LakeStewardship Blog

Manure rule raises water quality concerns

2012-01-19T17:15:00.004-05:00

North Country Public Radio • (12/27/11)

A recent victory for New York's farm leaders has raised concerns about water quality. Dairy and livestock farms produce a lot of manure. Many farmers spread it on to their fields in liquid form.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture had proposed a nationwide ban against spreading manure onto frozen ground. It's now decided against the ban. The Farm Bureau praises the change of mind, but others are concerned about increases in nutrient run-off from fields during spring thaws.

Matt Nelligan is spokesman for the New York farm bureau. He says more than half the comments to the USDA on this issue came from New York farmers. "The reality of farming in New York State is that you’ve got to be able to spread manure in the winter, and you’ve got a fairly substantial winter period here, and there’s no way to avoid doing so without damaging your crop and making your fields less fruitful. So, it’s a particular issue that is important in New York State and in northeast farming in general," Nelligan said.

But some experts says farmers can transition to a system that doesn’t spread manure on frozen ground, and that would be better for the environment. Elizabeth Newbold grew up on a small dairy in Central New York. Now she works for the Finger Lakes Land Trust, and Cornell Cooperative Extension. She says when manure is applied to frozen ground, it sits on top and freeze. "When the first thaw comes in the spring everything thaws and instead of soaking into the ground, because the ground it still frozen, it tends to run with the snow, wherever the snow will take it," she said.

Newbold says nutrients from farm manure runoff into rivers and streams. She says places such as Lake Champlain have seen the results – high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water, which causes algae growth. The algae uses the oxygen needed by plants and fish and degrades the water quality.

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Source: NCPR News

Article on-line at NCPR Website

New Data Added to EPA’s Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool

2012-01-18T20:47:00.000-05:00

EPA has added updated U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) data to the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool, a tool intended to help states develop effective nitrogen and phosphorus source reduction strategies.

SPARROW is a GIS-based watershed model that integrates statistical and mechanistic modeling approaches to simulate long-term mean annual stream nutrient loads as a function of a wide range of known sources and factors affecting nutrient fate and transport.

USGS recently completed syntheses of the results from 12 independently-calibrated regional-scale SPARROW models that describe water quality conditions throughout major river basins of the conterminous U.S. based on nitrogen and phosphorus sources from 2002.

Two data layers of EPA’s data access tool – one for nitrogen and one for phosphorus – now provide an approximate yet regionally consistent synthesis of the locations of the largest contributing sources.

The SPARROW geospatial layers can be used to prioritize watersheds for targeting nutrient reduction activities (such as stream monitoring) to the areas that account for a substantial portion of nutrient loads, and to develop state nitrogen and phosphorus pollution reduction strategies.

This information is relevant to the protection of downstream coastal waters, such as the Gulf of Mexico, and to local receiving streams and reservoirs.

The nitrogen and phosphorus pollution data access tool, with updated SPARROW layers, is available at: www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/npdat

Data Access Tool - - Launch the geospatial viewer and download data.

Fact Sheet (PDF) (2 pp, 405K)

Tutorial (PDF) (17 pp, 726K) - - First time users are encouraged to review this brief tutorial to become familiar with the functions of the Data Access Tool.
___________________________________________
Source:Anne Weinberg
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Communications CoordinatorAssessment and Watershed Protection Division
1301 Constitution Ave. NW
Room 7417K
Washington, DC 20004

Phone: 202-566-1217

Fax: 202-566-1333

Email: weinberg.anne@epa.gov

Vermont Aquatic Nuisance Species Grant-in-Aid Grant Application Information

2011-12-20T12:52:00.003-05:00

The 2012 Aquatic Nuisance Control Program Grant-in-Aid Guide and Application for municipalities to apply for funds to support aquatic nuisance control management activities in Vermont water bodies in 2012 is now available on line at: http://www.vtwaterquality.org/lakes/htm/lp_grantinaid.htm or by calling Ann Bove at (802) 338-4822

For a project to be considered for funds in 2012, a completed Application Form and Worksheet should be submitted in electronic format (Portable Document Format preferred), clearly marked, and emailed toAnn Bove (ann.bove@state.vt.us)by 4 p.m. Monday, March 12, 2012
___________________

Ann E. Bove
Aquatic Invasive Species Management
VTANR, DEC, Water Quality Division
103 South Main Street, Bldg 10-North
Waterbury, VT 05671-0408
(802) 338-4822 phone
ann.bove@state.vt.us
http://www.vtwaterquality.org

The National Lakes Assessment: Round Two

2011-12-14T16:26:00.000-05:00

EPA, in collaboration with States, Tribes, Federal, and other partners, will conduct the second National Lakes Assessment (NLA) in 2012. This survey is one in a series of National Aquatic Resources Surveys (NARS) carried out by EPA and state partners to improve understanding of the quality of the Nation‘s waters. The results of the NLA 2012, including analyses of changes from 2007, will be published in December 2014, with repeat surveys every five years. Preparations and final planning is currently underway for the NLA 2012 survey.

For the NLA 2012, approximately 900 lake sites were randomly selected using a survey design that ensures the assessment will provide representative information on the condition of lakes at national and regional scales. Approximately one half of these sites were sampled in 2007 and the others are newly selected lakes. Some States are investing additional resources to supplement the survey design to provide State-scale reporting. As with the NLA 2007 and other NARS surveys, the NLA 2012 will use a reference based approach to assess lake quality, comparing survey data to assessments of high quality lakes within similar ecoregions. The selection of NLA 2012 indicators and field methods started with an evaluation of those used in NLA 2007. Several additions and changes were recommended by the Steering Committee including the addition of a pesticide screen.

For more information, go to: http://water.epa.gov/type/lakes/lakessurvey_index.cfm, or contact: Amina Pollard, pollard.amina@epa.gov.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: NALMS Notes

New Pesticide Chemical Search makes it Easier to Find Regulatory Information on Pesticides

2011-12-13T16:23:00.000-05:00

EPA has released Pesticide Chemical Search, a new Web-based application that will allow users to easily access chemical-specific information from the Office of Pesticide Programs' website and several other important sources. Pesticide Chemical Search is designed to consolidate information related to pesticide chemicals (active ingredients), making it easier to find related regulatory and scientific information: www.epa.gov/pesticides/chemicalsearch.

The new application collects existing web pages on specific chemicals on EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs' website and allows users access to this information through a single portal. Users will also be able to quickly find the current status of a chemical and where it is in the review process. Another key feature is the ability to determine if there are any dockets open for public comment for a given chemical.

