2010 projects of excellence : National Water Program

2011·19.3 MB·English

by  Kordos, Lisa

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

Applying knowledge to im
l
Water Program
A Partnership of USDA NIFA
& Land Grant Colleges and Universities
USDA
UnitedStates
Departmentof
Agriculture
NationalInstitute
ofFoodand
Agriculture
USDA
United States
Department of ContacttheNIFA
UnitedStates
Agriculture Departmentof NationalWater
Agriculture
NIFA National Wat<
NationalInstitute Program:
ofFoodand
National Water Pro Agriculture
NationalProgramLeader
National Water Res
Co-Chair,Committeefor
National Projects SharedLeadership(CSL)
Dr.MichaelP.O'Neill
Northeast States &
USDA-NIFA
Mid-Atlantic (Regie Mail Stop2210
1400IndependenceAvenue,SW
Southern (Regions Washington,D.C.20250-2210
Great Lakes (Regie National Agricultural Library 202-205-5952 Phone
202-401-1706 Fax
Heartland (Region [email protected]
Northern Plains &
Co-Chair,CSL
Southwest States & Pacific Islands (Region 9) 94 Dr.DougParker
UniversityofMaryland
Pacific Northwest (Region 10) 104 DepartmentofAgriculture
National Water Program Contacts 120 and ResourceEconomics
SymonsHall, Rm.2122
National Water Conference 121 CollegePark,MD20742-5535
Backcover: ForthgradersfromCacheCountyschoolsarelearninghowtocollectmacroinvertebrates 301-405-8042 Phone
in Logan River using a kick net. Photo courtesyof Laura Hines (Utah State UniversityWaterQuality 301-314-9091 Fax
Extension). [email protected]
Written byWater Quality Coordinators and other Section 406 National Water Program Principal
Investigators. Developed by Dr. Lisa Kordosand Dr. MarkMcFarland, DepartmentofSoil and Crop Co-ChairElect,CSL
A&M
Sciences, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas University. Editing by Linda Anderson, Dr.KittFarrell-Poe
AgriLife Communications, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Graphic design by Karen Green, UniversityofArizona
Insite Publishing, Bryan, Texas. Agricultural&Biosystems
Note: Please submitall errors, omissions, or suggestions to [email protected]. Engineering
1177 E.4thStreet
Tucson,AZ85721-0038
[phone] Phone
[phone] Fax
[email protected]
1890Representative,CSL
Dr.Cassel(Cass)Gardner
CooperativeExtension
A&M
Florida University
202-J Perry-PaigeBldg.,S.
Tallahassee,FL32307
850-599-3546 Phone
850-561-2151 Fax
[email protected]
1994Representative,CSL
Mr.VirgilDupuis
SalishKootenaiCollege
Salish KootenaiCollegeExtension
POBox70
(shipping52000Hwy93)
Pablo,MT59855
406-275-4899 Phone
406-275-4809 Fax
[email protected]
http://www.usawaterquality.org/
ApplyingknowledgeloImprovei
National
WaterProgram
lPartaneLrasnhdipGartanUtSDCAolNlIeFgAesandUniversities
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This outcome report provides key examples of how water resource professionals at universities and
colleges, in cooperation with NIFA, are working with citizens, communities and partner agencies to
address critical water resource problems across the United States.
The goal of the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture (NIFA) National Water Program is to
protect or improve water resources throughout the
United States, particularly in agricultural, rural and
urbanizing watersheds.
The NIFA National Water Program brings university
scientists, instructors, and Extension educators into
more effective and efficient partnerships with Federal
interagency programs to address priority water
quality issues in U.S. agriculture. A key emphasis of
the program is integration of Extension, research and
education resources to solve water quality problems
atthe local level.
The program is guided bya unique model for shared
leadership that includes representatives from each of
the 10 regions, representatives from the 1890 and
1994 Land Grant institutions and the NIFA National
Program Leader forWaterQuality. This group is called the NIFA Committee forShared Leadership forWaterQuality (CSL-WQ).
TheNIFANationalWaterProgramWebsite(http://www.usawaterquality.org/)enhancescommunicationandcoordinationwithintheNIFA/
LandGrantnetworkandwith itsnational and regional partners. TheWebsite isdesignedforscientists, instructors, and Extension educators
Jo shareand access information aboutsuccessfulwater
quality improvementprograms from acrossthe nation.
\
This impactreportprovides keyexamplesofhowwater
resource professionals at universities and colleges,
in cooperation with NIFA, are working with citizens,
#* communities and partner agencies to address critical
water resource problems across the United States.
For more information about the NIFA National Water
Program, please contactthe National Program Leader,
Dr. Michael P. O'Neill at [email protected], 202-
205-5952; Dewell Paez Delgado, Program Specialist,
at [email protected], 202-401-4141; or Brian
Gates, Program Specialist, at [email protected],
202-401-6020.
