United States Office of Water
Environmental Protection (4503F)
Agency
EPA841-B-01-002
March 2001
v>EPA EPA Watershed
Training
Opportunities
TRAINING COURSES
TRAINING MATERIALS
The Watershed Academy
Information Transfer Series
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EPA 841-B-01-002
March 2001
The Watershed Academy
/nformafion Transfer Series, No. 72 e
EPA Watershed
Training
\
Assessment and Watershed Protection Division
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (4503F)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
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Acknowledgments
This booklet was prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds under EPA Contract 68-C7-OOI8.
The project manager appreciates the many EPA staff, particularly those in the Office of Science
and Technology, the Office of Wastewater Management, the Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water, and the Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, and others who contributed
information about their watershed-related training activities and participated in document
review.
This booklet should be cited as:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2001. EPA Watershed Training Opportunities
EPA 841-B-01-002. Office of Water (4503F), United States Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington, DC. 25 pp.
To obtain a copy of this and
other Watershed Academy documents free of charge, contact:
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Phone: (513) 489-8190, (800) 490-9198
I'ax: (513) 489-8695
Internet: wmepa.gov/ncepihoni/ordering.htm
This booklet is available on the Internet at
www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacadeiiiy/its.Iitnil
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Introduction j
What Is the Watershed Academy? \
Training Courses
Watershed Academy Training Courses
Watersheds 101: The Clean Water Act: A Key Tool for Watershed Protection 2
Watersheds 102: Statewide Approach to Watershed Management 2
Watersheds 103: TMDL Training for Practitioners , 3
Watersheds 104: Executive Overview of the Watershed Approach 3
Watersheds 105: Watershed Management Tools Primer , 3
Watersheds 106: Watershed Partnership Seminar .. 4
Watersheds 107: Landscape Ecology and Smart Growth 4
Watersheds 108: TMDL Training for Stakeholders , 5
A Framework for Stream Corridor Restoration (Interagency Course) 5
Working at a Watershed Level (Interagency Course) 5
Other EPA Office of Water Training Courses
BASINS: A Powerful Tool for Managing Watersheds 6
Channelization and Channel Modification Workshop 6
Clean Water Act Section 404 Regulatory Issues Training Course 6
Collaborative Resource Management (Interagency Course) 7
Community Culture and the Environment:. A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place 7
Drinking Water Academy Training Courses 7
Getting in Step: A Pathway to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed 8
Getting in Step: Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed 8
Ground Water-Surface Water Interactions: Principles and Methods for Managers 8
Local Government Workshops: Tools for Watershed Protection 9
Monitoring Workshops for the National Estuary Program ..,,,. 9
National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities 9
National Estuary Program Finance Workshops JQ
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials Training IQ
NPDES Permit Writers' Course j 5
NPDES Pretreatment Courses j j
Participating in the NPDES Permitting Process: A Workshop , j i
Smart Growth Leadership Training , J2
SOS Wetland Conservation and Sustainability Workshop 12
SRF 101: Using the SRF to Support Watershed Activities 13
SRF Funding Framework Workshops:
Integrating the SRF with Statewide or Watershed Goals., 13
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STORET -. 14
Stream Corridor and Ploodplain Restoration \/t
Stream Investigation and Stabilization Workshop 14
Stream Processes, Assessment and Restoration Workshop 15
Tribal Nonpoint Source Pollution Workshop 15
Volunteer Monitoring for Estuaries 15
Water Quality Enhancement Techniques for Reservoirs and Tailwaters 16
Water Quality Standards Academy K,
Water Quality Standards Academy for Indian Tribes K$
WET (Whole Effluent Toxicity) Training 17
Web-Based Training Opportunities
Watershed Academy Web-Based Training and Certificate (Watershed Academy Web) 17
Drinking Water Academy Electronic Workshop 13
Training Materials
Information Transfer Series Publications 19
Software 20
Videos 21
FaciSitatfon
Technical Assistance for Watershed Approaches 22
EPA Watershed-Related Web Sites
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 23
Watershed Information Network 23
Watershed Academy 23
Watershed Academy Web 23
Surf Your Watershed 23
Office of Water „
6,1
Local Drinking Water Information Web Site 23
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Watershed Academy is a focal point in the Office of
Water for providing training and information on implementing watershed approaches. This training
is provided to federal, state, tribal, and local officials, as well as private practitioners of water-
shed management. The Watershed Academy has a web-based training program, sponsors its own
training courses and develops training materials; it also publicizes watershed-related training
materials and web sites developed by others, including other offices in EPA's Office of Water.
This booklet describes the watershed training opportunities sponsored by EPA's Office of Water
and the Watershed Academy,
Academy?
EPA's Watershed Academy provides training and information on
how to implement watershed approaches' to local, state, tribal,
and federal officials and private practitioners of watershed
management. The Watershed Academy consists of four key components:
1. Training Courses on topics ranging from basic watershed manage-
ment principles to the application of more complex technical tools.
(A summary of these courses is provided in this booklet.)
2. Training Materials, which include an information transfer series with
numerous documents that highlight institutional/organizational/technical aspects of
implementing watershed approaches. These documents, plus videos, CD-ROMs, and software
(see page 19), are listed in this booklet.
3. Waterslied Management Facilitation, in which the Academy assists states and tribes in
reorienting their water resource management programs along watershed lines (see page 22).
4. Web-Based Training, at Watershed Academy Web (www. epa.gov/watertrain), through
which EPA offers over 40 free, self-paced training modules and a watershed management
training certificate (see page 17).
More detailed information on each of these four components, including training schedules,
course summaries, and downloadable publications, is available through the Watershed
Academy's web site at wvw.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy.htm.
'A watershed approach is a coordinating framework that focuses community efforts on priority problems within a watershed.
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The Watershed Academy offers several training courses that support watershed approaches and also
publicizes watershed courses sponsored by others, including EPA's Office of Water, other federal
agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. The watershed-related training courses sponsored
by EPA's Watershed Academy and Office of Water are summarized below. To obtain the latest
schedule and training information, go to the Watershed Academy web site at www.epa.gov/
owowAvatershed/wacaclemy/corsched.btm. The course schedule includes contact information
for course registration. Many courses are free but in some instances fees apply.
Please note that many of the EPA phone numbers will be changing during 2001 and 2002, If
you have trouble phoning a course contact, please look up the new number at www.epa.gov/
epahome/locator.htm or make contact via e-mail.
O For information on watershed-related courses sponsored by other federal agencies and
others, you might want to obtain a copy of the Watershed Academy Inventory of Watershed
Training Courses, which includes descriptions of 180 EPA andnon-EPA courses (seep. 19
for more information on this Inventory).
Watersheds 101: The Clean Water Act: A Key Tool for Watershed Protection
This 2-day course provides a fundamental understanding of each of the key Clean Water Act
(CWA) programs, an overview of the overall framework of the law, and an explanation of the
many links between GWA elements. The goal of the course is to provide trainees with broad
knowledge that will enable them to answer most basic questions about regulatory tools, funding
mechanisms, and other key elements of the CWA, as well as enhance their ability to help develop
and implement holistic, integrated strategies for watershe'd protection and restoration.
