URBANWATERS A Partnership for Restoring Urban Waterways and Revitalizing Communities Urban Waters Meeting Featured Green Infrastructure in Gary Thank you to the partners who shared their expertise at the NWI Urban Waters partnership July meeting, including Deputy Director of Redevelopment for the City of Gary, Jack Eskin; USGS Hydrologist Dave Lampe; and Gary Director of Green Urbanism, Brenda Scott Henry (right). Download the draft meeting minutes anc Jack Eskin's presentation on the Gary Green Infrastructure tool. Next Meeting: October 5,2017,9:00AM-12:00PM CST Joint Environmental Management Policy Committee - UW Partnership Meeting Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Urban Waters Team Makes Top 13 for People's Choice Award Above: Brenda Scott Henry leads a tour of the Gary City hall rain garden. The 2017 Sammies People's Choice poll started in July with 26 remarkable finalists. After more than 18,000 votes, Surabhi Shah and the Urban Waters Team has made it to the top 13 contenders for the month of August. Continue voting daily here to help your favorites advance to the final four on September 1. Voting closes September 15. After casting your votes, share your favorites with your social media network and tell your friends and colleagues about these amazing federal employees and their inspiring accomplishments. Above: Vote button USGS Seeking Green Infrastructure Monitoring Sites The USGS is looking for additional locations to monitor the volume reduction of storm water due to the installation of "green" infrastructure (rain gardens, permeable pavers, swales, downspout disconnects, etc). They are especially interested in sites with tree plantings designed to capture ------- and divert storm water from sewers. Please contact Dave Lamoe (317-600-2742) or Paul Buszka (317-600-2779) preferably by August 31st if you would like more details or are interested in participating in a study. Above: USGS monitoring equipment at Gary rain garden. CommuniTree Partnership Grants Fall 2017 cycle Communitree Applications Open Applications are now being accepted from municipalities, counties, and non-profits in the Northwest Indiana Lake Michigan Watershed to plant native trees in public places to help offset urban tree canopy loss from Emerald Ash Borer. Gain access to trees, tree care workshops and technical support for your community by applying for a CommuniTree partnership grant. A new application form will be posted to the CommuniTree website this Above: Highland Park Maintenance , . ... ... .., .... , .. week (although the old form will be accepted). Department staff plant a tree. Applications for the fall 2017 round are due by 5pm central time September 1. A half day community workshop will be held on September 19 to teach communities the basics of tree care. Grantees must attend a community workshop to receive their trees. Come Have Fun Planting Trees on Saturday Mornings this Fall The SCA CommuniTree program will be planting trees in parks, schools and neighborhoods throughout Northwest Indiana this fall. The first planting will take place in Kosciusko Park in East Chicago on September 9th. Volunteers will meet at 9:00 am at the pool house. All tools will be provided, please wear closed toes shoes. Additional planting dates and locations will be posted on the SCA CommuniTree Facebook page and the CommuniTree website Governor Proclaims SepticSmart Week ------- Indiana Governor Holcomb has proclaimed September 18-22, 2017 SepticSmart Week. This annual event focuses on educating homeowners and communities on the proper care and maintenance of their septic systems. Visit EPA's website for homeowner information and marketing toolkits. You can also contact Lake Michigan Coastal Program for septic system maintenance outreach materials specific to Northwest Indiana. Above: SepticSmart week proclamation. Funding Opportunities LMCP Pre-oroDosals The Lake Michigan Coastal Program is accepting pre-proposals for 2018 Coastal Grants. Attend a workshop to learn more: • August 8, 10 am - Crown Point • August 29, 2 pm - Michigan City Pre-proposals due September 1 NOAA Climate Research Proaram Fun din a Eligible programs include research to improve observations and monitoring of the climate system, advance understanding of the climate, improvements in modeling and prediction, community engagement related to climate change, and research on interactions between climate and society. Applications Due September 11 Great Lakes CladoDhora Studies RFA EPA solicits applications for a project to 1) provide in situ observational data for use in 2) the development of enhanced Cladophora growth models to enable phosphorus targets to be developed for the eastern basin of Lake Erie as well as for Lakes Michigan, Huron and Ontario. Due September 5 USFS Landscape Scale Restoration Grants All applications must go through the State Forestry agency. Contact your State Urban Forestry Coordinator with project ideas. Each State has their own internal process for collecting, evaluating, and deciding which proposals to submit. Awebinar is planned, but not yet scheduled. Due September 15 FWS Coastal Proa ram The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced funding to provide direct technical and financial assistance