1 Key EPA Internet Tools for Watershed Management Ansu John Tetra Tech, Inc. September 6, 2007 Sponsored by EPA’s Watershed Academy

2 Clean Water Framework Context Water Quality Standards Monitor/Assess Attainment of Standards Assessment methodology – 305(b) Report 303(d) List of Impaired Waters EPA approves 303(d) list Watershed Plan Point Sources: Discharges to Water NPDES Permits for Point Sources Manage Nonpoint Sources to Address/Reduce Sources of Pollution With Federal/State/Other $ Continual Planning Process Impaired Waters (on 303(d) List) and TMDLs WLAs to individual point sources LAs to nonpoint sources EPA approval Training on CWA:

3 Watershed Planning: Consistent, Comprehensive Watershed Planning: Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters(Draft) Our Waters (Draft)

4 Six Steps in the Planning Process EPA Internet Tools to Address Each Step

5 Watershed Plan Builder

6 Online Mirror to the Handbook

7 Example Module with Inset Links

8 Watershed Plan Builder Tool

9 Step Through Screens

10 Create/Print Out a Watershed Plan Outline

11 Example of Other Watershed Plan Sections

12 Archived Webcast for Further Training Now Available for iPods/MP3 Players May 2, 2007 Webcast Seminar on: "The Watershed Plan Builder: EPA's New Interactive Web- based Tool Designed to Promote the Development of Comprehensive Watershed Plans" Stuart Lehman, Environmental Scientist, EPA's Nonpoint Source Control Branch, Charlie MacPherson, Public Outreach Specialist, Tetra Tech, Inc. and Vladi Royzman, Water Resources Scientist, Tetra Tech, Inc.

13 Where to Start? Surf Your Watershed

14 Find 8-digit HUC through a “Place”

15 Watershed Profile

16 Links to Watershed Information

17 Environmental Web sites

18 Citizens Groups

19 USGS Stream Gage Stations

20 Watershed Hub:

21 Partners/Resources: Online Communities

22 Watershed Online Information Sharing:

23 EPA Public Listservers

24 Quarterly Newsletter on Watershed Topics

25 Watershed Planning Steps  Build Partnerships  Characterize the Watershed  Set Goals and Identify Solutions  Design an Implementation Program  Implement the Program  Measure Progress, Make Necessary Adjustments

26 Clean Water Framework Context Water Quality Standards Monitor/Assess Attainment of Standards Assessment methodology – 305(b) Report 303(d) List of Impaired Waters EPA approves 303(d) list Watershed Plan Point Sources: Discharges to Water NPDES Permits for Point Sources Manage Nonpoint Sources to Address/Reduce Sources of Pollution With Federal/State/Other $ Continual Planning Process Impaired Waters (on 303(d) List) and TMDLs WLAs to individual point sources LAs to nonpoint sources EPA approval Training on CWA:

27 National Sources: EPA Water Program Databases A. Water Quality Standards B. Assessment C. Impairments and TMDL

28 A. Water Quality Standards:

29 WQS Database:

30 Find Designated Uses

31 Zoom Into Waterbody by State

32 Pick the Waterbody

33 Database Report Result = Designated Uses of Selected Waterbody Bonus: Selected Waterbody can be mapped in “Enviromapper For Water”

34 State, Tribal, & Territorial Standards: Click on a State to View its WQS Documents/Codes

35 State Documents: WQS Codes

36 B. Assessment About this Database: Explains terms like: “Impaired”, “Threatened” Explains Report headings like: “Assessed Waters, Individual Use Support for Bays and Estuaries:”

37 Clickable Map: Zoom Into Statewide Assessment Reports

38 State Report Sections: Type of Waterbody, Watersheds

39 Overall Report Card

40 Watershed-based Report: Selected Individual Watershed

41 Selected Individual Waterbody: Blackstone River, 3.7-mile Section Bonus: Map this section in “Enviromapper for Water”

42 Complement with In-Depth State Information MA: DEP Water Quality Assessment Reports

43 C. Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads: Click on a state (VA)

44 Example (1 of 2) Summary of Impairments for State of Virginia

45 Drill Down: All Waterbodies Listed for Pathogen Impairments

46 Example (2 of 2) Summary of Impairments for State of Virginia

47 Drill down: Waterbodies in Selected Watershed (Middle Potomac-Anacostia-Occoquan) Click to launch Enviromapper For Water Click for individual waterbody segments

48 Individual Segment Selected from Virginia Watershed: (Lower Anacostia River)

49 Additional Information: TMDL Studies on Selected Segment (Lower Anacostia River )

50 WATERS integrates water program databases: Use Tools to Query WATERS

51 -Generate Reports from Multiple Databases -Visualize Waterbody Information On a Map

52 Ask WATERS: Ask WATERS answers multi-program questions that draw on information from the databases linked through WATERS. Please Miss….