The Watershed Academy also offers an expanded version of this course entitled '"Hie Clean Water Act
and Other Tools for Watershed Protection." This 3-day course includes the information ment-
ioned above, along with information about other key federal statutes (Safe Drinking Water Act, Farm
Bill, etc.) and selected innovative state and local tools (land acquisition, economic incentives, etc.).
These courses are sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, and are
intended for watershed managers, staff, and program leaders from states, tribes, and territories;
local governments; EPA regional and headquarters staff; watershed associations; and other
interested watershed practitioners.
O For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503P), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail; iuacademy@epa.gov
Watersheds 102: Statewide Approach to Watershed Management
This 2-day course provides in-depth, comprehensive training in statewide approaches to water-
shed management. Drawing on experiences from more than 20 states, the course reviews key
elements of statewide management frameworks, including considerations for designing stakeholder
forums, strategic monitoring and assessment, priority setting, and development and implementation
of integrated strategies. Practical tools for implementing watershed approaches are introduced.
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EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds sponsors this course, which is intended for
state water resource managers and their potential watershed management partners, including
local governments, tribes, watershed groups, and others. The course may be sponsored for a
single-state workgroup wanting to learn more about other states' watershed frameworks as it
begins to design or refine its own approach or for a region with multiple states that are ready to
develop or enhance their watershed approaches.
O For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail: wacademy@epa.gov
Watersheds 103: TMDL Training for Practitioners
This 1-day course reviews the programmatic and technical components of developing Total Maximum
Daily Loads (TMDLs) under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (cm). Section 303(d) requires
that states, territories, and authorized tribes (hereafter referred to as "states") develop lists of waters
that do not meet state water quality standards, even after the application of technology-based and
other required controls. States must establish priority rankings for the waters on the list and develop
TMDLs for the waters. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a
waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards and an allocation of that amount to the
pollutant's sources. This training provides critical information on how the technical basis for a TMDL
can be developed. The TMDL information is presented through lectures and relevant case study
examples tailored to regional needs.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds and Office of
Science and Technology. The course is intended for people that will actually develop TMDLs,
including technical water resources staff and watershed managers from states, tribes, and territo-
ries; local governments; EPA regional and headquarters staff; and other watershed practitioners.
O For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail: ivacademy@epa,gov
Watersheds 104: Executive Overview of the Watershed Approach
This half-day course is intended to help senior managers explore the rationale for implementing
statewide watershed management. It provides a conceptual framework for carrying out the process
of integrating natural resource management programs on a watershed basis, Participants examine
the elements of watershed-based organizational management and discuss how the approach can
address any difficult challenges facing managers.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, and is intended for
watershed managers, staff, and program leaders from states, tribes, and territories; local govern-
ments; EPA regional and headquarters staff; and other watershed practitioners.
^> For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail: jvacademy@epa.gov
Watersheds 105: Watershed Management Tools Primer
Tills 2-day course introduces a number of tools that can help practitioners cany out die watershed
management process. The tools explained include watershed assessment methods, modeling, risk
assessment, issue prioritization, methods for targeting actions, strategic monitoring, evaluation
techniques, and information management. Each session covers two or three tools selected from this list.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, and is intended
for watershed managers, staff, and program leaders from states, tribes, and territories; local
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governments; EPA regional and headquarters staff; and other watershed practitioners.
o For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail: wacadeny@epa.goi>
Watersheds 106: Watershed Partnership Seminar
Also known AS Healthy Watersheds: Community-based Partnerships for Environmental
Decision Making, this course emphasizes die establishment and maintenance of watershed-based
partnerships among water resource professionals, local governments, and citizens representing the
diversity of interests necessaiy to build healthy and sustainable watersheds. It provides an overview of
basic ecological principles related to watershed planning and describes the benefits of watershed
management. The course, taught by people involved in cooperative watershed projects, focuses
on personal and group skills useful to all participants in successful locally led, community-
based environmental projects. The techniques learned In this course will help participants develop
plans and strategies to meet the goals and priorities of several state, tribal, and federal watershed
efforts, including Clean Water Act Programs (Sections 303(d) and 319).
This 2-week residential course is cosponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Management Development Centers. It is intended for
community representatives and environmental staff that are or will be using watershed- or community-
based approaches for environmental protection. The course is recommended for EPA staff; staff from
other federal agencies; state, tribal, and local agencies; environmental organizations; corporations;
and other parties interested in building or participating in community-based environmental planning
and decision making. The course is limited to 40 people and costs $3,300 for tuition, lodging, and meals.
O For more information, contact either the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F),
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460; Phone: (202) 260-5368;
E-mail: tvacafamy@epa.gov, or Great Leaders for Great Government Program, U.S. Office of
Personnel Management, Western Management Development Center, 3151 South Vaughn
Way, Suite 300, Aurora, CO 80014; Phone: (303) 671-1026; E-mail: sjodonne@opm.gov
Watersheds 107: Landscape Ecology and Smart Growth
This course presents an introduction to landscape ecology and its relevance to the watershed manage-
ment mission, the emerging interest In smart growth, and day-to-day activities in environmental
management. Landscape ecology draws upon many of die concepts, theories, and tools of ecology but
applies them to the dynamics of larger (e.g., miles-wide) areas in die environment that have a consistent
pattern of interacting human and natural components. Examples of landscapes include a forested
landscape with occasional patches of agriculture, a heavily agricultural landscape with patchy wetlands
and forests throughout, and an urban/suburban landscape with few patches of natural cover.
Consistent landscape patterns often suggests consistency in the types of environmental problems found
and management solutions. Clearly, measuring and analyzing landscape patterns is relevant to
smart growdi initiatives. Landscape ecology also makes extensive use of technologies such as remote
sensing and geographic information systems (CIS). This course discusses'these tools only as
necessary to address concepts and their applications to landscape ecology.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, and is intended
for watershed managers, staff, and program leaders from states, tribes, and territories; local
governments; EPA regional and headquarters staff; and -other watershed' practitioners.'
O For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503P), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC20460. Phone: (202) 260,53681 E-maikwqcademy@epa.gov .„
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Watersheds 108: TMDL Training for Stakeholders
This one-day course, still under development, is designed for people who wish to participate in
the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) listing, development, and scheduling process but are not
directly responsible for developing TMDLs. The course materials will review the Clean Water Act,
TMDL provisions, the TMDL listing process, TMDL development, and will discuss how interested
individuals can become involved in the TMDL process. A pilot course is expected to be offered
in the future, after which the course materials will be available for other trainers, such as state
and EPA regional TMDL coordinators, to present to stakeholders in their jurisdictions.
EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds sponsors this course, which is intended for
stakeholder groups such as agricultural and environmental communities, local government
officials, and others from the public and private sectors.
O For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail: wacademy@4a.gov
A Framework for Stream Corridor Restoration (interagency Course)
This weeklong training course was designed and developed by a multiagency working group with
input from state, local, and academic institutions. It provides a framework for supporting an
interdisciplinary approach to stream corridor restoration initiatives. Lessons follow sequentially
through seven main themes: an introduction to the ecological processes, structure, and
functions in a stream corridor and watershed; characterization and condition analysis;
developing a restoration plan; conceptual design; implementation; monitoring; and applying the
lessons of the course. The course combines oral presentations with discussions, exercises,
examples, and case studies.
EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds sponsors this course in partnership with several
other agencies and organizations; sponsors vaiy with each event. The broad target audience
includes people without a watershed science background, technical specialists that seek a broader
perspective, managers or decision makers, and informed citizens. The course is taught by a variety
of public agencies and Tetra Tech, Inc., and can be adapted to the specific audience at each session,
O For more information, contact the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460, Phone: (202) 260-5368, E-mail: wacademyQeba vov
or Tetra Tech, Inc. at (703) 385-6000; or visit iuiviv.ivatershedtraining.net '
Working at a Watershed Level {Interagency Course)
This weeklong training course was designed and developed by a multiagency working group with
input from state, local, and academic institutions. It provides a basic but veiy broad foundation
of ecological, scientific, social, and management principles useful in guiding watershed
assessment, planning, and management activities. The 6 training units move logically through a
discussion of how watersheds work, how change occurs in watersheds, methods to assess watershed
conditions and plan for management, watershed management practices, and the all-encompassing
socio-cultural context .for watershed.outreach, stakeholder involvement, and management The
course combines oral presentations with discussions, exercises, examples, and case studies.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, in partnership
with other agencies and organizations; sponsors vary with each event and include federal agency
training centers and universities. The broad target audience includes people without a watershed
science background, technical specialists that seek a broader perspective, managers or decision
makers, and informed citizens. The course is taught by various public agencies, universities, and
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Tech, Inc., and can be adapted to the specific audience at each session.
For mow information, contact (1) the Watershed Academy, USEPA (4503F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-5368; E-mail: wacademy@epa.gov;
(2) 1'etra Tech, Inc., Phone: (703) 385-6000; Internet: www.iuatershedtraming.net; or
(3) the Council of State Governments, Phone: (859) 244-8107
BASIMS: A Powerful Tool for Managing Watersheds
This weeklong course is designed to provide technical training and guidance to states, territories,
and tribes using Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) to
perform integrated water quality and watershed analyses. The course covers an introduction to
basic geographic information system (CIS) operations, BASINS environmental data layers, nonpoint
source modeling, and in-stream water quality assessments, The course includes extensive hands-on
training in computer applications.
EPA's Office of Science and Technology sponsors this course. Persons interested in watershed
management, development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), coastal zone management,
nonpoint source programs, water quality modeling, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permitting, and other related programs are urged to attend. Participants should have a
background in water quality modeling, a basic understanding of CIS applications, and familiarity
with the Windows environment. Familiarity with ArcView (ver. 3) basic operations is helpful.
O For more information, contact Hira Biswas, USEPA (4305), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC20460. Phone: (202) 260-7012; E-mail: bisivas.hira@epa.gov
Channelization and Channel Modification Workshop
This 2- to 3-day workshop provides general guidance for system-wide channel rehabilitation. The
workshop teaches the basic fundamentals of geomorphology and channel processes along with
fundamentals of engineering design methods for performing geomorphic evaluations, conducting
field investigations, evaluating channel stability, and producing stable channel designs. Participants
will participate in both lectures and field work.
This course is taught by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development
Center; EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds provides funding support, The broad
target audience for this course includes people without science background, technical
specialists that seek a broader perspective, managers or decision makers, and informed citizens.
The course can be adapted to the specific audience at each session.
O For more information, contact David Biedenharn, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199. Phone: (601) 634-4653;
E-mail: biedendl ©mail. wes.army, mil
Clean Water Act Section 404 Regulatory Issues Training Course
This 2- to 3-day course provides an introduction to issues associated with the implementation of the
Clean Water Act Section 404 regulatory program: the" requirements of the Section 404(b)(l)
Guidelines, the scope of regulated activities, Section 404(0 exemptions, mitigation requirements,
and procedures for elevating cases under Sections 404 (q) and (c).
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans mid Watersheds, Wetlands Division, and
is intended for staff of EPA regions and headquarters, and other federal, state, and tribal
6
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agencies seeking greater familiarity with the Section 404 program requirements. Although there is no
tuition for the course, course enrollment is limited, with priority given to EPA wetlands staff.
O For more information, contact Ann Roche, USEPA (4502F), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20460, Phone: (202) 260-5950; E-mail: roche.ann@epa.gov
Collaborative Resource Management (Interagency Course)
This 41/2-day course is designed to give federal employees that are involved in natural resource
management the skills and tools needed for dealing with problems requiring collaborative
processes. The course was developed because federal agencies are increasingly challenged to
abandon traditional single-agency methods of doing business for new methods based on interagency
partnerships and collaboration. This course provides some of the requisite skills needed to
implement and participate effectively in partnership processes. It includes case studies, class
exercises, and discussions about the stages of a collaborative process, the obstacles that must be
overcome, and the special problems federal employees often encounter.
Developed by 13 federal agency sponsors, including the Bureau of Land Management, Forest
Service, EPA, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service, the course is designed to
be taught in an interagency context so that trainees can learn side-by-side, in a nonthreatening
environment, with personnel from other agencies. The course content is aimed primarily at federal
agency employees that are involved in resource management and are at grades GS 12 to 15,
O For more information, contact Elena Gonzalez, U.S. Department of the Interior, 4015
Wilson Boulevard, 11th floor, Arlington, VA 22203, Phone: (703) 235-3810;
E-mail: elena_gonzalez@ios,doi.gov
Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a
Sense of Place
Tills 1- to 2-day course teaches the concepts of community and culture and offers tools for assessing
and understanding the social dynamics and local values involved in watershed protection. Using a
dynamic, hands-on approach, the course provides a suggested assessment process and shows
participants how they can use the results of the assessment for defining their community, building
consensus/coalitions, communicating across cultures, visioning, planning, and developing indicators,
among other uses. The guide includes sixteen community characteristics and related questions to help
focus die assessment process. These characteristics range from community capacity, information flow,
and local identity to demographics, property ownership, and governance. Seventeen tools and
methods guide the collection of information. These tools include census and economic data, maps
and geographic research, social mapping, interviewing, surveys, and visual methods. The course
features easy-to-use worksheets, case studies from around the country, presentations, and highly
interactive exercises that incorporate a mix of the characteristics and methods.
The course is sponsored and taught by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is
intended for leaders of and academicians in watershed protection, as well as federal, tribal, state, and
local agencies.seeking technical skills for improving stakeholder involvement processes.'
^ For more information, contact Theresa Trainoi; USEPA (4504F), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC20460. Phone: (202) 260-3009; E-mail: trainor.theresa@epa.gov '
Drinking Water Academy Training Courses -
Established by EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, the Drinking Water Academy
(DWA) is a long-term training initiative whose primary goal is to expand EPA, state, and tribal
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capabilities to implement the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. To help address
drinking water at the watershed level, the DWA offers four source water protection courses:
(1) Introduction to EPA's Source Water Protection Programs, (2) Introduction to the Under-
ground Injection Control Program, (3) Source Water Protection Area Delineation and Suscepti-
bility Assessment: Technical Training, and (4) Underground Injection Control Inspector Certification
Course. A fifth course, Source Water Contamination Prevention Measures, will be final in spring 2001.
