A Guide for Land Trusts
ADVANCING WATERSHED
PROTECTION THROUGH
LAND CONSERVATION
United States
Environmental Protection
hI wm Agency
June 2022
EPA 841-B-22-003
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wishes to acknowledge and thank the following
individuals who contributed to the development of this guide:
• John Barrett, Land Program Director, Arizona Land and Water Trust
• Kimberly Brewster, Deputy Director, Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc.
• Shelton Douthit, Executive Director, Feather River Land Trust
• Chloe Fandel, Desert Rivers Program Associate, Arizona Land and Water Trust
• Dr. Ty Ferre, Professor, University of Arizona
• Erica Hernandez, Conservation Director, Alachua Conservation Trust
• Ruth Indrick, Project Director, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust
• Tom Kay, Executive Director, Alachua Conservation Trust
• Bailey Kennett, Desert Rivers Program Director, Arizona Land and Water Trust
• Jennifer Miller Herzog, Chief Program Officer, Land Trust Alliance
• Heather Obara, Associate Director, Alachua Conservation Trust
• Corey Pargee, Development Director, Feather River Land Trust
• Andrew Szwak, Mid-Atlantic Program Manager, Land Trust Alliance
This report was developed under USEPA contract EP-C-15-022 with The Cadmus Group.
DISCLAIMER OF ENDORSEMENT
Mention of, or referral to, non-EPA programs, products, or services, and/or links to non-EPA
sites, does not imply official EPA endorsement of, or responsibility for, the opinions, ideas, data
or products presented therein, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. Mention of
programs, products, or services on non-EPA websites is provided solely as a pointer to information
on topics related to environmental protection that may be useful to the intended audience.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
WATERSHED PROTECTION 101 2
Key Components of a Watershed 3
CLEAN WATER ACT OVERVIEW. 4
Clean Water Act in Action - Program Summary Table 5
EPA Funding to Support Watershed Protection Work 6
INCORPORATING WATERSHED PROTECTION IN LAND TRUST WORK 9
Build Watershed Partnerships 9
Conserve Lands for Watershed Protection 11
Steward Lands for Watershed Protection 16
Engage Your Community in Watershed Protection 19
CONCLUSION 21
REFERENCES 22
APPENDICIES 23
Appendix A: Descriptions and Eligible Activity Categories for Programs
Listed in the Funding Program Table 23
Appendix B: EPA Funding Search Tools and Platforms 29
Appendix C: 'Getting Started' Technical Resources to Address
Land Conservation and Watershed Protection 31
ii
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Land trusts across the United States have accomplished outstanding achievements in support
of environmental protection. Whether conserving tracts of land, serving as land stewards, or
creating innovative education programs, land trusts are protecting millions of acres of land and
water and engaging their communities in efforts to ensure that natural resources can be enjoyed
today and by future generations.
Many land trusts have recognized the fundamental connection between land and water and
are actively working to protect rivers, lakes, and other waters. Undertaking such water-related
activities can offer several benefits to land trusts. Importantly, water issues and threats can be a
strong motivator for the public to engage with land trusts. People depend on water every day for
reliable and clean drinking water, recreational opportunities, flood protection, and other services.
Further, waterbodies foster a sense of place and community that is often unmatched by other
natural resource types. Land trusts and partner landowners can also access funding from federal,
state, and local governments that is directed to water-focused actions and initiatives.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a mission to protect our nation's waters and
relies on a community of stakeholders to address water pollution through watershed protection-
efforts to protect and restore waterbodies by managing the areas of land draining to them. Land
trusts can be important members of the watershed protection community and can play a critical
role in watershed protection through land conservation, stewardship, and outreach activities.
This guide was inspired by land trusts that have engaged in watershed protection and was
designed to serve as an introductory guide for other land trusts interested in the topic. The goal
of this guide is to highlight opportunities for land trusts to integrate watershed protection in their
organization's strategic plans, actions, and community engagement.
-Q- G etti n g Sta rte d Ti ps
Keep an eye out for "Getting Started" tips throughout this guide, which suggest first steps for incorporating
watershed protection in your work.
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Every community is part of a watershed, broadly
defined as an area of land that drains to a
common body of water, such as a stream, river,
lake, or bay. Watersheds vary widely in scale,
from as small as the land area draining to a single
pond, to the one million square mile Mississippi
River Basin, At all scales, land use and activities
throughout a watershed influence the health of
downstream waters.
Healthy watersheds are characterized by natural
and well-managed working lands that support
resilient aquatic systems, intact and connected
habitat that supports aquatic and riparian species,
and good water quality conditions to support
aquatic life. Healthy watersheds provide a wide
range of benefits, including clean drinking water
sources, public health benefits, recreational
opportunities, and wildlife habitat.
The EPA promotes the watershed approach as a
coordinating framework for engaging stakeholders
and communities, including land trusts, to define
and address watershed-scale challenges and
solutions. Working with partners to develop a
watershed management plan can help identify
shared management goals and design strategies
to achieve them. Watershed plans can also
provide access to certain funding sources, iike
EPA Clean Water Act Section (§) 319 Nonpoint
Source Management grant program. A more
detailed outline of watershed components and the
watershed approach can be found in the graphic
on the following page.
2
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Key Components of a Watershed
Headwater streams strongly influence
the health of downstream waters.
Because many headwaters have been
lost or altered due to human activities,
they may be protection candidates.
Natural infrastructure, like forests
and wetlands, support watershed
health by reducing erosion and
runoff, regulating pollutant export,
preserving natural flow patterns,
and minimizing flooding.
Riparian Zones. Healthy waterbodies
have surrounding plants-grasses,
shrubs, and trees-that help to
absorb rainfall, slow stormwater, and
filter runoff.
The Watershed Approach
Watersheds can be defined at
multiple scales. Catchments typically
refer to small areas of land draining to
a single waterbody or river/stream
segment.
Stewardship activities on working
lands and in developed areas are
key to preventing and reducing
polluted runoff from these areas.
Water quality monitoring helps
quantify upstream pollution problems
and assess progress towards
watershed goals.
The watershed approach is a coordinating framework for developing comprehensive, watershed-based strategies to
protect water quality and quantity. In adopting the watershed approach, partners address water quality problems in
a holistic manner and actively involve watershed stakeholders in selecting the management strategies to solve
these problems. The watershed planning process works within this framework by using the cooperative, iterative steps
outlined below.
1. Build Partnerships
In working at the watershed scale, you will be
coordinating with various local stakeholders,
including landowners, often across multiple jurisdictions.
New ideas and input provided by partners not only provide
a more solid commitment to solutions but also help to
pool resources and skills.
4. Design Implementation Program
Most watershed plans cover a 10 to 15-year
implementation period. You can keep your team
on track by including an implementation schedule with interim
milestones, identifying specific technical assistance and
funding needs, and incorporating a monitoring/evaluation
process to assess progress as you go.
2. Characterize the Watershed
Characterizing the watershed, its problems, and
pollution sources provides the basis for developing
effective management strategies (e.g., land conservation,
stewardship practices) to meet water quality goals and helps to
focus management efforts on the most pressing needs within
the watershed.
5. Implement Plan
Time to get to work! Your implementation
team, likely comprised of multiple organizations,
can coordinate in developing project work plans and
schedules. Remember to keep your community engaged along
the way—and don't forget to highlight your successes!
r>
3. Set Goals & Identify Solutions
Watershed goals are supported by specific
objectives with measurable targets to
assess progress towards each goal. This planning
informs which management strategies are best
suited to achieve your goals.
6. Measure Progress & Adjust •-
The watershed approach is not linear but
circular, to allow you to integrate results
back into your program. By tracking progress towards
plan milestones and water quality goals, you can
make adjustments along the way to make sure you're
on track!
The above icons (e.g., fd* ) will reappear in later sections of this guide to
highlight actions that correspond with steps in the watershed approach.
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The Clean Water Act (CWA) was established "to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and
biological integrity of the Nation's waters" (33 United State Code §1251 (a)) and thus functions as
the United States' principal law governing pollution control and water quality. The CWA establishes
the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into waters of the United States and
regulating quality standards for surface waters.
