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or (Contents
Targeted Watershed Grant Awards 2003 Overview 2
Individual Watershed Fact Sheets
Bayou Bartholomew 4
Charles River 6
Christina River 8
Clark Forke-Pend Oreille 10
Cumberland River 12
Dunkard Creek 14
Great Miami River 16
Greater Blue Earth 18
Hanalei Bay 20
Lower Columbia River 22
Manistee River 24
Meduxnekeag River 26
Narragansett Bay 28
Raritan River Basin 30
Rathbun Lake 32
Rio Puerco 34
Upper South Platte 36
Upper Susquehanna River 38
Upper Tennessee River 40
Upper White River 42
List of Grantees 44
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Targeted Watershed Gra
"This Targeted Watershed
Grants Program provides
shining examples of the real
results we can achieve when
government, communities,
private landowners, and
businesses collaborate to
achieve our shared goals of
a healthy environment and a
strong economy."
H. Grumbles
Assistant Administrator for Water
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The twenty significant EPA grant awards stretc
small watersheds. While some are urban, mo:
desert, several are in forests, and two reach in
eral are coastal. Some are managed by Indian
watershed partnerships reflect the unique cusl
The Bottom Line
Major reductions in pollution, including nutrients,
sediment, and bacteria
Protected drinking water supply
Increased aquatic habitat and wildlife
Return of native fish and endangered species
Enhanced recreation opportunities
Reduction in health advisories
Innovative market solutions
Stronger community partnerships
Improved environmental stewardship
Shared success stories and methods
Public education and communication
Catalyst for additional projects
Greater awareness of relationship with environment
I),
Upper South Platte Greater Blue Earth River
Rathbun Lake
Great Miami River
Dunkard Creel
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Manistee River
Bayou Barhclemew
Meduxnekeag River
Upper Tennessee Rivei
ards 200
)ss the country include both large and relatively
rural and agricultural lands. Some are in the
pine rocky mountains. One is in a bayou; sev-
^Ithough they differ in size and scope, all of the
cultural values of the region.
CharlesซRixe
Narraganse
Innovative Ideas:
Demonstrations of local ingenuity:
Rock "Burritos": rocks wrapped in fabric placed to slow desert
runoff. (Rio Puerco)
Rain Gardens: specially constructed gardens to reduce runoff
and promote infiltration (Greater Blue Earth)
Farming demonstrations & workshops to reduce sediment in the
drinking water supply (Rathbun)
River Friendly awards: business certification for voluntary water
quality improvements (Raritan)
Geographic Information System analysis to prioritize restoration
lands (Rathbun)
New ordinances in 36 municipalities (Raritan)
Targeted educational programs aimed at homebuilders and other
key watershed users (Cumberland)
Flow trading: economic-environmental feasibility study of
stormwater recharge incentives (Charles River)
Environmental banking credits (Bayou Bartholomew)
Partnership with prison workers for restoration and equipment
operation training (Upper South Platte)
Cost sharing for potato farmers to plant spring grain on
fields to control erosion (Mednuxnekeag)
SmartStorm rainwater collection systems that reduce roof
runoff and increase infiltration (Charles River)
Smartyard landscaping: reduced loadings of fertilizers and
pesticides through native landscaping projects. (Christina)
Jaska not shown.
ip Source: USGS data sets for land characteristics, state0
undanes, Hydrologic Unit Boundaries, and Digital Elevation
idel (www.national.atlas.gov) Major Rivers (ESRI)
Upper Susquehanna
Charles River
Narragansett Bay
Raritan River
Cumberland Basin
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5at)ou bartholornew
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Bayou Bartholomew is one of the last remaining major
streams in the Lower Mississippi River Valley that has
not been dredged or channeled. The bayou covers 359
miles and follows a meandering 269 miles through six
counties in Arkansas before joining the Ouachita River in
Morehouse Parish, Louisiana. The river supports one of
the most diverse arrays of aquatic life known to occur in
the southeastern United States. This stream is home to
117 species of freshwater fish and 31 species of
freshwater mussels. Although fragmented, the scenic
landscape of bottomland forest supports abundant
terrestrial species and plant communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Bayou Bartholomew Watershed Plan identified fifteen
problems affecting the watershed and includes both short
and long-term actions to address each problem. The
Targeted Watersheds Grant focuses on the following key
areas:
Sedimentation is the leading cause of decreased water
quality throughout the bayou. Increasingly brown and
murky water makes the water less inhabitable for the
many aquatic and terrestrial species in the area.
Log jams affecting stream flow can alter the topography
and result in the loss of wetland areas and specialized
habitats.
Agriculture, deforestation, and land clearing activities are
major contributors to these impairments and in the
decline in the watershed's overall health.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Bayou Bartholomew
Alliance will use EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to study and test
several innovative approaches
to monitor and restore the
water quality.
Introduce a market-based
environmental assets program
that benefits industry, private
landowners, and land
restoration efforts.
"We are seeing
species in the ba;
today which have
been recorded
decades, such as
river redhorse, whic
intolerant of heavy
loads. All s
monitored for
community anal
have shown increa
in diversity
biomass since
initiation of the proj
Undoubtedly, restora
efforts are makir
differen
Convert marginal cropland
back to hardwood forests by
offering carbon sequestration credits.
- Dr. Bill La^
Bayou Bartholon
Allia
Establish a continuous water quality monitoring program.
1 Collect stream morphology data for a representative
stretch of the river.
1 Redesign or rehabilitate rock or earthen weirs to
increase stream flow, reduce erosion, and improve fish
passages.
1 Develop a mussel protection program.
Removing log jams will improve flow,
reduce erosion, and enhance recreational
opportunities
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Bayou Bartholomew Alliance, formed in 1995, has
joined forces with Winrock International, The Nature
Conservancy, the County Conservation Districts, the
Natural Resources Conservation Service and the
Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to create
a formidable partnership for change.
5atjou 5artholomew
The watershed plan will offer market-based incentives
to restore bottomland hardwood forest in exchange for
carbon sequestration credits.
>''*ซ. Volunteers nave removed 146 tons of
" trash from the bayou
Sight-feeding fish, such as this longear sunfish, have
recovered at all sites monitored in the Bayou
Bartholomew. Some species of fish not recorded for
decades are reappearing
EPA'S TARGETED
WATERSHEDS
GRANT PROGRAM
EPA's Targeted Watersheds
Grant Program is a new,
competitive grant program
designed to encourage
collaborative, community-
driven approaches to meet
clean water goals.
For more information about
the selected watersheds,
please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/
watershed/initiative/
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Charles River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Charles River twists and turns through 23
communities, draining 308 miles before it finally empties
into Boston Harbor. One of the busiest recreational rivers
in the world, the lower Charles is lined with boat houses,
and on nice days powerboats, sailboats, rowing shells
and windsurfers crowd the river. The Riverfront attracts
20,000 users daily and up to a half-million for special
events, including the spectacular July 4th fireworks
display at Boston's famous Esplanade.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant focuses on a number of
environmental problems:
Public health concerns stem from excessive levels of
bacteria from sewer overflows and improper discharges
from sanitary sewers. Boating, fishing, and other
recreational activities are highly dependent on the daily
water quality in the river.
The availability of water is a major concern in the upper
basin, with many communities facing watering bans
from March through October.
Native species and fisheries are adversely impacted by
a series of 20 dams and elevated temperatures along
the river.