The DWA also offers a series of other drinking water-related courses in the following topic areas:
•' Drinking Water Program Implementation (6 courses)
• Laboratory Certification (2 courses)
• Public Water System Supervision and Operation (3 courses)
• Sanitary Survey Training (4 courses)
• Safe Drinking Water Information Systems/Federal (SDWIS/FED) (6 courses)
To view course schedules, see the DWA webite at wwepa.gov/safewater/dwa.html
O For more information, contact James Bourne, USEPA (4606), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20460, Phone: (202) 260-5557; E-mail: bourne.james@epa.gov
Getting in Step: A Pathway to Effective Outreach In Your Watershed
This course provides participants with-a framework for developing and implementing successful outreach
programs in their watersheds. Through a combination of presentations, group exercises, and panel
discussions, participants learn the process for developing an outreach strategy, discover tools to
produce eye-catching materials, and learn ways to effectively distribute their message,
This course is tstught by Tetra Tech, Inc., with funding support from EPA's Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds and other organizations. The course is intended for audiences responsible
for implementing watershed protection efforts at the federal, state, tribal, or local level.
O For more information, contact Barry Tanning at Tetra Tech, Inc., 10306 Eaton Place, Suite
340, Fairfax, VA 22030. Phone: (703) 385-6000 ext. 160}
E-mail: tonniba@tetratech-ffx.com; Internet: www.watershedtraining.net
Getting In Step: Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed
This course provides participants with a framework for developing and implementing successful
stakeholder involvement strategies for watershed management programs. Through a combination
of presentations, group exercises, and panel discussions, participants learn how to identify driving
forces, identify appropriate stakeholder involvement levels, manage cooperative group processes,
and move from awareness to action.
This course is taught by Tetra Tech, Inc., with funding support from EPA's Office of Wetlands,
Oceans and Watersheds and other organizations. The course is intended for audiences responsible
for implementing watershed protection efforts at the federal, state, tribal, or local level.
O For more information contact Barry Tonning at Tetra Tech, Inc., 10306 Eaton Place
Suite 340, Fairfax, VA 22030. Phone: (703) 385-6000 ext. 160;
E-mail: tonniba@tetratech-ffx.com; Internet: wwiv.watershedtraintng.net
•Ground Water-Surface Water Interactions: Prlnclpies'and Methods for
Managers
This 3-day field workshop is intended to train water resource managers on the principles and
practices needed to manage surface and ground water in a watershed contexrtTesenters use "
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easy, practical methods to teach identification and mapping of Intel-action zones and related
landscape features. The workshop combines classroom training with field work to ensure a solid
understanding of both theory and application.
Sponsored by EPA and The University of Montana, this course is intended for state, tribal, and
local water resource managers that have responsibility for watershed planning and protection of
drinking water, wetlands, and related ecosystems. Participants should have some technical or
scientific background.
O For more information, contact the Flathead Lake Biological Station, The University of
Montana, 311 Bio Station Lane, Poison, MT 59860-9659. Phone: (406) 982-3301;
E-mail: flbs@selwayMnt.edu; Internet: wwiv.umt.edu/biology/flbs
Local Government Workshops: Tools for Watershed Protection
This 2-day course helps local officials to protect aquatic resources by providing information on
regulatory and nonregulatory tools available to them for resource protection, including innovative
zoning ordinances, land acquisition techniques, tax incentives, and others. A watershed framework
is emphasized in presenting these techniques, and some course time is devoted to explaining the
basic hydrology of, and potential impacts on, a watershed. Specific areas of focus are identification
and evaluation of impacts on coastal and fresh waters; regulatory techniques for restoring and
managing aquatic resources, including transfer of development rights, overlays and watershed zoning,
health regulations, storm water management, and riparian corridor zoning; nonregulatory techniques, •
including land acquisition, public education, conservation easements, and constructed wetlands;
financing methods for protection programs; and relevant case studies.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Oceans and
Coastal Protection Division. The intended audience includes local and state government officials,
planners, public works and health officials, scientific and technical personnel, and others
involved in 'land and water resource management and protection.
O For more information, contact Macara Lousberg, USEPA (4504F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-9109;
E-mail: lousberg.macara@epa.gov
Monitoring Workshops for the National Estuary Program
These 2-day workshops help participants in the National Estuary Program (NEP) prepare or
revise their existing Regional Integrated Monitoring Plan, a requirement of each NEP's Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plan. Specific topics include environmental and programmatic
indicators, funding issues, quality assurance, key management issues, and data management.
These workshops are sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Oceans
and Coastal Protection Division. The workshops are offered in NEP study areas for local, state,
and federal monitoring management and staff.
O For more information, contact Joe Hall, USEPA (4504P), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-9082, E-mail: hall.joe@epa.gov
National Environmental Training Center for SmaSS Communities
The National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities (NETCSC) is a nonprofit organization
that helps environmental trainers, assistance providers, and local officials improve the quality of
drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste services for small communities. NETCSC offers environ-
mental training curricula for small communities, as well as extensive information on environmental
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courses, resources, trainers, training organizations, and training activities across the United States.
For example, NETCSC offers curricula on Managing a Small Drinking Water System A Short
Course for Local Officials, Assessing Wastewater Options for Small Communities, and Solid
Waste Management Options.
NliTCSC training experts provide information through a telephone hotline, publications and
other products, the Internet, and presentations around the country. NETCSC's commitment to serve
small community environmental needs is accomplished through cooperative partnerships with
technical experts, environmental trainers, and other assistance providers accessed through established
national, regional, state, and local networks. NETCSC is funded in part by the EPA Office of Water.
O For more information, contact Susan Maczko, NETCSC, P.O. Box 6064, West Virginia
University, Morgantown, WV'26506-6064. Toll-free Hotline: (800) 624-8301;
Phone: (304) 293-4191; E-mail: smaczho@wvu.edu; internet: ivwio.netc.iovu.edu
National Estuary Program Finance Workshops
This 2-day workshop provides diverse, comprehensive, and practical funding solutions for both
National Estuary Program (NEP) operating expenses and NEP Comprehensive Conservation Manage-
ment Plan (CCMP) implementation. The goal is to build the capacity of the NEPs to address long-term
funding challenges, such as staff expertise to develop and implement finance plans. The workshops
usually include (I) an overview of finance tools and administrative mechanisms, such as grants
(public and foundation), debt financing, fines, public-private partnerships, utilities and districts,
cost reduction, and tax incentives; (2) case studies that describe funding levels achieved by specific
tools, obstacles faced, and how they were overcome, the role of the NEP in developing the
finance tool or strategy, and the time and effort required to develop specific finance tools; and
(3) breakout sessions or facilitated discussions for participants to share their funding successes
and challenges and begin discussing how to apply promising finance options in their programs.
This course is presented by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Oceans and
Coastal Protection Division. The intended audience is NEP Directors and staff, NEP committee
members, and NEP stakeholders. Also encouraged to attend are EPA Headquarters and Regional
Coordinators and others at the state or local level (e.g., SRF contacts, NPS Coordinators, local
governments, NGOs) that are or will be involved in financing CCMPs.
O For more information, contact Tim Jones, USEPA (4504F), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-6059; E-mail: jones.tim@epa.gov
Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials Training
The University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System offers training through its Nonpoint
Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Project. NEMO is an educational program that addresses
the relationship between land use and natural resource protection, with a focus on water resources.
