Water: Watersheds
Watershed News: August 2006
Watershed News is a publication of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. It is designed to provide timely information to groups working at the watershed level.
In this month's newsletter
1) DUE DATE CHANGED - Request for Applications for a Cooperative Agreement for Integrating Clean Water, Drinking Water and Land Use Planning Efforts - Applications Due August 28, 2006
2) NOAA and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Request for Proposals for North Gulf Coast Initiative - Pre-proposal Due September 1, 2006
3) Pinellas County Environmental Fund - Pre-proposals Due September 1
4) Upper Mississippi River Watershed Fund - Pre-proposal Due September 1, 2006
5) Columbia River Estuarine Coastal Fund - Pre-Proposals Due Fall 2006
6) EPA Publishes Draft Guidance to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Hydromodification
7) New EPA Facility is US Green Building Council LEED Gold Certified
8) EPA's Watershed Academy Is Taking August Off
9) Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
Funding Opportunities
DUE DATE CHANGED - Request for Applications for a Cooperative Agreement for Integrating Clean Water, Drinking Water and Land Use Planning Efforts - Applications Due August 28, 2006
This funding opportunity seeks to demonstrate methods of integrating drinking water protection into land stewardship/conservation and water programs at the local level. In the first 18 months of the project, the successful applicant will work with four to five demonstration states to foster integration of water quality management, drinking water protection and land use planning efforts at the state level that will enable source water protection at the local level. The cooperative agreement will demonstrate methods of integrating drinking water protection into land stewardship/conservation and water quality programs at the local and watershed level. Instructions for submitting applications are included at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/protect/pdfs/rfa_swp_coopagreement_2006.pdf (PDF, 19 pages, 80 KB, about PDF).
NOAA and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Request for Proposals for North Gulf Coast Initiative - Pre-proposal Due September 1, 2006
The North Gulf Coast Initiative (NGCI) is a new program to encourage community-based restoration projects that will benefit living marine resources throughout the North Gulf Coast Region extending from Apalachicola Bay (FL) across the Mississippi Sound (MS, LA). The North Gulf Coast Initiative Program is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Community-based Restoration Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support restoration projects that benefit marine and anadromous species and marine and coastal habitats. Citizen groups, public and nonprofit organizations, watershed groups, businesses, academic institutions and local, state government applicants are encouraged to apply. Grant awards will range from $25,000-$50,000. Project proposals should: restore and enhance coastal and marine habitats including salt marshes, salt barrens, seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and other habitats including those resources associated with National Marine Sanctuaries and National Estuarine Research Reserves; support hands-on marine and coastal habitat restoration projects by developing collaborative efforts of the local communities in the estuarine and riparian watersheds and habitats of the North Gulf of Mexico; benefit NOAA trust species by protecting key habitats including oyster, scallop and other shellfish habitat; anadromous fish habitat; endangered and threatened marine species habitats; and habitat for marine mammals and sea turtles; and provide long-term restoration benefits for estuaries as future degradation vectors are removed. Complete details can be found at http://www.nfwf.org/programs/north_gulf_coast.cfm [broken link]
Pinellas County Environmental Fund - Pre-proposals Due September 1
The Pinellas County Environmental Fund is a partnership between Pinellas County and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The purpose of this partnership is to provide grants for projects that conserve and restore fish and wildlife habitat in the Tampa Bay watershed. Preproposal and full proposal deadlines are the same as those for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's general matching grants program. Complete details can be found at http://www.nfwf.org/grant_apply.cfm.[broken link]
Upper Mississippi River Watershed Fund - Pre-proposal Due September 1, 2006
The Upper Mississippi River Watershed Fund (UMRWF) is a partnership between the USDA Forest Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. This partnership will provide grants that benefit the stewardship of the forests and the restoration of watersheds in the Upper Mississippi River drainage area. UMRWF projects must be located in the Upper Mississippi watershed, a drainage area of approximately 189,000 square miles in portions of 6 Midwest states-Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. A special focus is placed on projects addressing conservation of priority forest areas, loss of migratory bird habitat, regeneration of bottom land hardwoods, enhancement of water quality and aquatic habitat and outreach and education. Grant awards will range from $10,000 to $75,000. For more information, visit http://www.nfwf.org/programs/upper_miss.cfm. [broken link]
Columbia River Estuarine Coastal Fund - Pre-Proposals Due Fall 2006
Pre-proposals are now being invited for projects to be funded by: 1) grants for more than $5,000 and up to $200,000; and 2) small grants of $5,000 or less for local conservation or education projects.
