,S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Information About Estuaries and Near
Coastal Waters
June 2002 -Issue 12.3
Disclaimer The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date.
Users are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become
outdated.
Table of Contents
Watersheds and TV Weather Reporting
From Timbuktu to Coral Reefs: The African Dust Connection
Boaters, Industry and Government Join Forces for Cleaner Marinas in
Connecticut
$10,000 Grant to Continue Horseshoe Crab Conservation
Sarasota County Florida Passes Unique Landscape Water Conservation
Ordinance
Volunteers Make a Difference in TMDL Implementation
Coastlines Welcomes Lisa Beever!
An Incentive-Based Approach to Protect Water Quality in Georgia
New EPA Initiative to Protect America's Watersheds
How Much is the Coast Worth?
Two-Day NEP Conference this Fall in NYC
-------
'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Watersheds and TV Weather Reporting
tcrsh
Report
Thanks to an exciting new partnership, meteorologists in Washington, DC, are not
just talking about rain - they're also talking about watersheds! The National
Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) and US EPA have
teamed up with a number of public and private partners on an innovative effort to
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educate the public about watersheds. NEETF, Stormcenter Communications, EPA,
the National Ocean Service, the United States Forest Service, several foundations
and others have joined together in a collaborative project to employ local TV
weather reports as a means to teach people about watersheds and to raise the
environmental I.Q. of the American public.
WATERSHCD TIP
On February 28, Chief Meteorologist Bob Ryan, with
WRC-TV in Washington, DC launched the first airing of
the new pilot project with an interview with EPA
Administrator Christine Todd Whitman. Administrator
Whitman explained how many citizens' activities impact
the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including, for
example, the improper disposal of used motor oil. In
addition to his regular weather forecast, Bob Ryan
presented a three-minute feature about the
Chesapeake Bay and showed a dramatic zoom-in from
outer space down to a close-up of the 64,000 square-
mile bay watershed. The zoom-in, developed by Dave
Jones of Stormcenter Communications, utilized a
series of stunning NASA satellite images and provided
viewers with a powerful visualization of the expansive
Chesapeake Bay watershed.
To complement information on-the-air, NEETF,
Stormcenter Communications, and WRC-TV worked
cooperatively to develop a new web page, Where the
Atmosphere Meets the Earth.
(http://www.watershed.interactive-
environment.com/main/ |t:xiTJin.-iJim;?r>|, which Ryan and other WRC-TV
meteorologists can surf on-the-air. The site is also prominently featured on WRC-
TV's popular WeatherNet 4 web site, which receives 2 to 3 million hits a month. It
includes three-dimensional satellite images of the Chesapeake Bay's watersheds
where visitors can type in their zip code or click on a map to locate their watershed
and view its environmental profile. In addition to offering a series of seasonal and
weather-related "watershed tips" on how to prevent and minimize pollution in the
home, lawn and garden, citizens can also learn how they can get involved in local
watershed protection and restoration efforts. Clicking on an interactive watershed
graphic brings up information about drinking water quality, wetlands, floods and
droughts, urbanization, and other watershed topics. Animated movies compiled
from satellite and radar technology replicate moving 'fly overs' of the bay, the
Potomac, and the Anacostia watersheds. A "watershed quiz" challenges viewers to
test their knowledge about the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Avoid Strong
Chemicals
Use water-based
products whenever
possible-less toxics are
introduced into drains
and other cleanup areas
and -
MORE OH THIS TIP »
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Since the February launch, Bob Ryan and the WRC-TV Weather Team have had
four watershed-related stories on-the-air, including promotions for the annual
Potomac River Watershed cleanup. They encouraged viewers to visit the web site
to find out more information. So far, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive:
"This site is probably the smartest thing I have seen a television station do in a long
time. Finally I can find out how to participate in cleaning up my neighborhood.
Kudos to Bob Ryan and his weather team!
I have always watched the weather on Channel 4 and it is good to know I have
chosen a winner"!
Dan Parks, Rockville, MD
While the Chesapeake Bay watershed is the focus for this pilot project, the long-
term goal is to train other broadcast meteorologists across the country to talk about
weather, watersheds, and other timely environmental issues. Weather events, such
as droughts, floods, and hurricanes directly impact the quality of our water
resources. Teaming up with local news meteorologists could be an extremely
effective tool to teach people about watershed issues. Consider the following:
More people tune in to the weather report on television than any other
segment of local news reporting, including sports.
Weather reports use visual images to communicate complex scientific terms
and ideas. 'Satellite data' and 'doppler radar' are two examples that now are
part of the mainstream vernacular.
Web sites affiliated with local news broadcasts receive millions of 'hits' each
month.
Weather broadcasts and watersheds are a natural link. The very 'functioning'
of a watershed begins with the weather.
