840R06001
EPA'S TARGET
WATERSHED GRANTS
2005 ANNUAL REPQRT
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary 2
2004 Grantees 4
Bear River 6
Cape Fear River 8
Dungeness River 10
Fourche Creek 12
Ipswich River 14
Kalamazoo River 16
Kenai River 18 _
Lake Tahoe 20 ;j i !l
Nashua River 22
Passaic River 24
Schuylkill River 26
Siuslaw River 28
Upper Mississippi River 30
Upper Sangamon River 32
2003 Grantee Updates 34
Bayou Bartholomew 35
Charles River 36
Christina Basin 37
^ Clark Fork-Pend Oreille 38
m Cumberland Basin 39
* Dunkard Creek 40
^ Great Miami River 41
Greater Blue Earth River 42
^ Hanalei Bay 43
Lower Columbia Estuary 44
Manistee River 45
Meduxnekeag River 46
Narragansett Bay 47
Raritan River 48
Rathbun Lake 49
Rio Puerco 50
* Upper South Platte 51
Upper Susquehanna River 52
Upper Tennessee River 53
Upper White River 54
Listing of 2005 Grantees 55
Capacity Building Grantees 56
The Center for Watershed Protection 57
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) 58
The River Network 59
The Southeast Watershed Forum 60
The University of Alaska, Anchorage 61
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Cape Fear
Fourche Creek
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
Water quality trading between point and nonpoint
sources (Bear River)
Economic incentives for conservation development
techniques, including low impact development,
clustering, and other approaches to preserve open
space (Cape Fear River)
Use of native fungi to control bacteria and excess
nutrients (Dungeness River)
Protection and revitalization of wetlands functions
through conservation easements and stream bank
restoration (Fourche Creek)
Incentive based trading within permitting programs
(Ipswich River)
A model trading framework for agricultural
participation, including phosphorus credit banking
(Kalamazoo River)
Vouchers and other incentive programs to reduce
the use of two stroke outboard motors (Kenai River)
A watershed scale matrix of best management
practices with numeric load reduction
potentials (Lake Tahoe)
New pollutant reduction technologies,
including nitrate-removing wetlands
(Upper Mississippi River)
Use of GIS combined with precision
agriculture technology to reduce nutrients
(Upper Sangamon River)
New incentive programs for foresters to
enhance stewardship and land protection
(Nashua River)
Dungeness Riv
TARGETED WATERSHE
The thirty-four watersheds funded in
Program are spread out across the L
few of the watersheds are in urban c
deserts, forests, mountains, coastal c
of the watershed partnerships reflect
Siuslaw Rive
, oHanalei Bay
Siuslaw River
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Kalamazoo River
Lake Tahoe
d 2004 under EPA's Targeted Watersheds Grant (TWG)
nclude large and relatively small watersheds. While a
st are in rural and agricultural areas, flowing through
\ a bayou. Although they differ in size and scope, all
je customs and cultural values of the region.
Charles River
Ipswich River
Narragansett Bay
Passaic River
Raritan River
Schuylkill River
'Christina Basin
N
pe Fear River
/lap Source: USGS data sets for land
haracteristics, state boundaries, Hydrologic
Jnit Boundaries, and Digital Elevation Model
ivww.national.atlas.gov) Major Rivers (ESRI)
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
"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."
Benjamin H. Grumbles
Assistant Administrator for Water
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Upper Mississippi River
Upper Sangamon River
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5ear River
Cape Fear River
Dungeness River
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amazd© River
Kenai Ri
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Bear
River
UT, ID, WY
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The 7,500-square-mile Bear River watershed begins in
the high country of Utah and flows north and west
through southwest Wyoming and southeast Idaho.
After abruptly turning to the south, the Bear River returns
to Utah and eventually ends its journey as the largest
tributary of the Great Salt Lake. The Conservation
Corridor connecting the northern and southern Rockies
is a critical pathway for migratory birds. Surrounded by
arid desert lands, the Bear River marshes provide for an
abundance of bird life with over 200 waterfowl and
other bird species. Currently, 52 streams and nine lakes
are listed as being impaired in the three states of the
watershed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Water quality management is compounded by the
transboundary nature of the river, which meanders
through three states and two EPA regions with multiple
jurisdictions and planning authorities.
Water quality problems include sediment, nutrients,
fecal coliform bacteria, low dissolved oxygen, and
high water temperature.
Pollutant sources include animal feeding operations,
grazing, agriculture, wastewater treatment, degraded
stream banks, urban development, roads, phosphate
mining, oil and gas exploration, and logging.
A late summer sunrise over the Bear Lake Marina. Bear Lake is the recreational gem
of the watershed and provides opportunities from boating and camping to ice fishing
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Bear River Commission will use grant funds to
develop and demonstrate:
An integrated Watershed Information System (WIS)
www.bearriverinfo.orgto facilitate "one stop
shopping" for data collection, data analysis,
information transfer, and public outreach
A water quality trading program to allow point and
nonpoint pollutant sources to trade water quality
credits
Dynamic water quality modeling to support water
quality trading and analysis of potential water quality
management scenarios
Proiect participants
examine a
restoration site.
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**«&Jfc:
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
The Bear River Commission is working with the Bear
River Water Quality Steering Committee, a group
composed of the water quality agency specialists from
Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. The project has
broad-based participation from many partners,
including:
Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming Departments of
Environmental Quality
Bear River Commission
Bear Lake Regional Committee
Bear Lake Watch
Utah State University
Utah Water Research Laboratory
Bear River Water Quality Task Force
I Pro|ect personnel scope out potential sites for tea'
time streamflow and water quality monitoring
"The Bear River Watershed Information System is providing unprecedented access to
data in the Bear River Basin."
- Jeff Horsburgh, Utah Water Research Laboratory,
Utah State University, a Project Leader
www.epa.gov/twg
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Cape
1
River
NC
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Cape Fear River watershed, North Carolina's
largest, includes 23 percent of the state's land area and
many of the state's most actively growing urban areas.
Home to 27 percent of the state's population, the area
supports jobs in a variety of industries, including both
manufacturing and agriculture. Almost 300 point source
dischargers share the basin with more than five million
head of swine. Growth rates currently exceed the
statewide average and water usage within the basin is
expected to increase nearly 95 percent by 2020.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Twenty percent of the basin's waters are impaired.
Jordan Lake experiences eutrophication due to
nutrient enrichment. Excess nutrients are also a
concern all along the river and may contribute to
the low dissolved oxygen in the estuary.
Continued economic growth can potentially cause a
variety of problems associated with urban and
suburban development, such as erosion and nonpoint
source pollution. Accordingly, communities are
challenged with striking a balance between
strengthening stormwater management requirements
and supporting economically beneficial growth.
A farmer discusses a new animal waste management system that will help reduce
nutrient runoff (Bob Nichols)
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Cape Fear River Assembly will launch a water
quality trading program in the Jordan Lake watershed
of the Upper Cape Fear River Basin. Specifically,
they will:
Design a trading program that will identify pollution
control responsibilities, control options, types of
management practices that should be considered for
defining credits, and protocols for debiting and
crediting transactions
Examine combining traditional land management
practices with nonstructural management practices,
such as land banking, riparian buffers, and wetland
restoration
Create economic incentives for developers to adopt
conservation development techniques such as low
impact development, clustering, and other
approaches that preserve open space and provide
more permeable surfaces
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
Formed m 1973, the Cape Fear River Assembly is a
nonprofit organization governed by a 39-member
board of directors with equal representation from
industry, agriculture, public utilities, elected officials,
and environmental and conservation interests. They are
further supported in this project by six organizations:
Upper Cape Fear River Basin Association
Middle Cape Fear River Basin Association
Sampson County Friends of Agriculture
Fayetteville Public Works Commission
Yarborough Law Firm
Lower Cape Fear River Program
Sunset at the entrance to the Cape Fear River
(Copt Albert E Theberge, NOAA Corps (Ret)
"Watersheds are waters shared, a shared resource and a shared responsibility.
Accordingly, this resource can be best managed as a team effort. If the rivers were the
circulatory system in the body called North Carolina, then the Cape Fear River system
would be the coronary artery."
- Don Freeman, Cape Fear River Assembly
www.epa.gov/twg
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Dungeness
River
WA
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Dungeness River of Washington State, located on
the Olympic Peninsula of northern Puget Sound,
originates in the steep Olympic Mountains and flows 32
miles through wilderness, forest, and valley before
reaching its bay. The 200-square-mile watershed is
home to more than 200 fish and wildlife species and an
important stop for migratory waterfowl. The river
supports seven salmonid species, and the bay is noted
for bountiful crab and other shellfish. Over the years,
the area has been steadily converted from forest to
agricultural and residential land uses. An extensive
irrigation system, diverting water for lawns, crops, and
hobby farms, adds to the pastoral setting of the valley.
The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, which has historically
depended on the watershed's cultural and natural
resources, retains treaty rights to fish, hunt, and gather
shellfish here.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Human-induced Impacts have impaired the natural
river and bay processes of the Dungeness. The
combination of watershed health problems has resulted
in human risk, three threatened salmonid species under
the Endangered Species Act, and closure of Dungeness
Bay to tribal and nontribal shellfish harvests, inhibiting
economic and recreational use of the river and bay.