1 Rapid development and urbanization also alters the
river's natural flow. Stormwater runoff from these
growing urban areas accelerates the transport of
nutrients and other pollutants that are ultimately
discharged into Boston Harbor.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
Using EPA Targeted Watersheds
Grant funds, the Charles River
Watershed Association (CRWA)
will show innovative approaches
to reduce polluted discharges,
increase recharge of rainwater,
and restore fisheries. Specifically,
they will:
"I took
kayaking after I retir
and got sick and till
of smelling sew?
every single day trv
was out on the ri\
Now I know who ov
all those pipes,
when I smell '
sewage, I know wh
to CL
- Roger Fryn
citizen acti
and kaya
1 Study a new instream flow
trading concept at less cost to
build environmental gains. This
new approach offers economic incentives to reduce
impervious surfaces and promote groundwater recharge
and water flow.
Use a DNA database to identify and target sources of
bacterial contamination in collective river samples.
Install new SmartStormฎ rainwater retention systems for
businesses and homeowners.
1 Strengthen stormwater runoff prevention and control
strategies by working with local officials and
communities.
Institute measures to identify, restore, and attract native
fish populations.
Promote the CRWA's flagging system to alert
boaters and swimmers when it is unsafe to use the river
when health standards have been exceeded.
Flag flying over the Charles to indicate safe
boating water quality.
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Charles River
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
Formed in 1965, the Charles River Watershed
Association (CRWA) is one of the country's first
watershed organizations. Its partners include:
State and municipal water commissions and planning
councils
Local businesses such as Polaroid, Pfizer and
Stop & Shop
Universities and hospitals, such as Harvard, Boston
University, Brandeis, and Massachusetts General
Hospital
Citizen's organizations, such as The Boston Harbor
Association, Conservation Law, and Friends of the
Muddy River
Massachusetts
Cleanup efforts will enhance
recreational opportunities.
024 8 Miles
0 3,5 7 14 Kilometers
Elevation
Low
High
The CRWA is testing a revolutionary flow trading
concept. This approach offers economic
incentives to reduce impervious surfaces and
promote groundwater recharge and water flow.
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Christina River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Half a million people in three states depend on drinking
water from the Christina River Basin. The diverse
landscape is drained by four rivers that ultimately drain
into the Delaware River at Wilmington. The Basin, which
includes rapidly developing rural and suburban areas, also
serves as home for many major manufacturing, chemical,
cable, steel, paperboard and pharmaceutical industries.
Several neotropical bird species and a broad array of
wildlife including the bog turtle, cerulean warbler,
longtailed salamander, and bald eagle inhabit the
watershed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant focuses on:
Addressing pollution problems such as excessive
nutrients, toxic chemicals, bacteria, fish and habitat loss.
Nearly 50 percent (470 miles) of the stream miles of the
basin are listed as impaired due to combined impacts
from sewage treatment plants, industry, and agricultural
and urban/suburban runoff.
"The progress b<
made in the Chrisl
Basin is the resul
the strong, inclu
partnership that bu
on the talents of m;
diverse intere
The Clean W;
Partnership aim;
achieve fisha'
swimmable ;
drinkable water?
20-
- Carol Co
Executive Dire<
Delaware River Qi
Commis:
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
Using EPA Targeted Watersheds
Grant funds, the Christina
Basin Clean Water Partnership
will study and test several
agricultural and stormwater
best management practices in
targeted areas. They will:
Demonstrate more than fifty
best agricultural practices
to manage farm runoff such as
nutrient management plans
and systems to exclude
livestock from streams.
Restore more than 10,000 linear feet of stream banks.
Involve more than 500 local property owners in
SMARTYARDS environmentally friendly lawn
management and rain barrel programs.
Update comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances in
dozens of municipalities.
Preserve open spaces.
Demonstrate new urban/suburban storm water retrofits
to protect water quality.
Manure storage facilities prevent rynoff arid the
contamination of surface and groufjjwater.
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
Building on gains by regulatory programs over the last
several decades, the Christina Basin Clean Water
Partnership is improving water quality through
collaborative actions. Partners include:
Local partners such as local planning commissions,
health departments, conservation districts and
watershed organizations
State partners, including the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection and Delaware Department
of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
The University of Delaware
Several federal agencies
Other stakeholders such as residents, small
businesses, and non-governmental organizations
Christina River
Pennsylvania
Delaware
0 5 tO 20 Kilometer;
Stakeholders get a farm tour of agricultural best
management practices installed on a headwater
stream outside Honey Brook.
A popular residential rain barrel
program is helping homeowners
conserve water and reduce runoff.
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Clark F'cr-c-P
Oreiil
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Clark Fork-Pend Oreiile Watershed of the Upper
Columbia Basin drains an expansive 26,000 square miles
in the majestic Northern Rockies, spanning western
Montana, northern Idaho, and eastern Washington.
Rainfall and snowmelt from the Rockies feed this powerful
river system, which travels 320 miles from its headwaters
in Butte, Montana into Idaho's largest freshwater lake,
Lake Pend Oreiile, and then into Washington's Pend
Oreiile River, which joins the Columbia River in Canada.
Home to many blue ribbon trout fisheries, the watershed
supports a diverse array of aquatic life and contains the
last remaining stronghold for the threatened Bull Trout. In
addition to its biological diversity, the watershed provides
an important economic base for the people of the region.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on restoring
the high quality waters that have become imperiled by
over a century of mining, logging and, in recent years,
urbanization.
Heavy metals and toxic wastes from the nation's
largest concentration of Superfund sites in the basin's
headwaters threaten fisheries, human health, and water
quality.
Excessive nutrients cause harmful algae blooms that
choke tributaries in the upper and middle reaches of
the Clark Fork River, and cause heavy growths of slime
(diatom algae) in Idaho's Pend Oreiile Lake.
Rapid population growth and urbanization degrade
riparian corridors and water quality.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Tri-State Water Quality
Council will use EPA Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds to carry
out an an ambitious plan.
They will:
Broaden participation in the
Council's Voluntary Nutrient
Reduction Program among
the basin's dischargers.
Develop grazing
management plans to minimize
erosion and protect streams.
"Much of the Tri-Stc
Water Quality Counc
work over the p<
decade has focused
point sourct
This watershed grj
enabled us to expa
our existing partners!
even further - to tacl
nonpoint sources
pollution in the basi
main tributarie
- Diane Williai
Executive Direc
Tri-State Wa
Quality Cour
1 Implement stream restoration projects to stabilize stream
banks, restore riparian habitat, and improve
stream channel morphology.
1 Establish a dairy cow manure management program to
reduce phosphorus loadings.
1 Complete a shoreline restoration project on Flathead
Lake within the Flathead Reservation of the
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes.
Conduct a study that will compare historical data with
existing levels of algae and nutrients in Pend Oreiile Lake.
Expand the Council's three-state monitoring program to
analyze trends in nutrient, algal, and metal pollutants at
additional sites located near major tributaries and
urbanizing areas.
Members of the Tri-State Water Qu^ Counpil. Diane
Williams, Executive Director, seated second from left.
u
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
Together, the 5 organizations listed below represent
9 federal agencies, 8 state agencies, 28 local
governments and agencies, 3 tribes, 17 non-profit
organizations, and thousands of citizens and landowners.
Tri-State Water Quality Council
Watershed Restoration Coalition of the Upper Clark
Fork
Blackfoot Challenge
Bitterroot Watershed Partnership
Flathead Basin Commission
Clark Pork-Fend Oreille
Taking water samples on the Clark Fork River
Sunburst over Lake Pend Qr@M|e.