As described in the Clean Water Act In Action graphic on the following page, state, territory
Tribal,1 and local governments primarily work to implement the CWA with assistance from the
EPA to reduce water pollution from point sources (e.g., municipal wastewater treatment plants
or factories) and nonpoint sources (e.g., agricultural runoff). Land trusts can engage in the CWA
process by educating landowners, participating in public comment opportunities, undertaking
water quality monitoring and data submission, and securing or supporting grants and other
funding sources for controlling and managing pollutant sources. Land trusts can reach out to their
state's lead agency or department for water quality restoration and protection to better understand
opportunities to collaborate on CWA initiatives.
Land trusts can find more information about watersheds, watershed protection, and the CWA at
EPA's Watershed Academy The Watershed Academy training modules are an excellent source of
additional information on watershed management, water law, and related concepts.
EPA Resource Spotlight: How's My Waterway
EPA's How's My Waterway tool provides
the public with an easily accessible and
understandable picture of water quality
at a community, state, or national
scale. The tool is a good starting point
for understanding the condition of
your local waters and educating your
community. Users can enter an address
or place name and find information
on water safety conditions, waterbody
impairment, status, and current actions
to restore or protect waters.
4 'CWA § 518 authorizes the EPA to treat eligible Indian tribes with reservations in a similar manner to states for a variety of purposes, including administering each of the
principal CWA regulatory programs and receiving grants under several CWA authorities. The term 'state' in this guide will refer to states, territories, and eligible tribes.
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Clean Water Act in Action - Program Summary Table
Overview
Under the CWA, states establish goals for the
condition of surface waters, termed water
quality standards (WQS), that can include
goals such as protection of aquatic life,
recreation, and drinking water sources. WQS
establish the foundation for CWA
implementation programs, including setting
CWA permit requirements, evaluating
waterbody condition, and setting water
quality protection and restoration goals. WQS
can also be used to establish special
protections for certain high-quality waters.
Establish
Water Quality
Standards
Monitor and
Assess Waters
O
o_
53"
o-
o
3
(D
a.
>
a.
&>
Water Quality
Reporting
Identify Problems
and Develop
Restoration Plans
Water quality monitoring strategies can be
designed to meet different needs (e.g.,
observe long-term trends, provide a
comparison of water quality before and
after a restoration project). Monitoring data
collected by state agencies and partners is
used to assess the conditions of rivers,
lakes, bays, wetlands, estuaries, and
nearshore marine waters to determine if
WQS are being attained.
Every two years, states are required to report
to the EPA and the public on the results of their
monitoring efforts. The "305(b) Report"
includes all that the state knows about its
waters—healthy, threatened, and in poor
condition. The "303(d) List" includes only those
waters that are either threatened or already
impaired (i.e., not meeting one or more WQS)
and need a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
Based on their water quality reports, states
develop TMDLs and other plans to guide
restoration of impaired waters. Given the
high number of impaired waters across the
US, states develop prioritization approaches
to target planning efforts, for example in
waters with greater likelihood to be restored
where local partners are available to support
implementation work.
Land Trust Connections
States review and can revise WQS every
three years. Provide input to your state
during these triennial reviews.
Nominate waters for high-quality
designations.
Consider undertaking land conservation
and stewardship around waters with high-
quality designations, which may help spur
public interest in conservation efforts.
If you are collecting local water quality
information, reach out to your state to see
if data can be used for CWA purposes.
Assessment results can be an effective tool
to communicate regional water quality
conditions. Highlight high-quality or
degraded waters to spark public interest.
Consider monitoring sites and data as you
target land conservation and stewardship
activities.
Use the list of impaired waters to target
problem areas.
Promote success stories, such as restoration
and de-listing of an impairment, to the
community and in watershed protection
funding applications.
Use these reports to monitor significant
changes to waterbodies in your watershed.
Provide input on state impaired waters
prioritization.
Support TMDL planning by sharing data
and information on watershed conditions,
submitting comments on methods and
results, and participating in citizen advisory
groups to monitor and track progress
toward TMDL goals.
Control and
Manage Sources
The CWA distinguishes two types of water
pollution: point sources, including discharge
from industrial and sewage treatment plants,
are regulated the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permitting
program, and nonpoint sources, originating
from many diffuse sources and carried by
rainfall or snowmelt, are not regulated under
the CWA. These pollution sources are managed
through a voluntary system that relies on grant
funding and stakeholder partnerships.
Form and strengthen partnerships to target
nonpoint source pollution.
Land trust can be eligible to receive state
and federal grants for watershed protection
or can facilitate grant funding for
landowners. For more information on
funding sources, see the EPA Clearinghouse
for Environmental Finance and Appendix B.
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EPA Funding to Support Watershed Protection Work
The EPA oversees a number of funding programs that may be used to support watershed protection activities related to planning,
community outreach, land acquisition, conservation (e.g., easements), and implementation of management practices. Some programs
are administered directly by the EPA, but many are managed by state agencies that make their own rules and policies within the general
parameters set by the EPA. The table below provides general summary information on potential EPA funding opportunities for land trusts.
See Appendix A for more detailed descriptions of the funding programs and eligible activity categories listed in the table. Because state
program specifics and land trust entity types vary, users should consult the respective program guidance to confirm program details. For
additional funding search tools and funding tips see Appendix B ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Funding Program
Brownfields Program -
Assessment Grants
Type
Cooperative
Agreement
Land Trusts
Directly
Fundable?
Yes
Award Amount Range
Community-wide up to
$500,000; site-specific
up to $200,000!
Match
Requirement
None
Funding Cycle
(e.g. annual)
Annual
Brownfields Program -
Cleanup Grants
Cooperative
Agreement
Yes
Up to $500,000!
20%
Annual
Clean Water Act §319
Grant Program for States
& Territories
Grant
Yes
Varies
Varies
Annual
Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
Loan
Yes2
None
Approx. annual,
varies by state
Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
- Set- Asides5
Loan;6 Grants;
Technical
Assistance
Yes
None; Varies8
Annual
Environmental Justice
Collaborative Problem
Solving Program
Cooperative
Agreement
Yes
Up to $200,000
None
Approx. annual
6
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 - All descriptions of references and notes can be found on page 28.
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EPA Funding to Support Watershed Protection Work Table Continued
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
/
/Jp/jry
Land Trusts
Directly Match Funding Cycle
Funding Program Type Fundable? /\y/\ty<$y '-r/^^ydyny *fyAward Amount Range Requirement (e.g. annual)
Environmental Justice
Small Grants Proaram
Grant
Yes
Up to $75,000
None
Annual
Five Star and Urban
Waters Restoration
Grant Proaram
Grant
Yes
•
•
•
•
•
•
$20,000 - $50,000
50%
Annual
Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative9
Grant; Cooperative
Agreement
Yes
•
•
•
•
•
Up to $600,000
None
Varies
Indian Environmental
Assistance Proaram
(GAP Funds)
Grant; Cooperative
Agreement;
Performance
Partnership Grant
No
•
•
•
•
•
Varies
None
Annual
National Estuary
Proqram Coastal
Watersheds Grants
Subaward Grants
Yes
•
•
•
•
•
•
$75,000-$250,000
(approximate)
25%10
Annual11
Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation
Act (WIFIA)
Loan
No
Min: $9.8M/ $2.5M
(small communities);
No upper limit
51%
Annual
Water Pollution Control
Grants (Clean Water
Act §106)
Grant
No
•
•
•
•
•
-
Maintain12
Annual
Wetland Proaram
Development Grants
Grant; Cooperative
Agreement
Yes
13
$75,000 - $220,000
25%
Biannual
1
9,10,11,12,13,14 - All descriptions of references and notes can be found on page 28.
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Kennebec Estuary Land Trust:
Engaging Communities Through Citizen Monitoring
The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) Community Science Program demonstrates how
volunteer-led water quality monitoring can connect a land trust with community members in
support of Clean Water Act goals. KELT was established in 1989 with a focus on protecting
25,000 acres of land and wildlife habitat in the Kennebec Estuary in southern Maine. KELT
launched its Community Science Water Quality Sampling Program in 2013 with financial support
from grants, KELT general funds, and community fundraising efforts. Through the program, KELT
trains citizen scientists, including local students and community members, on data collection,
quality control, and sample analysis methods. Data collection protocols are guided by a state-
approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), which allows KELT to share data with the
Maine Department of Environmental Protection for consideration in Clean Water Act programs
(e.g., listing impaired waters).
