Drought Resilience and Water Conservation
Providing Assistance & Solutions
In many areas of the United States, the frequency, intensity,
and duration of drought events are increasing. This pattern is
expected to continue and to shift outside of historical trends,
making forecasting our water quality and supply more difficult. EPA
is conducting research and working with stakeholders to better
understand the impact of drought on water quality and availability,
and to provide solutions to help communities conserve water.
Technical BRIEF
Agency-Wide Actions and Research
Water Efficiency and Infrastructure
Aquifer Recharge
Water Reuse
Water Efficiency and Infrastructure
Desalination
Response, Recovery, and Restoration
Watershed Sustainability
Available Resources
WaterSense Program. EPA's WaterSense program helps people
save water with a product label and tips for saving water indoors
and out. Products bearing the WaterSense label have been
independently certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance. EPA Region 9 has been
working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and other housing agencies to
incorporate water efficiency into their programs and projects via the WaterSense program and other tools. In addition,
other EPA regions are also broadening outreach on WaterSense through collaborations with federal partners as part of
the Executive Order 13693. epa.gov/watersense/
Water loss control training workshops for public water utilities and Tribal utilities. EPA Region 9 has
participated in water loss control training workshops with the American Waterworks Association and other partners,
including Water Systems Optimization, Inc., the California Department of Water Resources and the California Urban
Water Conservation Council. EPA Region 9 is planning additional water loss control workshops outside of California in
2016. EPA Region 7 is also providing a training workshop in 2016 focused on identifying and controlling water loss as a
critical action to mitigate the potential impacts of drought in small and medium communities. EPA OW is conducting
three workshops in 2016 in Kentucky, Missouri, and Utah covering drought and water loss issues.
Supporting water loss control auditing. EPA Region 9 is working with states and tribes to leverage the Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), EPA's largest funding source for improving drinking water infrastructure, to
support water loss control auditing. This may also include adapting innovative work by states in other regions (including
EPA Region 4 and Georgia) who are providing DWSRF grants to utilities to support water audits, and low-interest loans
to cover the cost of needed infrastructure repairs identified as a result of the audits.
Impacts of Water Conservation on Water Quality in Premise Plumbing and Water Distribution Systems -
National Priorities Grants. EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) is funding several grants to investigate
issues of water quality and availability related to distribution systems and premise plumbing systems under lower-flow
conditions. The research will provide a greater understanding of health risks associated with low flows and of methods
to better size water distribution systems so that pipes provide the appropriate flow, at the available water pressure, to
meet the real demand for water, epa.gov/research-grants/national-priorities-impacts-water-conservation-water-quality-
premise-plumbing-and
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Aquifer Recharge
Leveraging local programs to promote stormwater and rainwater capture for augmenting water supplies
and replenishing groundwater aquifers. Working through the National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP),
EPA Region 9 will work with municipalities and utilities, and leverage federal, state, and local programs to promote
stormwater and rainwater capture to augment water supplies and replenish groundwater aquifers. This work would
leverage green infrastructure projects in communities, possibly funded through State Revolving Funds (SRFs), with
on-farm work funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA
NRCS). Critical partners are the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), among others.
Investigating innovative stormwater management for aquifer recharge in arid and semi-arid urban
landscapes. EPA ORD is proposing a research project, in cooperation with extramural partners, that would
investigate resilient water management under drought conditions, starting with select Department of Defense (DoD)
installations in the Mojave desert, and future plans to explore technology transfer to metropolitan areas such as Los
Angeles. Discussions are ongoing with the National Training Center at Fort Irwin whose water supply comes 100%
from local aquifers and wastewater recycling. The project would involve the use of low impact development
(LID)/best management practices (BMPs) such as strategically located and designed infiltration galleries and dry wells
for opportunistic capture, infiltration and recharge of the infrequent rainfall events. System performance and
subsurface water quality will be monitored. Integrated simulation modeling including catchment, vadose zone, and
groundwater representation will be exercised in the design and evaluation phases.