The river has also been placed on the state's §303(d)
water quality list for fecal coliform and low instream
flows.
Land use changes and physical alterations - such as
floodplain development, riparian vegetation
removal, and construction of an extensive irrigation
system - are factors in flooding, stormwater
pollution, and overall degraded aquatic habitat.
Failing septic systems, poor animal keeping
practices, and inadequate management of
stormwater runoff have increased nutrient and
bacterial levels in the river, bay, and irrigation
ditches.
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe will use its Targeted
Watersheds grant in two areas. The first is to apply
microbial source tracking technologies to at least six
sites to more precisely define bacterial pollutant
sources. The second is to institute four pollution
prevention techniques.
A bio-remediation project will use native fungi to
control excess nutrients and bacteria.
A homeowner sewage management program will
provide education and cost-sharing incentives in
septic maintenance and repair.
A stormwater management project will focus on best
management practices for homes, roadsides, and
parking lots.
An irrigation ditch piping project will prevent
pollutants from entering the irrigation system (by
joining ditches and enclosing them in pipe) and
improve in-streams flows (by eliminating leakage
and reducing the amount of flow diverted from the
river for irrigation).
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe is leading an
interjurisdictional partnership consisting of:
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
Clallam County
Clallam Conservation District
Cline Irrigation District, Clallam Ditch Company and
Dungeness Irrigation Group
The Dungeness River Audubon Center
Battelle Marine Science Laboratory
A view of the volley
Scenic image of fhe
river from the south
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Fourcne
Creelc
AR
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Fourche Creek watershed in Arkansas drains and
filters over 99 percent of the Little Rock metropolitan
area and encompasses at least six third-order streams
and numerous tributaries that discharge into it. The
creek catches, stores, and releases floodwater from the
Little Rock area. A classic urban watershed, the City of
Little Rock cites the economic value and savings from
natural purification in the Fourche Bottomlands to be in
the millions of dollars. However, despite decades of
neglect and abuse, Fourche Creek still boasts more than
50 species of fish, stands of 300-year-old bald cypress,
and core bottomland region that still maintains its
wetland functions. An estimated 90,000 of the
watershed's 108,000 acres lie within the city limits of
Little Rock, and of those, approximately 2,000 are intact
wetlands. The core intact wetland area of Fourche Creek
remains undeveloped, but is surrounded by encroaching
commercial and industrial sites and crisscrossed by
utility corridors.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
In 2003, Fourche Creek was identified by EPA as a
federal priority with its Brownfield designation. The
greatest threats to the Fourche watershed include
sedimentation and floodplain encroachment:
Streambank erosion and stormwater runoff problems
exist due to development and urban sprawl.
Dwindling wetland habitats and floodwater storage
capacity threaten the watershed's ability to act as a
natural filter.
Students learn water quality monitoring techniques
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
As the largest urban environmental restoration project
ever undertaken in Arkansas, the Targeted Watersheds
Grant funds will allow Audubon Arkansas to improve
water quality, restore wetland functions, and enhance
educational opportunities and community awareness.
The project has six primary goals:
Revitalizing wetland function by stabilizing 4,500
linear feet of rock vane and crib wall; reforesting 50
acres; enhancing 4,500 linear feet of stream
corridor; establishing six stormwater retention
basins; reducing sediments by five percent, plus
facilitating one large-scale stream restoration project
Increasing habitat and wetland floodwater storage
capacity by bringing 20 critical acres of stream
corridors in the floodplain into perpetual
conservation easement status
Establishing education and watershed awareness
programs for the public, including students and
developers
Reducing floatable trash by 20 percent through a
partnership with the City of Little Rock and a Central
Arkansas waste management firm, which has agreed
to accept free of charge all litter collected in the
watershed, as well as build a trash collection device
across the main stem of the creek
Using the project web site, www.fourchecreek.org, as
a center for outreach and communication
Continuing to conduct monthly water quality
sampling at eight sites along Fourche Creek for
more than 40 parameters
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
Audubon's broad array of partners includes:
State, county, and local level public partners such as
Arkansas Forestry Commission, City of Little Rock,
and Pulaski County Conservation District
Private partners such as Sierra Club, Central
Arkansas Chapter of Audubon Society, and the Ross
Foundation
Other supporting groups such as Boy Scouts of
America, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural
Resource Conservation Service
Interns learn
about wetland
and forest
habitats
A project goal .s to reduce floatable trash by 20
percent
"The Fourche Creek float was an experience I never thought I would have in the heart
of Little Rock. The ancient trees, the shade, the winding stream channels, and the flash
of birds: green heron, great horned owl, and Mississippi kites. I would never have
known about it had I not been involved with Audubon."
- David Stafford, Sturgis Scholar UALR
www.epa.gov/twg
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Ipswicn
River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Ipswich River winds 45 miles from northeast
Massachusetts to the Atlantic Ocean, where it becomes
part of the 1 7,000-acre Great Marsh estuary ecosystem.
The 1 55-square-mile watershed encompasses all or part
of 22 communities and is a critical source of drinking
water for over 330,000 residents and businesses. The
river has been an economic and ecological asset within
the area since before colonial times, supporting
productive fisheries and shellfish beds, and, for more
than a hundred years, it supported shipbuilding,
tanneries, and textile mills.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Ipswich River was designated by American Rivers as
the third most endangered river in the nation because of
its extremely low flows and extended periods of no flow.
Eighty percent of the water pumped from the river
and the aquifers within the watershed is shipped out
of the basin as drinking water or wastewater, creating
a large new outflow.
Additionally, increasing areas of impervious surface
from development cause flooding and erosion,
degrade water quality, and prevent natural recharge
to aquifers within the watershed.
Low flows and increased nonpoint source pollution
result in extremely low dissolved oxygen, high
temperature, algal blooms, elevated nutrients and
pathogens.
Low and no-flow events and degraded water quality
have led to repeated fish kills and near full
replacement of river-dependent fish species with
species associated with ponds and still water.
Marilyn McCrory of MA Deportment of Conservation and Recreation (foreground)
during a site tour with EPA and the Ipswich River Watershed Association
(Sandra Fancieullo)
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and
Recreation will use its watersheds grant to address the
impacts caused by extensive pumping for municipal
water supply and land development. The project will:
Quantify the benefit of specific low-cost, natural
stormwater infiltration and recharge techniques, and
water conservation techniques
Quantify the potential impact of these techniques on
a watershed-wide scale, through modeling
Form the basis for local "water banks," and provide
essential information to regulators to employ
incentive-based trading mechanisms within
permitting programs
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and
Recreation is supported in its project through the
collaborative efforts of several groups:
The Ipswich River communities of Reading,
Wilmington, North Reading, and Topsfield
The Ipswich River Watershed Association
Rainwater Recovery Systems, LLC
AquaSave
The U.S. Geological Survey
*>r i:Vv''^ <0K
'*" Hi
View of Ipswich River from bridge
(Sandra Fanaeullo)
"With many projects up and running, monitoring underway, and awareness and
interest in what we're doing growing within the watershed, I feel very hopeful about
advancing the understanding of and adoption of low-impact development and water
conservation techniques, with noticeable benefits to the Ipswich River."
- Sara Cohen, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Grant Project Manager
www.epa.gov/twg
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Kalamazoo
River
Ml
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The 2,020-square-mile Kalamazoo River watershed in
southwest Lower Michigan supports a population of
nearly 500,000 and is comprised of 41 percent forest
and rural open areas, 45 percent agriculture, seven
percent urban, and seven percent open water and
wetlands. Historically, the 160-mile river has been used
as a fishery and for extensive paper milling. Significant
ecological, cultural, and spiritual interests link the
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of the Pottawatomi
(the Gun Lake Tribe) to this basin. The current City of
Kalamazoo was the center of the tribe's dedicated
homelands until the mid-1800s. The tribe maintains
existing and ceded lands within the watershed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
From a once-prized small-mouth fishery to an
oxygen-starved, milky-white receiving stream for mill
waste, the river now meets most ambient water quality
standards. Significant water quality challenges remain:
Eighty miles of the river are still plagued with
PCB-laden sediments from the paper mill legacy,
resulting in fish consumption advisories
Other select areas are impaired by nonpoint source
runoff, nutrient enrichment, and habitat loss
Lake Allegan - a 1,500-acre impoundment 21 miles
upstream of Lake Michigan in the lower reaches of
the watershed - suffers from phosphorus
over-enrichment and the attendant frequent algal
blooms, low oxygen levels, and poor water clarity
Lake Allegan is a beautiful lake, but the water is heavily nutrient enriched and affected
by PCBs
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The tribe is involved in this effort by addressing
eutrophication issues through trading in two phases:
Developing a model trading infrastructure and
applying mechanisms to include both market-based
tools, and a model trading registry
Developing a transferable model trading framework
for agricultural participation, phosphorus credit
banking, education and implementation of
conservation practices for trading
Both aspects of the project will be tested and verified
with real reductions through agricultural participation
and other partners.