Other key features of Pesticide Chemical search include: 20,000+ regulatory documents such as fact sheets and REDs, links to over 800 dockets in Regulations.Gov, links to important information, including pesticide tolerances in the eCFR, web services that provide a wide variety and depth of information about a particular chemical, and 100,000+ chemical synonyms to power the search engine.

Pesticide Chemical Search will be expanded to include pesticide product labels and other relevant information in the near future.

Scenes from an Adirondack Fall

2011-12-12T15:31:00.002-05:00

Here is a slideshow of Adirondack Autumn photographs I've been taking from around the area, including a number of lake shots. Click on any image to jump to the full-size slideshow on the Storie website

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EPA Announces Winners of Apps for the Environment Challenge

2011-11-08T15:13:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the winners of its Apps for the Environment challenge, which encouraged new and innovative uses of EPA’s data to create apps that address environmental and public health issues. Developers from across the country created apps with information about everything from energy efficient light bulbs to local air quality. A few even developed games to help people learn environmental facts.

“Innovators from across the country have used information to help people protect our health and the environment,” said Malcolm Jackson, EPA’s Chief Information Officer. “The winners of the Apps for the Environment challenge demonstrate that it’s possible to transform data from EPA and elsewhere into applications that people can use.”

The five winners are:

Winner, Best Overall App: Light Bulb Finder by Adam Borut and Andrea Nylund of EcoHatchery, Milwaukee, Wis.
Runner Up, Best Overall App: Hootroot by Matthew Kling of Brighter Planet, Shelburne, VT
Winner, Best Student App: EarthFriend by Ali Hasan and Will Fry of Differential Apps and Fry Development Company, Mount Pleasant High School in Mount Pleasant, N.C. and J.H. Rose High School in Greenville, N.C.
Runner Up, Best Student App: Environmental Justice Participatory Mapping by Robert Sabie, Jr. of Western Washington University, Bellingham, Wash.
Popular Choice Award: CG Search by Suresh Ganesan of Cognizant Technology Solutions, South Plainfield, N.J.

Winners will demonstrate their submissions at the Apps for the Environment forum today in Arlington, Va. The forum will include panels on business, technology, and government initiatives, breakout sessions by EPA’s program offices, upcoming developer challenges and future directions about environmental applications.

All contestants will retain intellectual property rights over their submissions, though winners agree that their submissions will be available on the EPA website for free use and download by the public for a period of one year following the announcement of the winners.

More information about the winners and other submissions: http://appsfortheenvironment.challenge.gov/submissions

More information about EPA’s Apps for the Environment forum: http://www.epa.gov/appsfortheenvironment/forum.html

View from space: Toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie

2011-11-06T01:16:00.000-04:00

Landsat-5 satellite images acquired in early October, 2011 revealed the worst algae bloom North America’s Lake Erie has experienced in decades. The bloom is primarily microcystis aeruginosa, an algae that is toxic to mammals, according to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. The reasons for this year’s giant bloom are complex, say scientists, but might be related to a rainy spring and invasive mussels.

See pictures and more of the story at:

http://earthsky.org/water/view-from-space-toxic-algae-bloom-in-lake-erie
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Source: EarthSky.org Water Blog

Gulf Coast Task Force Releases Ecosystem Restoration Strategy For Public Review

2011-10-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Gulf Coast Task Force Releases Ecosystem Restoration Strategy For Public Review

Agenda outlines blueprint for reversing decline of Gulf Coast ecosystem

WASHINGTON - The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, chaired by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, today released for public review and feedback its comprehensive preliminary strategy for long term ecosystem restoration. The strategy, which will be presented to President Obama at the end of the public review period, represents an historic opportunity for addressing long-standing issues contributing to the decline of the Gulf’s critical ecosystem. The preliminary strategy is the first effort of its kind to be developed with the involvement of parties throughout the region, including the states, tribes, federal agencies, local governments and thousands of interested citizens and organizations. The plan strategy, which builds upon on-going efforts underway in the Gulf Coast states includes specific steps for on-the-ground action and represents the Task Force’s commitment to putting Gulf coastal restoration on an equal footing with other national priorities.

_______________________
Read the entire release at our Gulf Coast Post blog
http://gulfcoastpost.org/2011/10/gulf-coast-task-force-releases.html

Cornell Cooperative Extension Announces Three-Day Invasive Species Workshop

2011-10-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

Cornell Cooperative Extensive is happy to announce the schedule for this year's three-day invasive species in-service workshop for CCE educators, PRISM members, and other invasive species partners: Tuesday, November 15 - Thursday, November 17. This year's sessions will be held in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations conference center on the Cornell University campus.

Tuesday, November 15 - Thursday, November 17, 2011
Cornell University, ILR Conference Center, Ithaca, NY

Invasive Species Education:
Our Strongest Tool for Invasive SpeciesPrevention and Management

Over the past three years, the November invasive speciesinservice workshops have focused on: the species themselves, their impacts andon-going research (2008); applying research results and basic education toolsto "fight" invasive species (2009); and, moving beyond the basicsinto the larger issues of being more proactive in prevention, early-detection,rapid response, and long-term management and control (2010). This year's workshop is going to move to thenext level of using research and education in the fight against existing andnew invasions. Based upon input solicited from Partnerships for RegionalInvasive Species Management (PRISMs), CCE County Association educators, andother partners, this workshop will address in detail how to develop and applyvarious outreach education techniques to effectively prevent, identify, andmanage invasive species at statewide, regional and local levels. Presentationswill include a mixture of invasive species science, education process skills,educational program planning, invasive species control and management, andrestoration techniques. Ample time will be provided within the structure of theworkshop for interaction between attendees and presenters and among attendees.
Conference hotel packages have been arranged at the IthacaBest Western University Inn (1020 Ellis Hollow Road, 607-272-6100 x 4714) andthe Ithaca Courtyard by Marriot (29 Thornwood Drive, 607-330-1000 or 866-541-3600).