To help create effective presentations, NEMO relies on advanced technologies like geographic information
systems, remote sensing, and the Internet. In Connecticut, NEMO offers many different workshops
under four main topics: (1) Jinking land use to water quality, (2) natural resource-based
planning, (3) preservation, and.(4) development. Most workshops are approximately S hour in
length and are often followed up by individual consultation and materials to help communities
get started on natural resource-based planning. Member projects of the National NEMO Network-
conduct similar workshops in 19 states and can be contacted through the Connecticut project.
NEMO is funded in part by the EPA Office of Water. The workshops are intended for local land
use decision makers such as planning commissions and local government staff.
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O For more information, contact John Rozum, NEMO, University of Connecticut Cooperative
Extension, 1066 Saybrook Road, Box 70, Haddam, CT 06438-0070; Phone: (860) 345-4511;
E-mail: nemo@canr.iiconn.edu; Internet; http://nemo.ticonn.edu or http://resac.uconn.ee/ii
NPDES Permit Writers' Course
This 5-day training course provideslhe basic regulatory framework and technical considerations
that support the development of wastewater discharge permits required under the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). A multidisciplinary faculty presents the course using a
combination of lectures, case examples, and practical exercises. The course begins with an
1; introduction to the history of the NPDES program and its relationship to other Clean Water Act
programs. Attention is given to the role of NPDES permitting within a watershed management
if approach. Participants then become acquainted with the tools and resources available to assist
* them in writing NPDES permits.
The course, presented by EPA's Office of Wastewater Management, is designed for new permit
writers with little or.no experience in the NPDES program. Veteran permit writers, permit holders,
and staff from other environmental programs also find the course useful and. enjoyable and make
up a growing percentage of course participants.
O For more information, contact Robin Willison (4203M), USEPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 564-5047; E-mail; iuillison.robin@epa.gov
NPDES Pretreatment Courses
EPA and the Water Environment Federation offer three pretreatment training courses to ensure
that the individuals responsible for implementing the pretreatment program on all levels have
the information they need, whether it is just the basics or technical details on specific elements of the
program. Hie 3-day "Comprehensive Pretreatment Course including Industrial User Classification and
Permitting" course covers the fundamentals of the National Pretreatment Program and provides basic
regulatory framework and technical considerations that support the development and implementation
of pretreatment programs under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit
program and the Clean Water Act. It also provides detailed information on how to identify, classify,
and permit industrial users. A separate 2-day "Industrial User Classification and Permitting" course is
available for people that already have a background in the pretreatment program. A 1-day course,
"POTW Control of Oil and Grease," presents an approach that can be used by publicly owned
treatment works (POTWs) and sewer utilities to develop and implement their own site-specific
programs for preventing or eliminating the entry of oil and grease into sewer systems.
These courses are sponsored by EPA's Water Permits Division and the Water Environment
Federation. The comprehensive pretreatment course is intended for environmental professionals
responsible for implementing the Pretreatment Program at the local level and for industrial
dischargers, consultants, and especially individuals that are new to the program. The other
courses are intended for those with pretreatment experience and/or those that have taken the
comprehensive pretreatment course.
O For more information contact Patrick Bradley, USEPA (4203M), 1200 Pennsylvania Avemw,
NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 564-0729; E-mail: bradley.patrich@epa.gou;
Internet: iviuiv.iuef.org/conferences/iuorkshop_semin/
Participating In the NPDES Permitting Process: A Workshop
This 2-day workshop presents an .overview of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) program, along with exercises to help applicants complete a thorough NPDES
11
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application. The course consists of both lectures and exercises analyzing a sample application
with supplemental information, Specific information provided by the course includes (I) an
overview of the scope and regulatory framework of the NPDES program; (2) the components of
a permit and an overview of the permitting process; (3) types of effluent limits and the legal and
technical considerations involved in limit development; (4) permit conditions, including special
conditions, standard conditions, and monitoring and reporting requirements; (5) permitting
considerations, including variances, and other applicable statutes; and (6) the administrative
process for issuing and modifying NPDES permits.
The workshop, sponsored by liPA's Office of Wastewater Management and the Water Environ-
ment Federation, is intended for permit applicants and permit holders. Public interest groups,
environmental consultants and engineers, environmental and municipal attorneys, and
regulators not involved in writing permits would also benefit from this course.
O For more information, contact Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexan-
dria, VA 22314-1994. Phone: (800) 666-0206or (703) 684-2452; E-mail: dtobin@wef.org ,
(Dan Tobin) or nbauer@ivef.org (Nancy Batter); Internet: wwiv.ivef.org/Conferences/
Worksho(}_Semin/nf>des_course. html
Smart Growth Leadership Training
The University of Maryland's National Center for Smart Growth Education and Research focuses
on how governments can coordinate to build sustainable communities by managing develop-
ment in a more environmentally-conscious, cost-effective manner. The Center offers National
and Maryland-specific courses on Smart Growth leadership. Both total about two weeks in '
length, spread over several months. Course sessions address the forces and unintended
consequences of government and private sector actions that contribute to sprawl; the core
principles of smart growth and their implications for the development, revitalization, and
maintenance of vibrant communities; how to identify policy conflicts and find common ground
in government programs that affect smart growth; and how to take a leadership rale to
incorporate smart growth principles in policy and action. In addition to classroom instruction
and seminar sessions, an on-line discussion format is available for research and discussion, and
for projects dealing with actual development issues under a smart growth framework.
The Center also offers an Applied Pilot Course to help local governments in Maryland and
surrounding states work with relevant local, state and federal agencies to develop locally-
tailored, collaborative, intergovernmental smart growth action strategies.
These courses, supported by EPA, the State of Maryland, and others, are intended for staff and
lead officials of federal, state and local governments and development and special interest
organizations, to enable them to lead Smart Growth efforts,
O For more information, contact Kay Bokowy, University of Maryland, School of Public
Affairs, 1193 Van Munching Hall, College Park, MD 20742-1821. Phone: (301)
405-6201; E-mail: kbokoivy@wam.umd.edu; Internet: ivivw.jniaf.umd.edu/OEP/
SmartGrowth/default.htm
SOS Wetland Conservation and Sustainabillty Workshop
This 1- to 2-day workshop teaches participants how to take a proactive role in conserving and restoring
our nation's wetlands, The workshop includes presentations by local experts' and an Introduction to
the basic wetland components: vegetation, hydrologyfand soils. Participants are exposed to various
wetland types, their functions and values, wetland regulations, and stewardship project ideas. The
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workshop explains potential human impacts on wetlands and introduces hands-on monitoiing techniques
such as setting transects, determining plant communities, and sampling wetland soils. All participants
receive the newly revised 288-page Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sttstainabilty, which
includes instructions on various wetland monitoring techniques, innovative wetland project ideas,
explanation of wetland regulations, information about other wetland conservation programs, and more,
This workshop is taught by the Izaak Walton League of America with funding from EPA's Office
of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Wetlands Division. The workshop is designed for persons
from volunteer groups, nonprofit groups, government agencies, and private organizations.