Water Reuse
Human and Ecological Health Impacts Associated with Water Reuse and Conservation Practices (Science
to Achieve Results (STAR) Grant). In order to research human and ecological health impacts associated with
water reuse and conservation practices, EPA ORD announced $3.3 million in awards to five institutions. Their
research will measure the health and ecological impacts of water conservation practices like direct and indirect
potable reuse and agricultural water reuse, and will also evaluate how reclaimed water applications, such as potable
reuse, aquifer recharge, and irrigation, can affect public and ecological health. The following institutions received the
research grants:
• Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), Alexandria, VA - Will actively identify contaminant
hotspots, assess the impact of those hotspots on human and ecological health, and quantify the impact of
water reuse and management solutions.
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Will develop a new framework to understand how adaptive UV
and solar-based disinfection systems reduce the persistence of viral pathogens in wastewater for sustainable
reuse.
• Utah State University- Will assess the impacts and benefits of stormwater harvesting using Managed Aquifer
Recharge (MAR) to develop new water supplies in arid western urban ecosystems.
• University of Nevada - Will quantify microbial risk and compare the sustainability of indirect and direct
potable water reuse systems in the United States.
• University of California Riverside - Will measure levels of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in
common vegetables and other food crops irrigated with treated wastewater under field conditions, and
evaluate human dietary exposure and potential adverse effects on land animals.
Additional information: epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.rfatext/rfa id/591
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Promoting indirect and direct potable water reuse. EPA's Office of Water (OW) is promoting a suite of options
for long term water supply resilience in communities. Potable water reuse and recycling, both indirect (with an
environmental buffer - typically a reservoir or aquifer) and direct (with an engineered buffer or without a buffer -
pipe to pipe) play a crucial role in protecting water sources and are part of the suite of options. EPA Region 9 is
serving on the California State Water Resources Control Board's Advisory Group for Direct Potable Reuse to develop
regulations and guidance on the potable use of recycled wastewater. In this capacity, in 2016 Region 9 will review
proposed regulations for indirect potable reuse via surface water augmentation, and recommendations regarding
direct potable reuse.
Evaluating commercial rainwater harvesting systems for non-potable water supply. Public water supply
resilience continues to be a major concern in regions of the U.S. susceptible to drought or potential water
contamination. Decentralized water supply options, such as rainwater harvesting, can reduce environmental impacts
and costs from a life-cycle perspective compared with augmentation of traditional municipal supplies (e.g. reservoir
expansion). Capturing rainwater not only provides an additional water source, it also performs a stormwater
management function by reducing stormwater runoff at the source and limiting the surge of rainwater into municipal
water systems. EPA ORD research is building on the methodologies for life-cycle assessment and life-cycle costing of
rainwater harvesting and green infrastructure developed in previous studies to evaluate commercial rainwater
harvesting systems for augmenting water supplies in multiple U.S. locations.
Training on alternative sources of water for various uses. In 2015, EPA Region 4 led an inter-governmental
"capacity-building" outreach effort by developing and presenting a series of five webinars with training materials on
the topic of alternative sources of water for various uses, including potential installation of desalination plants. This
effort was done in response to a request by the Government of Costa Rica (made under the auspices of the Central
America Free Trade Agreement, "CAFTA") and submitted through the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in
Costa Rica to EPA. The request was necessitated by recent climate-change induced water stress in the North Pacific
region of Costa Rica. EPA presented 15 hours of training via live webinars to 23 officials from the Costa Rican Water &
Sewer Institute, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Health, Electricity Institute, National Service for Groundwater,
Irrigation and Drainage, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and representatives from the Directorate of Water,
National Technical Environmental Secretariat, the National Meteorological Institute, and the National System of
Conservation Areas.
Planning for federal sustainability in the next decade- Executive Order 13693. Each EPA and General Services
Administration regional office, in coordination with Federal Executive Boards, is convening regional interagency
workgroups to identify and address federal sustainability including water resource management and drought
response opportunities. Each workgroup has submitted a workplan to the White House on Council on Environmental
Quality this year. For more information, see whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/19/executive-order-planning-
federal-sustainability-next-decade.
Treatment, monitoring, and risk assessment for fit-for-purpose water. EPA ORD will provide water quality
data on treated water for a wide variety of finished water types, including irrigation, industrial, and other non-
potable reuse categories. Studies will also examine next-generation systems and technologies for fit-for-purpose
water treatment. EPA Region 9 is assisting in the development of appropriate operator training and certification
requirements for the advanced treatment technologies associated with wastewater recycling systems, to help ensure
reliability and consistency in facility operations. This work is being done in collaboration with key partners, including
the California State Water Resources Control Board, American Water Works Association, WateReuse Association, and
water and wastewater utilities. Region 9 is also working with university and industry representatives at the
Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt) to promote new
technology and regulatory approaches for advancing wastewater recycling and explore ways to overcome
institutional barriers.