Tuesday Sessions
Part 1 (8:00 am - 10:00 a.m.)
Part 2 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Part 3 (1:30 pm - 3:00 pm)
Part 4 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm)

Wednesday Sessions
Part 1 (8:00 am - 10:00 a.m.)
Part 2 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Part 3 (1:30 pm - 3:00 pm)
Part 4 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm)

Thursday Sessions
Part 1 (8:00 am - 9:00 am)
Part 2 (11:00 am - 12:30 pm)
Part 3 (1:30 pm - 3:00 pm)
Part 4 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm)

2011 Invasive Species In-service Thematic Outline -Working Draft

Tuesday Morning
            Update on invasive species in NY (new invasions, spread of existing species,research updates, mitigation/managementupdates)

Tuesday Afternoon
            Current state of invasive speciesknowledge (DEC pathways study; underlyingcauses of invasion; economic impact of Long Island legislation; effects ofclimate change on invasives; top agricultural pests; top forestry pests; tophorticultural pests)

Wednesday Morning
            Early detection/rapid response andhow to make the best use of resources (theeffort to standardize the process of early detection of plants statewide; use ofthe TNC decision tree to prioritize efforts; novel detection projects; impactspecifics {economic, human health, etc.} that can be used to “sell” public onreality of the invasive species issue; update on invasive species mapping)

Wednesday Afternoon
            Context Appropriate Invasive SpeciesManagement (evaluating new herbicideapplications; restoration efforts to suppress invasives; use of nativealternatives; plant/seed mixes to discourage invasive species; BMPs for control of select species; Strategic Management and Monitoring – are wereaching conservation goals?)

Thursday Morning
Working with stakeholders - Part 1 (Citizen Science and volunteer recruitmenttechniques; engaging communities to prepare for invasive species; existingprograms/projects that utilize volunteers, not-for-profits, partner agencies,etc. for citizen science data collection; age appropriate invasive speciesactivities for youth)

Thursday Afternoon
            Working with stakeholders - Part 2 (the role of outreach education; organize stakeholdergroups to get involved in volunteer removal projects; EAB communitypreparedness planning – what’s working, what could be improved, can it beapplied to other approaching threats; group take home assignment: developaction plans for enhancing our regional networks and partnership projects)

_____________________________
For more information, contact:

Charles R. O'Neill, Jr.
Coordinator, Invasive Species Programs
Cornell Cooperative Extension
365 Roberts HallCornell UniversityIthaca, NY 14853
Voice: 585-831-6165
E-mail: chuck.oneill@cornell.edu
Web site: http://nyis.info

The Adirondack Research Institute, Inc. is Launched to Provide Global Research Expertise and Focus Resources in Select Areas

2011-10-07T14:26:00.000-04:00

NEWS RELEASE

The Adirondack Research Institute, Inc. is Launched toProvide Global Research Expertise and Focus Resources in Select Areas

Dedicated to improving the world for current andfuture generations.

McLean, VA and Keene, NY, October 1, 2011 – TheAdirondack Research Institute, Inc.,a new non-profit research focused think tank and institute was formed to serveas a global leader and concentrate research efforts, financial resources, andexpertise in a number of key sectors: Economics; Education; Emerging Markets; Energy; Entrepreneurship; andExcellence.

“Our decision to launch TheAdirondack Research Institute, Inc. at this time was driven by a confluence ofdynamic factors – the demand for more resources, leadership and guidance indeveloping alternative energy sources; the increased pace of globalization; theexpansion of developing markets, including the frontier markets; and thecontinued spread of democracy and expansion of free market capitalism asdemonstrated by the Arab Spring,” commented Edmund L. Luzine, Jr., Founder and Managing Director ofAdirondack. “Those factors, combinedwith the vast expansion of knowledge driven by fundamental scientific research,the explosion of information technology, 24/7 media coverage, social media, theimpact of the financial crises combined with natural disasters, and thebreak-down of governmental agencies during a period of global war and recessionhave created the need for a new and innovative non-profit research instituteand charity.

“We have been very impressedwith the pace of globalization and the spread of capitalism, and the need for aresearch institute to be focused on supporting these items along with promotingexcellence in government and corporate operations, and promoting otherinitiatives, such as a global energy strategy focused on cleaner sources ofenergy – clean natural gas, clean coal technology, nuclear/solar power, windpower, an improved energy storage and distribution grid and many other areas ofbenefit to the world’s residents,” headded.

The new think tank willallow individual and corporate donors to capitalize on Adirondack’s globalinfrastructure of experts and its network of corporate, governmental andacademic relationships in order to direct research and focus donations toprovide solutions and assistance where it is needed most.

Adirondack’s first donationwas made in the Education sector - to the St. Agnes School in Lake Placid, NewYork. ARI is currently working on anumber of projects to promote and support veterans of the current global war,and to concentrate research efforts on the rare earth elements.

About The Adirondack Research Institute, Inc.:

Adirondack is a newlylaunched non-profit research institute and think tank formed to serve as aglobal leader and focus its efforts on a number of key sectors. These sectors include, but are not limitedto: Economics; Education; EmergingMarkets; Energy; Entrepreneurship; and Excellence. ARI was founded by investment banker, professorand Army Colonel Edmund L. Luzine, Jr., an expert in the global emergingmarkets who has lived and worked in over 48 nations - from Afghanistan toYugoslavia. He was one of the initialpioneers and a major participant in the trading of LDC (lesser developedcountries) or global emerging markets assets in the early 1990s. Mr. Luzine worked for many years at DresdnerKleinwort Benson North America LLC, Dresdner Bank, AG and First Chicago in NewYork. He also served as an advisor tothe World Bank Resident Mission in Sarajevo, Bosnia and assisted in privatizingstate-owned assets, developing a new currency, and re-structuring the bankingsector in order to stabilize Eastern Europe and assist with the reconstructionand development program after many years of war and the failure ofcommunism. He worked with Iraqi ex-patsat the US State Department, as a participant in the Future of Iraq Work Groups– established to repair and assist the development of a nation devastated bynearly 30 years of war. He is an adjunctfinance professor in the MBA program at Union Graduate College of UnionUniversity in upstate New York. Lt.Colonel Luzine was one of the key special operations officers recalled toactive duty after the 9/11 attacks and served in Operation Enduring Freedom(Afghanistan) in 2002 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. His duties in the Middle East and CentralAsia involved funding reconstruction projects that built schools, renovatedhospitals, overhauled irrigation systems, redistributed oil for food supplies,and numerous other operational and stabilization efforts. Adirondack’s offices are located in New Yorkand Virginia. ARI is also affiliatedwith related entities that maintain a regional Latin American office in Miamiand an Asian office in Singapore.

The Adirondack ResearchInstitute, Inc. plans to open additional offices in the Middle East and Africawithin the next year.