O For more information, contact Casey Williams, Projects Coordinator, Save Our Streams,
Izaak Walton League of America, 707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
Phone: (301) 548-0150 ext. 220 or (800) BUG-IWLA; E-mail: ciuilliams@iivla.org
SRF 101: Using the SRF to Support Watershed Activities
This course provides a basic understanding of how the SRF program works and how it can
provide funding for an extensive array of water quality related activities to support watershed
protection. With assets exceeding $34 billion, the SRF has become the primary affordable
source for communities to finance wastewater treatment projects as well as critical watershed
activities, including wetlands protection, agricultural and animal best management practices,
estuaries, brownfields remediation, groundwater protection, septic and decentralized systems, and
other nonpolnt source activities. Participants will learn about the assistance application process,
setting state funding priorities, developing creative funding mechanisms to address critical needs,
designing innovative ways to solve water quality problems, using the SRF to supplement other
available funding sources, and case studies of successful approaches to watershed protection.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wastewater Management. It is intended for watershed
and SRF managers and staff, state and local program managers, EPA regional and headquarters
staff, and other interested watershed practitioners,
O For more information, contact USBPA, Office of Wastewater Management, State Revolving
Fund Branch (4204M), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460
Phone: (202) 564-0752
SRF Funding Framework Workshops:
Integrating the SRF with Statewide or Watershed Goals
The 10 regional EPA offices periodically provide training on the use of the Glean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for point and nonpoint watershed protection projects. State and local
program managers in the SRF, nonpoint source, estuary, wetlands, ground water, and watershed
communities that are interested in participating in these training sessions should contact their
EPA regional CWSRF representative:
Region 1 (CT, ME, MA, Nil, RI, VT), Ralph Caruso (617) 918-1612
Region 2 (NJ, NY, PR, VI), Bob Gill (212) 637-3884
Region 3 (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV), Maggie Cunningham (215) 814-2883
Region 4 (AL, PL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN), Connie Chandler (404) 562-9336
Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MM, OH, Wl), Gene WojciK (312) 886-0174
Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX), Velraa Smith (214) 665-7153
Region 7 (IA.KS, MO, NE), Nancy Healy (913) 551-7713
Regions (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY), Brian'Friel (303) 312-6277
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Region 9 (AZ, CA, III, NV, AS, GU), Juanita Licata (415) 744-1948
Region 10 (AK, ID, OR, WA), Dan Steinborn (206) 553-2728
STORET
Tn I ' °Perate' !liul matattta EPA'S modernized
! (SlOrage and RETrieval) environmental data system. STORET is a repository for water
quahty biological, habitat, and physical data and is used by state environmental agencies EPA
and other federal agencies, universities, private citizens, and many others, This course also
covers accessing STORET data from the STORET Warehouse using a web browser and incorpo-
rating the data into commonly used software applications such as spreadsheets. This course is
intended for S10RET clients and can be customized to meet specific interests and needs. '
For more information, contact STORET User Assistance. Phone: (800) 424-9067-
-
frn^Sr°^T@fPa'S°V' M(Htt0ml inf°matim> *«*«% a list of EPA regional office
STORET coordinators, is available through the STORET web page: www.epa.gov/storet
Stream Corridor and Floodplaln Restoration " " -
This 2-day workshop emphasizes the practical aspects of stream and floodplain restoration and
is designed for professionals concerned about flooding, habitat, water quality, and erosion associated
w,tl riv rs and streams. The workshop focuses on m-the-field application of restoration concepts
and includes classroom instruction covering the principles and concepts of river restoration
projects, planning and funding, project design, project construction, and monitoring.
n't n°rr »PPo« from
HAS Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Wetlands Division. It is designed specifically
or practicing professionals looking for a forum to learn about current restoration practices and
o discuss their application to specific landscapes, and conditions. The course is adapted to the
landscape of each host location, but the topics offered are relevant for anyone.
0 2LT! ^formation, contact Diane Watson, Association of Floodplain Managers,
2809 Pish Hatchery Road, Suite 204, Madison, Wl 53713. Phone: (608) 274-0123-
E-mail: asfpm@floods,org; Internet: www.floods.org
Stream Investigation and Stabilization Workshop " "
Through lectures, case histories, and field site reconnaissance, this 2- to 5-day workshop
provides a comprehensive, overall systems approach to stream stabilization. The course covers a
wide range of techniques ranging from traditional approaches such as bank paving and stone
dikes to low-cost, innovative techniques such as beudway weirs, longitudinal peaked toe, and
he bmengmeering willow pole curtain and post methods. In addition, lectures address stream
dra ics and sediment trans-port, stream stability, field investigation equipment and safety, and
pioject monitoring and maintenance. Course participants receive a comprehensive manual
containing design criteria and photographs of alternative approaches.
This course is taught by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development
Cemei will, fundmg support from EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Assessment and
Watershed Protection Division, ihe broad target audience.for the course includes p rsons withou
science background, technical specialists seeking a broader perspective, managers or decision
makers, and informed ciUzens. The course can be adapted to the specific audience at each
O for more information, contact David Derrick, U.S.. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways
Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199. Phone: (601) 634-2651- ™}*
E-mail: derricd@mail.iues.army.mil
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Stream Processes, Assessment and Restoration Workshop
Ecosystem Recovery Institute developed this 3-day technology transfer workshop to introduce the
Emdamental concepts of stream processes, restoration, design, and construction in an ecosystem
context. The workshop focuses on the basis of stream processes, inventory techniques, assessment
of stream condition, restoration strategies and applications, and design and construction issues
Emphasis is placed on incorporating stream mechanics, natural channel geometry, stability
concepts, and an ecosystem approach into projects or management programs involving streams,
This workshop is offered in a classroom and field review format. It is designed and taught by
instructors with expertise in fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, stream ecology, forestry, riparian
management, watershed planning, and restoration construction and management. The workshop is
taught by Ecosystem Recoveiy Institute with funding support from EPA's Office of Wetlands Oceans
and Watersheds, Assessment and Watershed Protection Division, and others. The workshop is
designed for conservation districts, state and local resource agencies, tribes, watershed civic
groups, and others that are interested in watershed management and need technical and field
exposure to stream management and restoration principles.
O For more information, contact Mike Hollins, Ecosystem Recovery Institute
P.O. BOX249, Freeland, MD 21053. Phone: (717) 235-8426; E-mail: recins@aol.com
Tribal Nonpoirtt Source Pollution Workshop " "
This 2-day course provides information to tribes about the procedures of the Clean Water Act
'
fo, ZL <^n ( Tf1' SOU1'CC Pr°gfain)' CXplainS What is "Wte* to bec°™ eligible
01 Section 3 funds
' eg
s and demonstrates how to prepare Section 319 proposals. Other topics
addtessed include applying for Treatment as a State status, preparing Nonpoinf Source (NPS)
S'r • *T!S' f610?1 ? ^ managemem P1'0gramS' and P«^8 watershed plans
Tubes ate invited to share their experiences so others might learn from them.
Tins course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Assessment and
Watershed Protection Division, and is open to all tribes (including those without federally
recognized designation). J
O For more information, contact Ed Dmbkoivski, USEPA (4503F)
NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-7009; E-mail:
Volunteer Monitoring for Estuaries ~
EPA sponsors volunteer estuary monitoring workshops nationwide to encourage volunteer monitoring
SST? IT f f °rking m°ng Pr°gramS' ^ t0 ^P™ *« I"""* of vol"»*er data, in
addmon, the workshops help encourage and assist volunteer monitoring coordinators to be more
effective in all aspects of planning and implementation of volunteer monitoring. Specific topics
include methods, quality assurance, working with the news media, networking, creative funding
data management, and use of the Internet. With the completion of the new Volunteer 2^±
Momtoring Manval, EPA has added a field validation module to the agenda for the workshops.
