What
Can Do On
for/d WdPer Monitoring D
Your watershed needs YOU!
World Water Monitoring Day is October 18th, the
anniversary of the signing of the Federal Clean Water Act.
On this day, people across the globe will join in monitoring
their local waters. Take this opportunity to learn more about
your watershed aim get involved in monitoring and
protecting it.
Learn about your watershed. A watershed is land that drains rain and snow to
a stream, lake, wetland, bay, or the ocean. To learn more about your watershed,
visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Watershed Information Network
at www.eDa.aov/win.
Organize your own water monitoring or cleanup activity.
If you'n>?QBW to water monitoring, you can order a simple, easy
to use water testing kit from www.worldwatermonitorinaday.org
between July and October. Be sure to follow safety directions,
register your site, and post your data on-line. For
information oh organizing a debris cleanup along a stream
or along the shoreline of a lake or bay, visit
www.epa.aov/adopf/patch/wotershedpotch.pdf (p.38-39).
Learn more about wafer monitoring, ond join up with
/oca/ monitors. Visit the U.S. EPA's national volunteer
monitoring directory at www.epa.gov/owow/monitorinq/dir.html
to find groups of volunteers in your area who are trained to
monitor the condition of streams, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and
coastal waters, in many cases, volunteer-collected data are used
state and local governments.
by
Join a local watershed group and clean up debris, restore
degraded habitat, and become a champion for clean water. EPA
maintains a database of watershed organizations nationwide. Visit this
database at www.epa.gov/adopt. contact a group in your area, and get
involved)
Organize a storm drain marking project in your
neighborhood. Storm drains carry runoff directly into streams, lakes
and bays, and nothing should be dumped in them. Help others make
the connection by labeling storm drains in your neighborhood. For more
information, visit www.epa.gov/npdes/stormdrainmarkina.
841F04003
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Talk to a
local school
class, ecology
club, scout troop, or
community group about water pollution.
Check with your local or state water quality
agency for posters, brochures, or exhibit material
you can use in making presentations. In
addition, many educational materials are
available on the Web. Here are some great
Web sites to get you started:
• Water Environment Federation:
www.wef.ora/WefStudents/Teachers/index.jhtml
• USEPA: www.epa.gov/epahome/students.htm
• USGS: www.water.usas.aov/education.html
For more information on World
Water Monitoring Day, visit
www.worfdwaferniOfifforinaday.oro
To /earn more about
watersheds, visit
www.epo.aov/owow/wofers/ieds
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC 20460
www.epa.gov/owow
EPA841-F-04-003
What i Can
Do To Help Your
Watershed
Don't let the water run! Fix leaks and install
water-saving faucets and toilets.
• Choose environmentally-friendly household
products.
• Properly maintain your septic system to prevent
leaks from polluting nearby waters.
Use hardy native plants that need little water,
fertilizers, or pesticides.
Plant trees, gardens, or grass in bare spots to
prevent erosion.
Know plant and soil needs before applying
garden chemicals.
When replacing or installing decks, patios,
driveways, or walkways, consider surfaces that
allow rain to soak in.
Direct down spouts away from paved surfaces
and storm drains, and toward grassy areas.
Don't dump used oil or antifreeze into the storm
drain or street. Recycle them!
Pick up after your pet and dispose of waste
properly.
Tune up your car and check for leaks. Try
walking, biking, and using mass transit.
Use a car wash instead of washing your car
yourself. Dirt, oil, and suds don't belong in
storm drains.
Report spills and other water quality problems to
your local or state environmental agency.
Gef involved in
your watershed.
Your watershed
needs
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