KELT currently works with approximately 15 volunteers to conduct biweekly sampling at 21
coastal sites throughout the estuary. Volunteers collect a range of water quality data, including
water clarity, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. KELT uses sampling data to identify local
areas with water quality concerns, tracking changes in water quality conditions over time, and to
develop a better understanding and ability to serve the needs of the local community.
To learn more about KELT'S work, visit https://www.kennebecestuary.org/
Photo Credit: Kathy Gravino.
"Community members participate in our water quality
sampling program because they care about the local
water resources, and also because sampling provides
a reason to regularly visit unique and beautiful coastal
sites, like Hall Bay." (pictured)
- Ruth Indrick, KELT'S Project Director
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INCORPORATING WATERSHED
PROTECTION IN LAND TRUST WORK
This section describes key concepts and approaches for land trusts to expand their impact and
contribute to broader watershed protection efforts by incorporating elements of the Watershed
Approach,, Four types of activities that are commonly undertaken or supported by land trusts
are discussed: building partnerships, conserving lands, land stewardship, and community
engagement. Each subsection highlights connections to steps in the Watershed Approach,
indicated by icons from the infographic on page 3
Build Watershed Partnerships
Working with partners to develop a watershed plan can be an effective way to identify
shared management goals and identify strategies to achieve them. Because watersheds
can cross political boundaries (e.g., county lines), utility service areas, or other
administrative margins, watershed planning can involve many stakeholders and functions best
when rooted in partnerships. The organizations involved in watershed planning may include
federal, state, county, or municipal government agencies, universities and research groups,
citizen-based watershed or other conservation groups, or water suppliers and utilities. Land trusts
can initiate or participate in-and strengthen—watershed partnerships and planning efforts by
contributing their experience and expertise and serving as critical links to community engagement.
A shared vision of goals, problems, and solutions among watershed partners can prevent
redundancies and enhance the benefits of actions undertaken by each individual organization.
Partnerships allow for a "divide-and-conquer" approach to watershed planning, which reduces
the burden on any one organization and allows participants to focus on their areas of
expertise. For an example of a watershed partnership in action, see the Central Lake Erie Basin
Collaborative case study below.
~Q~ Getting Started: Tips for Building Watershed Partnerships
1. Research existing or potential watershed-based partnerships in your area. Contact your local citizen-
based watershed group (e.g., see the River Network's "Who Protects Water?" Ma| ), water utility
(e.g., see EPA's Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS ), or other
conservation organizations to identify potential partners.
2. Share your land conservation goals and experiences with watershed partners, Has your organization
already prioritized parcels for conservation in your service area? Share these with watershed partners
9
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3. Facilitate community participation. To better understand the
concerns and priorities at the forefront of your community's mind and
inform the planning process, look for opportunities to lead community
round tables to gather knowledge from residents regarding local
historic water quality, water supply shortages, flooding, and other
waterbody concerns.
4. Incorporate watershed issues and goals into your organization's
strategic plans Consider updating your strategic plans to target
watershed issues and goals that have been identified through
partnerships and planning. By taking this step, you can align your
organization's approach to land conservation and stewardship with
actions needed to restore and protect watershed health.
Central Lake Erie Basin Collaborative:
Partnering Across Boundaries to Protect Lake Erie
Watersheds in the Central Lake Erie Basin contain several dense urban cores between large tracts
of agricultural and forested lands; thus, water quality issues include high volumes of stormwater
runoff containing fertilizers, pesticides, and other pollutants, habitat fragmentation, and erosion.
The Central Lake Erie Basin Collaborative (the Collaborative) was formed in 2014 as a consortium
of watershed groups, land trusts, and local government agencies to protect and restore natural
areas and promote stormwater solutions
across northern Ohio. The Collaborative has
A3 stron9 relationship with the large water
utility that provides drinking water to the
uH , Cleveland Metro area, the Northeast Ohio
" ¦ •. j;¦ Wr j m Sewer District, which provides funding to
M M- support some of their efforts.
to help identify mutual priority areas. When working with partners
to develop a watershed plan, help ensure the plan integrates land
conservation as a strategy for protecting watershed health and
establishes clear goals for land conservation (e.g., target number of
acres to protect).
Representatives of watershed organizations and initiatives participating in
the Central Lake Erie Basin Collaborative regularly meet to share updates,
ideas, and resources. Credit: Central Lake Erie Basin Collaborative.
10
The Collaborative thrives through an
informal, non-binding arrangement that
promotes opportunities for information
exchange, alignment of shared goals, and
coordination of funding opportunities and
technical assistance.
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Examples of partnership benefits for members include teaming to write compelling grant
proposals for land conservation and water quality improvement projects, sharing technical
expertise to implement projects, and tracking and communicating metrics of watershed
protection actions and outcomes. Through a Healthy Watersheds Consortium grant awarded
to the Collaborative from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, members
have enjoyed strengthened relationships with local land trusts, such as Western Reserve
Land Conservancy, due to increased collaboration on joint projects and better alignment of
priorities and planning.
The Collaborative recently worked together to develop a Strategic Plan which outlines
conservation goals and objectives for Lake Erie and its watersheds and current and potential
new sources of funding. The Collaborative has been able to identify specific goals for the entire
watershed that includes over 300,000 acres of protection and thousands of stream miles. It has
also built a revolving fund of over $30 million that can be accessed quickly to protect land that
becomes available.
Through the Collaborative, Central Lake Erie Basin land trusts and watershed groups exemplify
the efficiency and effectiveness of partnerships and experience greater success in
watershed protection by sharing rather than competing for resources.
To learn more about the Collaborative, visit: http://centrallakeerie.org/
Conserve Lands for Watershed Protection
The conservation of natural lands supports watershed protection by maintaining important
elements of the water cycle, such as groundwater recharge, and by minimizing the
accumulation and runoff of pollutants. Additionally, conserving well-managed working
lands (e.g., agriculture and silviculture) can prevent conversion to alternative land uses
that pose greater threats to water quality and quantity. Land conservation can be most
effective when organizations:
Prioritize and target conservation in areas with the greatest impact on water quality. Not
all parcels in a watershed have an equal impact on water resources. For example, riparian
areas along riverbanks and lakeshores can be especially important to the health of a
waterbody because of the ability of riparian vegetation to filter pollutants and sediment
from adjacent uplands and to shade waterbodies, keeping water temperatures at a suitable
level for aquatic wildlife. Table 1 describes other example landscape characteristics that
are relevant to watershed health and could be factored into the identification of priority
areas for land conservation.
Specific parcels or other units of land may already be identified as priorities for land
conservation in existing watershed plans. If additional targeting of priority areas is needed,
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potential approaches can range from a qualitative evaluation that relies
on local knowledge and best professional judgment to advanced mapping
analysis or watershed modeling. Land trusts can work with partners who bring
technical expertise and capabilities to conduct advanced analysis or modeling
(for example, see the Arizona Land and Water Trust case study on page 15).
Link land conservation to watershed goals. As priority areas for land
conservation are identified and protected, it can be helpful to compare
achievements against quantifiable goals to track progress and share updates
with partners, funding agencies, and the community Examples of these
goals could include a target number of acres protected watershed-wide or
within specific priority areas of the watershed. Such goals can be drawn from
existing watershed plans for your area, if available, or can be established by
your land trust. By linking land conservation progress to watershed goals,
a land trust can demonstrate its important role in the watershed protection
community and garner support for funding and future efforts.
Table 1. Important landscape characteristics to consider when targeting land conservation to protect water quality.2
National datasets that are relevant to these characteristics are noted in the Example Data Sources column. However, you
may find local, higher-resolution data by contacting your local conservation district, government planning office, university,
or state geospatial service.
Landscape
Characteristic
Why is it important?
Example
Data Source
Natural land cover
Natural areas (e.g., forests, wetlands, natural grasslands) filter
and process pollutants. They also support natural hydrology
and flow patterns which help maintain healthy aquatic habitats
and communities.