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WATERSHED TIP
Girl Scouts!
Complete a series of
watershed activities and
earn a new Water Drop
Patch for your Patch
Jacket!
MORE OH THIS TIP »
EPA-sponsored focus groups identified broadcast
meteorologists as an effective vehicle to convey
information about runoff and nonpoint source pollution.
A 1998 NEETF/Roper survey found that fewer than a
third of American adults could select the definition of a
watershed from a simple multiple choice quiz, and
there is reason to believe that fewer than 1 percent
could define one if you asked them point blank. Just 25
percent of Americans even know where their water
originates, even though the vast majority consumes
water directly from the tap.
The weather reports provide a unique opportunity for
public understanding of complex natural systems.
Moreover, a TV meteorologist can incorporate into the
weather report a series of 'dos and dont's' around the
house and lawn. In the long-term, weather forecasts
offer the ideal opportunity for meteorologists to convey
important environmental information to the American
public - information that is relevant to their daily lives.
To encourage other areas of the country to follow suit, EPA is collaborating with the
American Meteorological Society (AMS) on an upcoming 'Eyes on the Environment'
watershed workshop at AMS' annual Broadcast Meteorologist Meeting in
Williamsburg, Virginia, in June, 2002. At the meeting, AMS will showcase WRC-
TV's pilot Chesapeake Bay project to approximately 400 broadcast meteorologists
who typically attend the meeting and represent many of the major media markets,
including Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles,
New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. These weathercasters reach
millions of viewers daily through their local and national weather reporting. EPA
Administrator Whitman is scheduled to give an address, and other workshop
presenters will help provide important background information to meteorologists to
enhance their understanding of watersheds and how they function.
EPA's Office of Water has a cooperative agreement with NEETF to support this pilot
project in the Chesapeake Bay. Other project partners include: the American
Meteorological Society, the Center for Watershed Protection, the Chesapeake Bay
Program Office, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the US
Forest Service, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, River Network, the University of Maryland Center for
Environmental Sciences, Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Virginia Institute of
-------
Marine Science, and the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments. Private
philanthropic funders include: the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The
Moriah Fund, the Compton Foundation, Inc. and the Henry P. Kendall Foundation.
This project represents an important first step in meeting one of the key
recommendations that emerged from last year's National Watershed Forum. The
delegates to the Forum endorsed a national media campaign to educate Americans
about watersheds. If the vision for this project is ever fully realized, 'watershed' may
one day become a household word.
For further information, contact Patricia Scott, US EPA, Office of Wetlands, Oceans
and Watersheds. Ariel Rios Building, 4501T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC. 20460; Phone: (202) 566-1292; E-mail: scott.patricia@epa.gov.
-------
,S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
From Timbuktu to Coral Reefs: The African
Dust Connection
In December 2001, a coral reef ecologist from the USGS traveled from St.
Petersburg, Florida, to Bamako, Mali, to set up an air chemical-contaminants
sampling station to complement the microbial sampling station that had been
installed there the previous year. The trip was exceptionally productive: the
samplers were installed, local scientists were trained, and samples were
successfully collected. What was a coral reef ecologist doing sampling air in the
African Sahel, the semi-arid area in Western Africa bordering the Sahara desert?
She was collecting data to test a hypothesis that microbial and chemical
contaminants carried in African dust may play a role in the decline of Caribbean
coral reefs and may pose a risk to human health.
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Summer Dii'-r
traotpurl
Coral diseases in the Caribbean region were first noticed in the 1970s. While the
exact mechanisms of coral reef diseases are not well-understood, natural
disturbances (storms, fresh water input, extreme sea water temperatures, diseases)
and human activities (boat groundings, fishing and fishing gear - including
explosives and chemicals, nutrient input from sewage and runoff, sediment from
land clearing) - have been proposed as factors contributing to coral reef declines in
the Caribbean. In addition, dust transport to the Caribbean and the southeastern
United States from Africa increased beginning in the 1970s, coincident with drought
conditions in the Sahel. Periods of higher dust correlate to some coral disease
outbreaks, although a cause-and-effect relationship has not been proven.
Every year, hundreds of millions of tons of
African dust are carried from the Sahara and
Sahel across the Atlantic to the Caribbean
and the southeastern United States. In the
Caribbean, the sky becomes hazy, visibility
decreases to a few kilometers, a fine red
dust settles on surfaces, and residents
complain of sinus problems, coughs, and
other ailments said to be caused by the dust.
Although the dust has been carried to the
Caribbean for thousands of years, the
amount transported varies from year to year
and has increased drastically since the early
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1970s with the beginning of the drought in
the Sahel.