NIFA National Water Program
B
/ V-'
Regional Coordination Projects Integrated
•
Research Education and Extension Projects
•
Extension Education Projects
National Water Resources Projects
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In the NIFA improved water resources through
four types of projects addressing eight water
resource themes.
The first four themes are highlighted in this
Outcome Report:
• Animal Waste Management
• Drinking Water and Human Health
• Pollution Assessment
and Prevention
• Water Conservation and
Agricultural Water Management
• Nutrient and Pesticide Management
• Watershed Restoration
• Watershed Management
• Water Policy and Economics
Regional Coordination Projects synthesize
water resource efforts within each region /ntpnrnfprf Rpspnrrbi Friurntinn and Extension Prnierts Conservation
and make research, education and Extension Effects AssessmentProjects andExtension Education Projects awarded
resources of the university system more in 2000-2009.
accessible to Federal, State, and local water resources improvement efforts. In addition to Coordination
Projects, three other types of projects are supported by the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education
Reform Act (AREERA) Section 406 competitive grants:
Integrated Research,Educationand Extension Projects coordinate research, education, and Extension to solve
water resource problems at the watershed level. These projects target a specific watershed and use an integrated
approach to address an existing concern.
Extension Education Projects provide leadership and effective partnership for water resource education to help
»
people, industry, and governments prevent and solve current and emerging water resource problems. Extension
Education Projects focus on outreach to affect changes in knowledge and management which enhance and
protect the nation's water resources.
NationalWaterResources Projects develop and initiate nationally coordinated programs that contribute to an
increase in public understanding and involvement in community decision-making, facilitate the development of
recommendations and tools to inform public policy, and evaluate impacts on water resources (e.g., decisions
about land use, land management practices, and waste water management alternatives). The result is more citizen
involvement, wider dispersal of information, and more rational analysis of ehvironmental decisions in communities
and across the nation.
The following National and Regional Projects of Excellence exemplify significant accomplishments and value from
Extension-led water quality programs. <*•*' '
^ NIFA NationalWaterProgram
1
NEMO
The National Network
I
A
NIFA Project of Excellence Focusing
on Community Land Use
David Dickson and ChetArnold University ofConnecticut
,
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Situation: Communities must adopt strategies that allow growth while retaining their '-y^v;-vv:xr.o
agricultural base and community character and protecting their water and other natural
resources. To accomplish these goals, municipal and county land use officials need , i
information, tools, and research-based education.
......... ..... •
'
NIFA Response: The Nonpoint nationwide to assist collaborations to develop new educational
NEMO
Education for Municipal Officials in other states adapt the strategies, collaborate, and share
(NEMO) program is a land grant/ educational model. research. The seventh conference \ * e *
sea grant collaboration
providing education for
community decision-makers
on how land use decisions
affect natural resources. With
support from the NIFA Water
Program as a national project,
and through USDA/NOAA/
NEMO
EPA partnership, has
spread from its development at
the University of Connecticut
(UConn) in 1991 to a
NEMO
National Network in
30 states. The network has
been in existence for about 10
years.
NIFA support led to the MapofNationalNEMONetwork.
NEMO
creation of the Network
coordinating hub at UConn. The • Tools created to support the was held in Portland, ME, in
early focus was on developing network include a listserv, 2010, and brought together more
new NEMO projects around the newsletter, and website (http:// than 100 educators from national
country. Most NEMO programs nemo.uconn.edu/national) networks and organizqtions.
are led by land grant and/or sea that allow programs to share Training workshops covering
grant institutions, but involve a wide educational materials, report a wide range of technical
variety of partners. As the network successes and impacts, and and topical matter have been
evolved, the hub has focused on connect with resources. presented. Workshop topics
providing training, networking, • Seven network national include open space planning,
and other resources to the member conferences (NEMO University) use of the impervious cover
projects. Some examples: have been held in the past 10 analysis (GIS) tool, forest resource
• More than 100 "scoping" years. These conferences provide protection, and community Web
workshops have been conducted an opportunity for members mapping tools.
NATIONAL PROJECTS
mmi-
• Biennial Network Progress is also a model of interagency Arizona, Texas, and Connecticut,
NEMO
Reports, encapsulating both collaboration: Not only land grant programs have conducted
network-wide progress and and sea grant universities, but also watershed assessments or other
individual NEMO projects, several branches of NOAA and EPA research of statewide importance.
NEMO NEMO
have been published. The fourth have been involved. has has developed statewide
M
progress report will be releas- ed i'n' been a national leader in the use of Web tools to support land use
2011 geospatial technology for outreach decision-makers in Delaware,
.