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
More than 150 watershed stakeholders have
participated in watershed activities since 1998.
The Gun Lake Tribe is coordinating its efforts through
partnerships that include:
Kieser & Associates
The World Resources Institute
Area Conservation Districts
The Environmental Trading Network
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Michigan Department of Agriculture
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
. ! f" V'
; Lake Allegan was
one of the first in
the state to have
an approved Total
Maximum Daily
Load that covers
the headwaters to
the lake
Project purtnets work with farmers on conservation practices to
reduce nutticntb iLynn Belts)
"We are delighted to make a contribution that can improve conditions within our ceded
territories in the Kalamazoo watershed. Many American Indians still rely upon
subsistence practices in their lives. Improved water quality and habitat can only create
better living conditions for all Americans."
- Tribal Chairman D.K. Sprague
www.epa.gov/twg
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Kenai
River
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
One of the most important watersheds in Alaska, the
Kenai River provides world-class salmon fishing and
wilderness recreation. It drains more than 2,200 square
miles and is home to 34 fish species. Its watershed
supports a variety of multiuse recreational activities that
include rafting, kayaking, motor boating, drift guiding,
hunting, snowmobiling, hiking, and camping. Within a
two-hour drive from Anchorage, the watershed is
accessible to over 70 percent of the state's population
and accounts for 19 percent of the state's sport fishing.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The most immediate concerns facing the Kenai are
related to recreational impacts from in-river motorized
boat use.
Hydrocarbon levels exceed water quality standards
established for fish and aquatic life in areas of heavy
boat use.
Habitat loss due to boat wakes, all-terrain-vehicle
crossings of stream channels, and culverts are a
primary source of accelerated erosion.
Th Kenai Ri er supports numerous recreational activities, including world class
salmon fishing
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Kenaitze Indian Tribe, I.R.A. will use its grant award
to address these two watershed threats - hydrocarbon
pollution caused by outboard motors and stream bank
erosion caused by boat wakes. Project activities will
protect and preserve the river by implementing
market-based and stewardship incentives and by
engaging community members.
The Two-Stroke Boat Motor Buyback Incentive
Program aims to reduce the effects of hydrocarbon
emissions from two-stroke boat motors by providing
cash vouchers to private consumers toward the
purchase of a nonmotorized drift-boat or a 2006
manufacture emission compliant motor when the
two-stroke motor is traded in.
The Boat Wake Erosion Reduction Program will
reduce the effects of boat wakes on stream bank
erosion, through a "river-friendly guide" incentive
program featuring permit fee reductions, a voucher
program to encourage private consumers to select
flat bottom or nonmotorized boats when purchasing
a boat for use on the Kenai River, and continued
monitoring and evaluation of boat wake effects on
stream banks.
Ongoing water quality monitoring by the Kenai
Watershed Forum will help measure hydrocarbon
concentrations from outboard motors. Weekly
sampling will occur during peak recreation times.
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
Under the EPA Targeted Watershed Grant, the Kenaltze
Indian Tribe I.R.A., the Alaska Department of Natural
Resources, and the Kenai Watershed Forum will
collaborate to implement project activities. Further
support comes from:
Kenai River Special Management Area Advisory Board
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Kenai Peninsula Borough
Kenai River Center
Kenai Watershed Forum
The Kenoi River
unset over the Kenai
"This grant offers an excellent opportunity for the tribe to work with our community
partners for the protection of a river which has been the lifeblood of Kenaitze people
for generations."
*
- Brenda Trefon, Kenaitze Indian Tribe I.R.A
www.epa.gov/twg
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Lake Tah
CA, NV
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
Because of its extraordinary water clarity, Lake Tahoe is
designated an Outstanding National Resource, which
affords it the highest level of protection under the federal
Clean Water Act. At 6,223 feet above sea level in the
Sierra Nevada mountains, the lake spans portions of
both California and Nevada and is a national scenic
and recreational treasure. The second deepest lake in
North America, with a maximum depth measured at
1,645 feet, it is the tenth deepest in the world. It
contains enough water to cover the entire State of
California to a depth of 14.5 inches. The region's
annual $1 billion economy depends heavily on the
beauty of this sapphire-blue lake, which attracts
millions of visitors each year to its stunning peaks and
beautiful shorelines.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Since 1968, scientists have measured a decline in the
lake's famous water clarity at the alarming rate of one
foot per year due to algae growth and suspended
sediments associated with human activity. During this
time, Lake Tahoe's clarity, as measured by a plate sized
secchi disk, has declined from 29.5 meters (97 feet) to
22.5 meters (74 feet).
Recent research indicates that in-basin atmospheric
pollutants contribute significantly to the decline in
clarity.
Population increases, air pollution, stream channel
erosion, upland erosion, loss of wetlands, and
historical sewage disposal have contributed to lost
water clarity.
Nitrogen, phosphorus and fine sediment from
streams, groundwater, urban runoff, and atmospheric
deposition are responsible for degrading water
quality.
Eagle Falls (Jon Paul)
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
Numeric limits on urban runoff, construction controls,
and stormwater treatment for existing and new
development as established by the Tahoe Regional
Planning Agency's Regional Plan have been in place
since 1987. Although both point and nonpoint source
controls are more prevalent in Tahoe than many places
in the United States, work currently underway to
develop a Lake Tahoe Nutrients and Sediment Total
Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) will allow for more
scientific, market-based approaches to restoring lake
clarity to be developed and evaluated. EPA Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds will be used to:
Evaluate the potential for, and if determined to be
feasible, develop a water quality trading strategy that
will include cross media (air-water) opportunities and
will link land use, air pollution, and best
management measures to water clarity goals
Evaluate new approaches and technologies for
pollution control at Lake Tahoe, including measures
to control air-borne pollutants from transportation
sources
Incorporate data on new and traditional Best
Management Practices (BMP) into a matrix to
determine their basin-wide potential to achieve
required numeric load reductions, information that
will help guide watershed management decisions
and potentially enable trading
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A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
To restore lake clarity, the Lahontan Regional Water
Quality Board and the Nevada Division of
Environmental Protection will collaborate on developing
the Lake Tahoe Nutrients and Sediment Total Maximum
Daily Load, a holistic watershed plan to address water
quality impairments. The Lake Tahoe Basin is unique in
that two states (Nevada and California) and numerous
entities have been engaged in watershed protection
efforts for years. The number, nature, and longevity of
active stakeholder groups demonstrate the high degree
of coordination already occurring. These groups
include:
Water Quality and Transportation Coalition
Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program
Storm Water Quality Improvement Committee
Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition
Lake Tahoe Science Consortium
Numerous government agencies at the federal, state
and local level
Alpine Morning (Jon Paul)
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Nasnua
River
MA, NH
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Nashua River watershed encompasses 31
communities in north central Massachusetts and
southern New Hampshire. Nearly 240,000 people live
and work within its 538 square miles. Still largely rural,
yet at the edge of a major metropolitan area, the
watershed is over 60 percent forested. The
Massachusetts portion includes a designated
Outstanding Natural Resource Area for cold water
fisheries and supports more than 20 rare or endangered
species. Because groundwater and surface water are
closely linked, the watershed serves as an ideal study
area for integrating drinking and surface water
protection efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Protecting existing and future drinking water supply
sources in the face of strong development pressures is a
critical issue for rapidly growing states. Sharply
increasing pressures from rapid growth and the
resultant decline of open space contribute to two
overarching water problems: nonpoint source pollution
of the surface waters and increasingly comprised
groundwater supplies. The growth rate in the
Massachusetts towns in the study area is projected to be
25 to 40 percent through 2010, and 70 to 140 percent
in the New Hampshire towns.
Build out analyses project water demand in
Massachusetts to far exceed safe yields of ground
water resources.
Public water supply land is not adequately protected
despite state requirements.
New development poses threats to water quality
from sodium and chloride, pesticides and fertilizers,
fecal coliform, and chemicals and solvents.
Impervious surfaces are about 7 percent, but studies
suggest 10 percent is the threshold percent to protect
water resources in the study area.
About 79 percent of the Squannacook subbasin and
66 percent of the Nissitissit subbasin are forested
(research suggests 75 percent as the threshold
percent to protect water resources).
Forest land overall is at most only 25 percent actively
managed.
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA),
which has a proven record of success in taking on
difficult environmental issues, will use EPA Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds to:
Increase incentives to individual and municipal forest
landowners to voluntarily expand their stewardship
and land protection
Explore market-based opportunity for collective
landowners through a forestry cooperative
Increase incentives for foresters to receive training in
ecological approaches
Provide practical model conservation and restoration
sites
Develop forward-looking smart growth regulatory
approaches at the municipal and state level
Provide baseline water quality information
Act on new understanding of why some landowners
can be resistant to pro-activity
Gulf Brook, a tributary of
the Nissitissit River
-------
S*«L3**-
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds will allow the
NRWA to continue in its strong collaborative work. This
project follows directly from the recently completed
bi-state Source Water Stewardship Demonstration
Project, in which NRWA, the State of New Hampshire,
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Trust for
Public Land and other organizations all participated.