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Cumb
enan
dR
ver
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Cumberland River arises on the western flanks of the
Appalachian Mountains, meanders 697 miles westward
through Kentucky and Tennessee to the Ohio River, and
drains a basin with a total area of 17,870 square miles.
The basin has been recognized as a global hotspot for
aquatic biodiversity, with over 200 species of native fish
alone. The basin is home to over 100 species of
threatened or endangered fish species. Natural,
environmental, and socioeconomic conditions vary greatly
along the river's course. Consequently, improving and
maintaining water quality and quantity will require
community driven and site-specific approaches.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on threats to
water quality, drinking water, and biodiversity.
Excessive sediment degrades water quality and
threatens the high diversity of fish and aquatic life by
destroying habitat and nursery and spawning grounds.
Fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural runoff and
widespread urban development threaten human health.
Water shortages are a growing concern in some areas.
Rapid stormwater runoff may be preventing the natural
water recharge of soils and underground aquifers as well
as escalating flooding.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Cumberland River Compact
partners are using EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to carry out demonstration
and restoration projects in each
of three subwatersheds of the
basin: one urban, one suburban
and one rural, stretching across
middle Tennessee and southern
Kentucky. In each of these
locations, the partners will:
"We're excited to
working as partn
with develop*
The Cumberk
Basin's populatior
growing, and it fall:
all of us to collabon
plan for growth i
use the most we
and energy-frien
technologies possil
- Margo Farnswc
Executive Directo
the Cumberland Ri
Comp
1 Measure and reduce sediments and streambank loss
through demonstration of best management practices.
Demonstrate innovative building techniques and low
impact development principles through a new "Building
Outside the Box" initiative. More than twenty
cutting edge residences will be built using sustainable
building practices.
Create a user-friendly watershed information source to
provide industries, organizations, citizens and agencies
with easy access to data, tools, and expert resources.
Develop an interactive website called the Southeast
Watershed Assistance Network to transfer success
stories and lessons learned.
Cumberland River sunset. (Photo <*$& Penny|rooks) ^ป ; *B
% "L F4"
?"!
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Cumberland River
0 15 30 60 Miles
I M M \ '' '. "l
0 25 SO 100 KJbmeters
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Cumberland River Compact, which is comprised of
the Building Outside the Box Committee and the Center
for Living Watersheds Coalition, is improving water
quality and teaching ways to protect and restore the
southeast region. Other partners include:
Local and regional watershed associations: Harpeth
River Watershed Association, Red River Watershed
Association, Mid-Cumberland Watershed Coalition, and
Southeast Watershed Forum
Numerous businesses and industries, including Home
Builders Association of Middle Tennessee and
Affordable Housing Resources, Inc.
Non-governmental organizations, including National
Association of Conservation Districts, Southface Energy
Institute, and Nashville Cultural Arts Program
Tennessee Valley Authority
Regional chapters of the American Institute for
Architects, American Society of Landscape Architects,
and US Green Building Council
Local utilities
Three universities
Several state and federal agencies
Local officials and citizens
Mill Creek watershed,
Nashville, TN - urban
watershed project site for
"Building Outside the Box"
initiative.
Red River mainstem, Logan
County, Kentucky - rural
watershed project site for the
"Building Outside the Box"
initiative.
13
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Dunicard Creek
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Dunkard Creek, a major tributary of the Monongahela
River, drains a rural 235 square mile watershed within
nine townships in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and
three districts in Monongahela County, West Virginia. The
river is classified as a warm water fishery and historically
supports a variety offish, including small mouth bass,
sunfish, and muskellunge in all but the lower 6.2 miles,
which have been devastated by abandoned mine
drainage.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will help address impacts
from acid mine drainage, a serious problem that is shared
by other communities with a legacy of resource extraction.
High levels of metals, acids, and suspended solids can
turn water orange and make downstream waters
uninhabitable for aquatic life.
A number of fish kills have been recorded due to toxicity
in the water.
Poor water quality directly impacts the area's economy
by limiting recreational uses - tens of thousands of
dollars in potential revenue are lost every year.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
EPA Targeted Watersheds
Grant funds will enable the
Greene County Watershed
Alliance, in collaboration with
Stream Restoration, Inc., to
recapture an abandoned mine
drainage area. They will:
"The community
excited about cleani
up Dunkard Cre
because a clean a
healthy watershed m
spark inter
in econor
development. The i
base has declin
tremendously, yet lo<
taxes have tripled
the remaining prope
owners who want
make Dunkard Cre
watershed their hom
- Terri Da
Greene Coui
Watershed Allian
Demonstrate a passive
wetland system, a cutting-edge
technology, to remove metals
and other pollutants. This
system will have the capacity
to remove fifty tons per year of
suspended solids in the form of " '""*
heavy metals, utilizing stream bank and channel
restoration.
A new hands-on environmental education program will
showcase three acres of naturally functioning wetlands
with about thirty native plant species as well as explain
wildlife habitat and stream water quality improvements.
Dunkard Creek at twilight.
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The project was developed by a strong public-private
partnership with a shared commitment to improve the
Dunkard Creek watershed. A diverse coalition of
seventy-six partners that encompass both Pennsylvania
and West Virginia are working collaboratively to restore
watershed health, including:
Local landowners
Business owners
Community members
Local, state, and federal government agencies
Nonprofit organizations
Project partners
celebrate a new
beginning for the
Dunkard Creek
watershed.
Dunkard Creek
20 Kilometers
Elevation
Low
High
High wall from an old, abandoned
strip mine.
*
"-ft.
15
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Ntซ^
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threat Miami River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Located in Southwest Ohio, the Great Miami River
watershed overlies a sole source aquifer for drinking water
that serves more than a million consumers. The condition
of the watershed is crucial to the health of the streams
within its boundaries, as well as the Ohio River and other
receiving watersheds downstream - including the Gulf of
Mexico. Approximately 83 percent of the land within the
watershed is used for agriculture, primarily row crop
production such as corn, soy beans, and wheat. Typical
livestock include swine, cattle and poultry. Although more
than 58 percent of the streams in the watershed meet
their designated water quality standard, many streams
are impaired.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the
following:
Agriculture may result in the removal of streamside
vegetation that allows sediment, nutrients, pathogens,
and chemicals to enter the stream.
Water quality impairment is a key problem resulting in
public water supply degradation, aquatic species decline,
and decreased recreational opportunities.
Sediment jeopardizes the watershed's flood protection
system that protects more than a million people and 2.75
billion dollars of property.
Nutrient overloading creates low dissolved oxygen levels
that hamper the growth and reproduction of aquatic
organisms.
Urban stormwater runoff from paved surfaces can carry
pollutants to rivers and streams and degrade water
quality.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
EPA's Targeted Watersheds
Grant funds are helping the
Miami Conservancy District
restore its valuable water
resources. It will:
"The Great Miami Riv
is an amazing resour
for our area, both 1
recreation and
critical drinking wa
resources. We
need to do our part
keep this resour
health
- Dick Wager, Mia
County Engim
1 Reduce nutrients and
sediments through performance-based cost sharing
payments, innovative agriculture drainage structures,
wetland retention, conservation development design, and
use of pervious parking lots.
Implement erosion control demonstration structures at
construction sites.
Demonstrate a stormwater runoff collection system.
Collect and analyze water resource data to promote
sound watershed management.