Composed primarily of soil particles so small
(less than 2.5 micrometers) that our lungs
cannot expel them, the African dust may
transport various microorganisms and
chemicals that hitchhike on the small
particles. On his 1845 voyage, Charles
Darwin collected African dust in the Atlantic
and, using a microscope, saw live
microorganisms on the soil particles.
In 1997, a group of researchers hypothesized that living microbes carried with the
dust may be significant factors in coral reef decline. In December 1997, the known
sea fan disease pathogen (Aspergillis sydowii) was isolated and identified in its
active, pathogenic form from air samples taken during a dust event in the Virgin
Islands. Since that time, A. sydowii has been isolated only from samples taken
during dust events in the Virgin Islands (but not during nondust periods), from
diseased sea fans, and from air samples from Bamako, Mali. To date, other
researchers have isolated more than 150 species of viable bacteria and fungi from
Virgin Islands air samples taken during dust events; samples collected during
nondust periods contain few microorganisms.
In December 2000, a sampling station in Bamako, Mali, was installed to collect air
samples to be analyzed for microorganisms. While there, the USGS ecologist
realized that microorganisms transported with the dust might not be the only
concern. In Mali, all forms of waste are burned for fuel and to fertilize the thin
ribbons of arable land along the flood plain of the Niger River, which is the third
largest river in Africa. Until 15 years ago, garbage was predominately animal and
plant waste; now, plastic bags and various plastic products are a major component.
Garbage burning today severely degrades air quality during periods of clear
weather and dust storms and may release dioxin and concentrate heavy metals.
These contaminants may "stick" to dust particles and be transported to the
Caribbean along with microorganisms.
In addition, the Niger River is the depository for sewage, pesticides used on
croplands, and excreted Pharmaceuticals and antibiotics. When the Niger floods
each year, these contaminants are deposited on the flood plain along with fertile
soil. The fine soil particles readily pick up many of the chemical contaminants
carried by the river, such as pesticides, plasticizers, Pharmaceuticals, and
combustion products. Strong convective storms can pull these small particles, along
-------
with their chemical and microbial hitchhikers, into the atmosphere, where they can
be transported thousands of kilometers to the west and potentially deposited in the
Caribbean.
Currently, researchers from the USGS are in the process of identifying and
quantifying chemical contaminants, viable microorganisms, and radioactive isotopes
in samples of African and Asian dust from a number of locations. Chemicals known
to be toxic, carcinogenic, or disruptive of endocrine systems that are found on dust
particles will be tested for their toxicity on marine organisms. Coral reef organisms
will be tested with dust collected from various sites and with individual chemical and
microbial components to determine the effects of dust on corals. Next, scientists will
examine coral skeletons from the Cape Verde Islands, Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii,
northern Pacific and Japan to develop the history of dust deposition from Africa.
For more information, contact Ginger Garrison, Marine Ecologist, United States
Geological Survey, 600 Fourth Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; Phone:
(727) 803-8747 ext. 3061; Fax: (727) 803-2030; Email: ginger garrison@usgs.gov.
-------
'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Boaters, Industry and Government Join
Forces for Cleaner Marinas in Connecticut
Connecticut's Clean Marina program illustrates how
well industry and government can work together to
protect the environment. The Clean Marina program
is a voluntary, incentive-based education and
outreach campaign with the goal of reducing
nonpoint source pollution at the state's 350 coastal
and inland marinas and boatyards.
CLEAN
MARINA
DtjMrtmcnl
imr-il il I'nHMtsifl
By earning recognition as Clean Marinas, marina
and boatyard operators are authorized to fly a Clean Marina flag and use the Clean
Marina logo on their publications and letterhead. Local and transient boaters can
participate too! Through the campaign, local and transient boaters are provided with
simple clean-boating tips. Once boaters take a pledge to follow the clean-boating
tips they are given a decal identifying them as Clean Boaters.
The program, jointly managed by the Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection's (CT-DEP) Boating Division and the Office of Long Island Sound
Programs, was developed in conjunction with a group of industry volunteers
beginning in 2001. It originated as a component of Connecticut's Coastal Nonpoint
Source Pollution Control Program, but was quickly expanded beyond the original
scope of improving stormwater management at marinas and boatyards to include
daily non-stormwater related issues.
-------
The overall goal of the Clean Marina
Program is to improve the environmental
practices of marina operators and their
clients. The Program's Clean Marina
Guidebook is a great resource that describes
the best management practices (BMPs) to
reduce nonpoint sources of pollution from the
state's marinas. It also lists the
environmental standards for certification as a
Clean Marina, and explains the federal and
state laws applicable to marinas and
boatyards. By following the Guidebook, marina operators can take steps to become
recognized by CT-DEP as a Clean Marina, or simply use it as a compliance guide.