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Advancing water systems that encompass the entire water cycle. EPA ORD research will provide an integrated
sustainability assessment framework that encompasses the entire water cycle for comprehensively advancing water
systems—from source to tap and back to the source—and offer potential transformative alternatives to address a
suite of issues facing water systems coupled with improved whole system efficiency. The framework will be
developed based on linkages among drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and natural/green infrastructure
contained within specific watersheds. Transformative alternatives using a fit-for-purpose water treatment and
resource-recovery concept will be developed and compiled in a toolkit inventory. This inventory will include tools to
assess the sustainability of reuse and recovery infrastructure, including economic and social acceptance issues.
Desalination
Development and testing of decentralized desalination technology. Okeanos Technologies, a recipient of an
EPA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, is developing and testing a new technology that they believe is
more efficient than conventional desalination processes. The researchers believe that this new energy-efficient
seawater desalination technology could provide "clean, cheap and plentiful water for everyone, anywhere." Instead
of using large conventional desalination plants, they are developing a microdevice that can desalinate water more
efficiently. The technology will cut costs to a point where desalination can take place off-grid, allowing it to be used
where it's needed most. https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2015/ll/changing-the-water-distribution-model/
Development of desalination technology for small water systems. Physical Optics Corporation, a recipient of
an EPA SBIR award, is developing a novel, cost-effective desalination system that will enable small water systems to
include lower quality source water at their intake, further reducing the demand of ground and surface water
supplies. The system is based on a portable desalinator unit recently developed by Physical Optics Corporation that
converts brackish water and seawater into quality drinking water, putting less stress on freshwater resources.
Because of its size, the unit can not only be used to transform the intakes of small systems where freshwater is
unavailable. https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2015/ll/changing-the-water-distribution-model/
Salt-tolerant algae for biofuel production and salinity removal from brackish and sea-waters. ORD
scientists are growing salt-tolerant or halophyte algae in a laboratory photo-bioreactor under optimized process
conditions to remove salinity from brackish and seawater. Potential hybrid desalination, where the biodesalination
serves as a pretreatment to membrane technology, reduces the energy footprint and the financial costs of
desalination. In addition, the growing algae can be used for the mitigation of carbon dioxide from point source
emissions. Once the algae has been used for desalination, it can then be harvested and used as a raw material for
biofuel production. This research was funded out of EPA-ORD's Pathfinder Innovation Projects (PIP) Program which
aims to develop and foster innovative technologies and methods for solving environmental problems. Collaborative
efforts include two ongoing cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs) that include work with
Aquatech International Corp, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Scientific support for efficient brine management and water recovery technology options. ORD will
evaluate technological advances in membrane-based processes of membrane distillation, vacuum membrane
distillation, forward osmosis and pervaporation for water recovery and salt crystallization from saline streams. The
research will focus on identifying, designing and demonstrating separation materials/processes that will enable the
recovery of water from compromised water sources, using brine streams as a benchmark source material. It will
involve material and membrane development, membrane testing and characterization, process design and
demonstration, and technology development leading to implementation. The objective of this research is to provide
scientific support regarding efficient brine management and water recovery technology options to EPA program and
regional offices, states, tribes and the regulated industries. It is particularly relevant to inland Regions that need
alternative water sources and cost effective options for managing brine concentrates produced by desalination
systems used to meet fresh water needs.
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Response, Recovery, and Restoration
Systems-Based Strategies to Improve the Nation's Ability to Plan and Respond to Water Scarcity and
Drought (National Priorities Grants). EPA awarded grants to four institutions to investigate how drought and
wildfire may impact surface water and groundwater quality:
• Clemson University - Will investigate the consequences of different fuel reduction techniques, as watershed
management practices against wildfire, on the exports of dissolved organic matter from forested watersheds
and associated biogeochemical processes and impacts on drinking water supplies.