to coastal communities and landowners to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat. Applications due September 30 Community Exposures to Contaminants National institutes of Health invites applications using community-engaged research methods to investigate the potential health risks of environmental exposures of concern to the community and to implement an environmental public health action plan. Applications due October 5 NSF Environmental Sustainabilitv Grants Nominations for Conservation Projects ------- Promote sustainable engineered systems that support human well-being, while being compatible with environmental systems. Research areas: industrial ecology, green engineering, ecological engineering, and earth systems engineering. Proposals due October 20 Conservation Alliance grants are awarded to non-profits in support of projects designed to secure permanent, quantifiable protection of a specific wild land or waterway with clear habitat and recreational benefits. Due November 1 Upcoming Events Local Events Regional Conferences Beach Cleanuo Event August 12, 10-12 am Jeorse Park Beach, East Chicago Indiana Water Environment Association Annual Conference August 22-24 Indianapolis Lake Michigan in a Dugout Canoe August 15, 10 - 11 am Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Pavillion Indiana Association of FloodDlain Manaaers Annual Conference September 6-8 South Bend, IN Northwest Indiana Stormwater Advisorv Grouo Meetina August 17, 9 - 11 am Merrillville Midwest Tree and Shrub Conference: Landscaoes for a Chanaina Future September 7, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Glencoe, IL INDOT Complete Streets Workshop August 29, 8:30am - 4:30pm, East Chicago Aug us t 30, 8:30 am - 4:30, LaPorte Contact Jeanette Wilson (317-232-5496) for more information and to register. IDNR Urban Forestrv Svrrmosium September 26, 2017 Martinsville, IN Purdue Rainscaoina Education Proaram August 30-31 Valparaiso Indiana Watershed Leadershio Academv January-May 2018 (apply by Nov 3) Meetings throughout IN Adoot-a-Beach Clean Ud Events September 16 Multiple beaches throughout Northwest IN State of Lake Michiaan Conference November 7-10 Green Bay, Wisconsin Items of Interest LMCP Seeks Program Manager The IDNR Lake Michigan Coastal Program (LMCP) is seeking a Program Manager to lead the team. The LMCP provides technical and financial assistance to state, regional, and local partners to protect, preserve, and utilize coastal resources. The position is based in Indianapolis. Community Trees Program Calendar The calendar contains an extensive listing of upcoming classes, webinars on forestry topics including Urban forest basic training, Sustainable Urban Forest, Tree Plotter, Forest Health and Protection, Workshop: Urban Forest Basic Training, Natural Areas Management, Woodland Trees ------- , Basic Tree ID, Urban Forest Adaptation Access the online application Planning and Practices, and more. Job Opening ID: 610126 LMCP Geospatial Inventory IDNR LMCP has developed a geospatial inventory of shoreline structures, land use types, shoreline dynamics data, and historic j features for the area 1,000 feet landward of Lake Michigan. This geodatabase contains more than 60 GIS shapefiles, compiled to assist shoreline communities looking to incorporate coastal hazard considerations into local planning. NOAA Green Infrastructure Database NOAA has reviewed and compiled over 250 publications to assist you with green infrastructure planning for coastal resilience. The database includes information on 32 different coastal green infrastructure types;several filter options such as coastal hazard type, green infrastructure approach, literature type, or geography; and links to the full literature resource Upcoming Webinars Water Finance Clearinghouse webinars August 3, 14, 18, 24, and 31, 2 - 3 pm Eastern Learn how to use EPA's Water Finance Clearinghouse, an easily, navigable web-based portal to help communities locate information and resources that will assist then in making informed decisions for their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure needs. National Stormwater Calculator Webinar August 23, 3 PM Eastern EPA has developed the National Stormwater Calculator to help support local, state and national stormwater management objectives and regulatory efforts to reduce runoff through infiltration and retention using green practices as low impact development controls. Planting for Success: Innovation in the Urban Environment August 31, 12:00pm Eastern What on-the-ground strategies can professionals design and implement to foster the success of urban trees? Join David Lefcourt, City Arborist, Cambridge MA, as he highlights advanced techniques that he has incorporated into urban tree planting efforts that can help ensure the longevity and viability of a community's newly-planted (and established) urban trees. The Northwest Indiana Urban Waters Partnership focuses on the Lake Michigan watershed in Lake, LaPorte and Porter Counties, Indiana. Urban Waters works to connect urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and state and local partners. The goals are to improve the Nation's water systems and to promote their economic, environmental and social benefits. ------- |