CT-DEP is also kicking off a Clean Boater Program this boating season to further
the efforts of the Clean Marina Program. Boaters will be asked to make a pledge to
use clean boating practices and to demand higher environmental standards from
the facility they choose. Seasonal CT-DEP "dockwalkers" and the state's boat pump-
out operators will distribute clean boating outreach materials outlining
environmental issues associated with boating and listing tips for clean boating to
boaters at marinas and boat launch ramps.
Using Clean Water Act Section 319 funds to develop and implement this program,
CT-DEP established two advisory committees. One is a thirteen-member Internal
Advisory Committee comprised of CT-DEP staff representing the agency's
regulatory and non-regulatory marina-related programs. The other is an external
Steering Committee, which includes key marina operators and industry
representatives. The CT-DEP held an open informational session for all of the
state's marina operators in March, 2001, out of which came the roughly 20 active
members on the Steering Committee. By defining the group of program volunteers
early on in the process, the program managers were given direct access to experts
in different marina-related disciplines. The expertise of the two advisory committees
has proven invaluable in the development and implementation of this project.
The external Steering Committee has been the program's biggest asset from the
beginning. At the group's first meeting, the Committee broadened the scope and
utility of the Clean Marina Guidebook well beyond what was originally proposed by
CT-DEP to include both the legal requirements and best management practices for
a much wider range of issues. Regular meetings with the group have also provided
a vehicle for ongoing input and support from a core group of industry volunteers.
Statewide, regional and national support was also essential to the success in
-------
program development. The Connecticut Marine Trades Association (CMTA), which
has been involved in this program from its inception, recently completed a series of
environmental compliance workshops for its members and others. The Northeast
Region Waste Management Officials' Association worked with EPA's Region 1 to
organize a Marina Working Group for New England and New York state
representatives to transfer and share clean marina information. Similar Clean
Marina Programs in Maryland and Florida have also served as valuable examples
for Connecticut. The Clean Marina Program continues to evolve and improve. The
next steps include distributing the Clean Marina Guidebook to marina operators and
launching the Clean Boater Campaign during the 2002 boating season. CT-DEP will
also be hosting workshops to explain the process for becoming a Clean Marina, and
plans to provide one-time small grants to marina operators to implement BMPs.
Down the road, the Clean Marina Program plans to distribute packets containing oil
absorbent pads to Connecticut boaters, and to distribute a Clean Marina newsletter.
For further information, contact Elke Sutt, Clean Marina Program; Phone: (860) 424-
3034; E-mail: elke.sutt@po.state.ct.us: or Kim Czapla, Clean Boater Program;
Phone: (860) 434-8638, E-mail: kim.czapla@po.state.ct.us.
-------
'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
$10,000 Grant to Continue Horseshoe Crab
Conservation
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine
Fisheries Service has awarded a $10,000 grant to Ecological Research and
Development Group (ERDG), a Delaware-based horseshoe crab conservation
organization. The conservation group will use the funds to protect thousands of
horseshoe crabs by providing a no-cost way for mid-Atlantic conch and whelk
fishermen to use fewer of the prehistoric arthropods as bait.
The decline of horseshoe crabs on
the Atlantic coast in recent years has
led to state and federal restrictions on
their harvest. These restrictions have
caused bait shortages for whelk
fishermen who use whole crabs as
bait in whelk pots.
ERDG will use the funds to distribute
simple devices, known as bait bags,
free-of-charge to whelk fishermen.
Constructed of plastic netting, bait bags are placed in the bottom of the whelk pots
and secured with a bungee cord. The bags prevent undesirable species from
devouring the horseshoe crab bait, resulting in higher whelk catches. The use of
bait bags is currently mandated in the Virginia whelk fishery, and fishermen already
using the bait bags have reported a 75 percent reduction in the amount of
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horseshoe crab bait they need.
Last year NOAA Fisheries worked with ERDG to promote bait bag use throughout
the Mid-Atlantic. This year's project will provide over 7,000 bags to conch fishermen
in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
For further information, visit the NOAA website at: or visit the ERDG website at:
http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2002/feb02/noaa02r108.html
or visit the ERDG website at http://www.horseshoecrab.com/.
l! \ I T «l K cl i mir r >|
-------
,S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Sarasota County Florida Passes Unique
Landscape Water Conservation Ordinance
Coastal communities throughout the United States are increasingly faced with the
challenge of coping with limited water resources. On Florida's Gulf Coast, Sarasota
County is using a combination of public education and regulation to address the
need to conserve water and protect the integrity of their coastal waters.
In Southwest Florida, the impacts of a significant drought within the past two years,
coupled with continued growth, has put serious pressure on water resources.
Traditionally, Sarasota County has used high water rates and education to
discourage water waste. For example, the Florida House Learning Center, a unique
demonstration education facility, shows citizens how to conserve water and other
resources in their own homes and yards.