The Columbia River Estuarine Coastal Fund (Fund) finances: a) on the ground habitat conservation, restoration and management projects in and along the Columbia River below the Bonneville Dam and the adjacent Coasts of Oregon (up to and including Tillamook Bay) and Washington (up to and including Willapa Bay) that may be affected by estuarine flows; b) landowner outreach and incentive programs for restoration and management of natural resources in the same geographic area; c) public use and natural/cultural projects that benefit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System; d) collaborative projects from local communities seeking environmentally and economically sustainable solutions to natural resource problems; and e) applied research that is directly related to improvement of natural resources management in the same geographic area. For more information on this grant opportunity, visit http://www.nfwf.org/programs/crecf.cfm. [broken link]
News
EPA Publishes Draft Guidance to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from Hydromodification
EPA has posted draft guidance on its Web site that will provide technical assistance to states, territories, tribes, and municipalities for managing hydromodification and reducing nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of surface and ground water. The document describes examples of practices that can be used to reduce NPS pollution from activities associated with channelization and channel modification, dams, and streambank and shoreline erosion. Implementation of the guidance will result in increased use of scientifically sound, cost-effective hydromodification management measures, and will support states in their efforts to implement their Nonpoint Source Control Programs. The draft document is available for review/comment at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/hydromod/index.htm.
New EPA Facility is US Green Building Council LEED Gold Certified
The new EPA facility in Arlington, VA, was developed by Crescent Resources, LLC, in partnership with EPA and the U.S. General Services Administration. The buildings have received the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. The LEED Green Building Rating System is a national standard for developing high-performance, low-impact buildings. It is based on a system that grants points for various green features in a building.
The facility features ENERGY STAR-rated rooftops, lighting fixtures and appliances, automatic daylight dimming, and occupancy sensors to help reduce energy usage. To offset 100 percent of the emissions associated with the facility's annual electricity consumption, EPA procured 4.2 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy certificates that support wind power generated in Nebraska, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
Water saving features include restrooms with high efficiency faucets, and dual-flush toilets and urinals, Regional and drought-resistant landscaping and onsite sand filters treat stormwater runoff to reduce contamination of the nearby Potomac River. A small "green" roof also helps minimize stormwater runoff, while also providing a pleasant outdoor space. More information: http://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/facilities/hq-nova.htm. [broken link]
Webcasts
EPA's Watershed Academy Is Taking August Off
There are no scheduled webcasts slated for August. Monthly webcasts will resume September 20th with "Using Brownfields Grants for Watershed Restoration and Revitalization," featuring EPA's Brownfields Program and Wendy Jackson from Freshwater Land Trust. The October 11th webcast, "Getting Started in Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring" will feature Linda Green of Rhode Island Watershed Watch and Danielle Donkersloot of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Upcoming Conferences and Workshops
National Dredging Team and SIMOR Announce Conference on Sediment Management in Watersheds, August 29-31, 2006, Portland, Oregon
The National Dredging Team and the Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR) are sponsoring a conference on Managing Sediments in the Watershed: Bringing Dredged Material and Watershed Managers Together August 29-31 in Portland, Oregon. The conference is intended to identify steps needed to include dredged material management in watershed plans and to identify steps needed to include a broader watershed perspective in dredged material management. Dredged material and sediment management that occurs outside watershed planning misses opportunities that could improve navigation, flood and storm damage reduction efforts, and environmental quality in water resource projects. Effective dredged material and sediment management requires open and early communication among federal and state dredged material regulators, watershed planners, and other interested parties in order to:
- Address sources of sediment (and sources of contamination carried by sediment).
- Evaluate better beneficial uses and disposal alternatives for dredged material, and address competing needs for sediment resources.
- Secure adequate funding for dredged material use or disposal.
The conference will take place August 29-31, 2006 at the Doubletree Hotel in Portland, Oregon. For more information contact Molly Madden at madden.molly@epa.gov. To register please visit http://www.sedimentsinwatershed.com/index.php. [broken link]
The River Institute to Host Three Workshop/Forums
The Center for Applied River Science at The River Institute is an organization of practicing professionals who desire to advance the science and understanding of river ecosystems.
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Meeting Water Quality Standards with Stream Restoration Projects, August 16 & 17, 2006, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
This workshop will provide participants with the necessary information needed for a stream restoration project to meet success criteria. Attendees will work toward answering the question "Can Ohio meet the Clean Water Act goals of use attainment for degraded waters?" This workshop presents the first serious look at that issue and the drainage debate.