• Water Research Foundation, University of Colorado at Boulder - An integrated framework will be developed to
help understand the variability of key water quality parameters and their threshold exceedances and a
decision tool for evaluating adaptation strategies will be developed.
• University of Utah - Will develop an improved system-wide quality and quantity model of the Jordan River
watershed that can be used by stakeholders to improve sustainable planning efforts.
• Public Policy Institute of California, University of California, Davis - Innovations developed will improve water
management by reducing risks associated with inadequate drought preparedness, including both pre-drought
planning and emergency response.
Additional information:
epa.gov/ncer abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipients.display/rfa id/589/records per page/ALL
Development of tools and guides for drought resilience. EPA OW released Drought Response and Recovery: A
Basic Guide for Water Utilities (see Available Resources section) which relays lessons learned from seven diverse
small-to medium-sized utilities and provides worksheets, best practices, and videos that outline key emergency
response actions that also build long-term drought resilience. An Incident Action Checklist for Drought is also
available that lists quick reference items to prepare for, respond to, and recover from drought (see Available
Resources section).
Drought response and recovery workshops for utilities. In December 2015, EPA OW, working with the National
Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP), conducted two drought response and recovery workshops for water utilities
in the Central Valley of California (Merced County and Tulare). The workshops focused on best practices using EPA's
innovative and interactive tool, Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water Utilities (see Available
Resources section).
Direct assistance to water utilities conducting drought risk assessments. EPA's Climate Ready Water Utilities
(CRWU) initiative is working with utilities across the U.S. to help them better understand the vulnerability of their
drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and operations to current and potential climate-related impacts,
including drought. These assessment exercises, using EPA's Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool
(GREAT), bring together individuals from utilities, surrounding communities, and EPA Regions to think critically about
drought, prioritize vulnerable water resources and assets, then evaluate possible adaptation options and how these
options would reduce consequences. To date, 23 utilities have completed their assessments with EPA's assistance
and 5 more exercises are underway in 2016. Links to GREAT and videos telling the stories from some of these utility
experiences can be found on the CRWU homepage at epa.gov/crwu
National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) activated for drought in Nebraska. The NDRF was activated
for the first time for drought in Nebraska. USDA led the Nebraska drought response in 2012. USAGE was the
coordinating agency for the Infrastructure Systems Recover Support Function (IS RSF). EPA was the support agency
under the IS RSF where the mission was to provide technical advice and assistance on water and waste water
infrastructure projects. EPA also provided technical assistance for using environmentally sound and sustainable
approaches building infrastructure systems.
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Tribal communities collaborate with state and federal partners on infrastructure needs. EPA Region 9 and
the Indian Health Service are convening federal and state partners to coordinate information on infrastructure needs
and funding, technical assistance, emergency drought relief, and conservation opportunities for tribes. Federal and
state partners include the USDA Rural Development, HUD, USBR, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE), Bureau of
Indian Affairs, USGS, California Office of Emergency Services, California Department of Water Resources, and the
California State Water Resources Control Board. The Drought Planning Handbook Emergency Drinking Water Supply
for California Indian Tribes, created in 2015, explained how the handbook can be used for drought planning
anywhere in Region 9. Coordination will continue and the development of additional multi-agency resources will be
considered. ihs.gov/california/tasks/sites/default/assets/File/DSFC-DroughtHandbook-Oct2015.pdf
Midwest Climate Outlook and Drought Early Warning System Kickoff (Midwest DEWS). EPA Regions 5 and 7
participated in the kickoff of the Midwest DEWS in Saint Louis, Mo. in February, 2016. This kickoff included a diverse
group of federal, tribal, state, and local stakeholders. Some of the desired outcomes of the meeting were to increase
our knowledge and awareness of available data, monitoring activities and decision support tools for drought and high
precipitation events and to identify effective communication resources. The early warning system will assist the
agricultural communities as well as communities throughout the Midwest region in managing the potential effects of
drought. On-going work will be posted to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) website.
Watershed Sustainability
Products and services to help communities identify watershed problems and find solutions, including
issues of water scarcity and drought. Started in 2007, EPA's Centers of Excellence for Watershed Management
Program located in EPA Region 4 works with colleges and universities from across the Southeast to provide hands-on,
practical products and services for communities to identify watershed problems and solve them, including issues of
water scarcity and drought, as well as emerging issues of climate resilience and water utility infrastructure
sustainability. Each EPA designated Center actively seeks out watershed-based stakeholder groups and local
governments that need cost-effective tools for watershed scientific studies, engineering designs and computer
mapping, as well as assistance with legal issues, project management, public education and planning.