In 2001, the Florida Legislature amended statutes to require that all counties and
municipalities examine the feasibility of establishing water-conserving ordinances.
The Sarasota County Commission directed staff to draft an ordinance that passed
unanimously in November, 2001, and became effective January 13, 2002. The
ordinance applies to all new development and to significant renovations to existing
development. Although the ordinance was primarily developed to conserve water,
the ordinance is based on environmentally sensitive landscape practices learned
through the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program and others addressing
pollution and resource conservation.
-------
The ordinance was also developed in conjunction with customers, such as the local
homebuilders association. The effort resulted in a 'self-regulating' ordinance that
Sarasota County believes will be both simple and positively impacting. The
ordinance does not impose fees nor does it require plan reviews or inspections.
Instead, it relies on a Compliance Certification Checklist, which is completed by
licensed builders and landscape and irrigation contractors, confirming that the
landscape plant and irrigation installation follows ordinance stipulations.
The new ordinance focuses on two elements:
(1) irrigation system efficiency and (2) limiting
plants requiring the most supplemental
irrigation. Exempt from the ordinance are
landscaping with no in-ground irrigation
system, athletic fields and golf course play
areas, grass in stormwater management
areas and public rights-of-way, cemeteries,
agricultural production operations, and
community play areas.
Highlights of the Sarasota County Ordinance include:
Applies only to landscape areas irrigated by a permanent in-ground system;
Grass and annual flowers are limited to 50% or less of the irrigated area;
Separate irrigation zones are required for grass and tree/shrub/groundcover
beds;
Low volume micro-irrigation is required for plant beds along with a filter;
No plant rootballs or spray irrigation is permitted under roof overhangs;
No popup spray heads and rotors can be mixed in the same zone;
Lawn spray patterns must overlap 75-100%;
Plants will not interfere with spray coverage;
Impervious surfaces in the planted area are limited to 10% or less;
No grass will be planted in strips narrower than 4 feet except next to
contiguous properties;
Reclaimed water will be used for irrigation if available;
The building contractor will leave an as-built drawing of the irrigation system
for the homebuyer; and
The contractor will also leave a maintenance checklist produced by the
County for the homebuyer.
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The maintenance checklist is a key
element to get the homebuyer started
in conserving landscape maintenance
practices. To satisfy this requirement, a
unique checklist and calendar was
produced cooperatively by the County
Extension Service, and Environmental
Services in full color laminated 11 "x 14"
format designed to be kept next to the
irrigation controller in the garage for
easy reference. Included in this article,
this product is designed for the Central
and Southwest Florida climate zone.
Adaptation to other areas of the
country would require some revisions.
Since the ordinance depends on self-
regulation, the Extension Service
obtained a grant from the Southwest
Florida Water Management District to
fund a professional to work in the field
with contractors to help them become
familiar with correct installation
practices.This will include developing
Best Management Practice information
in both written and electronic form,
touch-screen computer kiosks, exhibits
and displays, model landscapes, and
"friendly informal inspections" of
landscape and irrigation installations.
A Maintenance Checklist
fora
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: Check
irrigation distribution
components monthly
D Set the controller
according to season
D Check the functioning of
the rain shutoff device
quarterly during dry
season and monthly
during the rainy season
D Check micro-irrigation
filter quarterly
D Prune plants and grass
around sprinkler heads
or raise Ihom to minimize
interference with
irrigation spray coverage
D Replenish organic mulch
at least annually
D Calibrate irrigation
zones yearly
For additional landscape water
information:
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at 11 & 1000, Visit the Wtb wte a1
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Visit the Florida House Learning
Center dk-rnDtwIrjliort Unduapc
on Hi* campy i of the Sar.iiot.T County Technical InttilutB- at
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Additional W4l#r (erM«Tv^tien i^larmiitieri ii iivaildbl*
fiuni SjuiiuLd County Enviroimi-enLdl Srrvuri j( J7S-&B59.
VHit U)« W«b ill* ill www SCESofilin* 0" g
Counlv
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i Coutty ttitenstxi Scnxe.
For further information, contact Michael J. Holsinger, Extension Agent and Director
of the Sarasota County Extension Service of the Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, University of Florida; Phone: (941) 316-1000; E-mail:
mjhr@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.
-------
'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Volunteers Make a Difference in TMDL
Implementation
What is a TMDL and how can volunteers get
involved in them? A total maximum daily load
(TMDL) is a report that presents an estimate
of a surface waterbody's pollutant loading
capacity. It defines the load allocations for
the various point and nonpoint pollutant
sources contributing to the waterbody. A
TMDL also includes background information
describing the waterbody (usually a stream,
lake, or estuary), its designated uses, and
the sources and impacts of the pollutant (or
pollutants) of concern. TMDLs are prepared by states and approved by EPA.
has produced protocols for developing TMDLs for three of the most common
pollutants - sediments, nutrients, and pathogens.