Improve and maintain existing flood protection systems.
Develop public education and outreach programs
in local communities.
Dick Wagar, Miami County Engineer's Office, manages the
project that will install storm sewer collection systems to
prevent pollutants from running into the Great Miami River.
16
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
A unique network of diverse partnerships, comprised of
representatives from community-based watershed
organizations, is collaborating with the Miami
Conservancy District to maximize talents and resources.
Partners in the project include:
The Ohio State University
Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission
Loramie Valley Alliance
Stillwater Watershed Project
Miami County Engineer's Office
City of Fairborn Parks
Ohio Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of
Governments
City of Dayton
Three Valley Conservation Trust
Great Miami River
Improving water quality increases
recreational opportunities
i I I I I I
0 10 20 40 Kilometers
Elevation
Inw
Hidh
The Great Miami River project will
help restore and protect water
quality including the restoration of
streamside habitat.
17
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Greater blue Earth
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Greater Blue Earth River drains 2.26 million acres in
south central Minnesota and northern Iowa before
converging with the Le Sueur and Watonwan Rivers near
Mankato, where the rivers join the Minnesota River. The
watershed boasts some of the world's best soils with
healthy crop yields, and the local economy depends
heavily on agriculture. Although seasonally flooded prairie
potholes offer important waterfowl and water quality
benefits, the wetlands have been negatively impacted
throughout the years. Eighty percent of the wetlands
located in the watershed have been drained. Fortunately,
local landowners are participating in wetland restorations
on a volunteer basis.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
environmental challenges:
Excess nutrients and sediment from the watershed are
the major contributors to water quality problems in the
Minnesota River as well as all the way downstream in
the Gulf of Mexico.
Impacts include cloudy brown water, algae blooms, loss
of habitat and aquatic life, and lost recreational
opportunities.
Loss of valuable wetlands that filter runoff, provide
habitat, and protect against flood damage.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Three Rivers Resource
Conservation and Development
Council are using EPA Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds to
demonstrate effective ways to
improve water quality within the
basin as well as downstream.
It will:
"The Greater Bli
Earth River Target
Watersheds Grant h;
made a positive imp;
on the landowners
Blue Earth Coun
especially tl
conservatii
cost-share and tl
buffer incentive
- Kari Christnai
Blue Earth County S
and Wai
Conservation Distr
1 Demonstrate conservation
cost-share projects,
encouraging third crop rotation to minimize erosion.
' Implement wetlands restoration projects to improve
habitat and other valuable functions.
1 Offer nutrient trial demonstrations and incentive
programs to reduce nutrient runoff.
Install 300 acres of riparian buffers.
Conduct water quality education and demonstration
projects.
1 Sponsor directed workshops for homeowners,
businesses, and industry on construction erosion control
and rain gardens.
Support citizen stream monitoring.
Carry out public outreach through numerous public
presentations.
EPA Project Officer Paul Thortte (second frpmiteft) ซgs
component of the Jjroject wUh (^friers C^rre
and Water Conservation District, Ihris Lenhart of the I
Minnesota, and Joe Magner of th^linnesota PC
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
A broad and diverse group of stakeholders are strongly
committed to realizing environmental improvements.
Watershed associations and other local organizations,
including Greater Blue Earth River Basin Alliance, Blue
Earth River Basin Initiative, and Union Slough National
Wildlife Refuge
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Local Iowa and Minnesota Resource Conservation and
Development Councils
Farmers and homeowners
Counties and municipalities
States of Iowa and Minnesota, including Department of
Agriculture and Pollution Control
Federal agencies, notably the U.S. Department of
Agriculture
Minnesota State University at Mankato
University of Minnesota Extension Service
Iowa Lakes Community College
Local schools
Certified Crop Advisors
Greater 5lue Earth
High
The Three Rivers Resource Conservation and ^
Development Council makes frequent public "
presentations focusing on soil management for students
and nutrient management for adults.
Targeted Watersheds Grant cosf
share funds at work. FilterMrips
and field windbreaks help
conserve soil and control the .
runoff of fertilizers and pesticides.
EPA'S TARGETED
WATERSHEDS
GRANT PROGRAM
EPA's Targeted Watersheds
Grant Program is a new,
competitive grant program
designed to encourage
collaborative, community-
driven approaches to meet
clean water goals.
For more information about
the selected watersheds,
please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/
watershed/initiative/
1<
-------
Hanalei 5ay
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Honored in song and story, the watershed is an area of
unique cultural significance to the Hawaiian people. The
Hanalei River watershed extends from the top of Mt.
Wai'ale'ale (5,148 ft) to the coral reefs off the north shore
of the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The river is popular for
kayaking, fishing, crabbing, and prawning. Commercial
companies offer kayaking and snorkeling tours and
embark from the river for trips to the famed Na Pali coast.
Hanalei Valley farmers produce over sixty-seven percent
of the state's taro, a staple in the traditional Hawaiian diet.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
environmental problems:
The fragile coral reef ecosystem within the bay is
threatened by both natural forces (landslides) and
human activity. Sediment and nutrient pollution entering
the bay result in cloudy water and increased algae,
which deprive the coral and its inhabitants of essential
sunlight and oxygen.
There is a growing public health concern from
inadequate septic systems in the densely populated area
of Hanalei. High levels of bacteria, which result from the
lack of a centralized wastewater collection and treatment
system, contaminate the groundwater and flow directly
into the bay.
Local agricultural and ranching practices, invasive plant
species, and feral pigs and goats are all potential causes
of excess nutrients, streambank degradation, erosion,
and sedimentation of streams.
Hanalei Bay - the nation's number two
beach in 2002. This spot may best be
known as the backdrop for the movie,
South Pacific.
"When we are finish*
with this watersh*
project, the water will I
cleaner - there will I
less nutrienl
sediments and bacteri
We will see tangib
environmental result
And, what's me
exciting to me is that n
daughter will be able
swim safely in the rive
- Jan Surfai
Hanalei Watersh<
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
Everyone who wants to
participate is considered part of
the Watershed Hui. EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds will help the Hui to:
Replace cesspools to reduce
bacteria loadings. Innovative,
on-site treatment systems
using the best available
technology and/or advanced
wastewater standards will be
constructed at high-risk sites.
Establish a long-term community-based plan for a
centralized wastewater treatment system. For
example, the Hui will decide whether to construct
wetlands or build a traditional treatment facility.
Evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural best
management practices to reduce nutrients and
sediment, in a partnership with Hanalei taro farmers.
Further analyze impacts to coral reefs, including benthic
habitat and reef fish surveys.
20
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
A broad and diverse coalition of stakeholders are working
to protect the watershed. Partners include:
Local Partners: Civic clubs, local and county
governments, business councils, farmers, schools, etc.
State Partners: State of Hawaii Office of Hawaiian
Affairs, Tourism Authority, Department Of Land and
Natural Resources, Department of Health
Federal Partners: U.S. Forest Service, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National
Marine Sanctuary, U.S. Geological Survey, Natural
Resource Conservation Service
University of Hawaii
Waipa Foundation
Kaua'i
Hawaii
Hanalei Bay
Changes in taro cultivation will reduce sediments
and other pollutants. (Photo by Carl Berg)
Kayakers enjoy a day on the Hanalei River
(Photo by Larry Debord)
5 Kilometers
Low
Scientist Dr. Carl Berg teaches young people
about the Hanalei River.