NRWA is currently partnering with:
Beaver Brook Association
New England Forestry Foundation
Trust for Public Land
A broad interstate coalition of stakeholders
I The mouth of the Nissitissit River
"Working as a broad coalition, the NRWA and its partners are honored that the U.S.
EPA is supporting our proactive project to 'protect today's water for tomorrow' in a
threatened region of our watershed."
- Elizabeth Ainsley Campbell, Executive Director, Nashua River Watershed Association
www.epa.gov/twg
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Passaic
River
NJ
WHY \S THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Passaic River, which traverses both New Jersey and a
small portion of New York, has historically been an area
of significant industrial activity and is now one of the
most impacted rivers in the northeast. Approximately
two million peopleone quarter of New Jersey's
populationlive within 669 square miles of the
803-square-mile watershed. In addition, 23 reservoirs,
all within the nontidal portion of the river, provide
potable water to New Jersey's residents.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
recently funded watershed characterization and
assessment studies. These revealed that surface water
quality standards for nutrients, dissolved oxygen, pH,
temperature, pathogens, metals, and pesticides are
often exceeded.
Phosphorus loads must be reduced to restore water
quality in the rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
Nineteen wastewater treatment plants within the
nontidal portion of the Passaic River watershed
each discharge more than 1 million gallons per day
of treated effluent. The plants, studies assert,
contribute a large percentage of the phosphorus
load.
Upgrading wastewater treatment plants to meet an
effluent limitation for total phosphorus would be
extremely costly. All additional costs would be passed
on to taxpayers in the form of higher sewer rates
unless a water quality trading program with the
potential to significantly lower costs is implemented.
Headwaters of the Passoic River in the Highlands of New Jersey
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds will be used to
develop, implement, and evaluate an effective water
quality trading program for the nontidal Passaic River
Watershed that adheres to EPA's Water Quality Trading
Policy. The focus of the program will include both
point-point source trading and point-nonpoint source
trading. The partners will:
Review available studies to identify potential trading
scenarios and examine ongoing projects around the
country to identify models that can be adopted
Evaluate potential trading scenarios from a scientific
and economic perspective and develop a model that
will quantify potential load reductions and cost
savings
Evaluate the public policy and legal aspects,
including permitting and enforcement implications,
of water quality trading as it pertains to the Passaic
River watershed and New Jersey statutes,
regulations, and policies
Develop and implement a trading program,
including facilitating trading negotiations and
recommending modifications to permits
Report results at local, regional, and national
meetings and in peer-reviewed journals
Develop a website for the project. A website has
been initiated for the project at
www.water.rutgers.edu/projects/trading/WQTrading.htm
-------
oft*.
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
The watershed contains 19 major point sources. Each
may require different levels of upgrade to achieve water
quality standards, making a trading program very
attractive. An active coalition assembled to complete
this endeavor includes:
The Passaic River Basin Alliance, a nonprofit coalition
of wastewater treatment plants in the Passaic Basin
Experts from Rutgers and Cornell Universities
The New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection
A nonprofit organization of New Jersey
municipalities
The New Jersey Association of Environmental
Authorities, a nonprofit organization of state
wastewater treatment plants, water utilities, solid
waste facilities, and collection system operators
I Whippany River, one of the many tributaties to the Passaic River that will be protected
ugh the water quality trading project
"The EPA Targeted Watershed Grants Program has provided a unique opportunity to
develop a water quality trading program for the Passaic River Basin that brings
together stakeholders with diverse goals, and align their efforts to improve water
quality at reduced cost. We aim to achieve a win-win result for the environment and
our stakeholders."
- Christopher C. Obropta, Ph.D., PE., Rutgers Cooperative Extension
www.epa.gov/twg
-------
Scnuullo'l
River
PA
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The historic Schuylkill River is not only a working river
but also the source of drinking water for more than 1.5
million people. At 130 miles long, with more than 180
tributaries, the Schuylkill drains 2,000 square miles of
southeastern Pennsylvania and is the largest tributary to
the Delaware Estuary. The watershed is diverse, flowing
from the Appalachians through rich farmland and low
rolling hills into the highly urbanized Atlantic coastal
plain.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Industrialization and mining in the 19th and 20th
centuries left the Schuylkill as one of the nation's most
polluted rivers. In recent years, however, the river's water
quality has improved and migratory fish are returning,
but problems remain. Major causes of degradation
include stormwater runoff, agricultural practices,
abandoned mine drainage, and sewage overflows.
Stormwater is the primary cause of impairment, with
a total of 273 stormwater impaired stream miles.
Most of these are within Montgomery and
Philadelphia counties, the watershed's most populous.
A restoration analysis found that it would cost
approximately $288 million to design and reconstruct
all impaired stream miles according to natural stream
channel design principles. Because this is not a
feasible restoration strategy, the Stormwater
Workgroup must ensure that the most recent and
proven stormwater controls are used in future
development and when retrofitting older areas
developed without adequate controls.
Last year's winner of the Annual Urban Fun Fishing Fest in the Schuylkill River
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
A near-term restoration initiative was developed to
address stormwater runoff, agricultural practices, and
abandoned mine drainage, to promote market-based
strategies, and to evaluate the efficacy of the Schuylkill
Action Network as an interjurisdictional approach to
water quality management. These efforts will help meet
the requirements and balance the priorities of the Safe
Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, by
creating a "fishable, swimmable, and drinkable"
Schuylkill River. EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds
will be used to achieve four specific goals:
Achieve measurable pollution reductions
Provide a model for moving from source water
assessment to protection and demonstrate a
cooperative approach to maintaining coordinated
actions under the Safe Drinking Water Act and
Clean Water Act for a large watershed
Conduct demonstration projects and explore
market-based initiatives
Implement, over the next 3 years, more than 40
demonstration projects relating to stormwater
impacts, agricultural impacts, abandoned mine
drainage impacts, and market-based strategies
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds will be used
under the leadership of Philadelphia Water Department
and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary to aid the
Schuylkill Action Network's many partners. These
include:
State agencies
Local watershed organizations
Water suppliers
Local governments
Federal government agencies
School children signing the
Constitution of the Schuylkill
Action Network (SAN), which
is on agreement of watershed
residents to |om in the SAN's
efforts to restore and protect
; Schuylkill River
"This is a truly collaborative initiative, with thirteen organizations and agencies
implementing 40 diverse projects spread throughout a watershed almost 2,000 square
miles in size. The project managers are all committed and energized for putting the
funds to work on the ground, and I'm excited to be part of making that happen."
- Jennifer Adkins, Schuylkill Targeted Watershed Grant Coordinator, Partnership for the
Delaware Estuary
Various boats on the Schuylkill River along
Boothouse Row near Philadelphia
www.epa.gov/twg
-------
Siuslaw
River
OR
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Siuslaw River meanders 150 miles through Oregon
from the edge of the Willamette Valley to the Pacific
Ocean. Half of its watershed is managed by federal
agencies, industrial timber companies own a third, and
the flat valley bottoms, lower hill slopes, and estuary are
privately owned and not industrially used. The watershed
includes inland valley oak savanna forests and
meadows; the Coast Range mountains, one of the best
tree-growing areas in the United States; and the tidally
influenced estuary zone. The Siuslaw's stands of
old-growth forest are the largest remaining tracts of
intact coastal temperate rainforest on the north coast of
Oregon. The basin once supported huge runs of Pacific
salmon, including the largest run of coho salmon south
of the Columbia River, which is now at less than 2
percent of its historical population and listed as
threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Because
of the fertile soil and moderate climate in the Willamette
Valley, the watershed includes some of the most
productive farming land in the nation.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Eight watershed assessments have been developed for
parts of the basin, in addition to a whole-basin
assessment. Based on these findings, restoration
activities will focus on debris flow cycle, the movement
of organic material, sediment, and water, as well as
riparian connections to streams. Major threats include:
Draining, diking, and installing numerous tidegates
in the estuary and valley bottoms, which prevent
tidal flows in the estuary
Aggressive forest practices on steep slopes and in
riparian areas, which have led to an increased risk
of sediment delivery to streams
Elevated lead and temperature levels in the river,
which exceed EPA standards
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
This project seeks to implement a basin-wide
restoration initiative to improve the economic integrity
in local communities through restoring natural
processes in the upper basin. It combines innovative
market-based incentives with specific habitat restoration
and monitoring and evaluation projects. Targeted
Watersheds Grant project tasks include:
Restoring natural landscape processes by repairing
culverts and roads
Using market incentives to reduce the risk of
sediment delivery to stream channels from 10,000
acres
Restoring 30 miles of riparian habitats and processes
Protecting and restoring a 5-mile estuary corridor
Developing and implementing a water quality
monitoring and evaluation program
Landowners along the Willamette Valley put buffers along the river
to improve habitat and water quality (Gary Wilson)
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
Since the 1980s, academic researchers, agency
personnel, and community members have been
working to develop and implement an integrated
ecosystem-based approach to restore the Siuslaw. Five
entities - Ecotrust, the Siuslaw Watershed Council,
Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District, Siuslaw
Institute, and Siuslaw National rarest - will manage this
project under the EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant.