Donors, friends, andassociates may sign up for our email updates at ARI’s website listed below andwe also encourage you all to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Donations, requests forgrants and other non-media inquires may visit us on the Internet at our homepage of www.adirondackresearchinstitute.org

For Press Inquiries Contact:

(703) 725-8303

info@adirondackresearchinstitute.org

____________________________________

Source: The Adirondack Research Institute, Inc.
P. O. Box 3648
Tysons Corner, VA 22103
(703) 725-8303
www.adirondackresearchinstitute.org

The Finger Lakes Institute announces its 7th year of the Finger Lakes Research Conference

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Finger Lakes Institute celebrates its 7th year of the Finger Lakes Research Conference, scheduled for November 19, by recognizing just a few of the research scientists that dedicate their work to studying the Finger Lakes environment. This issue of Happenings introduces you to just of few of the scientists working in the region. Visit the Finger Lakes Institute web page dedicated to these honored scientists. They have shared their personal inspirations, concerns, and descriptions of their work to offer transparency and clear understanding of the science that is conducted in the Finger Lakes region.

Dr. Lisa Cleckner
Dr. Susan Cushman
Dr. Bruce Gilman
Dr. John Halfman
Dr. Darrin Magee
Dr. Nicholas Metz

Interested in learning more? Attending the Finger Lakes Research Conference is an opportunity to interact and network with these research scientists, and many others, to learn of their findings, and share your concerns and ideas for future work.Abstracts for presenting at the conference (students welcome!) are due October 10 and early attendee registration closes on November 10.

FingerLakes Research Conference

November19, 2011

Submityour abstract by October 10 to

smeyer@hws.edu

Members ofthe public, students, educators, independent scientists are encouraged toattend and participate!

LearnMore!

EPA Announces the Healthy Watersheds Initiative National Framework and Action Plan, 2011

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the release of the Healthy Watersheds Initiative (HWI) National Framework and Action Plan. The HWI is intended to protect the nation’s remaining healthy watersheds, prevent them from becoming impaired, and accelerate restoration successes. The HWI National Framework and Action Planaims to provide a clear consistent framework for action, both internally among EPA’s own programs and externally in working with the Agency’s partners. EPA will work with states and other partners to identify healthy watersheds at the state scale and develop and implement comprehensive state healthy watersheds strategies that set priorities for protection and inform priorities for restoration.

Healthy watersheds provide many ecological services as well as economic benefits. If successfully implemented, the HWI promises to greatly enhance our nation’s ability to meet the Clean Water Act Section 101(a) objective of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. The HWI National Framework and Action Plan is available at www.epa.gov/healthywatersheds

DEADLINE LOOMING: Support New York's efforts to keep aquatic invasive species out of our Waters

2011-10-04T16:37:00.000-04:00

New York State has enacted strong regulations to curb the spread of aquatic invasive species introduced into the state’s waters through ballast water discharges. In absence of strong federal protections, these regulations have put in place stringent technology requirements, based on sound science, for ships operating throughout New York’s waters (the Great Lakes, Long Island Sound, Hudson River, NY Harbor, etc) as well as traveling through those same waters, effectively creating a standard for the entire Great Lakes region!

However, these regulations have recently come under attack, and we need to urge Governor Cuomo to stand firm on keeping new aquatic invasive species out of our waterways!

About two weeks ago, Governors from WI, IN and Ohio sent a letter to New York Governor Cuomo stating that New York’s standards will hurt their respective economies and that there is currently no technology to meet their own standards. This is not the case. In fact, New York has a company that has certified that they have technology to meet this standard for New York and California.

To help make sure the State maintains its strong standards, please sign onto the attached (and pasted below) letter to Governor Cuomo in support of New York’s comprehensive ballast water program. We are planning on delivering this letter to the Governor on Friday October 7th, so please reply to me (smahar@audubon.org) by Close of Business October 6th with the following information if your organization can sign on:

Name
Title
Organization
City, State

Thanks for your help in keeping invasive species out of our waterways, and please feel free to forward this onto others!
____________________
Source: Sean Mahar
Director of Government Relationsand Communications
Audubon New York
200 Trillium Lane
Albany, NY 12203
518-869-9731
518-869-0737 (Fax)
518-253-7000 (Cell)
smahar@audubon.org

DEC Announces Hurricane Emergency Loan Program (HELP)

2011-10-04T16:30:00.001-04:00

Up to $1 million in no-interest loans is available
to municipalities with damaged drinking water
or wastewater treatment facilities.
(Photo: Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department)

A new emergency loan program will help local governments make immediate repairs to drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities damaged by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The Hurricane Emergency Loan Program (HELP) will provide up to $1 million in no-interest loans for each municipality that needs critical assessment and repair of flood damage to its drinking water or wastewater treatment facility. Repairs to pump stations, electrical equipment, treatment facilities and other critical equipment are eligible for the loans. Communites can also obtain funds to hire temporary emergency services, such as vacuum truck hauling, bypass pumping and disinfection, and related engineering and other professional services.

A $25 Million Emergency Fund

To create this $25 million emergency fund, the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) is using funds from the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). SRFs traditionally provide short- and long-term financing for major improvements to water and sewer systems in New York.

Governor Andrew Cuomo called the loans "a lifeline to communities working hard to recover from these devastating storms," and DEC Commissioner Joe Martens noted that "the sooner repairs can be made, the sooner drinking water can be fully protected and harm to the environment can be minimized."
EFC President and CEO Matthew J. Driscoll noted, "DEC organized engineers from DEC, EFC, the Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies to perform site inspections that will qualify a municipality for both a HELP loan and FEMA assistance." Driscoll is also co-chairman of the governor's Upstate Storm and Flooding Recovery Task Force.

EFC created the HELP loans in cooperation with the State Department of Health (DOH), DEC, the State Emergency Management Office and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EFC and DOH administer the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, while EFC and DEC administer the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

DEC engineers have contacted all affected facilities and are available for further assistance. EFC financial analysts are available to drinking water and wastewater plant administrators and other officials for questions and consultation. For more information and assistance with a HELP loan, local governments in counties designated as eligible for FEMA assistance are invited to call James Levine, EFC Senior Vice President and General Counsel at 1-800-882-9721 or via e-mail at irenerecovery@efc.ny.gov
___________________________________
Source: NY DEC EnvironmentDEC October Issue

Think Twice When Fertlizing your Lawn This Fall

2011-10-04T15:25:00.001-04:00

Everyone lives in a watershed whether you live close to a body of water or not. A watershed is the surrounding land that drains into a lake, stream, or river. It includes drainage systems such as ditches and storm sewers, which means you have a direct effect on water quality.