A sophisticated computer model being tested in
mountainous terrain will help prioritize measures
to reduce turbidity. (Photo by Pat Chavez)
-------
OW
O
rnbia River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Lower Columbia River and estuary include the 146
river miles from Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean
They are the last leg of the 1,214 mile run that starts in
Canada. The Columbia River has the second largest
average flow of all rivers in the United States, averaging
nearly 260,000 cubic feet per second. The river and its
ecosystems provide critically important permanent and
migratory habitat for a wide range of species, including 12
species of threatened or endangered salmon. It is home to
nearly two million people, hundreds offish and wildlife
species, five deep water ports, and six major pulp and
paper mills.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant focuses on a number of
serious environmental problems, specifically:
Declining runs of the once abundant salmon, now listed
as threatened and endangered, that affect the
ecosystem and the economic basis for the commercial
and recreational fishing industry.
Loss of more than 50 percent of the wetlands since
1900 that has affected the salmon population and has
had significant impacts on other wetland dependent
species such as bald eagles, otters, minks, osprey, and
water fowl.
Development and land use pressures that have resulted
in loss of habitat and increased runoff of toxic and
conventional pollutants.
High levels of toxic contaminants in fish tissue
and sediment, which have been recorded in several hot
spots in the lower river area.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Lower Columbia River and
Estuary Partnership works to
protect and restore the lower
Columbia River and estuary by
providing on-the-ground
improvements and educational
programs to the region. The
Lower Columbia River and
Estuary Partnership will use the
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to:
"With everyone's hel
we are openii
habitat again f<
indigenous species i
thrive ai
establishir
connections back >
the river - not just fi
salmon, but for
specie;
- Debrah Marie
Executive Direct!
Lower Columbia Riv<
National Estua
Progra
Remove an additional 12 acres of invasive reed canary
grass at Smith and Bybee Lakes Wildlife Area, plant
native species, and restore corridor linkages between
core areas of habitat.
1 Undertake major restoration work at Grays Bay Area to
permanently protect 880 acres, restore floodplain
connectivity to 440 acres of tidal backwater, riparian, and
wetland forested habitat and restore over 300 acres of
potential salmonid rearing habitat.
Re-establish a functioning wetland at Mirror Lake by
removing invasive reed canary grass and blackberry, and
replanting native species and replacing culverts on
approximately 200 acres.
Reconnect hydrology by removing barriers to species
migration by employing grazing management practices
and replanting native vegetation protecting over 300
acres of wetlands in the Scappoose Bay Watershed.
22
Grays and Seal Slough Project Area
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Targeted Watershed Project builds on a broad
coalition of regional support. Key partners in the
project include:
City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services
Columbia River Estuary Study Task Force
Columbia Land Trust
METRO
Oregon State Parks
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Scappoose Bay Watershed Council
Wetlands Conservancy
Lower Columbia River
Interior Water Fon
'?Sr
Smith and Bybee Lakes
0255 10 Miles
0 5 10 20 Kilometers
Elevation
-------
ianistee River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Big Manistee watershed covers 1,780 square miles in
northwest lower Michigan, including parts of twelve
counties. The river is a popular destination for fishermen
who come to pursue game species, including walleye,
pike, salmon, and steelhead. However, two major
hydroelectric dams divide the watershed, and these
operations, along with other smaller dams, prevent
species from migrating and spawning. The Little River
Band of Ottawa Indians, whose reservation surrounds the
watershed, depends on the river for a source of food,
recreation, beauty, and sustenance. The river's
once-bountiful natural resources represent an important
part of their tribal and cultural heritage, which they want
to preserve.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on
environmental problems due to extensive logging.
The loss of vegetation has resulted in extreme erosion
and excessive sediments that diminish water quality and
degrade important habitat and spawning areas.
Many threatened and endangered species including
the lake sturgeon populate the watershed. Historically,
the river supported grayling, whitefish, and lake
sturgeon, all of which are rare, or in the case of grayling,
gone entirely.
"The EPA funding w
help our work with
variety of partners 1
enhance watershe
health. We ar
currently conducting
comprehensive stuc
of watershe
restoration practice!
This will be utilized a
a tool for others i
the future
- Lisa Spragu
Tribal Ogem
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Little River Band of Ottawa
Indians will look at several
innovative approaches to reverse
the degradation from years of
logging. Long-term goals include
the reintroduction of large woody
debris, education of landowners,
and removal of some of the 63
dams in the watershed. EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds will be used to support:
Road Stream Crossing Projects to address streambank
erosion.
Stream Bank Stabilization Projects in four key
stream corridors. Post construction monitoring will
include a habitat inventory, substrate classification,
macroinvertebrate survey, and a fish assessment.
An Access Improvement Project. Trails and steps will be
built in high traffic areas to minimize erosion from
recreational users.
A Sturgeon Spawning Site Reclamation Project.
Boulders, cobble, and large woody debris will be added
to produce suitable habitat and channel conditions.
Outreach activities such as Celebrate Sturgeon Youth
Day and town hall meetings.
Grand Valley State University gra
marking off a stream reach for par]
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
A number of private and public partners, along with tribal
interests, are collaborating to maximize resources and
share their expertise in fisheries and watershed
management. Partners include:
Conservation Resource Alliance of Northwest Michigan
Several counties and townships
Conservation districts
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Local Watershed Councils
Grand Valley State University
Other restoration partners
Manistee River
Grand Valley State University graduate
student taking macroinvertebrate samples.
Milks Road sampling with local community.
\ '
| Fishing the upper stretches of Pile Creek.
2i
-------
Meduxnekeag River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Meduxnekeag River watershed, located in northern
Maine, is home to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians.
This heavily forested watershed has 67 miles of rivers and
290 miles of streams. Of the 289 square mile watershed,
800 acres is tribal land. The Maliseet Indians are river
people who traditionally fish, trap, hunt, and gather within
the waters, floodplains, and riparian areas of the St. John
River. The Meduxnekeag, a tributary of the St. John, is a
critical link to preserving their tribal practices, traditions,
and history. After purchasing its land in 1988, the Houlton
Band of Maliseet Indians began to address their water
quality problems.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
environmental problems:
Soil erosion problems stemming from agricultural crop
lands (potato and grain) and livestock operations.
Specific instream impairments, such as elevated water
temperatures, low dissolved oxygen levels, increased
nutrients, and sediments, that result in loss of fishery
habitat, spawning, and nursery areas.
High levels of E. coli bacteria resulting from improper
stormwater sewage connections that cause public health
concerns.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Maliseets will use EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant funds |
to continue efforts derived from
their 1993 Watershed Protection
Plan. Specifically, they will:
"I can definitely se
the many benefits
the small gra
application of a wint
crop. Preventing s<
loss and increase
soil health will bo
be beneficial to o
operatior
- Albert Fitzpatrii
cooperating farm
Institute an innovative
"Minimum Open Ground"
concept utilizing a combination of winter cover crops and
mulching practices. Six area farmers with approximately
2000 acres have been recruited.
Perform a camera survey of the area's storm drain
system to locate storm drain connections. All improper
connections will be removed.
26
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
In 1991 the Houlton Band of Maliseets formed its first
partnership with the Southern Aroostook Soil and
Conservation District. Since then, other partners and
stakeholders have joined the effort, including:
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service
University of Maine
Town of Houlton
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Meduxnekeag Watershed Coalition
Organization for Watershed Living
Meduxnekeag River
Farmers learn about the project at an
educational forum.
Winter cover crops help prevent soil loss.