National Land
Cover Database
(NLCD)
Headwater
streams
Proximity to
surface waters
Critical
groundwater
areas
Headwater streams have important impacts on downstream
water quality The protection of headwater areas can support
natural levels of water, sediment, and nutrient inflow to
downstream waters.
Land near or within the riparian buffers that surround
surface waters has a major influence on streamflow and
water quality. Protecting natural lands in the broader floodplain
also helps store and abate flood waters, thereby mitigating
flooding impacts.
Lands near or above aquifer recharge areas, wellheads,
and source water protection areas are critical to protecting
groundwater and drinking water sources.
National
Hydrography
Dataset(NHD)
National
Hydrography
Dataset(NHD)
Contact local
water utility or
state drinking
water agency
12 2Dev#ttp®d with nfoTEBatlon from the following sources Upper Neuse Glean Water Initiitte2QlS| Erifft !E©|U
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Table 1 Continued
Landscape
Characteristic
Why is it important?
Example
Data Source
Slope
Steep slopes may be less stable and more prone to erosion.
3D Elevation
Proaram
Soil permeability
and credibility
Maintaining natural vegetative cover on soils that are prone
to runoff and erosion, or soils with high permeability, can be
important for protecting water quality.
Soil Survey
Geoaraphic
Database
(SSURGO)
Development
threat
Growth projections and related datasets can be used to help
identify lands that are most susceptible to development or
conversion to a land use with increased potential for water
pollution.
integrated
Climate and Land
Use Scenarios
(ICLUS)
Proximity to
protected lands
Large hubs of conserved lands, and connected corridors
between hubs, can be more effective for supporting healthy
aquatic communities compared to fragmented areas.
Protected Areas
Database of the
US (PAD-US)
-Q- Getting Started: Tips for Conserving Lands for Watershed Protection
Tools and Data for Priority Setting
The EPA and other organizations maintain several tools and datasets that land trusts can use to help identify
priority locations for land conservation. Many of the links below include additional training materials and
information on how to use the tools effectively.
StreamCat Dataset The EPA StreamCat dataset contains over
600 metrics that describe conditions in small subwatershed
delineations called "catchments." A catchment represents
the area that directly drains to a stream segment or lake
segment. Catchments average approximately 1 square mile
in size. The metrics in the StreamCat dataset describe many
of the characteristics listed in Table 1 along with a variety of
other landscape and waterbody characteristics. The metrics
are available for download by state in a series of text files.
The StreamCat dataset can be useful for identifying and
evaluating catchments that meet user-defined criteria for
prioritizing land conservation.
Example of a U.S. map created using StreamCat data on percent
urbanization within a watershed. Accessed at: www.epa.gov
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Watershed Resources Registry: The Watershed Resources Registry jWRRj consists of an online map viewer
and custom map layers that depict suitability scores for restoration and preservation activities, such as riparian
buffer restoration or preservation and wetland restoration or preservation. The suitability map layers are based
on an analysis completed by the EPA and partners that assigns a score of one to five to areas that are relevant
to each restoration or preservation topic. Land trusts can use the WRR to identify high scoring areas and
evaluate those areas as potential priorities for land conservation. WRR map applications and suitability layers
are available for seven states as of June 2022 (Alaska, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia). Additional states may be added in the future.
Recovery Potential Screening Tool: The EPA Recovery Potential Screening jRPSj Tool in an Excel-based tool
designed to run screenings to identify priority subwatersheds for restoration or protection. RPS Tool files are
available for all U.S. states and territories and come pre-loaded with
metrics that describe many of the characteristics listed in Table 1
and additional ecological, stressor, and social characteristics in
subwatershed delineations called "HLJC12s". HUC12 subwatersheds
are part of the national Watershed Boundary Dataset and average
approximately 35 square miles in size. The RPS Tool is well-suited for
land trusts that work across large areas to identify priority HUC12s for
land conservation. Other finer-scale tools and datasets can then be
applied to identify specific priority areas within the HUC12s of interest.
Forests to Faucets: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USD A) Forest Service Forests to Faucets tool includes
an online map viewer and custom map layers that identify important HUC12 subwatersheds for protecting
surface sources of drinking water. The identification of important HUC12s for source water protection is based
on an analysis of landscape characteristics that align with those listed in Table 1. Similar to the RPS Tool
described above, Forests to Faucets can be useful for identifying priority HUC12s for land conservation. Priority
areas within those HUCI2s can be further explored with otherfiner-scale tools and datasets.
DWMAPS: The EPA Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS is an online
mapping tool designed to support source water assessments and source water protection planning. DWMAPS
allows users to zoom to an area of interest and display a variety of map layers related to the location of
waterbodies, drainage boundaries, land cover, protected
lands, and pollutant sources. Drinking water metrics
that are summarized by HUC12 can also be displayed,
such as the percentage of a HUC12 in a source water
protection area or the number of drinking water wells
per HUC12. DWMAPS can also produce a summary
report of catchment characteristics from the StreamCat
dataset for a catchment of interest. DWMAPS can be
used to investigate conditions in one or more potential
priority areas for land conservation using the available
map layers and the catchment report.
Sample of a Bubble Plot Chart created with the RPS Tool
shown in the User Guide. Accessed at: www.epa.gov
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lo Protect Source Waters. (DWMAPS)
DWMAPS te an onflne mapping tool to bdp you find Information critical to protecting dunking water sources. Click one o<
the search options below lo get start ed. Once you enter the map. Icons at the bottom ol the screen correspond to the
search tools within this welcome screen.
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Welcome page of DWMAPS displays search tools for users to find
information about drinking water sources. Accessed at: www.epa.aov
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Arizona Land and Water Trust;
Prioritizing Land Conservation to Protect Rivers and Aquifers
The Arizona Land and Water Trust's (ALWT's) mission is to protect Southern Arizona's
vanishing western landscapes, its farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and the waters
that sustain them. To help allocate resources to the most critical areas of the Upper
Santa Cruz Watershed, ALWT conducted two assessments to identify land protection
opportunities most beneficial to the health of the river system. For one assessment, ALWT
staff weighted 40 characteristics of watershed health (e.g., intact riparian areas), based on
the relevance of each characteristic to its values and mission. The weights were applied to
corresponding data layers in the GIS-based Natureserve Vista tool to generate a heat map,
indicating priority areas for land conservation in the watershed,
ALWT also partnered with University of Arizona Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric
Sciences (UA) researchers to explore the relationship between land conservation and river
flows. The UA partners modified an existing state groundwater model to simulate the
effects of different land and water use scenarios on groundwater levels and streamflow,
and to identify sensitive river reaches and locations of particularly impactful pumping. This
partnership with UA provided ALWT with valuable expertise that is out of scope for most
land trust staff.
ALWT recently protected over 6,000 acres of high conservation value ranchlands, a critical
step in maintaining and benefitting the health of the Upper Santa Cruz Watershed.
To learn more about ALWT's work, visit www.alwt.org.
Upper Santa Cruz River and Cottonwood-Willow riparian gallery
at Tumacacori National Historic Park. Image Credit: ALWT
15
Conservation Value
Weighted Based on
Relevance to ALWT Mission
An: ,r;
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Steward Lands for Watershed Protection
Land stewardship is another important watershed protection strategy that focuses on the
continued responsible management of land to minimize the impacts of human activity
on the environment. Even protected lands benefit from stewardship (for an example, see
the Feather River Land Trust case study below). Land trusts are well positioned to identify
stewardship needs because they engage with landowners and often monitor the condition
of conserved lands to understand local issues and threats. In some cases, land trusts may
also manage their own lands and offer real-world stewardship demonstration projects for
the local community.
The terms Best Management Practice (BMP) or conservation practice are commonly
used to describe management strategies to address water quality or quantity issues. BMPs
can be structural, such as to prevent livestock from entering a stream, or nonstructural,
such as an ordinance that specifies vegetated buffer zones between certain activities and
the water's edge. Management strategies must be tailored to site-specific land uses and
conditions. A state's nonpoint source management program identifies management strategies
that will be used to control nonpoint source pollution and achieve program goals. Additionally,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS)
provides state-specific Field Office Technical Guides with a range of technical information, including
conservation practice design standards.