EPA
For Maine's Cobbossee Lake, a TMDL may be the difference between detrimental
algal blooms and a healthy lake system and volunteers are making a difference.
Volunteer Monitoring and TMDL
The Cobbossee Watershed District (CWD) in cooperation with the Maine
Department of Environmental Protection recently developed a phosphorus TMDL
for Cobbossee Lake.
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Cobbossee Lake historically has suffered from periodic algal blooms, which have
landed the lake on the list of impaired waterbodies in need of a TMDL for
phosphorus. Cobbossee Lake is a large lake with a 217-square-mile watershed that
includes ten towns. Work done by local volunteers was integral to fulfilling the
required elements for the phosphorus TMDL, which requires public participation.
Ultimately, the goal of the TMDL is to reduce the frequency of algal blooms in the
lake by reducing phosphorus loadings by 14%. How did volunteers get involved in
the Cobbossee Lake TMDL?
Element 1. Description of waterbody, pollutant, and sources. CWD used a long-term
water quality monitoring data set of Cobbossee Lake, dating back to 1973, to
identify the primary lake pollutant, phosphorus. Volunteers collected this data.
Element 2. Numeric water quality target. In Maine, as in most states, water quality
standards currently contain only narrative criteria for phosphorus, so the CWD's
task was to define a numeric goal or 'cap' for phosphorus that would be low enough
to prevent algal blooms. The CWD used water quality data collected by volunteers
during the 1980s and 1990s, including data on chlorophyll a, total phosphorus,
Secchi-disk transparency, and dissolved oxygen, to identify phosphorus levels at
which algal blooms were likely to occur. These levels were used as the basis for
setting a target maximum concentration of 15 micrograms per liter (|jg/L) for the
lake for all seasons.
Element 3. Loading capacity. Loading capacity was estimated by assessing existing
land uses in the watershed with the help of volunteers. Volunteers provided or field-
checked information about land uses and pollution sources (e.g., location of storm
drains, waste piles, pasture areas, and eroding stream banks). Using this data the
CWD estimated that it would be necessary to reduce current phosphorus loading
from the watershed by 14% to meet the water quality target.
Elements 4, 5, and 6. Load allocations, wasteload allocations, and margin of safety.
A full accounting of the pollutant loading to a waterbody includes pollutant loadings
from both point sources, such as industrial and municipal dischargers, and nonpoint
sources, such as agricultural and urban runoff. The TMDL is calculated as the sum
of all the point sources (termed 'waste load allocations') and nonpoint sources
(termed 'load allocations'), plus a "natural background" and a 'margin of safety.' In
the case of Cobbossee Lake, the waste load allocation was set to zero since there
were no point sources of phosphorus identified.
Elements 8, 9, and 10. Monitoring, implementation, and reasonable assurances.
Although the official 'required' TMDL process ends when the loading numbers are
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set, determining load allocations will not improve water quality unless actions are
taken to reduce loading, therefore, most TMDLs include implementation and
monitoring plans. Only the point sources are subject to regulations at the federal
level, mainly through National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permits. Because nonpoint sources are not subject to federal regulation, control of
these sources generally relies on the voluntary use of 'best management practices'
(BMPs), which range from fencing animals out of streams and sweeping streets to
changing agricultural management practices and installing stormwater treatment
systems.
For the Cobbossee Lake TMDL, the CWD identified a variety of BMPs, such as
fertilizer management plans on hayland, better road maintenance, and shoreline
vegetation strips, that could be used to reduce phosphorus loadings. Volunteers will
continue to play a central role in implementation of water pollution controls and in
monitoring lake water quality, including biweekly monitoring during the open-water
months for Secchi-disk transparency, dissolved oxygen, temperature, total
phosphorus, chlorophyll a, total alkalinity, and pH.
Cobbossee Lake is an excellent example of how volunteers can help ensure that
TMDLs are not just paper exercises. Volunteers are particularly important in the
more difficult cases like Cobbossee Lake where the only pollutant sources are
nonpoint sources. In these cases, volunteers may be the only source of key water
quality and land use data, and may be the motivation and the means for
implementing the necessary BMPs.
For further information, contact Alison Simcox, EPA New England TMDL
Coordinator, US EPA Region 1, 1 Congress St., Suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114-
2023; Phone: 617-918-1684; E-mail: simcox.alison@epa.gov.
Original article published in The Volunteer Monitor, Spring, 2001.
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'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Coastlines Welcomes Lisa Beever!