As we welcome fall, many homeowners realize it is time to fertilize your lawn. The grass has endured the summer stresses and the cool temperatures provide the perfect opportunity for recovery. The benefits of fall fertilization include a healthier turf before winter along with a healthier root system.

Before you fertilize however, think responsibly. Phosphates are a major source of pollution in lakes and streams, and high phosphate levels support over-production of algae and water weeds. Phosphorous comes from many sources such as leaves, lawn clippings, animal waste, and it is in most lawn fertilizers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has some wonderful videos and publications on Healthy Lawn Care Practices that you can apply to reduce the amount of runoff pollutants in your watershed.

_______________________________

Thanks to Aquarius Systems, makers of some of the finest weed harvesting equipment, for this helpful tip. Visit them on Facebook or on their Aquatic Weed Harvester blog.

PBS film on aquatic invasives in Lake George

2011-09-15T14:24:00.000-04:00

A great opportunity to feature regional Aquatic Invasive Species issues is underway with Lake George as a back-drop. Read more online at http://brightblue.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/bright-blue-starts-new-documentary-on-lake-george/

Two Lake George watershed protection organizations have joined with Mountain Lakes PBS and Bright Blue EcoMedia to highlight the challenges of aquatic invasive species management in the Lake George basin of New York State. The film would be produced as a 30-minute PBS special and highlight both the successes and mounting challenges of aquatic invasive species control in the ‘Queen of American Lakes’. Invasives include Eurasian milfoil, zebra mussels, and Asian clam, the newest threat to Lake George ecology.

Organizers are seeking additional funding for the project. Please direct inquiries / possibilities for underwriting and donations to:

Jon D. EricksonProfessor
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, and Environmental Program
University of Vermont Managing Director
Gund Institute for Ecological Economics President
U.S. Society for Ecological Economics Executive Editor
Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies
617 Main StreetUniversity of VermontBurlington, VT 05405 USA
jon.erickson@uvm.edu802-656-2906 [office], 802-656-2995 [fax], jdericks [skype] http://www.uvm.edu/~jdericks/

Asian Clams Now Identified in Four Locations in Lake George

2011-08-16T18:55:00.001-04:00

Additional Asian clam discovered in Norowal Marina, Treasure Cove

Lake George Association (LGA) reports two additional sites infested with Asian clam have been discovered on the west side of Lake George near Bolton -- one at Norowal Marina, found by Darrin Fresh Water Institute scientists, and the other at Treasure Cove, found by the LGA staff. These infestations appear to be significantly smaller than the nearly six-acre site at the village.

These discoveries drove home the urgent need to immediately survey the entire Lake to better evaluate the extent of the problem and to prioritize the next steps. (Lake Tahoe’s population quickly grew to over 200 acres, and they spend over $1 million a year just to manage it.)

One very surprising finding from LGA's recent discovery: the Treasure Cove population was not found in a shallow sandy location, but instead in a location with vegetation and mucky sediment. (So far, over 60 clean sites have been surveyed. See today's full press release on survey efforts here.)

LGA states that they urgently need to raise additional funds to fight this threat. Even with over $500,000 raised to combat the infestation in the village, the task force has serious concerns about how to finance the September removal of the mats and the rebar, as well as additional matting and suction harvesting that may be necessary. Current costs to monitor and manage the mats already in place are running $5,000 per week.

For more updates on the Asian clam and LGA's eradication efforts, visit the STOP the ASIAN CLAM website.

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Source: Lake George Association E-news August 2011
Lake George Association
PO Box 408 Lake George, NY 12845 518-668-3558
www.lakegeorgeassociation.org
People protecting the Lake since 1885

New features Announced for iMapInvasives version 1.5

2011-08-16T08:00:00.002-04:00

The iMapInvasives team has announced the recent roll-out of version 1.5 of their invasive plant geotracking software. Some of the new features include:

- Email alert system (for level 5 and above): Pick a geography and species of interest to receive emails when a newly confirmed observation matches your alert criteria.
- Improved Custom Observation Query and Report interface
- “Zoom to Coordinate” feature on the map
- The ability to edit your observation entry after submitting and before it is confirmed, including new fields for voucher information.
- Polygon area automatically calculates when adding assessment details
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iMapInvasives is an on-line, GIS-based, all-taxa invasive species mapping tool focused on serving the needs of land managers, regional planners and others working to prevent, control or manage invasive species. A particular emphasis is placed on functionality designed to aid in Early Detection/Rapid Response (ED/RR) efforts.

The initial consortium, formed to develop, support and maintain iMapInvasives, was comprised of four partners: the natural heritage program of the state of Florida (Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), the New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP), The Nature Conservancy, and NatureServe.

Visit iMapInvasives on-line for more information

August is National Water Quality Month

2011-08-15T19:13:00.001-04:00

Aquarius Systems, makers of some of the finest Aquatic Plant Management Equipment in the world, reminds us that August is National Water Quality Month. Here is a little blurb from their recent newsletter:

August is National Water Quality Month

So, What is Water Quality?

Water quality is defined as the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more living species and or to any human need or purpose. Simply put, it is knowing that the water you use for a specific purpose is safe. For example; the water you use to wash your car may not be suitable for drinking; or the lake is great for boating, but hazardous for swimmers. For most people water quality is simply knowing if the water is good enough for drinking, playing in, or if the lakes are safe for plants, animals, and recreation.

More often nowadays, we are hearing situations where the quality of water is not good enough for normal uses. Bacteria and microorganisms have gotten into drinking-water supplies causing illness; sewage spills have occurred forcing people to boil their water as well as close beaches; oil spills endanger plant and animal life; and, runoff containing pollutants such as phosphorous channel into streams and lakes leading to excessive aquatic plant growth.

Learn the Issues: Water

Interesting Facts about Water

• To manufacture one car, including tires, 147,972 liters of water are used.
• 13% of municipal piped water is lost in pipeline leaks.
• The human brain is 75% water.
• Outdoor watering uses 35 liters of water each minute (over 9 gallons).
• One drop of oil can make up to 25 liters of water unfit for drinking.
• Half of world’s wetlands have been lost since 1900.
• Each year, over 89 billion liters of bottled water are sold.

Visit aquarius-systems.com for a link to more interesting water facts.
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Source: Aquarius Systems
200 North Harrison Street
North Prairie, Wisconsin WI

“Bloom: The Plight of Lake Champlain” to Air August 20th in Saranac Lake

2011-08-15T18:35:00.002-04:00

“Bloom: The Plight of Lake Champlain,” presents several reasons why levels of toxic blue-green algae are increasing throughout the lake and raising concerns in the last few summers. The spring floods that occurred over the North Country this year have only exacerbated the problem in Lake Champlain and elsewhere across the region.