Quantifying extent and impact of drought conditions affecting watershed resilience and integrity. EPA
ORD is conducting three interrelated research activities on 1) establishing baseline data and maps of vulnerable
waters affected by drought conditions in select areas of the western and mid-western U.S., 2) quantifying and
reporting the potential effects of drought on watershed-scale water quality and quantity, and 3) identifying critical
nodes to maintaining biodiversity at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels in watersheds affected by drought
conditions. With phased support in the future, these analyses can provide informed scenarios to mitigate the effects
of climate- or development-induced drought on watershed integrity, including the maintenance of adequate water
quality and quantity for human and ecological health.
Effect of drought on background specific conductivity and associated loss of aquatic life. EPA ORD is
evaluating the effect of drought on the extirpation (local extinction) of aquatic organisms in streams and basins.
Three different drought scenarios will be used: moderate localized drought, extensive drought, and multi-year
drought. Specific conductivity positively correlates with the concentration of total dissolved solids in water. The
change in specific conductivity associated with drought will be modeled nationally at the reach-scale. Predicted base
flow conductivity will be validated by comparing predicted values with values measured in nominal, wet and dry
years. Biological effects will be predicted by the background to criterion model. U.S. national maps for each drought
scenario will be produced to show predicted conductivity and percent loss of genera. The predicted percentage loss
of genera will be validated using biological data from drought years or the subsequent year depending on genus
natural history. Nationally, vulnerable areas will be identified based on recovery potential, areal extent of affected
area, and severity of effect. Considerations and options for application of water quality criteria for specific
conductivity will be described.
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Development of regional monitoring networks to detect climate change effects in stream ecosystems.
Few monitoring agencies have collected adequate time-series data to support analyses of long-term trends or shifts
in the biological, thermal, and hydrological regime of minimally disturbed, free-flowing freshwater streams. Such
data are necessary to further our understanding of how changing conditions will affect streams, their ability to be
used in assessments and to inform various entities on the relative importance of climate change compared to other
stressors. To help address these data gaps, ORD has been collaborating with states, tribes and EPA regional offices to
develop connected regional monitoring networks.
National-scale projections of climate change under multiple scenarios through 2100. Drought can have
wide-reaching regional effects or be localized in scale. EPA ORD is developing hourly projections of climate change
across the contiguous U.S. within 36 x 36 kilometer cells to examine frequency and severity of drought across
multiple spatial and temporal scales. These projections can be used to examine potential changes to temperature
and precipitation extremes and the cascading impacts on sensitive ecosystems. These data address issues at the
nexus of three of the four ORD roadmaps for cross-cutting research (epa.gov/research/research-roadmaps): Climate
Change, Nitrogen & Co-Pollutants, and Environmental Justice. These data can be used to examine changes in nutrient
loading to sensitive ecosystems, including the Mississippi River at the Gulf of Mexico, the Chesapeake Bay, and
others. In addition, these data can be used to develop approaches to creating intensity-duration-frequency curves
that reflect potential changes to future climate, as well as anticipate effects of drought on agriculture across the
Nation. Lastly, these modeling approaches holistically examine impacts of climate changes on air quality, health,
water quantity, and ecosystems using dynamically consistent Agency tools.
A national-scale assessment of the impacts of lake level decline, and the separate influences of
management and drought. Communities benefit from the ecosystem services provided by the Nation's lakes and
reservoirs, particularly the hydrologic capacity to buffer against the impacts of flooding and drought. Water
management and drought can lead to increased fluctuation and declines in lake and reservoir water levels that can
adversely affect near-shore physical habitat and the biotic assemblages that depend water levels. Causes of lake level
declines include direct and indirect water withdrawals for agriculture and urban growth, land use-driven changes in
surface runoff, and changes in precipitation and evaporation driven by climate change. Effective management to
maximize ecosystem services from these waters and minimize damages from declining levels requires quantification
of lake level decreases, regional ranking of their probable causes, and estimation of changes in habitat quality
associated with changes in lake levels. ORD will first quantify national and regional patterns of lake drawdown based
on National Lakes Assessment (NLA) summer surveys measuring "bathtub rings" indicating lake level fluctuations.