In March, Lisa Beever, Ph.D., was appointed the new director of the Charlotte
Harbor National Estuary Program, located on the west coast of Florida. For the past
six years Dr. Beever has been the director of the Charlotte County-Punta Gorda
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). During her tenure, the MPO won
national awards in transportation and the environment planning. Dr. Beever has a
Masters of Landscape Architecture with a concentration in natural resource
management, and a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning.
Welcome Lisa!!
For further information on the Charlotte Harbor Estuary Program, visit the website
at: http://www.charlotteharbornep.org/.
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'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
An Incentive-Based Approach to Protect
Water Quality in Georgia
Convincing developers to participate
in protecting water quality is a
continual challenge. In Georgia,
Clayton County and the Clayton
County Water Authority (CCWA) are
implementing a watershed
management plan to protect drinking
water and surface water quality that
has new development requirements
that encourage developers to do the
right thing. The new development
requirements are one component of a
Watershed Management Plan that
also includes a countywide
framework for BMPs and
improving/protecting watersheds,
affected areas programs, and
countywide surface water monitoring.
The new development requirements
are intended to preserve and protect
current aquatic integrity of streams and potable water supply watersheds. As part of
the Clayton County Watershed Assessment, total suspended solids (TSS) were
CCWA
Vlfeter Resources
Initiative 2000
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identified as a parameter of concern with a strong correlation to many other
parameters that impact water quality. A maximum allowable TSS load was instituted
by Clayton County of 65-pounds/acre/year to protect water quality and ensure
stream health.
To assist developers with complying with the new TSS load limits, a simple
spreadsheet tool, the WISE model, was developed to determine the post-
development TSS load. Developers input land use acreage into the WISE model,
based on four predetermined land cover categories: impervious surfaces, disturbed
pervious surfaces (areas that were graded and re-vegetated), preserved upland
areas, and undisturbed stream buffers. Developers have the option of modifying
land use or using BMPs to achieve the 65-pounds/acre/year criteria. The TSS
reduction credit is higher for BMPs that treat water quality, versus the traditional
detention pond technology.
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Clayton County codified these new development requirements in September, 2001.
Between September, 2001, and January, 2002, thirteen new developments were
submitted. Through use of the WISE model, developers reduced the cumulative
pollutant loading from these developments by 35%-from 1,464 Ibs/acre/year to 517-
Ibs/acre/yr. County staff has also noted that many of the developments include an
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increase in preserved stream buffer and preserved upland areas. Developers are
selecting BMPs that treat both water quality and storm flooding; and they seem to
appreciate the incentives offered by the WISE model.
To reward the developers for their additional efforts and innovative methods of
preserving streams, Clayton County and CCWA created a "WISE Award" that will
be awarded to two extraordinary developments per year. Recipients will receive a
plaque in recognition of their development and a sign to place at the development.
The first two award recipients, named in February, were thrilled to receive this
honor.
CCWA and Clayton County are pleased with the success of the WISE model. The
incentive approach offered by the WISE model, combined with the regulatory TSS
requirements, protects water quality in a politically feasible fashion. The WISE
model is available at: http://www.ccwal.com/public/default.htm. lo
For further information, contact Kim Zimmerman or Mike Thomas at Clayton County
Water Authority, 1600 Battle Creek Rd., Morrow, GA 30260; Phone: (678) 422-
2838; E-mail: KZimmerman@CCWA1 .com.
-------
,S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
New EPA Initiative to Protect America's
Watersheds
On January 25, 2002, the Bush Administration announced it
was including $21 million in its fiscal year 2003 budget
request for a new EPA initiative to protect, preserve, and
restore watersheds across the country. Up to 20 of this
country's most highly-valued watersheds will be selected by
EPA to receive grants through a competitive grant process.
The initiative will also support local communities in their
efforts to expand and improve existing protection measures through additional tools,
training and technical assistance. EPA intends to work cooperatively with state
governors, tribes and other interested parties in the design of this initiative, and
plans to publish a Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period in mid-
May seeking public input on ways to structure the program, should it be approved
by Congress in EPA's FY2003 appropriations bill.
For additional details, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiativefs.html, or contact Carol Peterson,
EPA Headquarters; Phone: (202) 566-1304; E-mail: peterson.carol@epa.gov.
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'.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
How Much is the Coast Worth?
Many people think about how pleasant it is to
visit the coast or even better, how nice it
would be to live there. Swimming and surfing
beautiful beaches, watching fishermen land
their catch, sailing at sunset, and the sheer
enjoyment the ocean brings are just a few of
the pleasures the coast can offer to people.
The coast also contains valuable natural
resources, providing habitat for shorebirds,
finfish and shellfish, seagrass and eelgrass.