Wake-Up Film Festival 3 Summer Feature: “Bloom: The Plight of Lake Champlain”

For the past three years, the Adirondack Green Circle has sponsored annual community screenings of globally and locally significant films during their Wake–Up Film Festivals (WUFFs) held each spring in Saranac Lake. These films are meant to provide awareness and community discussion about environmental, economic & social issues currently affecting us all. They also provide a forum for proposing solutions and action plans that we as a community can work on together.

This year a bonus Summer Feature is planned for Saturday, Aug. 20th, with the free screening of “Bloom: The Plight of Lake Champlain” at the Cantwell Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library, from 7-9pm. This Emmy Award winning documentary focuses on the problem of algae blooms and the health of the 6th largest lake in the United States. The film’s co-producers/directors, Victor Guadagno and Jon Erickson, will be on hand to lead a discussion after the film.

Described as a “must see documentary,” “Bloom: The Plight of Lake Champlain,” presents several reasons why levels of toxic blue-green algae are increasing throughout the lake and raising concerns in the last few summers. The spring floods that occurred over the North Country this year have only exacerbated the problem in Lake Champlain and elsewhere across the region.

Since its debut in Burlington last November 29th in front of 250 people, “Bloom” has been receiving much North Country press between NY and VT, both from mainstream and public media sources. Following the May announcement of its New England Emmy Award from the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, the documentary was chosen for national distribution by the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). To date, it has been shown in several states.

Area lake and watershed association members are especially invited to attend this screening because many regional and local shore-owners are dealing with algae problems or have dealt with them in the past. But, we are all residents of one watershed or another, and therefore, the general public is also invited to come, learn and share experiences in an effort to slow down algae growth in waterways.

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For more information about the film, see: bloomthemovie.org. For more information about the Adirondack Green Circle, see: adkgreencircle.org. Both have Facebook pages as well. Contact 637-2745 for more information on the event.

ABOUT THE Adirondack Green Circle

Who They Are
The Adirondack Green Circle was started in 2007 by Gail Brill after reading Barbara Kingsolver's book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. At our monthly meeting we discuss ways to affect change in our own lives and in our community. See calendar for schedule.

Mission Statement
To create a forum that will educate and inspire both ourselves and our community to choose sustainable living practices. Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. By promoting these practices in our lives and in the community, we move towards living in harmony with our earth and each other.

Green Circle Goals:

To choose and maintain an optimistic outlook about the future of our planet and the ability to affect positive change through sustainable practices
Read, meet and discuss relevant articles and research
Attend relevant workshops and meetings
Provide outreach and education via our website and community events
Work with local politicians and agencies to create a more sustainable and environmentally conscious government and community

Environmental Photo Library

2011-07-16T00:17:00.000-04:00

Fotosearch's extensive photography and footage database includes tens of thousands of images on such topics as the environment, pollution, nature, recycling, renewable energy, and more. have over 250,000 photos/images entering the keyword "environment" into search database (http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/environment.html).

Fotosearch's photography has been featured in many world-wide publications including Newsweek, People Magazine, the New York Times, and a PBS article (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/lp_spirit2.html) along side the EPA as a useful resource for photography showing the effects of pollution on our planet.

See this link for more information: Environmental Stock Photography at Fotosearch

Marcellus Shale Drilling: Concerns for Water Resources

2011-06-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Susan Cushman, FLI Research Scientist; Director of Introductory Biology Laboratories, HWS Department of Biology

Drilling of the Marcellus Shale has the potential for serious environmental implications. Extending halfway up into the Finger Lakes region from the Appalachians and even into the Catskills, this Devonian age sediment was deposited by an ancient river delta, and includes a large amount of natural gas. It has been stated that the Marcellus Shale deposit holds 10-20 years of natural gas supply for the entire nation, yet process of extracting this resource from horizontally oriented fractures is significant to the surrounding terrestrial environment.

In particular, the processes of site analysis and clearing as well as gas production and delivery could have major impacts to both water quantity and quality within the area surrounding a well. There are four main concerns for water resources related to drilling the Marcellus Shale: 1) clearing land for well pads, 2) supplying water for well construction and drilling, 3) degradation of water quality in local streams due to increased traffic by large construction vehicles on rural roads, and 4) disposal of large amounts of waste “water”, e.g. contaminated fluids from wells. First, a well site must be completely cleared of trees and vegetation (5 acre pad = ~3500 trees), which means that rainwater will not be intercepted, and instead run overland polluting local streams with excessive amounts of sediment. Secondly, each of these drilling sites requires large amounts of water to keep the drilling bit cool. Water is also needed to create hydrofrack fluids enable both shale fractures to be held open under pressure and the gas to be released upwards through the well. The estimated water use of one well is 1.5 million gallons during drilling – 62.5 times more than a traditional vertical well. The increased traffic by heavy construction vehicles and tanker trucks that bring in this water will most likely increase the erosion along rural routes, thereby increasing sediment in small streams. Knowing that small streams lead to bigger streams and lakes in the Finger Lakes region, this could significantly impact our water quality. Finally, the wastewater that results from the hydrofrack creates significant concern over where to put it. Currently, the wastewater from hydrofracking systems is sent to wastewater treatment plants (PA) or sometimes injected back into the earth at a shallower depth (TX, WV). Wastewater treatment plants don’t necessarily have the ability to remove contaminants like brines, heavy metals, and radionuclides that are present in these contaminated fluids – and therefore pose concerns to our drinking water supplies if disposed of in this way. If injected back into the ground, there are also concerns over groundwater supply contamination unless it is injected well below known aquifers.
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Source: Finger Lakes Institute Happenings

Update on Waters of the U.S. Draft Guidance

2011-06-29T18:35:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have extended the public comment period by 30 days for the draft guidance on Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act. In response to requests from state and local officials, as well as other stakeholders, EPA and the Corps will take additional comment until July 31, 2011 on this important draft guidance that aims to protect U.S. waters. These waters are critical for the health of the American people, the economy and ecosystems in communities across the country.

This change in the public comment period will not impact the schedule for finalizing the guidance or alter the intent to proceed with a rulemaking.

Public input received will be carefully considered as the agencies make final decisions regarding the guidance. These comments will also be very helpful as the agencies prepare a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

The original 60-day public comment period was originally set to expire on July 1, 2011. The agencies will be publishing a notice of this 30-day extension in the Federal Register.