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Stream Ecosystem Restoration Training Series (SERTS), September 25-29, 2006 and October 23-27, 2006
This one week short course, offered in both September and October, is a collaborative effort of The River Institute and a group of multidisciplinary professionals. This training will provide participants with an advanced look at the fundamental set of skills applicable to stream restoration including biology, hydraulic engineering, fluvial geomorphology, applied design techniques and monitoring. This is an advanced course with experts in the restoration field who will provide field experiments and validation exercises. This course is meant for ecologists, regulators, professional engineers and environmental scientists who have a basic understanding of stream restoration principals including bioassessment, biocriteria and Rosgen Stream Classification and who are looking for that next step in developing and reviewing stream restoration projects that incorporate natural channel design principals in order to meet an improved water quality standard. Space is limited to government employees (federal, state or local) and to the first 30 participants for each week.
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State of River Restoration Practice, a River Ecosystem Restoration Forum, November 15 & 16, 2006, Powell, Ohio
This 2-day forum will focus on real world solutions for stream restoration projects in the Midwest. Practitioners will present successes, failures and findings from on-the-ground examples. The forum will provide a place for technology transfer and invite discussions on a variety of topics including natural channel design, dam removal, chemical water quality improvement, overwide ditches, 2-stage ditches, in-stream habitat and the use of biocriteria to evaluate success.
For more information visit http://riverinstitute.org/home.html. [broken link]
NPDES Permit Writers' Training Course,
August 7th-11th, 2006, Davis, California;
September 18th-22nd, 2006, Albany, NY and
October 23rd-27th, 2006, Woodbridge, Virginia.
The objective of the course is to provide the basic regulatory framework and technical considerations that support the development of wastewater discharge permits as required under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program. This free course is designed for new permit writers. Contact Betty Peterson at npdescourse@tetratech-ffx.com.
Wetlands 2006: Applying Scientific, Legal and Management Tools to the Great Lakes and Beyond, August 28th-31st, 2006, Traverse City, MI. The Association of State Wetland Managers annual symposium will address the application of sound science in wetland protection and restoration in the Great Lakes Region and identify challenges and high priority areas. Special sessions will focus on the role of wetlands in climate change and carbon sequestration, developing a tribal wetlands program and remote sensing and mapping. Visit http://www.aswm.org/ for more information.
2006 New York City Watershed Science and Technical Conference
September 20th-21st, 2006, Fishkill, NY. The conference will bring scientists and technical experts together with watershed stakeholders and the public, to technically inform, present research findings and technical data, exchange ideas, and present information collected to date with regard to the protection of the nation's largest unfiltered surface water supply. For more information, visit http://www.nywea.org/.
2006 California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA) STORM Conference
September 25th-27th, 2006, Sacramento, CA. The CASQA 2006 Conference theme is STORM (Stormwater, Treatment, Operations, Research, and Management) and will feature a full day of in-depth workshops, a plenary session and two full days of concurrent session presentations. Conference participants will find an array of training, learning, and networking opportunities. For more information, visit http://www.casqa.org.
National Beaches Conference, October 11th-13th, 2006, Niagara Falls, NY. This 3-day conference is sponsored by EPA in collaboration with the Great Lakes Beach Association. It will provide a national framework for discussion of beach water quality issues, exchange of information, and coordination of efforts in research and decision making. For more information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/OST/beaches/.
2006 Watershed Institute, October 23rd-26th, 2006, Deer Creek Resort and Conference Center, Columbus, OH. The Center for Watershed Protection has designed the 2006 Watershed Institute to equip watershed professionals with the tools needed to develop comprehensive watershed plans. This intensive, interactive four-day program will focus on prioritizing funding and staff, field and desktop methods for completing watershed plans, interpreting and integrating data and practical resources to affect change in the community. For complete details, visit http://www.cwp.org/WI06/wi06info.html.[broken link]
Chesapeake Watershed Forum, November 17th-19th, 2006, U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. This first annual Forum will assist watershed organizations and local governments in watershed planning, protection and restoration. The Forum will feature five Tracks with multiple sessions. The tracks will include: 1) Organizational capacity building and fundraising; 2) Communication the message; 3) Science, technical tools and practices for watershed management; 4) Planning, policies and programs for watershed management; and 5) Collaboration-how to work together and achieve successful watershed management. In addition to the tracks, labs, seminars, networking events and field trips are planned. For more information, contact Lou Etgen at letgen@acb-online.org or 410-377-6270.
Be sure to check our EPA's new Watershed Discussion Forum![broken link] This new on-line message board offers watershed practitioners and citizens a platform to exchange ideas, so that innovative solutions and ideas can be easily shared. Please visit http://www.epa.gov/watershedforum/ [broken link] and join in! Anyone can view the discussion, but one must register to post messages.
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