Other partners include:
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and
Siuslaw Indians
' McKenzie River Trust
* Shorebank Enterprise Pacific
Pacific Coast Watershed Partnership
Siuslaw and Mapleton School Districts
Natural Resources Conservation Service
* Bureau of Land Management
' Private landowners and many others
Stream in the Coast Moxjntain Range in Oregon
(Ron Nichols)
Recreational fly fishing
in a mountain stream
(Ron Nichols)
-------
Upper
Mississippi
River
pp
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Des Moines Lobe, the central focus of this project, is
drained mostly by the Des Moines, Raccoon, Iowa, and
Skunk rivers in the "prairie-pothole" region in
north-central Iowa. Thanks to artificial drainage, this
land boasts some of the most valuable and productive
farmland in the country. In 2002, the average land value
for the 22-county area making up most of the Lobe was
approximately $2,500 an acre, and more than
80 percent of that area was used for row crops,
42.9 percent for corn and 37.6 percent for soybeans.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Nitrate leaching from extensive areas of drained
cropland in Iowa and other areas along the Corn Belt is
transported down the Mississippi River and is believed to
be a contributor to hypoxic (low in dissolved oxygen)
conditions in the Gulf of Mexico and to local drinking
water quality concerns. Although mismanagement and
overuse of fertilizer and manure contributes to water
quality problems, hydrological and land-use changes
(that is, the conversion of prairies and marshes to
row crops) are the leading causes of degradation.
Extensive subsurface drainage of the Corn Belt (25
percent of Iowa is drained) accelerates the transport
of nitrate entering the Mississippi River.
Subsurface drainage creates very productive
croplands and reduces other water quality concerns.
Scientists examine a soil sample (Charlie Rohm)
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
A permanent solution to this watershed's challenges
involves "structural modifications" of the drainage
systems that could have both water quality and crop
production benefits. EPA Targeted Watersheds Grants
funds will be used to test new technologies involving
modified drainage systems, combined with
nitrate-removing wetlands. Project partners will:
Use actual soils, topography, and weather data with
improved crop growth, hydrologic, and wetland
models to design integrated wetlands and controlled
or shallow drainage systems to reduce nitrate
loading while maintaining or improving crop
performance
Develop an optimum drainage-wetland system
design for specific study areas with landowner
cooperation, install it, and monitor its water quality
performance
Conduct outreach to publicize the results to other
landowners, the farm media, downstream water
users, and policy makers at all levels and explore
technology transfer opportunities to other areas in
Iowa and beyond
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship and Iowa State University, which together
developed the nitrate removal wetland technologies that
led to Iowa's Conservation Research Enhancement
Program, lead the project team. Further support
through expertise, staff, and financial resources
comes from:
Iowa Drainage District Association
Agri Drain Corporation
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
Iowa Environmental Council
City of Cedar Rapids
Des Moines Water Works
ored wetland (Lynn Betts)
"Our TWG project is developing new approaches for managing water on cropped
landscapes to reduce the movement of nitrate to streams, and ultimately, to the Gulf
of Mexico hypoxic zone. Farmers will be able to see these technologies through
demonstrations under actual field conditions, both to demonstrate the environmental
gains as well as impacts upon crop production and farming practices."
- Dean W. Lemke, RE., Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
www.epa.gov/twg
-------
Upper
Sangamon
<_^
River
(L
WHY IS THIS WATERSHED SPECIAL?
The Upper Sangamon River watershed, which lies in
central Illinois, is part of ihe Upper Mississippi River
Basin. Lake Decatur, formed in 1922 to provide water
for domestic use and processing of agricultural products,
is a prominent feature. The portion of the watershed
above the lake covers 925 square miles in seven
counties, approximately 87 percent of which is in crop
production. Decatur, population 82,000, is ftie largest
city in the watershed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The Upper Sangamon River watershed has water quality
problems typical of agricultural watersheds in the upper
Midwest. Numerous problems affect the environment
and the people of the area.
Erosion and sedimentation from cropland and stream
banks have been concerns since Lake Decatur's
creation.
» Tile drainage, which is used extensively in the
watershed, provides agricultural benefits but also
contributes to erosive forces and nutrient losses.
Peak nitrate concentrations in Lake Decatur have
exceeded the 10 mg/l drinking water standard most
years since 1980. Monitoring by the Illinois State
Water Survey in the mid 1990s found the average
annual nitrate yield to Lake Decatur to be
23 Ibs/acre.
Scientists suspect that nutrient loads from this
watershed and other agricultural watersheds
sxacerbate hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen) in the
Gulf of Mexico.
' The primary objectives of ongoing soil and water
conservation efforts are to reduce erosion,
sedimentation, and nutrient losses to surface waters
without adversely affecting the agricultural economy
of the region.
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds will go towards a
coordinated set of projects to improve water quality
locally, regionally, and in the Gulf of Mexico by
enhancing nutrient management for crop production
and reducing loss of nutrients.
One project will use GIS-based software and
precision agriculture technology in on-farm
experiments to optimize nitrogen management. Risk
management instruments to protect farmers against
income losses from reduced application rates will be
demonstrated and refined.
* A second study will demonstrate drainage water
management and subsurface bioreactors to reduce
movement of nitrates through drainage tiles to
surface waters. Cost-effectiveness will be evaluated,
allowing for this approach to be scored for point
and nonpoint source trading.
* The third study will address economic and
environmental benefits from soil testing and variable
rate technology to improve phosphorus
management. Economic and environmental results
will be measured. Stakeholders will evaluate
projects, disseminate findings, and identify added
strategies to improve nutrient management and
reduce losses.
-------
A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
FOR CHANGE
Many watershed management programs for the Upper
Sangamon have already been implemented by various
groups. EPA Targeted Watersheds Grant funds will
support the continued cooperation under the lead of
the Agricultural Watershed Institute. Key participants
and supporters include:
University of Illinois Departments of Crop Sciences,
Agricultural and Consumer Economics, and
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts
(SWCD)
American Farmland Trust's Agricultural Conservation
Innovation Center
Illinois State Water Survey
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service
Individual farmer-cooperators
Technical service providers in the fertilizer industry
IT-
Mocon County
SWCD watershec
tours educate
urban and rural
residents about
conservation
practices
nois State Water
Survey personnel
monitor stream flow
and water quality in
the Upper Sangamon
Watershed
-------
i
-------
Bayou
Bartholomew
AR
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES
Excess sediments
Loss of habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species
Log jams affecting stream flow
Agriculture, deforestation, and land clearing
activities
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Bayou Bartholomew Alliance is addressing these The Bayou B°rth°lomew A"'°nce CaP»°'"
issues through various improvement projects focused on protecting and preserving the
area's vast diversity of aquatic life. Thus far, the alliance's accomplishments include:
Removing 148 tons of trash from the bayou with the help of citizen volunteers
Redesigning an old weir to demonstrate to landowners how weirs should be
constructed to allow for fish and small watercraft passage, and to help maintain
stream function
Continuing to provide hardwood tree seedlings at no cost to landowners to restore
riparian corridors
Establishing a conservation easement program to
protect existing riparian hardwood forests, allowing
landowners the opportunity to preserve the forests
while still obtaining some financial benefits
Completing a carbon site feasibility analysis and
an analysis of areas of high aquatic biodiversity
Conducting workshops to educate landowners
about methods to minimize impacts on
water quality
Canoeing among the cypress trees
-------
Cnarles River
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
High fecal coliform bacteria levels
Water shortages
Rapid development and urbanization
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) is
committed to utilizing innovative approaches to
reduce polluted discharges, increase recharge of
rainwater, and restore fisheries. To help advance
these restoration objectives, projects emphasize the
use of flow trading, stormwater recharge, education,
habitat, and research. To date, the association has:
Clsterns help conserve water and reduce runoff
Installed fourteen 400-gallon, residential cistern-drywall water retention systems to
allow homeowners to use stored rainwater for irrigation or other uses
Conducted in-stream bacteriological monitoring, collected precipitation data, and
implemented statistical computer models to predict water quality levels
Continued to report water quality conditions by flying color-coded flags at boathouses
during the summer recreational season
Completed an economic analysis of flow trading in the basin and water banking
model to determine subbasin water quantity deficits
Developed a computer model of
the Upper Charles River that
simulates the water budget in
terms of impervious areas, water
consumption, drinking water
withdraws, and other uses
Helped launch stormwater mass
media educational campaign
Blue flags fly over the Charles River when water quality is good.
-------
Cnristina Basin
PA, DE
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Point and nonpoint source pollution
Toxic chemicals
Fish consumption advisories
Habitat loss
Excess sediment and nutrients
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Christina Basin Clean Water Partnership is
making strides to reduce pollution through
agricultural best management practices, stream
bank restoration, stormwater management, and
residential landscape and runoff control. To date,
the partnership has:
Pike Creek stream restoration pro|ect
Developed site specific nonpoint source remediation and monitoring programs
Completed one key stormwater retrofit project
Completed two nutrient management plans to manage farm runoff
Continued enlisting local property owners in residential landscape and runoff control
efforts as part of its Smartyard Program
Completed site selection for three
stormwater retrofits, two
contiguous stream
restorations, and seven
wetland and stream
restoration projects
Rain gardens provide an attractive, environmentally friendly
landscape.