EPA's'ot1' fTwf 1G, C™Se™toY°nduCtS *« w°^»°Ps, «nd funding support is provided by
EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, Oceans and Coastal Protection Division The
workshops are conducted in coastal areas nationwide, particularly in areas where National Estuary
I rograms are located. The intended audience includes volunteer monitoring coordinators that
manage a group of volunteers in monitoring estuarine areas mid is limited to 50 participants.
O For more information, contact either Joe Hall, USEPA (4504F), 1200 Pennsylvania
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'
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<-;> tor more information, contact Micki Treacy, USEPA (4305), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Phone: (202) 260-7301; E-mail:
treacy.micki@epa.gov
WET (Whole Effluent Toxicity) Training ~
The Society of Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) offers 4 courses on Whole Effluent Toxicity
(WET), WET is defined as the aggregate toxic effect of an effluent measured directly by an
aquatic toxiciry test, These courses cover water quality topics such as water quality criteria and
standards, NPDES permitting and enforcement, WET testing, and quality assurance/quality
control (QA/QC), as they apply to the WET program. The courses include (1) WET (Whole
Effluent Toxicity) Tale: Toxicity of Complex Effluents, a 2-day course addressing standards
regulations, policy, guidance, and technical aspects of implementing the whole effluent toxicitv
program; (2) Wild, Wild WET, 1-day course addressing common questions related to the'
interpretation of toxicity tests; (3) WET Toxicity Identification Evaluations/Toxicity Reduction
Evaluations (TI/RE), a !4- to 1-day course discussing concepts of TI/RE for effluents- and (4)
Hands-on Course, a 2-day course specifically designed to offer a "hands-on" laboratory
experience with freshwater organisms: Ceriodaphnia dttbia, Pimepbales promelas and
Selenastrum capricornutum. Participants of this course will be exposed to test initiation
monitoring, test termination, and how to analyze data for each of the species mentioned above.
Developed under a cooperative agreement with EPA's Office of Wastewater Management SETAC's
courses are intended for members of any state, tribe, or group seeking a basic understanding of
WET or needing to learn more about interpreting WET toxicity tests or conducting TI/RE. '
*> For more information, contact Greg Schiefer, SETAC Foundation, 1010 North 12th
Avenue, Pemacola, PL 32501-3367. Phone: (850) 469-1500; E-mail: schiefer@setac.ore-
Internet: ivitnv.setac.org/ivettrain.htm
Watershed Academy Web-Based Training and Certificate
(Watershed Academy Web)
The Watershed Academy's web-based distance learning program, "Watershed Academy Web"
(www.epa.gov/watertrain), is an educational resource for people that cannot attend live training
courses. Watershed Academy Web is a set of self-paced (raining modules to provide a basic but broad
introduction to die many facets of watershed management, organized under the following themes:
• Introduction/Overview. These modules introduce the principles of watershed management
and the values of working at a watershed level.
• Wttenbed Ecology. These modules describe watersheds as natural systems whose many
functions provide substantial benefits to people and the environment.
• Watershed Change. These modules describe both natural and human-induced changes in
watersheds, contrasting normal variability with changes of concern.
* Analysis and Planning. These modules address watershed planning, monitoring and
assessment as important steps toward .finding solutions to problems.
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• Management Practices. These modules show how watershed management challenges such
as urban, runoff, farmland management, forestry and other issues are addressed by tech-
niques that prevent or reduce environmental impacts,
• Commitnity/Organizational/Social Context. These modules cover social issues, commu-
nications, relevant laws and regulations. They concentrate on the human elements' of
watershed management.
The goal of Watershed Academy Web is to provide a broad-based introduction to the watershed
approach in a format available to anyone who has Internet access. The time and complexity of
the modules vary, but most are at the college freshman level of Instruction and take 1/2 to 2
hours each to complete. Watershed Academy Web uses a variety of web-based formats, including
slide show presentations, interactive exercises, on-line downloadable documents, hot links to
related sites, and interactive self-tests.
More than 40 modules are now on-line and more are under development. Students that
complete a series of 15 modules and pass their self-tests earn the Watershed Academy Web
Watershed Training Certificate. For more information, see the flyer Watershed Academy Web-
Based Training (EPA 841-F-OO-010) available at www.epa.gov/watertrain.
Drinking Water Academy Electronic Workshop
EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water offers the "Drinking Water Academy's
Electronic Workshop," designed to provide self-paced training modules that give a broad introduc-
tion to the many facets of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The training modules in the Electronic
Workshop are organized in 4 sections: introductory modules, regulatory modules, technical modules,
and other modules. The training materials are currently available in a slide show format as
PowerPoint or Adobe Portable Document Format files. Eventually, the Electronic. Workshop. AY!II
include modules with interactive exercises and self-tests. For more information, visit
www.epa.gov/safewater/dwa/electronic.html.
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Information Transfer Series Publications
The Watershed Academy has published the following documents on
different aspects of implementing watershed approaches through its
Information Transfer Series. All of these publications are available at no charge
from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP). Phone: (800) 490-9198
or (513) 489-8190; Fax: (513) 489-8695; Internet: wvw.epa.gov/ncepiliom/. Please include the
document name and number when requesting publications. You may also download these publica-
tions from the Watershed Academy web site at wvw.epa.gov/owow/watershedAvacademy.htm.
1. Watershed Protection: A Project Focus (EPA 841-R-95-003) provides a blueprint for
designing and implementing local watershed protection programs.
2. Watershed Protection; A Statewide Approach (EPA 841-R-95-004) provides
guidance for reorienting statewide water programs to a watershed approach.
3- Monitoring Consortiums: A Cost-Effective Means to Enhancing Watershed
Data Collection anil Analysis (EPA 841-R-97-005) contains case studies on effective
ways to share monitoring costs and data.
4. Land Cover Digital Data Directory for the U.S. (EPA 841-B-97-005) helps
watershed managers find geographic information system data on land use/land cover.
5. Designing an Information Management System for Watersheds (EPA
841-R-97-005) provides an introduction to information management for local watershed
managers.
6. Information Management for the Watershed Approach in the Pacific North-
west (EPA 841-R-97-004) describes the State of Washington's experiences and recommen-
dations for data clearinghouses to help watershed information exchange.
7. Inventory of Watershed Training Courses (EPA 841-D-98-001) includes descrip-
tions of EPA and non-EPA courses and dates for the courses.
8. Statewide Watershed Management Facilitation (EPA 841-R-97-011) describes how
a number of states have created new statewide frameworks to reorient existing water
programs along watershed lines.
9. Watershed Approach Framework (EPA 840-S-96-001) explains EPA's vision for
watershed approaches.
10. Top 10 Watershed lessons Learned (EPA 840-F-97-001) highlights lessons learned
by watershed practitioners implementing the watershed approach.