Soil erosion harms the fish and turns the
Meduxnekeag River an unsightly brown.
-------
larragansett 5atj
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Narragansett Bay is located in Rhode Island, yet the
majority of the watershed extends into southeastern
Massachusetts. Aside from its historic charm,
Narragansett Bay is a thriving spot for commercial fishing,
international shipping, and recreation and tourism. Each
year, about 100 different species offish (flounder, bass),
lobster, and shellfish (quahog, oyster) visit the bay at one
time or another. Home to more than 2 million people, this
1,853 square mile watershed is relatively urbanized, yet
visitors and residents alike treasure the bay's waters,
beaches, parks, and piers.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on addressing
the major threats to this valuable and highly productive
estuary.
Key problems include fishery declines due to habitat
loss, degradation and fragmentation, and the impacts of
land and coastal development.
Nutrient overloading - especially nitrogen from
fertilizers - create hypoxic conditions (i.e., low dissolved
oxygen), which impairs the growth and reproduction of
fish, shellfish and other aquatic organisms.
Toxic metals and bacterial pollution from industrial
discharges continue to impair the bay's ecosystem.
Bay quahog.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Partnership for
Narragansett Bay will use EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to carry out the following
activities:
"It's ironic; we'v
converted tras
dumpsters and
wastewater treatmei
site to an ecologic;
restoration center
- Michael Trabc
University of Rhod
Island Graduat
School c
Oceanograph
Re-establish, repair, and
maintain fish runs and passageways for anadromous
fish in a number of designated areas throughout the
watershed.
Install stormwater management practices to remediate
significant sediment and nutrient loading.
Re-establish eelgrass beds by growing eelgrass for
restoration from seed. This will provide a sustainable
source of seed without negatively impacting the few
remaining natural seagrass beds.
28
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Partnership for Narragansett Bay represents over
forty diverse bay stakeholder organizations. Its partners
include:
Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental
Affairs
Rhode Island Rivers Council
Pawtuxet River Authority
Save the Bay, Inc.
Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association
Leesville Pond Association
The towns of Attleboro, North Attleboro, Auburn, and
Taunton, Mass, and the town of Narragansett, Rl.
1 And many more
Narragansett Bau
!fhe bay is considered one of the best sailing
locations in the world.
University of Rhode Island and Save the Bay
volunteers work to harvest and plant eel grass,
iwhich provides critical habitat, food, and shelter
Ifbr many bay species. !,
Mike Traber, a project implementer from the University of Rhode Island
Graduate School of Oceanography, inspects eelgrass seedlings raised ki the
EPA-funded eelgraSS mariculture facility (Photo Credit Narragansett Bay Estuaryf rograro)
-------
Raritan River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Raritan Basin, in central New Jersey, is home to
approximately 1.2 million people and serves as a source
of drinking water for many who live there. Covering 1,100
square miles, the area supports a population density of
over 1,000 people per square mile, with several highly
urban and economically depressed areas. The watershed
itself supports a full spectrum of land uses, from industrial
to agricultural. The Raritan River watershed typifies an
area that is beset by sprawl, a situation that is endemic
throughout the East Coast metropolitan corridor.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
environmental problems:
Some aquifers are highly vulnerable to drought, and the
process of suburbanization has reduced ground water
recharge significantly - for some watersheds up to 20%
in only ten years.
Development in the watershed, compounded by the loss
of wetlands and riparian areas - reaching upwards of
80% in some subwatersheds - has dramatically
increased pollutant loadings and stormwater flows.
Elevated levels of phosphorus and fecal coliform,
chlorides (from road salt) and turbidity, along with
reduction in ground water recharge, threaten drinking
water and other important watershed uses.
"This really validat
the work ar
leadership of t
Stony Brook-Millstor
Watershed Associatio
They are a resoun
that forward-thinkif
municipalities c
lean on wi
absolu
confidencr
Mayor Louise Wilsr
Montgomery Townsh
(May 200
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Stony Brook-Millstone
Watershed Association will use
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to carry out a
comprehensive watershed
strategy that focuses on
restoration, protection, and
pollution prevention. Efforts will
focus on three types of areas -
a semi-rural landscape, a rapidly
developing suburban area, and
a highly urbanized area.
This approach entails:
Comprehensive stabilization/restoration of eroded and
impaired stream banks and riparian corridors to protect
sensitive ecosystems.
The adoption by all 36 municipalities of new ordinances
to protect and preserve natural resources.
Stormwater retrofits to improve drinking water quality and
reduce turbidity.
Innovative "River-Friendly" pollution prevention programs
targeted at golf courses, businesses, and residents.
Road salt controls to improve water quality and reduce
impacts to aquatic life.
Downey woodpecker.
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Raritan Basin Watershed Management Plan (2003),
was developed with the involvement of virtually hundreds
of local and regional stakeholders. Working with the Stony
Brook-Millstone Watershed Association are the following
major partners:
New Jersey Water Supply Authority
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Raritan River
Stream restoration projects along the South
Branch and Millstone Rivers will improve fish
and wildlife habitat and enhance recreation.
Strengthened municipal ordinances will help
protect riparian areas and better manage
stormwater runoff.
Janssen Pharmaceutic Products, L.P. receives
the River-Friendly Award for protecting water
Duality.
Stream restoration projects will help protect
sensitive ecosystems. (Photo by Kathleen Hale)
-it'
-------
Rathbun Lalce
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Rathbun Lake, located on the Chanton River in south
central Iowa, is the primary source of water for the region.
The 11,000-acre lake supplies six million gallons of
drinking water daily to more than 70,000 people and also
offers valuable recreational opportunities; close to one
million people visit the lake annually. Other important uses
of the lake include: flood control protection, fish and
wildlife habitat, storage for supplementing navigational
flows, and water supply for Iowa's Department of Natural
Resources' Rathbun Fish Hatchery. Agricultural
production is the most important economic use of land in
the Rathbun Lake watershed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
environmental problems:
Pollutants from farming operations - primarily sediment
and nutrients (phosphorus) - contribute to algal
blooms, habitat losses, and murky water.
Other pollutants, including pesticides and the herbicide
atrazine, impact drinking water.
Severely eroding stream banks and failing septic
systems also contribute to water quality problems.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
"Efforts to reduce t
amounts of sedime
nutrients, and ott
contaminants tt
enter Rathbun Lai
such as the Target
Watershed Project, c
have a direct a
positive impact on t
lake's use as a sour
of drinking wate
- Jeremy Buckinghc
Rathbun Regior
Water Associati
The Rathbun Land and Water
Alliance, a local partnership
between soil and water
conservation districts, county
governments, and the Rathbun
Regional Water Association,
completed a comprehensive
assessment of the Rathbun
Lake watershed that identifies
and prioritizes potential sources :.--,---
of water quality impairment in the lake. The Alliance will
use EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds to.
Use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to target
priority land for best management practices (BMPs).
Demonstrate livestock and forage production as a
profitable land use that is protective of water quality.
Restore more than 8,000 acres of wetland and riparian
habitat in the Chariton River corridor.
Construct wastewater treatment facilities with
communities in the Rathbun Lake watershed.
Conduct a comprehensive water quality monitoring
program in the watershed and lake to assess the
effectiveness of BMPs.
Recognize the efforts of farmers who have demonstrated
the highest level of stewardship in taking actions to
protect Rathbun Lake.
Perform outreach activities to educate the public and
farmers about efforts to protect water quality in Rathbun
Lake.