-------
Clarlc Torlc-Pend
Oreill
Ml ID, WA
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Degradation of riparian areas
Excessive nutrients and algae growth
Rapid population growth and urbanization
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Tri-State Water Quality Council is focusing both
on reducing nutrients that are causing excessive algae
blooms and threatening to remobilize heavy metals
contamination, and on addressing the effects of
population growth on water quality. It is working with
the Blackfoot Challenge, the Flathead Basin
Commission, and the Watershed Restoration Coalition
tO improve livestock management practices, expand Macromvertebrate sampling on Warren Creek
water quality monitoring efforts, and complete restoration work on key tributaries to the
Clark Fork River and Pend Oreille Lake. Thus far, the council and its partners have:
Installed six off-stream livestock watering tanks, miles of riparian fencing, and over
37,000 feet of pipeline to divert cattle away from stream and river corridors, thereby
reducing sediment and nutrients
Initiated streambank restoration measures to reduce erosion and sedimentation,
restore riparian habitat, and improve stream channel morphology on over five miles
of streams
Implemented a land application system for dairy
cow manure effluent at a major dairy farm to
reduce phosphorous loading
Expanded monitoring programs, analyzed and
assessed trends in nutrients and algae growth,
and developed a nutrient pollutant model
Stream restoration work on Warren
Creek, a tributary to the Blackfoot River.
-------
Cumberland 5asin
TN, KY
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Increased development and impervious surfaces
Water shortages due to rapid stormwater runoff
Excessive sediment and erosion
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Cumberland River Compact's (CRC) Building
Outside the Box (BOB) Project promotes sustainable
building techniques and low impact development
principles through partnerships and education.
Developers are embracing the project to such a
degree that impacts are expanding beyond the BOB
sites to across the region. CRC achievements, thus far,
are wide ranging.
Collecting macromvertebrates to measure stream
quality.
Now successfully launched, BOB boasts a list of participating professions that has
grown from 30 to more than 110 members, including many private, public, and
nonprofit organizations.
Sustainable building workshops have been held for more than 60 homebuilders.
The project has educated a host of professional associations about BOB Model Site
Design principles focused on protecting water quality.
The first certified low-impact house has been built and a multiple-family residence
project completed.
BOB development sites have increased from two
to four and a second partnering developer with a
600-acre, 1,000-home development site has
joined the project.
A matching grant to carry out groundbreaking
site runoff monitoring on BOB sites has been
secured.
A BOB housing development incorpo-
rates low impact principles
The Southeast Watershed Assistance Network, an interactive website
(www.watershed-assistance.net) to transfer success stories and lessons learned to
watershed groups and developers in the southeast and across the nation, is up and
running.
-------
.
in i
Dunlcard Creelc
PA, WV
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Acid mine drainage
Toxic chemicals
Habitat loss
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Greene County Watershed Alliance is
collaborating with Stream Restoration, Inc. to address
the impacts from acid mine drainage using clean-up
technologies, partnership building, and hands-on
environmental education. To date, the alliance has:
Cleaned up an illegal dumping site
Formed a broad-based watershed organization
called The Friends of Dunkard Creek that will
bring together industry, environmentalists, scientists,
government agencies, and local citizens to help solve
the water quality problems
Conducted numerous
presentations to educate the
public about the negative
environmental impacts of acid
mine drainage
Created educational displays on
acid mine drainage, passive
wetland treatment systems, and
water quality
Community outreach is an important part of the
Dunkard pro|ect
Fishing is a popular recreational pursuit, but species are in decline
because of acid mine drainage.
-------
Great Miami River
OH
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Excess sediments and nutrients
Alterations to the channel shape
Loss of streamside vegetation
Degradation of habitat for aquatic life
Urban stormwater runoff
Flood control
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Site of Hidden Hills wetlands enhancement project
The Miami Conservancy District (MCD) is restoring
valuable water resources by implementing a sound
watershed management approach devoted to
projects focused on reducing nutrients and sediments through performance-based cost
sharing and innovative conservation practices, reducing urban stormwater runoff, and
providing incentives for communities to implement conservation-minded development.
Through a unique network of diverse
partnerships, the district has:
Completed water quality data collection
plans for seven project sites
Identified project sites and established
agreements with participating landowners
Finalized project designs and construction
plans
Developed and conducted education and
outreach programs to educate local
communities about water resource
protection efforts
Landowners discuss wetlands conservation practices
-------
Greater Blue
Earth River
MN, IA
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Excess nutrients and sediment
Algae blooms
Loss of wetland habitat and aquatic life
Lost recreational opportunities
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Three Rivers Resource Conservation and
Development Council is actively demonstrating
effective ways to improve water quality within the
basin as well as downstream through
partnership-based projects focused on conservation
cost-share, wetland restoration, and public education.
To date, the council has:
Awarded 107 cost-share contracts for conservation practices
Implemented 180 on-the-ground conservation practices
Encouraged third crop rotation to minimize erosion through participation at County
Fairs with a project called "Conservation on Wheels"
Worked with various partners to restore 139 acres of wetlands to help improve
habitat and other valuable functions
Collaborated with the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
and Martin County to monitor restoration sites and conduct a comparative watershed
analysis of corn soybean rotation vs. same with Best Management Practices
Conducted its first, of several, nutrient trials
Conducted 36 educational presentations for approximately 1,200 people on erosion
control and rain gardens
Constructed four rain gardens, which will help reduce runoff and improve filtration
Established a thriving network of citizen stream monitoring volunteers
Ram gardens reduce runoff and provide aesthetic
benefits
-------
Hanalei 6at)
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Landslides
Fragile coral reef ecosystem
Excess sediments and nutrients
Feral pig landscape damage
Loss of habitat and aquatic life
High levels of fecal coliform indicating bacteria
Agriculture and ranching activities
Groundwater contamination by sewage
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
HI
Scientific diver removes coral larval panels in
Hanalei Bay each summer to estimate coral
recruitment rates
The Watershed Hui is committed to restoring the health of their watershed through a
community-based approach geared towards improving wastewater treatment of
individual septic systems and a centralized wastewater facility. Additional projects are
aimed at extensive public involvement, research, and education. With the help of many
diverse stakeholders, the Hui has:
Solicited community input on a prioritized list of cesspools to be upgraded to
septic systems
Finalized site engineering of replacement septic
systems and initiated construction on key sites
Continued to work with government agencies,
local organizations, and university scientists to
assess non-point sources of pollution on a
watershed basis
Worked with commercial firms to design various
centralized wastewater treatment options
Solicited community input and achieved consensus
for long-term solutions, including the Use of . Hydrologist Matt Rosener measures
constructed wetlands as a method of treatment streamfb* m a small tributary of the
Hanalei River
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Lower Columbi
Estuart}
OR, WA
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Threatened and endangered species
Loss of wetlands and habitat
Rapid development
Runoff of toxic and conventional pollutants
Excess sediments
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership is
protecting and restoring the river and its critical
ecosystems through collaborative projects
emphasizing on-tne-ground restoration,
monitoring, and education. To date, the
partnership has:
Volunteers with the Scappoose Bay Watershed
Council use trap nets to assess fish populations in
Scappoose, Oregon
Leveraged funding for restoration and protection of more than 2,000 acres
Leveraged $3.8 million dollars in cost-share funds to complete four restoration
projects
Completed restoration on 1,265 acres
Completed all phases of a multi-site project,
including the reconnection of 555 acres of
floodplain, removal of four tidegates, and two
culverts
Conserved 1 73 acres of land and developed a
cattle grazing management plan for 300
additional acres
Ian Sinks of the Columbia Land Trust
leads a stakeholder tour of the Grays
River Conservation and Restoration
pro|ect in Washington
Removed invasive plants and planted native species on 22 acres of wildlife refuge
Established a long-term restoration site maintenance agreement with new partners
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Manistee River
Ml
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Extensive logging
Loss of vegetation
Extreme erosion
Excess sediments
Loss of habitat for aquatic species
Potential extinction of threatened or endangered
species
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is focusing on
reducing pollution problems attributable to extensive
logging, and on revitalizing impaired streambanks
and road-stream crossings to improve water quality.