Changes in physical habitat complexity associated with drawdown will be further examined. ORD will then examine
associations between these NLA drawdown measurements and water isotope information from the 2007 and 2012
surveys to first separate drawdown into that caused by evaporation and that caused by water usage. This probable-
cause analysis will be refined using LAKECAT and other GIS geoclimatic and landuse/landcover information to infer
more specific causes of lake level fluctuation.
Incorporation of decreased low flows and climate change impacts on wetland projects. EPA Region 7
worked with USAGE, Section 404 programs to incorporate climate change impacts in permits, compensation plans
and draft Environmental Impact Statement documents. In Missouri, Region 7 has included climate change
implications and how to address climate change in National Environmental Policy Act documents for two proposed
reservoir projects: Little Otter Creek Reservoir and East Locust Creek Reservoir. EPA also recommended alternatives
be considered that do not cut off flood plain or upstream habitat from downstream habitat. This would include
consideration of increased flows and decreased low flows due to increasingly varied climate precipitation patterns.
Agricultural community management practices. EPA Region 9 has supported projects in vineyards and orchards
implementing management practices that reduce irrigation demand, retain soil-moisture, and minimize soil loss. In
the Napa River and Sonoma Creek watersheds, Clean Water Act 319 and San Francisco Bay Area Water Quality
Improvement Funds continue to support projects led by the California Land Stewardship Institute and the Sonoma
Resource Conservation District, as well as other partners, to develop farm plans that promote growing practices that
control and minimize soil and nutrient loss, such as enhancing infiltration of stormwater, floodwater, and rain to
reduce runoff, while providing substantial watershed and water quality benefits.
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Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) for optimizing water resources
management options over variable climate regimes. WMOST was created by EPA ORD to allow water resources
managers to evaluate a broad range of technical, economic, and policy management options within a watershed.
Version 1 evaluates cost-effectiveness of conservation options for source water protection and infiltration of
stormwater on forest lands, green infrastructure stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to increase
infiltration, and other water-related management options. Version 2, a joint effort between EPA Region 1 and ORD,
has enhanced functionality to evaluate climate extremes, BMPs, and flooding costs/risks as part of the cost/benefit
analysis. Case studies are available to demonstrate how communities have assessed strategies to maintain baseflows
and water supply. Work is underway on modules to add functionality to WMOST to support robust decision making
in the face of climate change.
WMOST Version 1: epa.gov/exposure-assessment-models/wmost-10-download-page
WMOST Version 2: cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record report.cfm?dirEntryld=311013
Draft EPA-USGS technical report: Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of Hydrologic Alteration. EPA OW
and USGS released this draft technical report for a 60-day public comment period on March 1, 2016. The report
provides information to help states, tribes, territories, water resource managers, and other stakeholders responsible
for the maintenance of hydrologic flow regimes. It describes the relationship between hydrologic condition and
water quality, and gives examples of what states have done to address flow concerns using Clean Water Act
authorities and programs that can be used to support the natural flow regime and maintain aquatic life. The report
also provides a flexible, nonprescriptive framework to quantify flow targets to protect aquatic life from the effects
associated with flow alteration. Stresses on aquatic life associated with hydrologic alteration may be further
exacerbated through climate change. Recent climate trends have included the change in frequency and duration of
extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, which can have an impact on flow and affect aquatic life.