Project staff provide one-on-one t
help farmers plan best managefliefi
istanceto
-------
Iowa
Rathbi
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Rathbun Lake Targeted Watershed Project involves
a unique partnership of federal and state agencies,
private organizations, and local landowners. The project
is the first of its kind in Iowa, combining the financial and
technical resources of more than a dozen agencies
through coordinated efforts at the local level. Principal
project partners include:
US Army Corps of Engineers
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Iowa Farm Bureau
Iowa State University
Rathbun Regional Water Association
The Alliance uses CIS to target priority land, track the application of
Best Management Practices, and evaluate the benefits irt protecting
water quality.
The Alliance conducts water quality
monitoring of tributaries.
(Photo credit: USDA-NRCS)
Local farmers tour a forage
production detnpnstration.
-------
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Rio Puerco Watershed, located in West Central New
Mexico, is the largest tributary to the middle Rio Grande
basin. Covering nearly 7,350 square miles, it includes nine
sub-watersheds that drain into portions of seven counties
west of the greater Rio Grande Basin Formerly lined with
traditional villages, as well as extensive farm fields, the
Rio Puerco was once the "breadbasket of New Mexico." It
now receives worldwide notoriety as a severely impacted
and degraded watershed due to the harmful impact of
accelerated erosion. The river transports one of the
world's highest average annual sediment
concentrations, resulting in decreased water quality and
agricultural yield.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
key challenges:
Excessive soil erosion that surpasses that of any other
watershed in the country, yielding 1.36 acre-feet per
square mile per year.
Historically poor land management practices, combined
with dry weather that have led to significant alteration of
stream formations and stream flow stability.
"We can often w<
with simple to<
and natural materi
and still hav<
profound effect
stabilizing the lo^
landscape. This la
and its resourc
are sacred to
of us - tril
members a
'city folk' alikv
- Michael Colem<
Geoscientist for t
State of New Mexi
Environme
Department - Surfa
Water Quality Bure
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
Funding from the EPA's Targeted
Watersheds Grant Program will
enable the Rio Puerco
Management Committee (RPMC)
to implement its Watershed
Restoration Action Strategy.
RPMC is targeting restoration
areas in the watershed that
include the Upper Main Stem and
Torreon Wash sub-basins. Their
approach entails:
In-channel stream restoration
by increasing plant life and by
adding sediment-filtering, log
flow-management structures.
Implementation of new water harvesting methods and
erosion control practices, including innovative road
maintenance techniques such as spreading water flow to
promote vegetation growth.
Utilization of pre-project aerial photography of the
watershed to create a baseline for evaluating the
progress made by the restoration projects.
An extensive monitoring plan headed by a compliance
review team to overview and document restoration
efforts underway.
Watershed educational programs to increase public
awareness, including demonstration and monitoring
projects with youth from Jemez and the Navajo Nation,
along with students from area schools and colleges.
New Mexico rancher standing in wW grassed valley bottom. 'ซ
*t
R
*3r<
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
RPMC has implemented the Rio Puerco Watershed
Management Plan (2003), which they established with
the involvement of a diverse group of leaders, including:
Nine federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Land
Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Six tribes, including the Pueblo Jemez and the Navajo
Nation
Eleven state agencies, including the New Mexico
Environment Department and the State Land Office
Eight private and non-profit organizations, such as the
Quivira Coalition and Tree New Mexico, Inc.
Private landowners and Indian allottees along the Rio
Puerco Main Stem and Torreon Wash
Many volunteers
Rio Puerco
Vertical bank instability on the Rio Puerco.
Jemez Pueblo ranch^-ftDnstructe^ i^erielof
post and wicker weirs using locally available
juniper branches and siipirush. i
-------
^^HBlH^^^^^n^^jMpP
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
Restoration and protection activities are possible due to a
diversity of committed stakeholders including:
Coalition for the Upper South Platte
U.S. Forest Service
Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service
Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado Department of Corrections
Denver Water
Numerous local governments
Several non-governmental organizations, including: the
Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and Colorado
Open Lands
Upper South Platte
Colorado
Surveying for a restoration project on the Tarryall River.
0255 10 Mteซ
i i i i i
I t i i i
0 5 10 ZOKiTHMtm
Straw is used for mulch and check dams are \
constructed in burned arealtlo stop erosion. V
The fun shines through the
smolij from the rtaytnan
fire, the largest fire in
Colorado history
37
-------
Upper Susquenanna River
II i
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Susquehanna River is the nation's 16th largest river
and provides fifty percent of the freshwater to the
Chesapeake Bay. The Upper Susquehanna Basin,
beginning at the headwaters in New York, is comprised of
94 sub-watersheds encompassing an area of 7,500
square miles. The land use in its headwaters is
predominately rural: a mixture of forest, agriculture, and
two metropolitan areas. Steep gradients characterize the
rolling hillside landscapes, but also produce flooding
conditions and erosion. Land uses in the upper
watershed, especially agriculture, directly impact
downstream water quality. Consequently, New York State
is integrating the Targeted Watersheds Grant activities
with its Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant focuses on the following
environmental problems:
Due to a combination of steep topography and land use
conversion, floods adversely impact water quality and
local ecology as well as threaten human life and
property.
Sediment and nutrient runoff are the major water quality
problems, especially downstream, where they contribute
to low dissolved oxygen levels in the Chesapeake
Bay - harming fish, crabs and other aquatic life.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Upper Susquehanna
Coalition (USC) will use EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to:
Implement a watershed-based
wetland restoration program to
reduce flooding and restore
important wetland functions and
values. To date, more than 30
potential sites have been
identified.
Conduct stream restoration
using natural stream design.
Promote farm stewardship
through a riparian buffer
initiative.
Expand the use of a specialized Geographic Information
System to target restoration activities.
Form a college internship/research program to
leverage talent and build local capacity.
Establish "county coalitions" to demonstrate and share
best management practices for controlling stormwater.
Develop unpaved road and road ditch improvement
plans, including training for highway personnel on new
techniques to manage runoff.
"We are also getti
valuable informati
about how wetlan
attenuate floods, a
the ability of ripari
buffers and wetla
plants to absc
nutrients thus reduci
runoff to streams a
ultimately the river.
watershed with fi
percent wetlands c
have a 50 perce
reduction in peak flo
flows. That is
solutio
- Melissa Yearii
USC Wetlan
Coordina
The Susquehanna River emptie
Chesapeake Bay and provides I
nto the
f of its freshwater.
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Upper Susquehanna River
i i
j
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Upper Susquehanna Coalition, which includes
representatives from 11 counties in New York and 3 in
Pennsylvania, is working in collaboration with
numerous local, state and federal partners, including:
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program
Pennsylvania State, Binghamton, and Cornell
Universities
Environmental organizations, including the Chesapeake
Bay Foundation, Trout Unlimited, Izaak Walton League
of America, Ducks Unlimited, and the Alliance for the
Chesapeake Bay
State agencies
Federal agencies
Town and County highway departments, planning
departments, and environmental management agencies
Local watershed associations
High school students help the USC at an
ephemeral wetlands workshop.
Intensive rotational grazing, which
includes riparian buffers, will help
protect water quality.
39
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pper Tennessee River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Upper Tennessee River, nestled in the majestic
mountains of southwest Virginia, serves as an important
resource to Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Three major tributaries - the Clinch, Holston, and Powell
Rivers - feed the river, which drains a total of 5,686
square miles. Many species of bats, cave invertebrates,
plants, and amphibians are globally unique to this area
and are at risk.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
key environmental problems:
Imperiled and vulnerable fish and mussel species,
including many endangered or threatened species.
