VVatcishcd
Information
Network
EPA ana Bircf"
Conservation
National Water Quality Inventory
www.epa.gov/ow/national
Watershed Information Network
www.epa.gov/win
Watershed Academy
www.epa.gov/watertrain
Restoration
www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore
Invasive Species
www. epa. gov/ owow/ invasive_species
Bird Conservation
www. epa.gov/ owow/ birds
Adopt Your Watershed
www.epa.gov/adopt
TEA-21
www. epa. gov/ owow/ tea
American Heritage Rivers
www.epa.gov/rivers
National Estuary Program
www. epa. gov/ owow/ estuaries
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds: A Watershed Decade
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