The questions below can serve as a guide for land trusts or landowners to conduct a basic site-
specific assessment of potential BMPs to pursue for watershed protection. Many government
programs, as well as nongovernmental conservation groups, offer technical and financial resources
to support BMP planning and implementation including some cost-share funding opportunities.
More detailed resources for BMP planning are listed in Appendix C
What is the current land use of the parcel? Example land uses may include crop production, livestock
grazing, barnyards, feedlots, forestry, mining, or other resource extraction. In addition to defining
land use, make note of features on the landscape that may contribute to watershed health issues,
such as impervious surfaces, exposed or disturbed soils, steep slopes, animal waste storage areas,
fertilized fields, or eroding streambanks and shorelines. Such features can be sketched on a site
map as areas where BMPs may be needed. Existing plans and resources may already include land
use and landscape feature information as well.
What are the drainage characteristics of the property? An understanding of the direction of water
flow on the property is important for BMP selection and planning. Low-lying areas like shallow
depressions, swales, and gullies collect runoff and may be well-suited for BMPs that filter water
and allow it to soak into the ground. Riparian areas that are adjacent to stream channels provide
opportunities to maintain vegetated buffer strips or install livestock exclusion systems. Other
notable drainage characteristics could include steep slopes, which present challenges for locating
BMPs, or downspouts and other points where water flows out of manmade drainage features.
— ~
— ~
— *
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What water quality and/or water quantity concerns are associated with that land use and the watershed?
The type of land use affects water cycle processes and determines potential pollutants of
concern. If several water quality and water quantity issues are applicable to the parcel, use existing
watershed plans for your area to guide higher priority issues to address with BMPs.
How have the water quality and/or water quantity concerns been addressed on similar properties in the
area? BMPs that have successfully been implemented in similar areas can be a helpful starting
point when considering which strategies will be well-suited for a particular parcel of land.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of potential BMPs? Potential BMPs may vary widely in
costs and effectiveness at treating the water quality and quantity issues of concern.
~,Os~ Getting Started: Tips for Stewarding Lands for Watershed Protection
1. Review existing watershed plans for your area to understand the recommended management practices.
Watershed plans often identify BMPs that are needed to address water quality and other watershed
health concerns. In some cases, a watershed plan will also identify specific areas in the watershed,
termed critical areas, where issues are prevalent and where BMPs are needed the most. The BMPs and
critical areas that are identified in a watershed plan can help guide your organization in undertaking
stewardship on your own land holdings and support stewardship by partner landowners.
2. Reach out to local technical assistance providers in your area. Local conservation districts, NRCS field
offices, state forestry agencies, or university extension programs can provide technical assistance in
conducting site assessments and BMP design. They can also offer suggestions on potential funding
sources to support implementation. Land trusts can also refer to technical information published by other
state or local government agencies such as forestry agencies for practices to manage polluted runoff
from timber production areas.
3. Identify and support external funding opportunities. You can apply for funding to expand your
organization's land stewardship programs and conduct BMP work on its own properties. You can also
help other landowners by researching resources available through federal and state grant and loan
programs, as well as non-profit conservation grant programs; offering expertise in proposal writing; and
managing multiple funding sources that may support long-term BMP implementation on a property.
EPA Resource Spotlight:
Supporting Stewardship Through Wetland and Stream Mitigation
The federal wetland regulatory program (under §404 of the Clean Water Act) and its state
counterparts require compensation for certain impacts to wetlands, streams, and other aquatic
systems. As part of the §404 program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires thousands
of acres of compensatory mitigation each year to offset permitted impacts. As a result, the
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nation's stock of mitigation lands continues to grow. The 2012 Wetland and Stream Mitigation:
A Handbook for Land Trusts developed by the Environmental Law Institute for the EPA and Land
Trust Alliance describes how your land trust could get involved in the restoration and protection
of these sites. Over the decades, land trusts have played a variety of roles in compensatory
mitigation - assisting in site selection, project design and implementation, long-term stewardship
of sites, holding conservation easements on sites, and more!
Feather River Land Trust:
Stewardship Through Adaptive Land Management
The Feather River Land Trust (FRLT) works to protect ecologically important lands and waters
across the 3,200 square mile Feather River Watershed in northern California, which provides
drinking water for 27 million people downstream and supports a large community of ranching and
farming families. Land stewardship is a central component of FRLT's approach to land protection.
When developing conservation easements for private lands, FRLT identifies opportunities to work
with landowners and the NRCS to develop conservation plans for the property. As part of the
conservation planning process, FLRT and NRCS staff help landowners define their conservation
objectives, identify natural resource concerns, and identify possible USDA assistance programs to
help achieve conservation goals.
In addition to protecting private lands with
conservation easements, FRLT owns and
manages five preserves, totaling nearly
4,000 acres that are accessible to the public.
FRLT adopts an adaptive land management
approach toward stewarding its preserves. This
approach involves flexibility in stewardship
activities to respond to changing conditions and
periodic evaluation of management strategies.
Surrounding communities are able to visit
FRLT's preserves and learn about BMPs such
as sustainable grazing, underburning, invasive
weed control, and wildlife-friendly fencing.
In summer 2021, the Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires devastated much of the Feather River
Watershed and demonstrated the importance of FRLT's adaptive land management approach. FRLT
directed resources to provide firefighting staff with information on water sources, access routes,
and key ecological and cultural resources to protect from the fires, FRLT formed an interdisciplinary
task group to guide fire recovery efforts and has been working on assessing fire impacted areas,
identifying best remediation practices, and developing recovery plans for impacted properties.
To learn more about FRLT's work, visit frlt.org.
18
FRLT and its local grazing lessee observe conditions along Indian Creek at
FRLT's Heart K Ranch in Genesee Vailey, California, image Credit: FRLT
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Engage Your Community in Watershed Protection
Community outreach is an important part of the watershed approach because it can
help build a shared understanding of watershed protection challenges and solutions.
Successful outreach campaigns can also encourage people to become engaged and
change their behaviors in ways that will help improve and protect water guality. Land
trusts are well positioned to lead community outreach due to their knowledge of
local stakeholders, existing relationships with landowners from other stewardship or
conservation efforts, and their legacy of environmental protection. Outreach efforts do
not have to be major undertakings—every connection counts. Simple actions such as website
postings or newsletter articles that highlight water-related activities can help to draw the
attention of new audiences.
Effective community outreach strategies begin with finding the right messages and
communication tools to reach your target audience. As you conduct outreach, tailor your
messaging to your audience's level of knowledge about watershed protection. For example,
some community members may benefit from seeing maps depicting local water resources and
the watershed boundary relative to where they live. In your outreach, be specific in the 'what'
and 'why' of actions you are asking your audience to take. Consider opportunities to highlight
the many co-benefits of watershed protection work, such as clean drinking water sources and
water-based recreation opportunities. See the Alachua Conservation Trust case study below for
more information!
~Q~ Getting Started: Tips for Engaging Your Community
1. Define your audience. Think about the various stakeholders in your community and their relationship to
your watershed protection goals. Choose 2-3 priority stakeholder groups and consider the action you want
them to take, then define the primary motivators and/or barriers to taking that action. Use this information
to inform your message and your outreach plan.
2. Make a plan to engage the community in water-focused outreach and education. Select a variety of
activities that can speakto the interest levels of your different audiences. You can help fill knowledge gaps
in the community by raising awareness about water quality or water quantity problems, build appreciation
for the watershed, and improve understanding of actions individuals can take. Additional educational
resources for watershed protection are provided in Appendix C. Some ideas include:
a) Hiking, paddling, or bird-watching tours through local lakes, streams, marshes, or other waterbodies.
b) Water quality monitoring in partnership with a local academic or scientific program.
c) Letter to the editor of a local newspaper from land trust leadership to encourage support
from elected officials while also educating the general audience about the critical importance of
watershed protection in their community.