NEMO
• Collaborative Web tools such and community assistance. South Carolina, North Carolina,
as the National Low Impact has won national awards from the Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island,
Development (LID) Atlas and NIFA Water Program, the American
Online Community Resource Planning
Inventory were developed for Association,
decision-makers' easy access to and the
community information on the National
Environmental
Internet.
Education
• A spin-off NIFA national project
Training
provides national geospatial
Foundation.
training to water program
researchers and educators, At the state
focusing on using earth browser level, several
technologies, such as Google NEMO
Earth and Google Maps, to programs
display information and data over have been key
the Web. in statewide
changes to mpervious
NEMO
On-the~Ground Results:
water quality SurfaceAnalysis Tool"to helpanalyze the impacts of
Network impacts can be programs developmenton theircommunities.
documented on several levels. and regulations. For example, At the local level, NEMO's work
At the national level, the NEMO NEMO programs were critical with communities in 30 states
Network has provided a "bottom-up" in the development of statewide has resulted in changes to local
practice that has developed around stormwater management manuals in comprehensive, open space,
a critical issue—the impacts of land Connecticut, North Carolina, and and watershed plans; zoning
use on water Rhode Island. In New Flampshire, and subdivision regulations;
Maine, and on-the-ground changes in
and development practices and open
,
NEMO
Minnesota, space protection. programs
NEMO is the have led low impact development
vehicle for in communities across the country,
multi-agency helping to eliminate or reduce the
collaboration impact of development on water
on water resources. Representative impacts
quality issues. are compiled in the biennial
And in Network Progress Reports.
m
LowImpactDevelopment(LID) practices such as this engineered
grassedroadswale in OldSaybrook, CT, helppromoteinfiltration
ofstormwaterandreduce runoff. LIDis a focus area ofthe
Nationa Network.
WH££
4
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring
National Water Resources Project
Undo Green Elizabeth Herron Kristine Stepenuck,
, ,
Frank Finley, Ken Genskow, Arthur Gold - URI Watershed Watch
Situation: Volunteer monitoring is vital in understanding, protecting, and restoring waters.
$};£j
Volunteer water quality monitoring programs get people active and involved in real
science. These programs provide tools to educate youth, improve understanding of local
water resources, encourage individual and community involvement, and help communities
make informed decisions in local protection and restoration efforts.
Response: Increasing the visibility, Produced a series of on-line 450 members, to exchange
vitality, and viability ofvolunteer factsheets on all aspects of questions, suggestions and advice,
monitoring programs monitoring, from getting started, to information, and news
This effort helps start new programs running efficiently and effectively, Archive iistserv discussions, 95 to
and builds existing ones. The to turning data to information. date, to retain these exchanges,
program works ““"“I and use them to
with statewide, Volunteers monitoringlocal waters. direct the factsheet
tribal, or
series
regional efforts In New England, more than 1,800 volunteers in
• Co-chair national
to expand the
Extension programs monitored about 800 sites. water quality
collective impact.
The program conferences to
These "one-stop-shopping" provide training and awareness
participants:
modules highlight techniques of- of volunteer monitoring among
• Located and linked Extension-
successful programs and link to federal and state agencies
affiliated volunteer monitoring
and citizen science programs other resources, including more • Developed relationships with \
than 300 websites.
throughout the country, building 1 Native American Tribal Colleges
an Extension Volunteer Monitoring Conduct training workshops at and universities to learn about
Network statewide, tribal, regional, and their water programs and interests
national venues, training leaders in youth education through
for volunteer volunteer monitoring
water
CEsponsored/co-sponsoredprogram Outcomes:
monitoring
CEinteractionwithlocalprogram The USDA NIFA Cooperative
Noconnectionbetweenprogram • Use the
andCE,ornoprogram Extension-based Volunteer Water
website www.
Quality Monitoring National
usawaterquality.
-I Facilitation Project is a top resource
org/volunteer as
for volunteer monitoring, providing
the source and
% a comprehensive support for groups
repository for its
across the country. This program
efforts
provides:
• Host a Iistserv
• Improved communication,
CSREESVolMon@
information sharing, and
lists,uwex. coordination among Extension
2010Map ofExtensionAssociatedPrograms edu, with about
NIFA NationalWaterProgram
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volunteer monitoring programs,
researchers, and partners within
states, tribes, and across regions
and the nation
• Expanded volunteer opportunities
• Stronger partnerships within and
between NIFA programs and other
agencies
• Reduced effort to start or expand
volunteer monitoring programs
• Organizational aid to developing
programs
• Recognition as a principal
resource for volunteer monitoring
• Enhanced recognition of volunteer
monitoring efforts across the
country
• Volunteers monitoring local
waters. In New England, more
than 1,800 volunteers in Extension
programs monitored about 800
sites.
• Significant economic impact of
volunteer effort; for example, in
the Midwest Extension volunteers
accrued more than 98,000 hours
monitoring in 2009, valued at
$1 .8 million.
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