Landscaping for Schools & Youth: May 2008 Archives
This handbook is intended to help communities, watershed
organizations, and state, local, tribal and federal environmental
agencies develop and implement watershed plans to meet water quality
standards and protect water resources. It was designed to help any
organization undertaking a watershed planning effort, and it should be
particularly useful to persons working with impaired or threatened
waters. EPA intends for this handbook to supplement existing watershed
planning guides that have already been developed by agencies,
universities, and other nonprofit organizations. The handbook is
generally more specific than other guides with respect to guidance on
quantifying existing pollutant loads, developing estimates of the load
reductions required to meet water quality standards, developing
effective management measures, and tracking progress once the plan is
implemented.
EPA will be seeking advice from watershed organizations in developing the future versions of the handbook. A mailbox for emailed comments, suggestions, and corrections has been created. Please address them to watershedhandbook@epa.gov.
The links on the website present the full handbook and the handbook divided into 13 chapters, contents (including the cover page,
table of contents, and acronyms and abbreviations), 2 appendices, a glossary, and a bibliography, with downloadable PDF files
for each. You may download each file by clicking on its link.
DOWNLOAD the COURSE at EPA.GOV
Learn! Explore! Take Action!
Celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's
ecological, economic, and social health. May, American Wetlands Month is also a great opportunity to discover and teach others about the important role that wetlands play in our environment and the significant benefits they provide - improved water quality, increased water storage and supply, reduced flood and storm surge risk, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife.
In organizing its activities this year, EPA is placing special emphasis on encouraging Americans to:
- Learn about wetlands. This is a great time to better understand what a wetland is, where wetlands can be found, and the importance of wetlands. Activities may include reading and studying about wetland areas, drawing maps or illustrations of wetlands, and identifying native species found in wetlands. Information on wetlands and the important benefits they provide is available on this website, through EPA's wetland fact sheet series, or by visiting the websites of our partners.
- Explore a wetland near you. Unless you live in the most extreme climate zones, there is a good chance a scenic wetland exists nearby for you to visit and explore during American Wetlands Month and throughout the year. To find a wetland near you, consult your local parks department, state natural resource agency, or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/refuges). If you live in the Washington, DC area, a guide has been created to highlight wetlands and wildlife sanctuaries.
- Take action to protect and restore wetlands. Support and promote wetlands informing community members about wetlands' vital roles, "adopting" a wetland, joining a local watershed group, or participating in a wetland monitoring, restoration, or cleanup project. There are many other actions Americans can take to help conserve wetlands.To learn more about what you can do to help protect and restore these valuable natural resources in your state or local area, visit http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/awm/#you.
Plumbing conservation is widely accepted and routinely called for in federal, state and local legislation, ordinances for new development and agency rebate programs.
These devices are making a measurable difference. For example, Los Angeles saw a 25 percent decrease in demand in the 1990s with a plumbing retrofit program funded by water agencies.
The major benefit of low-flow plumbing device programs is that they can be implemented without requiring a change in the behavior of end users.
Outdoor Water Conservation
Saving water indoors with low-flow plumbing is easy compared to controlling outdoor water waste. Yet the vast majority of household water flows outside.
A study conducted by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) shows that 58 percent of residential water is applied to landscapes. Gardening, recognized as the number one outdoor leisure activity, is growing in popularity as a national pastime.
According to a report published in the journal Environmental Management, some 40 million acres of the U.S. are covered in lawns, making turf the nation’s most irrigated crop.
And according to the American Water Works Association, most landscapes are overwatered by 30% to 300%, accounting for 80% of all landscape damage...and water waste!
SOLUTION: Remove the TURF and replace it with DROUGHT TOLERANT GARDENS or NATIVE HABITAT, etc. that reduces water use.
SOURCE: WeatherTRAK.com