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3. Prepare messages for landowners of priority parcels for watershed protection. Many landowners may
have limited knowledge about waterbody concerns and watershed protection. You can prepare for initial
conversations by developing a set of core messages that define the problem, communicate the property's
importance, suggest achievable actions, and identify benefits of participation. Common benefits that often
resonate with landowners include:
a) Financial interest: Easement contracts can provide tax benefits; a healthy watershed promotes
economic growth in the region.
b) Community leadership: Helping improve local waters demonstrates goodwill and leadership to both
upstream and downstream neighbors.
c) Recreation: Support clean waterways for swimming, watersports, and hunting and fishing.
d) Family legacy: Ensure that lands passed down through generations remain preserved with healthy waters.
EPA Resource Spotlight:
Resources for Outreach & Engagement
The value of watershed protection can be a powerful message to motivate community members to
engage in better protection of their local lakes, rivers, and streams. The following resources provide
detailed guidance and tools to help you plan and implement a successful outreach campaign.
EPA's Outreach Toolbox: https://cfpub.epa.gov/npstbx/index.html
• EPA's Getting in Step Guide: https://cfpub.epa.gov/npstbx/files/getnstepguide.pdf
Alachua Conservation Trust:
Communicating Watershed Protection Messages
The Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) has facilitated the conservation of over 54,000 acres of
land across 16 counties in North Central Florida, including the direct acquisition of nearly 20,000
acres through land purchase and donation. ACT's focus area includes the Santa Fe River Basin,
which contains diverse forests, wetlands, and wildlife that support local tourism but are under
threat from groundwater pumping and commercial water bottling.
ACT works to protect the Santa Fe River Basin and its aquifers through outreach and
communication strategies that educate the public on watershed concepts and motivate local
action. ACT has introduced the concept of "springsheds" in creative ways to help communities
understand that protecting the area's valuable springs must involve protecting the land area
that contributes water to springs. For example, ACT designed the Simple Things for Our Springs
outreach campaign to raise awareness of the land-water connection among private landowners
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using videos that convey the importance of protecting pristine lands and conserving working
farms through real-life stories from involved citizens. The campaign included supporting
printed materials and promotion through social media. ACT also organizes water-based
outdoor activities, such as canoeing, kayaking, and wetland tours, to foster deeper community
engagement. To inspire future generations, ACT hosts educational programs that teach children
the basics of aquatic ecology.
Partnerships are another factor in ACT's
outreach and communication efforts.
When preparing outreach materials, such
as newsletters and webinars, ACT tailors
the materials to attract new partners and
align with existing partners (e.g., water
management districts, citizen watershed
groups, and wildlife agencies), so resources
among groups can be better coordinated
and leveraged, ACT often uses factsheets
with photos and maps, sometimes also
paired with site visits, to give context for
a new project, make a clear ask of its partners, and identify productive paths for collaboration.
Through tailored messaging, ACT has found common ground among diverse groups to better
help protect North Central Florida's lands and waters.
To learn more about ACT's work, visit https://www.alachuaGonservationtrust.org/
CONCLUSION
Land trusts can play a critical role in protecting a watershed to
ensure that rivers, lakes, bays, wetlands, and other waterbodies
promote a community's public health, recreational opportunities,
and economic growth. The land conservation and stewardship
principles that land trusts are built upon are well-aligned with
approaches for restoring impaired waters and preserving
healthy waters. By integrating watershed protection into their
organizational goals and strategies, land trusts can leverage
information on watershed conditions to guide strategic planning,
sources of financial support for protecting water quality and
quantity, and public interest in preserving waters that are valued
by communities to augment outreach and engagement efforts.
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Paddlers exploring the upper Santa Fe River during a guided trip to
view ACT conservation lands. Credit: Alison Biakeslee
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REFERENCES
Ernst, C. 2004. Protecting the Source: Land Conservation and the Future of America's Drinking
Water. The Trust for Public Land and American Water Works Association, San Francisco, CA.
https://www.tpl.org/sites/default/files/cloud.tpl.orq/pubs/water-protectinq the source final.pdf
Gartner, T., Mulligan, J., Rowan, S., and Gunn, J. 2013. Natural Infrastructure - Investing in
Forested Landscapes for Source Water Protection in the United States. ISBN #: 978-1 -56973-813-
9 World Resources Institute, Washington, DC https://www.wri.orq/publication/natural-infrastructure
Krueger, E. and Jordan, N. 2014. Preserving Water Quality in the Savannah River: Protecting
the Future of Drinking Water Supply. The Nature Conservancy, South Carolina Field Office,
Charleston, SC. https://s3.amazonaws.com/tnc-craft/library/Savannah-Potable-White-Paper-Final-091614.
pdf ?mtime=20180822151837
Trust for Public Land (TPL) and American Water Works Association (AWWA). 2005. Source
Protection Handbook: Using Land Conservation to Protect Drinking Water Supplies. The Trust for
Public Land and American Water Works Association, San Francisco, CA. https://www.tpl.org/sites/
default/files/cloud.tpl.orq/pubs/water source protect hbook.pdf
Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative. 2015. Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative: 2015-2045
Conservation Strategy. Upper Neuse Clean Water Initiative, Raleigh, NC. http://ncswc.org/files/
Awards/2015-2045%20Conservation%20Strategy.pdf
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APPENDIX A
EPA Program Descriptions, Eligible Activity Descriptions, and
Funding Program Table footnotes
Brownfields Program Grants - Brownfields are properties for which the expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated due to the presence or potential presence of
hazardous substances, pollutants, petroleum, or other contaminants, or is mine-scarred land. EPA's
Brownfields Program provides direct funding for brownfields assessment, cleanup, revolving loans,
and environmental job training through separate grants. Applicants must be able to demonstrate
that they are not liable for the contamination. These funds are provided through Cooperative
Agreements (see note below). Each program has slightly different eligibilities and requirements.
Most relevant to Land Trusts: Community-wide and Site-Specific Assessment Grants, which fund
inventories, planning, assessment, and community outreach. A portion of funds may be used
for environmental insurance. Cleanup Grants, which fund cleanup activities at sites owned by the
applicant and for which a Phase II environmental assessment has been completed or is underway.
A portion of funds may be used for environmental insurance.
Clean Water Act § 319 Grant Program - The Clean Water Act §319 Nonpoint Source
Management Program Supports a wide variety of activities including technical assistance, financial
assistance, education, training, technology transfer, demonstration projects and monitoring to
assess the success of specific nonpoint source implementation projects. §319 programs are
administered by States, Territories, and Tribes, which may in turn pass funds on to communities,
local conservation groups, and other organizations through subgrants or contracts for
implementation of nonpoint source projects, plans, and management efforts included in Watershed-
based Plans. Programs vary widely; contact your state Nonpoint Source Coordinator for details.
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) - Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(CWSRF) programs can fund a wide variety of water quality protection efforts under multiple
CWA authorities, including watershed pilot projects (as described in CWA §122), or projects to
implement a state nonpoint source (NPS) management program (as described in CWA §319) or
National Estuary Program (NEP) Comprehensive Conservation & Management Plan (CCMP) (as
described in CWA §320). Eligible projects range from planning, site cleanup, wetland restoration
and land conservation, to BMP implementation, purchase of efficient agricultural equipment,
installation of bioretention, and dam removal. Planning projects must have a reasonable
expectation of resulting in a CWSRF-eligible capital project to receive funding.
Loans are offered at below-market rates and may qualify for principal forgiveness or grants.
CWSRFs are administered at the State level. Watershed, NPS, and CCMP projects can be funded
through a variety of mechanisms, the use of which and terms vary widely. Some states allow non-
point projects to be "sponsored" by a traditional gray infrastructure project, at low- or no-net cost
for the nonpoint source project. Other states use pass-through loans (through an intermediary
lender) to fund nonpoint source projects. Contact your state CWSRF program for details.
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Tip: Local water utilities can be critical partners in watershed protection. Through ratepayers, they
have a viable source of loan repayment.
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) - Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund (DWSRF) programs can fund source water protection activities in delineated source water
protection areas through the optional Set-Asides, which are separate from the infrastructure loan
fund. States may support source water protection through various mechanisms, such as loans
to public water systems, grants to local communities, funding of technical assistance providers,
or grants to nonprofits. Water systems may receive below-market rate loans and may qualify
for principal forgiveness or negative interest to acquire land/easements or implement voluntary,
incentive-based measures. States may offer land trusts and other entities grants for land
conservation or other source water protection activities. DWSRF programs are administered at the
State level (50 states and Puerto Rico). Note that capacity development activities funded under the
Local Assistance Set-Aside must be part of the state's Capacity Development Strategy to be eligible.