More information:
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm

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Source: Water Headlines

Lake Scientist Website

2011-06-27T17:54:00.000-04:00

There is a new website entitled "Lake Scientist" that should be of interest to lake residents and those involved in managing the water quality of a lake or pond. Here is what they have to say about themselves:

Lake Scientist emerged from the leadership of Fondriest Environmental, in collaboration with Miami University and Kent State University’s EARS (Environmental Aquatic Resource Sensing) IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training) program*, with a vision to create a central resource about lake science.

The site’s mission is to provide an interactive community resource focused on lakes and other freshwaters for the benefit of the scientific community, the education community, and all others interested in the subject.

Lake Scientist offers a rich repository of in-depth information about lake science, as well as covering the latest news on topics that affect our world’s freshwater resources

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Source: Lake Scientist

New York State banning phosphorus in detergent and fertilizer

2011-06-27T17:42:00.000-04:00

ALBANY, Aug 15, 2010

The state of New York has joined 16 other states in banning stores from carrying dishwasher detergents that contain phosphorus.

Gov. David Paterson signed the new state restriction into law last month. As of Saturday, stores in the state have 60 days to sell off their existing inventory. Sales for commercial use must end by July 1, 2013.
Dishwasher detergents are presently permitted to contain as much as 9 percent phosphorus by weight, but the new law lowers allowable levels to only 0.5 percent. Moreover, a similar ban will limit phosphorus in lawn fertilizers starting in 2012, reducing levels from a maximum of 3 percent to 0.67 percent.
In the early 1970s, regulations were enacted to limit phosphorus in soap and laundry detergents, but dishwasher detergent was not included as it was not yet common.

Runoff from farms is the leading source of phosphorus pollution. However, The Associated Press reports that dishwashing detergent accounts for 9 to 34 percent of the phosphorus found in municipal wastewater. Furthermore, as much as 50 percent of phosphorus found in storm runoff comes from lawn fertilizer.
Phosphorus impairs drinking water quality, and it is one of most significant nutrients that causes eutrophication, or nutrient loading. It is estimated 48% of lakes in North America are eutrophic. These excessive nutrients feed algal blooms that can significantly damage lake ecosystems, notably by depleting dissolved oxygen that aquatic life needs to breathe.

“The impact of phosphorus is particularly significant in lakes and reservoirs. Over half of all the lake acres in [New York] have water quality impacts for which phosphorus is a contributing cause," according to a Department of Environmental Conservation analysis.

More than 100 New York water bodies are identified as impaired, including Cayuga Lake and Lake Champlain.
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Source: Lake Scientist

New website at the North American Lake Management Society

2011-06-27T07:48:00.009-04:00

The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) has announced the launch of their brand new website www.nalms.org, a site devoted to the Society’s mission of forging partnerships among citizens, scientists, and professionals to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs for today and tomorrow.

This new site is the result of the hard work of the NALMS website team and the e-business consulting firm Acumium. With www.nalms.org, their goal is to provide all of the site visitors an easy to navigate, content rich experience. Their aim is to continue to deliver high quality information and updates on the latest lake management activities of NALMS and our members.

For NALMS members, the aim is to deliver more intuitive access to their growing membership benefits. All NALMS members now enjoy access to a personal profile, electronic issues of LakeLine, and a new Membership directory. For Professional, Student and Organization members they also continue to offer access to electronic issues of Lake and Reservoir Management. And with www.nalms.org, they anticipate having the flexibility to offer more membership benefits in the future – so check back often!

Site Features

About NALMS: Here you can learn more about NALMS as an organization and stay up-to-date with our current Officers, Directors, and Staff. You can also keep tabs on our various Committees and stroll through a brief NALMS history.
Conferences & Events: Here you will find information on our upcoming Symposium, our past conferences, and other events.
Programs: Learn more about NALMS involvement in programs ranging from our Professional Certification program to Blue Green Algae work.
About Lake Management: Provided here are the basics of Limnology and lake management plans. You will also find links to our Affiliate Members and other lake management organizations.
Publications: Provided here is information on our publications including LakeLine, Lakes and Reservoir Management, NALMS Notes and our Invasive Species Cards. We also include our Affiliate Member’s Newsletters and a listing of other lake management books you can purchase through NALMS.
Lake Management Policy: In this section you will find NALMS position statements and links to other Public Policy Resources.

Member’s Only Resources

Edit Profile: Here, members can stay up-to-date with their colleagues and NALMS by updating their contact information, adding a professional biography and including a picture!
Member Directory: With this directory they have made it easier to stay in touch with colleagues and other NALMS members. Members can search for other NALMS members, add them as colleagues, and send messages.
LakeLine Magazine: The LakeLine section is more complete than ever before with electronic copies of every issue dating back to our 1993 Spring issue. Here, members can find both individual articles and complete issues of our flagship publication!
Lake and Reservoir Management Journal: Provided here is a link to the host site for electronic issues of our journal at Taylor & Francis.

Largest U.S. Dam Removal to Begin June 1 in Washington

2011-06-25T08:45:00.004-04:00

The Elwha River on Washington's Olympic Peninsula once teemed with legendary salmon runs before two towering concrete dams were built about a century ago.

On June 1, nearly two decades after Congress called for full restoration of the river and its fish runs, federal workers turned off the generators at the 1913 dam powerhouse and set in motion the largest dam removal project in U.S. history.

Contractors will begin dismantling the dams this fall, a $324.7 million project that will take about three years and will allow the 45-mile Elwha River to run free as it courses from the Olympic Mountains through old-growth forests into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The 105-foot Elwha Dam came on line in 1913, followed 14 years later by the 210-foot Glines Canyon Dam 8 miles upstream. For years, they provided electricity to a local pulp and paper mill and the growing city of Port Angeles. Electricity from the dams, enough to power about 1,700 homes, now feeds the regional power grid.
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Source: NALMS Notes June 2011
http://www.nalms.org

The 18th Annual Secchi Dip-In Begins June 25th

2011-06-23T15:44:00.000-04:00

This is an invitation to participate in this year’s Secchi Dip-In, which runs from June 25 to July 17. This is the 18th year of the Dip-In, and the three week event in June and July demonstrates that volunteers can collect valuable water quality data. The Dip-In is a network of volunteer programs and volunteers, that together gather and provides continent-wide (and world-wide) information on water quality.