But the coast is much more. It is a place of
working ports and international commerce: a
hot real estate market, the site of much
construction and shoreline restoration; of
offshore mineral production; a thriving
tourism and recreation industry and many
more economic activities. According to a
report published by the Federal Reserve
Bank of Kansas City, entitled "The US as a Coastal Nation," coastal tourism is one
of the largest industries in the US, and coastal counties, which represent only 13%
of the country's land, are home to more than 50% of Americans. In fact, coastal
counties produce eight times more income than inland counties per square
kilometer.
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With all this interest and high regard for the
coast, one might think economic data on the
value of the coast was abundant. After all,
scientists collect information about all sorts of
coastal related issues: the collapse of
fisheries, coastal erosion, and shoreline
pollution, to name a few. In reality, little
economic information is available when it
comes to valuing the coast and decision-makers are unsure exactly how they could
use economic information to solve coastal problems.
The National Ocean Economics Project
The National Ocean Economics Project
(NOEP) is carrying out the unprecedented
task of estimating the value of the coast and
coastal ocean in the United States. This is a
multi-year project, sponsored by NOAA and
EPA to build a database that reflects the
value of the coast and ocean in the US
economy.
The end product will be an on-line
information system available to the public. It
will contain economic data and allow those
interested to assign economic values for:
Eight economic sectors of the ocean
economy: tourism and recreation, ship
and boat building, maritime transport,
coastal real estate, offshore mineral
development, living resource
production, coastal construction and restoration, and research and
development;
Natural resource values for living resources, offshore minerals, beaches,
estuaries, coral reefs, clean coastal waters, etc.;
Non-market use values, such as a day at the beach or a view of the ocean;
and
Public expenditures for the coast and oceans at both state and national
levels.
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When this information system is completed,
anyone will be able to compare the value of
the coastal real estate industry in Maine and
Florida, determine trends in fishing catch and
values and compare them among states,
estimate the value of coastal reefs in Florida,
and answer a myriad of other coastal
economic queries.
The goal of this project is to produce an understandable, consistent and accurate
database reflecting the 'Ocean Economy.' The NOEP research group, made up of
experts from University of Southern California, University of Southern Maine, and
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, is currently estimating the value of Long
Island Sound for the National Estuary Program. NOEP is also collaborating with
individual state coastal program managers to assist them with their own state ocean
economic studies, which will ultimately become part of this national data system. All
coastal states will ultimately be able to evaluate the contribution the ocean makes to
their own economies as well as to the national economy. The NOEP anticipates
most state studies will be done within a year, and the information system should be
available for use by the end of 2003.
How Better Economic Data Can Lead to Better Decisions
Coastal decision-makers struggle every year to prevent further coastal pollution
while arguing about who will pay the costs and how to come up with the money. It is
hoped that this new economic database will help formulate a broader understanding
of the full costs of coastal problems and possible solutions. An example of the kind
of data that might be helpful to coastal decision-makers includes developing current
estimates of the value of commercial and recreational fishing industry and
comparing these with the loss to the fishing industry from fish consumption
advisories or bans on areas where fish were too contaminated to eat.
Another example of how better economic data might help decision-makers is
developing better estimates of the billions of dollars of contributing annual revenues
associated with the estimated 180 million people who visit US shores annually.
Considering the amount of revenues dependent upon the coast, the costs
associated with good management decisions may turn out to be significantly lower
in comparison. This kind of cost comparison is very difficult to do with current
available economic data.
While policy solutions are not solely based on economics, key elements of
economic data are required to assist in decisions. Most decision-makers strive to
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make broad-based and well-informed decisions, but until now the economic
information to assist them has been limited. This new tool is meant to fill that gap
and lead to better decisions about coastal and ocean resources.
For further information, contact Judith T. Kildow, University of Southern California;
Phone: (213) 740-5539; E-mail: ikildow@usc.edu.
-------
,S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Two-Day NEP Conference this Fall in NYC
This fall, the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program Habitat Workgroup will
sponsor a two-day National Estuary Program conference focusing on ecological
sustainability, research, restoration and habitat protection at the American Museum
of Natural History in New York City. This conference will include representatives
from other Estuary Programs who will be presenting program innovations focused
on land acquisition, restoration, monitoring and preservation.
Many topics covered in the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Habitat
Workgroup 2001 Status Report will be part of the conference's agenda. These
topics include: 1) habitat restoration, monitoring and research progress, funding and
practice; 2) parkland acquisition methods and cost-effective alternatives to land
conservation; 3) zoning mechanisms and creative programs for habitat protection;
4) methods of quantifying the economic value of wetlands; and 5) different types of
creative landscape buffers and their significance.
For further information or if you have ideas for the conference, contact Robert
Nyman, HEP Director, US EPA Region II; Telephone 212-637-3809; E-mail:
nyman.robert@epa.gov.
For further information on the New York / New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, visit
the website at: http://www.harborestuary.org/. |i:xiT«iin.-iiimP7>|
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