Nonprofits can be cosignatories to a loan agreement with the water system for land acquisition,
easements, or other source water protection measures. In this arrangement, the organization
could help implement the land use control measures around the water sources and take over the
responsibility for loan repayment. Eligibility and terms vary, and not all States use Set-Aside funds
for source water protection. Contact your state DWSRF program for details.
Tip: Local water utilities can be critical partners in watershed protection. Through ratepayers, they
have a viable source of loan repayment.
Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem Solving Program (EJCPS) - The
EJCPS helps build collaborative partnerships in underserved and disadvantaged communities
to develop and implement solutions to address local environmental or public health issues, with
an emphasis on climate and disaster resiliency. It is targeted towards larger, more established
organizations than the EJ Small Grants program (below). EJCPS projects emphasize information,
communication, awareness, and learning, rather than just fixing problems. Eligible project activities
include research, public education, demonstration projects, training, monitoring, development,
surveys/studies, investigations, and experiments. Large-scale clean-ups, routine operations,
treatments, disposal, or a similar implementation focus are not appropriate. Projects must be
associated with at least one federal environmental statute, such as the Clean Water Act and Safe
Drinking Water Act. Recipients must use EPA's EJ Collaborative Problem-Solving Model-
Environmental Justice Small Grants Program (EJSG) - The EJSG helps underserved
and vulnerable communities to build collaborative partnerships, educate the community, and
develop strategies to address local environmental and public health issues. Climate and disaster
resiliency is a focus area. EJSG projects emphasize gathering and transferring information
gathering and advancing awareness, rather than just fixing problems. Projects must be associated
with at least one federal environmental statute, such as the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking
Water Act. Half of 2021 funds were reserved for non-profits with fewer than 10 employees.
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Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program - Offered by the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with the EPA, USDA, USFWS, and private partners,
the Five Star and Urban Waters Program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local
natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local
partnerships for wetland, forest, riparian and coastal habitat restoration, stormwater management,
outreach and stewardship with a particular focus on water quality, watersheds and the habitats
they support. Each project must include four main elements: on-the-ground activities; community
partners; integrated education, outreach, and training; and measurable ecological, educational, and
community benefits. Funds are available nationwide, in any size of community, but some funds
offered through the program have specific priorities.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) - Through the GLRI, the EPA provides funding
for a variety of projects targeting toxic substances, invasive species, nonpoint source pollution,
habitats and species, designated geographic Areas of Concern, and Foundations for Future
Restoration Actions (covering education, monitoring, communication, partnerships), in support of
the GLRI Action Plan The information displayed in the eligibility chart is for EPA's Nonpoint Source
Runoff & Nutrient Reduction RFA Projects, which fund activities such as riparian restoration,
interception and filtration of legacy agricultural phosphorus, and green infrastructure. There are
multiple funding opportunities offered through GLRI, by the EPA as well as NOAA. USFWS. and other
partners. Visit the GLRI funding page for the most up to date information.
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) - The GAP provides grants
to Indian Tribal governments and intertribal consortia to build capacity to administer environmental
programs and develop multimedia programs addressing environmental issues on Indian lands. In
addition, implementation of solid and hazardous waste programs is allowed. Activity eligibility is
often determined on a case-by-case basis, depending upon specific circumstances. Contact your
EPA Region for details.
National Estuary Program (IMEP) Coastal Watersheds Grants - The NEP is a non-
regulatory, place-based program established under Clean Water Act §320 to protect and restore water
quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance. There are currently 28 NEPs
that receive grants directly from the EPA to develop and implement Comprehensive Conservation &
Management Plans (CCMPs). For more information on the NEP, go to www.epa.gov/nep.
The NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant is a national competitive program administered on behalf of
the EPA through a cooperative agreement with Restore America's Estuaries (RAE). RAE issues
subawards to eligible entities to address urgent, emerging, and challenging issues facing estuaries
and identified in CCMPs such as habitat loss, flooding, coastal erosion, and nutrients. Eligible
entities include states, interstate, and regional water pollution control entities, state coastal zone
management agencies, and other public and private nonprofits. The details on subaward project
eligibilities and timing were not available at the time of this publication; interested parties can visit
the NEP Coastal Watershed Grant website for the most up to date information.
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Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) - WIFIA is an EPA-
administered federal credit program that provides long-term, low-cost financing for a variety of
water infrastructure projects, including those meeting DWSRF or CWSRF eligibilities or providing
drought prevention/reduction/mitigation projects. WIFIA has minimum project cost thresholds;
projects tend to be large or complex and must be of national or regional significance. Typical
borrowers are water utilities and state infrastructure financing authorities; while land trusts are not
ineligible to receive funds directly, it is more likely that they could access funds in partnership with
utilities or government entities. Projects carried out by private entities must be publicly sponsored.
Water Pollution Control (Clean Water Act §106) Grants - The EPA provides CWA
§106 grants to States, interstate agencies, Territories, and Tribes, which use the funds to administer
their §106 programs for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution, including regulatory
enforcement. States use §106 grants to fund a variety of regulatory, prevention, and control
programs and activities, including those targeting nonpoint sources of pollution such as monitoring
and assessment, watershed plans, and outreach and education programs. Some §106 programs
may offer subgrants to carry out program priorities. Use of funds vary; contact your State, Tribe,
Territory, or interstate agency for more information.
Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) - Established under CWA §104(b)(3),
WPDGs fund programs and projects to protect, manage, and restore wetlands, with an emphasis
on building the capacity of State, Tribal, and local government wetland programs. Non-profit
organizations are eligible for National WPDGs, which must address a National Priority Area and be
national in scope or benefit at least one state/tribe in at least two EPA Regions. States and other
governmental entities may apply for Regional WPDGs. Eligible activities include research, surveys,
training, outreach and education, planning, and demonstrations relating to causes, effects, extent,
prevention, reduction, or elimination of water pollution. Implementation projects are not eligible,
however, projects to develop and demonstrate new or experimental technologies, methods, or
approaches may be funded.
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Descriptions of Eligible Activity Categories from Funding Program Table
Eligible Activity
Description
Land Conservation
Acguisition: acguisition of real property, typically fee simple.
Easement: acguisition by agreement of interests in real property less than fee simple,
typically by restricting the use of the land for the purposes of protecting natural
resources.
Ecological restoration of degraded sites to improve functioning of natural systems or on-
the-ground land management activities that protect or restore ecological function.
Restoration/Best Examples of restoration: invasive species removal, demolition and removal of structures
Manaaement Practice anc' impervious surfaces, removal and remediation of contaminants, replanting,
(BMP) Implementation/ reconstructin9 wetlands, floodplain reconnection.
Stewardship and BMPs include land management practices where the method, tools,
location, or timing of activities are adjusted to reduce negative environmental impacts or
yield positive environmental benefits. BMPs can also include stormwater management
practices that manage, reduce, treat, recapture, and/or reuse stormwater.
Testing and Monitoring
Any type of survey, sampling, testing, monitoring, or analysis, except as prohibited by
rule or statute—for example, SRFs prohibit routine testing and monitoring that are part
of standard utility operations and regulatory compliance, but they can fund testing
associated with new source development or a site assessment for an NPS project.
Feasibility studies, alternatives analyses, engineering reports, designs, or other
Project Planning work preparatory to implementation of a project that typically involves some sort of
construction. Typically, this is related to a specific project.
Community Outreach
Activities involving the development and dissemination of informational materials to the
public, obtaining public input, or other engagement with community groups. Examples:
preparation of education materials; hosting or participating in a community forum;
development of a toolkit of actions for community members to use.
Activities to support the creation and activities of watershed partnerships between
Watershed entities working to manage water resources. Examples: organizing stakeholders to
Partnerships and Plans develop a watershed partnership; developing watershed plans; hosting workgroups,
p networks, and collaborates to manage NPS pollution to reduce adverse impacts on
water guality.