epa.gov/wqc/draft-epausgs-technical-report-protecting-aquatic-life-effects-hydrologic-alteration-documents
Available Resources
U.S. Drought Portal - National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)
This portal provides early warning on emerging and anticipated droughts, assimilates quality control data for
droughts and models, provides information to agencies and stakeholders on risk and impact of droughts; provides
information on past droughts for comparison and to understand current conditions, explains how to plan for and
manage impacts of drought, and provides a forum for stakeholders to discuss drought-related issues, drought.gov
Drought in America - White House
This website highlights President Obama and his Administration's commitment to provide assistance to the farmers,
ranchers, small businesses, and communities throughout the country whose lives and livelihoods are impacted by
drought. In March 2016, the President issued a Memorandum and a Federal Action Plan on building national
capabilities for long-term drought resilience, whitehouse.gov/campaign/drought-in-america
WaterSense Program
WaterSense helps people save water with a product label and tips for saving water indoors and out. Products bearing
the WaterSense label have been independently certified to perform well; help save water, energy, and money; and
encourage innovation in manufacturing, epa.gov/watersense/
Water Research Grants
EPA funds water research grants to develop and support the science and tools necessary to develop sustainable
solutions to 21st century water resource problems, ensuring water quality and availability in order to protect human
and ecosystem health. https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/water-research-grants
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Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) Initiative
CRWU provides drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities with the practical tools, training, and technical
assistance needed to adapt to climate change by promoting a clear understanding of climate science and adaptation
options. Information on training events and links to online resources and tools, including the Extreme Events
Workshop Planner and the CRWU Adaptation Strategies Guide, can be found on their homepage: epa.gov/crwu
Drought Incident Action Checklist
"Rip and run" styled checklist that drinking water and wastewater utilities can use to help with emergency
preparedness, response, and recovery activities, epa.gov/waterutilityresponse/access-incident-action-checklists-
water-utilities
Drought Response and Recovery: A Basic Guide for Water Utilities
Published in 2016, this interactive, user-friendly guide provides worksheets, best practices, videos and key resources
for responding to drought. It is divided into four main sections: staffing, response plans and funding, water supply
and demand management, communication and partnerships, and case studies and videos.
epa.gov/waterutilitvresponse/drought-response-and-recovery-water-utilities
Public Awareness Kit for Utilities
This kit is used to help inform customers and community members about the threats to their water system and
motivate them to take action. By using several of the most effective communications methods—print, web, and TV-
it will help officials reinforce the message and drive home the call to action.
epa.gov/communitywaterresilience/water-utilitv-public-awareness-kit
Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT)
GREAT, developed under EPA's Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative, assists drinking water and
wastewater utility owners and operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the
related risks at their individual utilities. CREAT guides users through identifying threats based on climate change
projections and designing adaptation plans based on the types of threats being considered.
epa.gov/crwu/assess-water-utilitv-climate-risks-climate-resilience-evaluation-and-awareness-tool
National Water Program Climate Adaptation Tools
This fact sheet provides a summary of tools developed by EPA for state, tribal, and local governments and others to
adapt their clean water and drinking water programs to a changing climate, epa.gov/climate-change-water-
sector/national-water-program-climate-change-adaptation-tools-summary
Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool
WMOST is a decision support tool that evaluates the relative cost-effectiveness of management practices at the local
or watershed scale, cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record report.cfm?dirEntryld=311013
All Hazards Boot Camp
This training course is designed for water and wastewater employees responsible for emergency response and
recovery activities. It also explains why and how to implement an all-hazards program. Prevention and mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery are all topic covered during the training course.
epa.gov/waterresiliencetraining/waterwastewater-utilitv-all-hazards-bootcamp-training#all-hazards
Environmental Finance Center (EFC)
EFCs deliver targeted technical assistance to, and partner with states, tribes, local governments, and the private
sector in providing innovative solutions to help manage the costs of environmental financing and program
management, epa.gov/envirofinance/efcn
Federal Funding for Utilities in Natural Disasters (Fed FUNDS)
Fed FUNDS provides tailored information to water and wastewater utilities about applicable federal disaster funding
programs for national-level disasters. The funds could also apply to large-scale and even local disasters that result in
service interruptions and significant damage to the critical water/wastewater infrastructure, epa.gov/fedfunds
May 2016 | EPA/600/F-16/051
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State Revolving Fund (SRF) - Green Project Reserve
The American Recovery Act of 2009 requires all Clean Water SRF programs to use a portion of their federal grant for
projects that address green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, or other environmentally innovative
activities, including practices such as green infrastructure and water reuse, epa.gov/cwsrf/green-proiect-reserve-
guidance-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf
Sustainability and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) - A Best Practices Guide
This guide contains references to certain documents EPA believes would be helpful to state SRF programs as well as
suggestions for new and innovative practices that are not widespread among the states which could promote the
goals of the sustainability policy and benefit state CWSRF programs, epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-
04/documents/sustainability best practices guide.pdf
For questions about this document, contact Michelle Latham at latham.michelle@epa.gov.
May 2016 | EPA/600/F-16/051
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