Polluted runoff of nutrients, sediments, toxic chemicals,
and bacteria from agriculture, mining, logging and urban
expansion.
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Upper Tennessee
Roundtable will use Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds to test
several new approaches and
technologies, including:
Experimental measures to
protect mussels, including a
mussel-friendly bridge design
demonstration.
"The EPA Gran
funding a number
demonstrations tl
will not only help
learn more ab<
how to protect c
water resources, I
will also allow us
spread that knowled
throughout 1
watershe
- Emily Lachniet, Ch;
Upper Tenness
River Roundta
A stormwater toxic spill
protection project to demonstrate
new technologies for containing toxic waste spills.
Bacterial source tracking research to identify potential
sources of microbial pollution.
Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) sewer demonstration
project to test an innovative and cost-effective method o
eliminating polluted runoff.
A new Buffer Easement Land Trust.
A riparian corridors protection model along with technics
and financial assistance to landowners.
1 Creation of an 850-acre mussel preserve on the Clinch
River.
' M
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
Citizens founded The Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
in June 1999 in response to the watershed's ecological
challenges. The Roundtable is a true grassroots
organization - any citizen coming to a biannual meeting is
a voting member. More than 500 citizens participate. The
Board of Directors of the Roundtable has representatives
from twenty-six different stakeholder groups, and provides
a forum for seeking consensus on water quality issues.
Dr. Ed Davis, Upper
Tennessee Roundtable,
wears a costume portraying
"Russell the Mussel" to
teach citizens about the
importance of mussels. The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service loaned the costume
to the Roundtable.
Upper Tennessee Rivei
Tennessee
0 5 10 20 Kilometers
Elevation
High
Volunteer tests water for dissolved oxygen, pH, and
iron levels at an abandoned mine in St. Chartes, VA,
the site of a 1997 fish kill.
Volunteers learn how to do riffle stability index monitoring.
EPA'S TARGETED
WATERSHEDS
GRANT PROGRAM
EPA's Targeted Watersheds
Grant Program is a new ,
competitive grant program
designed to encourage
collaborative, community-
driven approaches to meet
clean water goals.
For more information about
the selected watersheds,
please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/
watershed/initiative/
41
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ite River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Upper White River drains a large portion of the Ozark
Mountains, an area highly valued for recreation, tourism,
and biodiversity. The watershed is home to more than one
million people in northwest Arkansas and southwest
Missouri. The watershed stretches along 300 miles of river
and is about one million acres in size (equal to the size of
Rhode Island and Connecticut). The area is predominantly
agricultural yet it faces some of the highest developmental
pressure in the region.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Targeted Watersheds Grant will focus on the following
environmental problems:
Runoff from urban and rural sources, including nutrients
and sediments from poultry operations and rapid
urbanization.
Nutrients and bacteria loadings to the lakes and
groundwater from the growing reliance on conventional
septic systems.
"It is in b
agriculture's j
tourism's b
interest to hj
abundant soun
of clean wat
- Floyd Griz
Executive Direc
The Upper Wf
River Ba
Foundat
RESTORATION
ACTIVITIES
The Upper White River Basin
Foundation will use EPA
Targeted Watersheds Grant
funds to:
Develop a watershed
management plan by
expanding partnerships and
using the best scientific expertise.
Monitor the water quality impact of eliminating septic
tanks within a defined area.
Create a unified Geographic Information System
database of all available watershed data.
Add new monitoring stations and improve data analysis
to document environmental progress.
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR
CHANGE
The Upper White River Basin Foundation, the lead
organization, is partnering with several organizations to
implement a bistate watershed plan that coordinates
priority actions across the state boundaries of Arkansas
and Missouri. Partners include:
The Kings River Watershed Partnership
The James River Basin Partnership
Table Rock Lake Water Quality, Inc.
Watershed Committee of the Ozarks
Audubon Arkansas
Numerous local stakeholders
Excess nutrients from
agriculture and
stormwater cause
algal blooms.
Upper White River
The project will develop consensus
recommendations from a broad range of
stakeholders in both states to reduce
nutrient loadings.
EPA'S TARGETED
WATERSHEDS
GRANT PROGRAM
EPA's Targeted Watersheds
Grant Program is a new,
competitive grant program
designed to encourage
collaborative, community-
driven approaches to meet
clean water goals.
For more information about
the selected watersheds,
please visit:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/
watershed/i n itiative/
43
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List of (jrantees
2.OO5 (jrantees
Bayou Bartholomew, AR
Winrock International
www.winrock.org
Charles River, MA
Charles River Watershed Association
www.crwa.org
Christina River, PA and DE
Christina Basin Partnership
www.wr.udel.edu/publicservice/chbasin.html
Clark Forke-Pend Oreille, MT, ID and WA
Tri-State Water Quality Council
www.tristatecouncil.org/index.html
Cumberland River, TN and KY
Cumberland River Compact
www.cumberlandrivercompact.org
Dunkard Creek, PA and WV
Greene County Watershed Alliance
www.greenewatersheds.org
Great Miami River, OH
Miami Conservation District
www.conservancy.org
Greater Blue Earth, MN and IA
Three Rivers Resource Conservation
and Development Council
Hanalei Bay, HI
Hanalei Watershed Hui
www.hanaleiriver.org
Lower Columbia River, OR and WA
Lower Columbia River and Estuary
Partnership
www.lcrep.org
Manistee River, Ml
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
Meduxnekeag River, ME
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
Narragansett Bay, Rl and MA
Partnership for Narragansett Bay
www.ci.uri.edu/Projects/PNB
Raritan River Basin, NJ
Stony Brook Millstone Watershed
Association
www.thewatershed.org
Rathbun Lake, LA, AR and MO
Rathbun Land and Water Alliance
www.rlwa.org
Rio Puerco, NM
Rio Puerco Management Committee
Upper South Platte, CO
Coalition for the Upper South Platte
www.uppersouthplatte.net
Upper Susquehanna River, NY and PA
Upper Susquehanna Coalition
www.u-s-c.org
Upper Tennessee River, VA, TN and NC
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
www.uppertnriver.org
Upper White River, AR and MO
Upper White River Basin Foundation
2OO4 (jrantees
Bear River, UT, ID and WY
Bear River Commission
www.bearlakewatch .com
Cape Fear, NC
Cape Fear River Assembly
www.cfra-nc.org
Dungeness River, WA
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
www.jamestowntribe.org
Fourche Creek, AR
Audubon Arkansas
www.ar.audubon.org
Ipswich River, MA
MA Department of Conservation
www.mass.gov/dcr
Kalamazoo River, Ml
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of
the Pottawatomi Indians
www.mbpi.org
Kenai River, AK
Kenafee Indian Tribe
Lake Tahoe, CA and NV
CA Regional Water Quality Board
www.swrcb.ca.gov
Nashua River, MA and NH
Nashua River Watershed Organization
www.nashuariverwatershed.org
Passaic River, NJ
Rutgers University
www.ecocomplex.rutgers.edu
Schuylkill River, PA
The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
www.delawareestuary.org
Siuslaw River, OR
Pacific Coast Watershed Partnership
www.pacificwatersheds.net
Upper Mississippi River, IA
Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship
www.agriculture.state.ia.us
Upper Sangamon River, IL
Agricultural Watershed Institute
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