Administration
Direct and/or indirect costs associated with the administration and programmatic
management of the funding and funded activities. Not general organizational
administrative work. Examples: project oversight; reporting of outputs/outcomes
metrics reguired under funding agreement.
Organizational Activities that improve the technical, financial, or managerial ability of an entity to
r„. -hl nouoinnmont carry out activities that ensure clean water or manage programs. Examples: training,
UdDaCiiv ueveiODiiiBni ii , r i ri ¦ i
r r development of strategies or procedures, software, or tools.
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References and Notes from Funding ProgramTable
1. Applicants may request a waiver to exceed the maximum grant amounts as follows: Site-Specific
Assessment Grants: up to $350,00 may be requested for a site contaminated by hazardous substances,
pollutants, contaminants, and/or petroleum. Waiver requests must be based on the anticipated level of
contamination, size, or status of ownership of the site. Cleanup Grants: up to $650,000 may be requested
for projects that plan to address only one brownfield site in their application. Waiver requests must be
based on the anticipated level of contamination, size, and other considerations as outlined in the Cleanup
Grant guidelines.
2. Eligible entities and activities are dependent on the specific statutory (CWA) eligibility. Several CWSRF
eligibilities may fall under watershed partnerships and plans.
3. DWSRF and CWSRF funds may not be used for routine monitoring or testing required under SDWA or
CWA as part of typical water or wastewater system operations. Special, non-routine testing such as to get a
baseline for a contaminant of concern or to test a new potential water source can be funded.
4. Initial development of outreach materials for a community is CWSRF eligible.
5. The eligibilities displayed here refer to use of DWSRF Set-Asides, not the infrastructure loan fund. States'
use of DWSRF Set-Asides vary. The most common set-aside used for source water protection is the Local
Assistance and Other State Programs set-aside.
6. Only public water systems may receive loans from the DWSRF Set-Asides for land acquisition, conservation
easements, or other source water protection measures. Land trusts may receive grant funding.
7. Capacity Development activities done under the DWSRF Local Assistance Set-Aside must be part of the
state's Capacity Development Strategy.
8. DWSRF source water protection loans under the Local Assistance set-aside do not require a match. Grants
or other forms of assistance provided by states may have match requirements as determined by the state.
9. GLRI information displayed here is for the EPA's Nonpoint Source Runoff & Nutrient Reduction Projects 2021
RFA. The GLRI is a larger umbrella under which EPA and other federal agencies offer a variety of funds, which
may have slightly different eligibilities. Visit the GLRI funding page for the most up to date information.
10. Cost-share requirement for NEP refers to the overarching cooperative agreement with the entity that
administers sub-awards; the requirements for any given subaward project may vary.
11. The timing of requests for new subaward project proposals is determined by the cooperative agreement
holder administering the subawards, which has usually occurred annually.
12. To receive a federal §106 grant, states and interstate agencies must at minimum expend non-Federal funds
for carrying out their pollution control program in the same amount spent during FY 1971.
13. Implementation projects or project-specific planning are not eligible for Wetland Program Development
Grant funding, except insofar as they are a development or demonstrations of new techniques, technologies,
or approaches.
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APPENDIX B
EPA Funding Search Tools and Platforms
EPA - All Program Grants
EPA - Regional Grants
EPA - Source Water Collaborative Collaboration Toolkit
EPA - Funding Integration Tool for Source Water Protection (FITS Tool)
• National government grants
River Network - 2021 article on Unpacking Federal Water Policy Progress. Gaps & What Lies Ahead
• EPA Clearinghouse for Environmental Finance
• Your state may have a search portal for funding opportunities, such as Kentucky's Division of
Water, which has a list of BMP Funding Opportunities: List of Funding Opportunities
-Qr letting Started: Tips for Applying for Federal Grants
1. Review and complete eligibility requirements before application periods open: For example, eligible
entities must complete several steps before they can apply for a federal grant, including
registering your organization with the Federal System for Award Management and designating an
Authorized Organization Representative in www.grants.gov. The registration process can take a
few weeks, so get started in advance!
2. Identify potential projects and partners: For government grant opportunities, the application
period can be as short as 30 to 60 days. Identify projects that are in need of funding and
potential partners before application periods open so that your organization is prepared to meet
application deadlines. Projects may need to be included in local watershed plans to be eligible
for some federal funding sources.
3. Use effective search criteria to find relevant grant sources: Grant clearinghouse websites have
filtering options available for narrowing down relevant grants. Knowing which selections to
make will save time. Review the suggested key terms and search criteria below:
a) Suggested key terms: watershed planning, best management practices (or BMPs),
community outreach, land acquisition, land conservation, conservation easements, and land
management, nature-based solutions, source water protection, non-point source, restoration
b) Suggested search criteria: grant dollar amount, match requirement, non-profit eligible
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4. Government funding sources typically have procurement requirements: EPA grant recipients must
comply with requirements for procurement contracts when using EPA funds to hire planners,
architects, landscape architects, engineers, and other vendors of commercial services, as
well as for the purchase of materials. These requirements are generally focused on ensuring
transparency, fair pay, opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses, and use
of domestically-produced goods. Historically, some NPS projects have not been subject to
some federal procurement requirements, but this is evolving. Detailed guidance is available in
EPA's Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services. Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance
Agreements. Subawards to nonprofit or governmental partners must comply with requirements
in EPA's Subaward Policy.
5. Cooperative Agreements bring partnerships with federal staff: Some EPA funding is awarded in
the form of a Cooperative Agreement, which allows the EPA Project Officer to be substantially
involved in overseeing the funded work. Recipients of Cooperative Agreement funding can
expect: technical assistance and consultation from the EPA staff; EPA staff participation in
project scoping, procurement, and implementation; and close monitoring of performance.
6. Be prepared to estimate impacts of proposed projects in terms relevant to regulatory requirements:
Funding applications to implement projects may require you to quantify estimated impacts of
your project using metrics of regulatory concern, such as nutrient or sediment load reductions
or volume of stormwater intercepted or treated. Familiarize yourself with the tools available and
the input metrics necessary to generate estimates. A selection of tools is listed above. These
tools may also position land trusts to participate in water quality trading markets.
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APPENDIX C
'Getting Started' Technical Resources to Address Land Conservation and
Watershed Protection
Background Information on Watershed Protection and the Watershed Approach
• EPA Watershed Academy
• EPA Benefits of Healthy Watersheds website
• EPA Economic Benefits of Protecting Healthy Watersheds Fact Sheet
• EPA Watershed Approach website (resources for understanding and applying the watershed approach)
• EPA National Estuary Program (NEP) Community-Based Watershed Management Handbook (describes
successful watershed management approaches drawn from NEP experiences, and while
NEPs focus on estuaries and coastal watersheds, information can be adapted to non-coastal
watershed initiatives)
• EPA Nonpoint Source Pollution website
• EPA National Nonpoint Source Program—A Catalyst for Water Quality Improvements
• EPA Source Water Protection website
Land Conservation and Stewardship Resources:
• NRCS Field Office Technical Guide for Conservation
• Land Trusts and Water: Strategies and Resources for Addressing Water in Western Land Conservation
• Land Trust Standards and Practices—Stewardship Compiled Guidance
• Protecting the Source—Land Conservation and the Future of America's Drinking Water
Tools for Estimating Land Conservation and Stewardship Impacts on Water:
• Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Load (STEPL) - estimates nutrient and sediment loads
from different land uses under different practices (EPA)
• Nutrient Tracking Tool (NTT) - estimates nutrient and sediment loss from agricultural lands under
different management scenarios (USDA)
• National Stormwater Calculator - estimates annual amount of rainwater and runoff frequency
from specific site using green infrastructure (EPA)
• iTree - selection of tools for quantifying impacts of trees. Use a 10-year tree age for measuring
stormwater benefits.
• Phosphorus Transport Reduction App (P-TRAP) - estimates phosphorus removal of different
removal structures under different site conditions (USDA)
Outreach and Communications Resources:
• NPS Outreach Toolbox (EPA)
• Getting In Step: A Guide for Conducting Watershed Outreach Campaigns (3rd edition)
• Engaging Landowners in Conservation: A Complete Guide to Designing Programs and Communications (TELE)
• Urban Waters Ambassador Toolkit
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