53 Example Simple Query Web Page Has Many More Questions

54 Specify Region/State and Date Range

55 Result: Waters De-listed in Michigan

Integrate Waterbody Information Visually -Perform Queries Visually

57 Default National Scale Interface Map View Map Features or “Data Layers” Message Area Map Tools

58 Multiple Ways to Zoom In

59 County Scale Map Scale Zoom Tool Map Features Change with Map Scale More Data Layers Available at County Level

60 Zoom Scale < 25 miles wide National Hydrography Dataset = “Surface Water” Map Feature Visible at Map View Scales < 25 miles

61 Map Features: Turn Display On/Off Then, Update Map

62 Example Internet Map Application Point on A Map Has More Information Available for Display

63 Identify a Map Feature (the Active Map Feature) Identify Active Feature Tool Pointer Becomes Selector Hand Click the Radio Button to Make Map Feature Active

64 Identify Feature Also Performs a Query on the Database Identified Impaired Waters Feature Is Selected in Map View Hyperlink to Selected Feature in the Impaired Waters/TMDL Database Bonus: Other Data for the Identified Feature

65 Hyperlink to Data Pull from Database

66 Pop-up Box: Information Reported from Impaired Waters/TMDL Database Reason for Impairment History of Listing

67 Bonus: Information for Identified Segment from WQS Database Note: Three Designated Uses for Fleming Creek

68 Point Sources: Discharges to Water Permit Compliance System database tracks facilities with permits to discharge effluent to waters of the United States. (These permits are called “NPDES Permits”)

69 Identify Feature Also Performs a Query on the Database Hyperlink to Data Pull From the Permit Compliance System Database

70 Overview of Permit Issued To This Facility Pop-up Box: Information Reported from PCS Database Click on Permit Number to Drill Down for Detailed Reports

71 Detailed Reports from PCS Example Detailed Report: Measurements and Violations (parameters in discharge that the facility is required to monitor and report)

72 Measurements / Violations Report: Data for Permit-Required Parameters Example parameter: pH Search the page for selected parameters

73 Back to Enviromapper for Water for Water Quality Monitoring Data from STORET West of Flemingsburg, STORET station identified

74 STORET Station Data Pull in Message Area Click to Open STORET Pop-up Box, with Data for Site

75 STORET Database Query Results: Summary of Available Data Parameters Monitored at this Station Parameters = Characteristics (STORET Terminology)

76 Drill Down for Data Selected Station and Selected Parameter (Characteristic) Create a Customized Query in the STORET Interface

77 Scroll Down for Characteristic Selected Characteristic = Dissolved Oxygen Use Characteristic Search for Additional Characteristics Click Continue to Receive Data File (Prepared By STORET) via

78 STORET: Try the 3-page STORET Data Warehouse Exercise

79 Download Data for Selected Location

80 State and County Selection Through List-boxes

81 Wildcard (%) Search for Characteristics Control + Click for Multiple Selections

82 Submit Search

83 Choose Fields from Database (Default, Pre-selected Fields Work Great!) Caution: Eyes Might Start to Glaze Over

84 Download Prepared Data Left-click: Download to Specified Location on Your Computer Right-click: Open Comma-delimited Text File in Browser

85 Save as.txt file Browser Menu Bar: File > Save As

86 Clean Water Framework Context Water Quality Standards Monitor/Assess Attainment of Standards Assessment methodology – 305(b) Report 303(d) List of Impaired Waters EPA approves 303(d) list Watershed Plan Point Sources: Discharges to Water NPDES Permits for Point Sources Manage Nonpoint Sources to Address/Reduce Sources of Pollution With Federal/State/Other $ Continual Planning Process Impaired Waters (on 303(d) List) and TMDLs WLAs to individual point sources LAs to nonpoint sources EPA approval Training on CWA:

87 Watershed Planning Steps  Build Partnerships  Characterize the Watershed  Set Goals and Identify Solutions  Design an Implementation Program  Implement the Program  Measure Progress, Make Necessary Adjustments

88 Show Me the Money

89

90 Results by Table: Programs and Overview Click to Drill Down for Additional Details On Funding Program

91 Details of Funding Program

92 Watershed Hub:

93 Get A Certificate from EPA’s Watershed Academy by Completing 15 On-line, Self-Paced Training Courses

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97 Example Link: Technical Guidance Document on Urban BMPs

98 Example Link: Model Local Ordinances

99 Example Ordinance