To date, they have:
Completed three stream bank restoration projects
Completed one road crossing to reduce streambank erosion
Improved river access and minimized erosion
to two sites by building trails and steps in
high traffic areas
Concluded preliminary water quality
investigations to improve sturgeon habitat
and channel conditions
Continued efforts to monitor water quality
Promoted watershed health through
numerous presentations addressing water
quality issues and public involvement
Streambank restoration projects will improve water
quality and habitat
Assessing the fish species helps measure water
quality improvements
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Meduxnelceag
River
ME
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Soil erosion from agriculture and livestock activities
Instream impairments
Loss of fishery habitat, spawning, and nursery
areas
High levels of E. coli bacteria from improper
sewage connections
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians are using an
innovative combination of winter cover crops,
mulching practices, and storm drain management to
improve water quality. Progress so far includes: Aenai view of the watershed
Assisting 20 growers to plant winter cover crops and apply mulch on 1,809 acres,
saving an estimated 542 tons of soil
Conducting a seminar, attended by 24 farmers, about mulching practices in potato
growing
Conducting a seminar, attended by 13 farmers, to
demonstrate the use of innovative winter cover
crops and mulching practices
Initiating work on Winter Cover Study by compiling
input from six growers
Identifying and removing a sewer line connected
to a storm drain with high levels of bacteria to
prevent water contamination
The TWG project is helping minimize
sediment buildup by working with farm-
ers on conservation practices
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Narragansett
Bau
RI,MA
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Land and coastal development
Toxic metals and bacterial pollution
Hypoxic conditions due to nutrient overloading
Fishery declines
Loss of shellfish and other aquatic organisms
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Partnership of Narragansett Bay is reducing
sediment and nutrient loadings to improve water
quality by focusing projects on fish run sustainability
and restoration as well as on research and education. Fish ladder at Bradford Dam will help restore
To date, achievements include: 9ra'7flsh;u,n* ( , ,. t .
(Wood-rawcatck Watershed Association)
Funding a mariculture facility that has produced 26,000 seedlings planted over four
acres at two sites, seedlings that will support eelgrass restoration without additional
pressure on natural eelgrass beds
Securing additional mariculture funding from project partners
Donating numerous plants to support an
elementary school's eelgrass program
Completing a fish passage feasibility study to
support anadromous fish and ecosystem
restoration
Conducting pre-project monitoring to evaluate
numerous treatment technologies for reducing
excess pathogens and nutrients
Engaging project partners and Volunteers in Site Eelgrass seedlings counted and ready
monitoring activities fror 'ra"f°nt-
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Raritan River
NJ
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Aquifers highly vulnerable to drought
Rapid development and urbanization
Reduced ground water recharge
Loss of wetlands and riparian areas
Increased pollutant loadings and stormwater flows
High fecal coliform bacteria levels
Project partners celebrate a successful restoration
at Mulhockaway Creek
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, in
partnership with the New Jersey Water Supply
Authority, is carrying out a comprehensive watershed
management plan to address these environmental problems. Projects are focused on
restoration, protection, and pollution prevention. Accomplishments so far include:
Partnering with 23 municipalities to implement new land ordinances to protect and
preserve natural resources
Working with nine local businesses, 10 golf courses, and 20 residents through an
innovative River Friendly pollution prevention program to address water conservation
through public involvement
Restoring stream corridors with vegetated buffers
to improve water quality and provide wildlife
habitat
Continued biological monitoring to assess stream
quality
Conducting outreach activities to educate the
public and local officials about ways to improve
water quality
A restored streambank.
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Rathbun Lalce
/A
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Excess sediments and nutrients
Erosion along stream banks and shoreline
Algal blooms
Excess pesticides and herbicide atrazine
Failing septic systems
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Rathbun Lake and Water Alliance is reducing
water quality impairment through collaborative
projects focused on agricultural best management
practices, on-the-ground restoration activities,
innovative technology, and education. The alliance
and its partners have to date:
Forage and livestock workshop
Developed and applied Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to identify
priority land that is the source for more than 70 percent of the sediment and
phosphorous entering Rathbun lake from the watershed
Assisted more than 200 farmers to evaluate and plan best management practices,
well over half of whom are applying conservation practices to nearly 6,500 acres of
land, including terraces, grade stabilization
structures, and water and sediment
control basins
Conducted farm demonstrations, field days
and workshops for more than 300 farmers on
alternative uses for priority land, and on
forage and livestock production as an
economically viable alternative to row crop
agriculture
The construction of a terrace will reduce
sediment and phosphorus runoff
Leveraged more than $4 million from project partners to provide technical and cost
share assistance to farmers to apply best management practices for priority land
Leveraged an additional $4 million from project partners to restore 1,700 acres of
wetland areas that will benefit water quality
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Rio Puerco
NM
Jute bag structures help stop
erosion and the advance of
headcuts
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Excess sediment loss and high erosion rates
Degraded rangeland
Multi-year drought
Altered stream channels and stream instability
Dirt roads that capture and channel runoff
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Rio Puerco Management Committee is actively
addressing these issues through a community-based strategy
emphasizing stream restoration, erosion control technology,
monitoring, and education. Youth crews were assisted by the
New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps and supported by
Navajo Chapters. Their accomplishments include:
Building 25 picket weirs and baffles, as well as
900 "one-rock dams" and other
structures to reduce erosion
Covering 2,600 square feet of ground with lopped branches to check sediments
Building jute bag structures to stop the advance of headcuts, which entails sewing jute
erosion control matting into a long bag filled with wood chips and native soil, then
seeding the bags with deep-rooted plant
species to hold the slope in place
Holding two rangeland health workshops and
a herding clinic with multiple stake holders to
highlight methods to improve grazing lands
Conducting numerous onsite educational
demonstrations for school children and
rural residents about the importance of using
soil cover to slow erosion
Demonstrating the effectiveness of goat
grazing to control sagebrush and salt cedar The Range|and Hea|th Kiosk used with youth
crews to demonstrate the importance of
maintaining soil cover to slow erosion
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Upper South
Plattc
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Vulnerability to forest fires
Deforestation
Excess sediments and erosion
Severe flooding
Habitat loss
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) is still
battling the environmental devastation caused by the
2002 Hayman fire. By far, their greatest achievement
has been galvanizing numerous volunteers for
on-the-ground restoration work. With the help
of many, the coalition has:
CO
Restored a total of 6.5 miles of river on
three sites
Coordinated more than 10,000 hours of
volunteer efforts in raking, seeding, and
mulching more than 120 acres of burned
lands, and in planting more than 2,500
trees and shrubs
Treated more than 225 acres of property
vulnerable to fire
Pete Gallagher of Fin-Up Habitat Consultants and
Jeff Spohn, Biologist for the Colorado Division of
Wildlife, supervise placement of trees in Eleven
Mile Canyon along the South Platte River. The trees
provide habitat for trout and improve water quality
by stabilizing streambanks
A contractor harvests trees from the Hayman fire area
for use in restoring rivers throughout the watershed as
part of CUSP's Trees for Trout program
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Upper
Susquenanna
River
NY. PA
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Steep topography and land use conversion
Flooding
Excess sediments and nutrients
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The Upper Susquehanna Coalition (USC) is
implementing a results-oriented approach to protect
wetlands and reduce flooding through projects
focused on restoration, stewardship, and education.
To date, the coalition has:
Buffered 10 miles of streams, including 82.4 acres
of stream-side buffers and 38.3 acres of wetlands
Continued to restore two wetland complexes
totaling more than 30 acres
Completed road surveys on 65 percent of
the project site area to map eroding
ditches, which are significant sources of
sediment
Used Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) to help locate high priority
restoration sites
Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Farm Stewardship
Program site Funds provided by USC helped plant
trees and shrubs in this riparian forest buffer and
protect them with tree shelters
USC paid for credits t<
install rip-rap for two
stream stabalization
projects on Choconut
Creek.
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Upper Tennessee
River
VA, TN, NC
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Excess sediments, nutrients, toxic chemicals, and
bacteria
Agriculture, mining, and logging activities
Rapid urbanization
Loss of aquatic species
Loss of endangered or threatened species
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Taking an innovative watershed management
approach, the Upper Tennessee Roundtable is
committed to reducing pollution to enrich the river's
vast resource capacity. Projects focus on restoration,
technology, conservation, and education.
Accomplishments include:
Removing 9,780 cubic yards of sawdust near an impacted creek and applying it to
strip mined land as a soil amendment
Co-sponsoring six conferences on low-impact development
Conducting two conferences about environmental emergency response
Conducting a rain barrel workshop attended
by 36 teachers who made 16 rain barrels to
aid in stormwater management at schools
and homes
Fencing cattle out of stream and installing
water system on a farm to implement a
controlled grazing system
Promoting use of rain gardens to control
storm water runoff
Restoring wetlands and streambanks in a
priority region
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable volunteers
teach children and their parents about the Save
Our Streams method of water quality monitoring in
Washington County, Virginia Children search for
bugs that are indicators of stream health
A stormwater model developed by the Blue
Ridge RC&D helps manage runoff from a
nearby parking lot Thanks to TWG funding,
this model design is being exported by the
Upper Tennessee River Roundtable
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E.