11. Catalog of Federal Funding Sources far Watershed Protection (Second Edition)
(EPA 841-B-99-003) provides a guide for watershed practitioners on the federal monies that
might be available to fund a variety of watershed protection projects. This version of the catalog
updates EPA's Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection published in
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20
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from EPA's National Enforcement Training Institute (www.epa.gov/oeca/neti.htmT) for federal,
suite, local, and tribal environmental enforcement personnel, including attorneys, inspectors,'
technical staff, and investigators. For more information, contact Ellen Epstein at (202) 564-6042 'or
e-mail epstein.ellen@epa.gov. The CD-ROM (NT1S Order Number; PB2001-500036) is also
available for $69 from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161. Phone: (800) 553-NTIS (6847) or (703) 605-6000; Fax: (703) 605-6900;
E-mail: orders@ntis.fedworld.gov; Internet: www.ntis.gov/.
Videos
EPA has developed a series of videos on various subjects related to water quality standards and
criteria and watershed protection. The video titles and a short description of each appear below
followed by ordering information.
Antidegradation Policy: A Means to Maintain and Protect Existing Uses and Water Quality
(EPA 823-V-90-003) discusses the three tiers in EPA's antidegradation policy.
Development of Biological Criteria for Use in Water Quality Standards (EPA 823-V-92-003)
discusses biological criteria as they relate to the water quality standards and criteria programs '
Biological criteria are based on direct measures of the biological integrity of surface waters and
thus provide a valuable assessment tool for evaluating the quality of our nation's waters.
Development of Water Quality Criteria and Its Relationship to Water Quality Standards
(EPA 823-V-90-002) provides an overview of water qualify criteria, including how they are developed.
Developing Site-Specific Criteria (EPA 823-V-95-001) discusses the development of
site-specific numeric criteria for aquatic life and the role they play in the water quality standards
and criteria process. It focuses on the use of indicator species criteria to develop numeric
site-specific criteria.
Economic Considerations in Water Quality Standanls (EPA 823-V-90-OOI) discusses why economics
may be considered, describes where in the water quality standards process economics are considered
and discusses how economic considerations are used in the water quality standards process.
Enumeration Methods for Escheria coli and Enterococci (EPA 823-V-86-OOI) explains how
to sample for bacteria.
Introduction to Water Quality Standards (EPA 823-V-92-001) provides an overview of the
water quality standards and criteria programs. It discusses the three component parts of state
and tribal water quality standards: uses, criteria, and the antidegradation policy.
Managing River 'Flows for Biodiversity: Balancing Human Demands and Ecosystem Needs (PPA
841-V-00-001), developed by the Nature Conservancy, teaches water managers and conservation practitioners
how to meet the ecological health needs of rivers. (This video is available from the National Service Center for
tnvlronmental Publications at (800) 490-9198 or on-line at wwwepa.gov/ncepihom/.)
The Problem with Shallow Disposal Systems (EPA 816-V-97-00!) explains how chemical waste "
discharged to ground water through shallow disposal systems (Class V injection wells) can contami-
nate water resources. It offers simple, preventive steps that a community can take to reduce this
threat to its water supply.
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Sampling Ambient and Effluent Waters for Trace Metals (EPA 821-V-97-001) explains how
to sample for trace metals.
TMDLs and Water Quality Standards (EPA-823-V-99-001) presents information about Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and the role TMDLs play in implementing a state's water quality
standards. The video also discusses the roles played by states and tribes, EPA, and the public in
TMDL development.
Water Quality-Based Approach to Pollution Control (EPA 823-V-91-002) provides an
overview of the 8 interrelated stages in the water quality-based approach to pollution control.
Water Quality Standards and 401 Certification (EPA 823-V-91-001) discusses water quality
standards and the 401 certification process.
Wafer Quality Standards on Indian Lands (EPA 823-V-92-002) discusses the role that water
quality standards play in efforts to clean up and protect the quality of die nation's waters. It discusses
the criteria that must be met for a tribe to conduct die water quality standards program on reservation
lands, and discusses the conflicts dial might arise when an Indian tribe and a state adopt differing
water quality standards on a common body of water.
Wetlands Water Quality Standards'®^ 840-V-96-001) provides an overview on how states
and Indian tribes can develop water quality standards for wetlands.
Cost: These videos are available free for loan for a period of 30 days. When ordering, use the
EPA order numbers referenced above. Unless otherwise noted, tapes can be ordered'on-line at
-www.epa.gov/ogwchv/rescnter.html. For more information, contact the Office of Water Resource
Center (RC-4100), USEPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. For more
information call (202) 260-7786 or e-mail center.water-resource@epa.gov.
Technical Assistance for Watershed Approaches
The Watershed Academy offers short-term technical assistance to states,
territories, and tribes wishing to move forward with implementation of
watershed approaches. Persons with expertise in assisting states and tribes in adopting watershed
approaches are available to provide information and advice through face-to-face meetings,
e-mail, and other means,
More than 20 states have so far adopted the statewide watershed approach, usually involving
implementation of water programs on a rotating basin basis. The exact approach used by states varies
significantly from state to state. The experiences of these states offer useful lessons to other states
contemplating adoption of the watershed approach. The lessons that states learned when they
approached individual programs from a watershed/rotating "basin perspective and integrated various
water programs can also be useful to states that have already moved some, but not all, of their
water programs to this approach, or have already fully integrated those programs on a
rotating-basin schedule.
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
This site (wvw.epa.gov/owow) is the heart of EPA's watershed program
and a hub for links to EPA programs such as oceans and coastal protection, wetlands, estuaries,
monitoring, nonpoint pollution control, and many others.
Watershed Information Network
The Watershed Information Network (WIN) (www.epa.gov/win/) is a road map to information
and seitices for protecting and restoring watersheds. WIN provides data on water quality and
specific watersheds, as well as information on how to network with others, what resources are
available, how to start a watershed group, the condition of watersheds, and who is at work there.
Watershed Academy
The Watershed Academy's site (www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy.htm) parallels the
Academy's four key activities—live training courses, web-based miming, publications, and watershed
management facilitation—and contains frequently updated program and schedule information,
Watershed Academy Web
This distance learning site (formerly Academy 2000} at www.epa.gov/watertrain enables any PC
with Internet access to become a watershed training classroom—on any schedule, at no cost.
This multi-disciplinary training and certificate program was designed to cover the most
important watershed management topics—those subjects about which watershed managers,
local officials, involved citizens, decision makers and others should have some basic knowledge.
Surf Your Watershed
This multifaceted EPA web site (wvw.epa.gov/siui) offers environmental and watershed information.
The site's resources include lists of environmental web sites; the Enviromapper for Watersheds, an
interactive mapping tool for environmental data; the Index of Watershed Indicators, a compilation of
information on the health of aquatic resources; a watershed atlas of important watershed protection
and restoration data; information on river and wetlands restoration projects; and information on
state and tribal watershed assessments. Users can click on maps to find information about local
protection and volunteer opportunities; request a map of their watershed; and locate, use, and
share information about their watershed or community.
Office of Water
This site (www.epa.gov/ow) is a gateway to all of EPA Office of Water programs including the
Office of Science and Technology, Office of Wastewater Management, Office of Ground Water and
Drinking Water, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, and the American Indian Office.
Local Drinking Water Information Web Site
This EPA web site (wmepa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm) offers information about drinking water
across the country. Web site users can locate information such as state drinking water and
source water home pages, Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund Intended Use Plans, local
drinking water quality reports (Consumer Confidence Reports), water system violations data,
and information about ways to protect drinking water sources.
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The Watershed Academy Home Page
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