Upper Wnite
River
MO, AR
MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
Rapid urbanization and development
Excess sediments and nutrients
Agriculture activities
Faulty septic systems
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
As it continues to face some of the highest
developmental pressures in the region, the Upper
White River Basin Foundation is working diligently
to reduce pollution. To tackle threats, the foundation
is taking a bi-state watershed management
approach emphasizing strategic planning, scientific
expertise, monitoring, and education. To date, the
foundation has:
Volunteers learn how to monitor water quality on
the Kings Rtver
Completed several components of a watershed management plan, including a
comprehensive watershed assessment
Held watershed summits to discuss water quality issues
Distributed follow-up reports to
summarize the proceedings of the
summits
Continued to monitor water quality
Floating down the scenic Kings River
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1r p I ' ') 'i
mi, i
,i
2OO5 Grantees
Cheat River, WV
Friends of the Cheat
www.cheat.org
304-329-3621
Tangipahoa River, LA
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
www.saveourlake.org
504-836-2215
Huff Run, OH
Rural Action
www.ruralaction.org
740-767-4938
Trinity River/
Lower Klamath, CA
Yurok Tribe Environmental Program
707-482-1377
**' (U **'
«:"**,
Lake Hopatcong, NJ
Lake Hopatcong Commission
www.lakehopatcong.org
973-601-1070
Tuttle Creek Lake, NE £> KS
Tuttle Creek Lake Watershed Partners
402-471-4227
Little River, TN
Blount County Soil Conservation District
www.littleriverbigfuture.org
865-983-2011
Presumpscot River/
Casco Bat, ME
Casco Bay Estuary Project
www.cascobay.usm.maine.edu
207-780-4820
Skagit River, WA
The Nature Conservancy
www.nature.org/washington
360-419-9825
Upper Sevier River, CIT
Utah Department of Environmental Quality
801-539-6825
Vermillion River, MN
Vermillion River Watershed
Joint Powers Organization
www.co.dakota.mn.us/planning/vermillionjpo
952-891-7011
Willamette River, OR
The Willamette Partnership
503-434-8033
www.epa.gov/twg
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Capacitu Building;
\ J <-2
Grantees
COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION AT WORK
In addition to supporting community-driven watershed projects through Targeted
Watershed Grants (TWG), EPA also supports developing and disseminating tools,
training, and technical assistance to strengthen the effectiveness of community-based
partnerships. In 2003, EPA awarded approximately $2.1 million, spread over three
years, in training and education grants to five leading organizations. The grant goals
are to teach local watershed groups critical skills necessary to improve watershed health.
The five awards, which varied in funding levels, reflect models at the national, regional,
and state levels. Their success illustrates the powerful potential of collaborative
watershed partnerships to achieve environmental improvements. Recognizing the high
return on these modest investments, the Agency plans to increase funds for capacity
building. The specific goal of these grants is to better serve both the needs of the
thousands of local watershed groups working for cleaner water across the country, and
the statewide, regional, and national organizations that support them.
CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTEES
The Center for Watershed Protection is a national organization dedicated to the
protection and restoration of watersheds by advancing effective land and water
management techniques.
The International City/County Management Association (ICAAA) is a professional
and educational association for appointed administrators in local government,
serving nearly 8,000 members worldwide.
The River Network, a national organization founded in 1989, assists grassroots river
and watershed groups by providing watershed training, capacity building resources,
networking, and consultation services.
The Southeast Watershed Forum is dedicated to building the capacity of individuals,
organizations, and communities to better protect land and water resources in a nine
state region.
The University of Alaska Anchorage - Resource Solutions develops and conducts
skill-building workshops to facilitate watershed projects that benefit both water quality
and economic development in rural Alaska.
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It' '»
The Center for
Watershed Protection
Using EPA's capacity building grant, the Center for
Watershed Protection (CWP) conducted seven Watershed
Institutes for practitioners from across the country,
reaching a broad mix of local officials, government
agencies, and watershed groups. Designed to equip
leaders with the skills, tools, and confidence to assess,
design, and implement effective programs in their home
watersheds, the Institute combines classroom time,
design exercises, and field visits. When the formal
training ends, the learning continues for the
organizations in their home watersheds through
consultations and extensive online resources.
Milestones in CWP's Institute training include:
Leveraged more than $1.5 million in local watershed
implementation activity for groups across the country
Institute participants learn methods to assess
stream health, such as identifying insects that
hve in streams
Generated 110 new programs on watershed restoration, protection, and stormwater
management techniques
Trained more than 800 watershed professionals
Generated 14,000 person hours of training
Matched over $400,000 of non-federal funds to conduct the Institutes
After graduating, members of the Upper Neuse River Basin Association used their new
skills in planning and restoration to develop a comprehensive watershed plan for Little
Lick Creek. This effort brought together experienced partners from local governments
and the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program. Working with the City of
Durham, the partners successfully linked watershed assessments to infrastructure
maintenance programs, illicit discharge enforcement measures, stormwater program
requirements, and the development of regional indices for stream quality. Restoration
projects are now being prioritized.
The Bronx River Alliance (BRA) worked with CWP to build their technical capacity in
identifying watershed restoration projects. Working with CWP, the alliance organized and
interpreted data from field assessments to generate candidate restoration opportunities
and identify next steps for implementation.
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The International
City/County Managemen
Association (ICMA)
With capacity building funding from EPA, ICMA
conducted training for about 200 community
leaders and local government officials through
successful webcasts broadcast live over the
Internet. These interactive training programs
emphasized consensus-building skills as well as
conservation financing for watershed and
wetlands protection - critical skills necessary for
successful watershed planning and
management.
Each webcast attracted more than 100 participants from
around the country
ICMA's first webcast - Collaborative Problem
Solving and Consensus Building: Effective
Approaches for Watershed Protection and Restoration - introduced participants to the
principles of collaboration, conflict resolution, and consensus building. The program
featured an expert from the University of Virginia's Institute for Environmental
Negotiation and local watershed leaders. The webcast successfully provided information
and tools, shared lessons learned, and assisted in the delivery of effective watershed
management strategies.
The second webcast- Protecting Water Resources through Land Conservation: Funding
Options for Local Governments - developed in collaboration with the Trust for Public
Lands showcased local government success stories. Attendees gained an understanding
of current conservation finance trends, revenue sources being used by local
governments, voter opinions on water protection, and the importance of good
performance measures in designing funding campaigns.
ICMA is also developing a Web-based curriculum for watershed groups
and plans to deliver the information at various local government forums.
A CD-ROM and other resources have been developed to supplement the
webcast training. To order a copy of the CD-ROM, contact LGEAN at
877/TO-LGEAN or lgean@icmb.org or visit www.lgean.org.
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The River Network
The first group of watershed trainers from six states that
kicked off he Watershed Support Network
The River Network's Watershed Support Network
(WSN) represents a model collaborative approach
- bringing together state, regional, and local
partners to form a formidable cadre of expert
watershed trainers. Last year, the network used
EPA funds and other leveraged resources to
provide intensive watershed training programs in
six states. These programs included more than
1 75 watershed groups and one-on-one support
services for 94 organizations in Colorado,
Kentucky, New Mexico, Ohio, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin.
The watershed groups served by the Watershed
Support Network are making a profound
difference in water quality conditions. Examples
of the improvements include:
40 percent reduction in acid mine drainage from the Majestic Mine into the Hocking
River (Ohio)
Improved basinwide sewage plan for the Big Darby, a watershed highly valued for its
ecological diversity (Ohio)
Improvements in the Bad River, including improved fish passages and instream flows
thanks to the repair and replacement of 1,000 culverts identified by citizen volunteers
(Wisconsin)
Pollutant reductions in the Gallinas and Rio Grande tributaries, which has made the
water safer for swimming and human use (New Mexico)
Participants learned concrete skills that dramatically strengthened their effectiveness.
The groups increased and diversified their funding sources, raised membership,
leveraged additional dollars (including corporate sponsors), built community support,
learned to utilize vital financial and strategic planning tools; and learned technical skills
like monitoring and assessment. Representatives from 14 states graduated as skilled
watershed trainers.
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The Southeast
Watershed Porum
Train-the-Trainer Academy
Using EPA funds, the Southeast Watershed Forum hosted a highly successful Watershed
Leadership Train-the-Trainer Academy - an intensive, 3-day course covering watershed
protection and assessment, best management practices, community consensus building
and conflict resolution - all aimed at protecting water quality and supplies through wiser
land use practices. Every attendee was required to commit to training a minimum of four
other groups in their community; thereby reaching more than 5,000 additional
watershed leaders and practitioners.
Growth Readiness Workshops
In addition, the forum hosted 27 Growth Readiness workshops reaching 80 communities
in four states, with communities in four additional states slated to receive training in
2005 and 2006. These workshops are helping city and county planners, stormwater
managers, and municipal officials design best management practices and growth
patterns that will protect their local rivers, lakes, and groundwater as well as comply with
EPA Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Stormwater Phase II regulations.
Thanks to the Southeast Watershed
Forum, 1 10 local leaders are
actively involved in fostering
watershed-friendly land use practices
throughout the Southeast. Examples of
trainer outcomes include:
A county-wide watershed permitting
program (NC)
A bay-wide nutrient management
partnership (FL)
Source water protection provisions
, . . /\/A\ The staff and graduates from the Southeast Watershed Forum s 2004
in COUnty Comprehensive plans (VA) Watershed Leadership Train-the-Trainer Academy include representatives
N6W riparian Conservation
easements (GA)
from cities, counties, watershed groups, land trusts, regional planning
agencies, RC&D Councils, Soil and Water Conservation Districts and state
ondfederalagenc.es
New state requirements to review water quality monitoring programs from major
new developments to ensure compatibility with the Total Maximum Daily Load
process. (FL)
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Trie University of
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d e.-
) I
"41
more information about the selected watersheds,
please visH?" wwwiepa.gov/fwg
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