If you are a coordinator of an aquatic monitoring program that measures transparency, pH, or temperature of surface waters, would you please urge your volunteers to participate? Probably never in recent history has our environmental efforts been more under greater attack by special interests. The Dip-In won’t solve our environmental crisis, but it does provide reliable contemporary data on a continental scale on change in our waters to state and federal agencies and to researchers. We rely on existing programs because your volunteers are trained, providing assurance that the data are reliable. The Dip-In provides an event that coordinators of programs both large and small, can use to advertise their program and to explain to the public and to officials the importance of environmental monitoring.

We have a New Website Address. We now have a new website: http://www.secchidipin.org. Volunteers can retrieve and edit the data they have entered and coordinators can retrieve and edit data from any waterbody in their program. If you want to be designated as a coordinator, please register and then send me an email. Volunteers also have the ability to personalize their waterbody site by adding pictures. A satellite map and graphs of data for each waterbody is now available. Bob Carlson Secchi Dip-In Coordinator, E-Mail: rcarlson@kent.edu, Facebook Site: http://www.facebook.com/secchidipin.
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Source: NALMS Notes June 2011
http://www.nalms.org

Yellow Iris - pretty but invasive

2011-06-15T13:04:00.004-04:00

Yellow iris or Yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus) is in full bloom, but don’t let its good looks fool you! We’ve received several recent calls about it growing in wild places. Read the short blog by Don Lehman about yellow iris sightings in Lake George…

http://poststar.com/app/blogs/?p=68245&cat=132

If you see yellow iris growing in the wild in the Adirondack region, please report the location to Brendan Quirion at bquirion@tnc.org. Brendan can also provide guidance to landowners on proper management and permitting.


Images of Yellow Iris

Blogger's Note: For more information on Yellow Iris, visit UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants Yellow Iris page. For more images of Yellow Iris, see http://goo.gl/1KwCT (edited June 23,2011 16:10)

(Use RedLaser or ScanLife on your smartphone to access images using QR Code on left )

____________________
Source: Hilary Smith
Director, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program
The Nature Conservancy - Adirondack Chapter
PO Box 65
Keene Valley, New York 12943
518-576-2082 x 131 (tel)
518-576-4203 (fax)
hsmith@tnc.org
www.adkinvasives.com

Flooding Ravages New York Counties

2011-06-01T16:32:00.001-04:00

Governor Cuomo and several cabinet officials toured locations in northern and central New York that experienced severe flood damage as strong winds and rains combined with spring snowmelt

See complete article at http://www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/74402.html
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Source: EnvironmentDEC

EPA Releases Searchable Website for Drinking Water Violations

2011-06-01T14:44:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced improvements to the availability and usability of drinking water data in the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) tool. ECHO now allows the public to search to see whether drinking water in their community met the standards required under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which is designed to safeguard the nation’s drinking water and protect people’s health. SDWA requires states to report drinking water information periodically to EPA. ECHO also includes a new feature identifying drinking water systems that have had serious noncompliance.

The new Safe Drinking Water Act information on EPA’s website provides:

- Users with information about whether their drinking water has exceeded drinking water standards.
- A serious violators report that lists all water suppliers with serious noncompliance.
- EPA’s 2009 National Public Water Systems Compliance Report, which is a national summary of compliance and enforcement at public drinking water systems.

EPA’s enforcement goals for clean water include working with states and tribes to ensure clean drinking water for all communities and improving transparency by making facility compliance data available to the public. The release of drinking water violations data in ECHO advances these goals and creates additional incentives for government agencies to improve their reporting of drinking water violations and increase efforts to address those violations.

Safe Drinking Water Act search page: http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/compliance_report_sdwa.html
Enforcement and Compliance History Online tool: http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/
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Source: Water Headlines

Help Protect Adirondack Waters from Invasive Species

2011-05-31T14:40:00.000-04:00

Get on-board with the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program's 10th annual aquatic invasive plant training program! Learn aquatic plant identification tips and survey techniques for both native and aquatic invasive plants. You’ll also get a sneak peak at other aquatic invaders on the move such as zebra mussel, Asian clam, spiny waterflea and more.

The training is free, but space is limited. Please RSVP by June 17 to hsmith@tnc.org and provide your name, contact info, training location and lake of interest.

Sessions are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June 28, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Bolton Landing
or
June 30, Wanakena Ranger School on Cranberry Lake

Volunteers are asked to conduct an annual survey on an Adirondack lake or pond of their choice. To-date, more than 472 aquatic enthusiasts surveyed 266 Adirondack waterways. From the Fulton Chain to Lake Champlain - volunteer efforts are making a difference! Early detections of new invasive plant infestations provide the best chance for successful eradication.

Are you a returning volunteer? Feel free to join us for a half day or full day refresher course. Or pass this along and invite someone new!

Thank you, and see you on the water!

Hilary Smith
Director, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program
The Nature Conservancy - Adirondack Chapter
PO Box 65
Keene Valley, New York 12943
518-576-2082 x 131 (tel)
518-576-4203 (fax)
hsmith@tnc.org
www.adkinvasives.com
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Thanks to Hilary Smith & APIPP PRISM for the submission.

2011 National River Rally June 3-6, 2011

2011-05-16T08:21:00.001-04:00

2011 National River Rally
Embassy Suites at the Charleston Convention Center, North Charleston, SC

The 2011 National River Rally will provide:

• A series of 12 intensive 3-hour workshop and 72 additional 90 minute workshops covering topics of interest to staff, volunteers and board members of environmental organizations and public agencies
• Featured Speakers - Mickey Fearn, National Park Service; Janisse Ray, Author & Naturalist; William Werkheiser-USGS; Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar-pending.
• Waters Unite Us Plenary Panel
Office hours, mentoring sessions and in-person conversations with funders and exhibitors
• The River Heroes Banquet: a memorable and inspirational night of celebrating our environmental protection leaders
• Unsurpassed networking opportunities
• Field trips, Environmental Film Fest, and so much more!

At River Rally, attendees learn the best strategies for river restoration; test and help improve the newest tools and technologies for watershed protection; deliver and discuss critical information from the field and from Washington, DC; and interact with a diverse community of organizations, agencies, tribes and businesses working to connect our water, lands and communities.

This year's Rally will again focus on two critical "bridge building" strategies:
1) creating stronger connections to various federal agencies (USGS, NOAA, FWS, NPS, EPA, USFS, etc) that can offer a host of new technical resources, funding and policy/management changes to local groups, and
2) building closer relationships with different constituencies like land groups, environmental justice organizations and others who have a similar stake in clean, abundant water.

CWP says:

This year water protection advocates from across the nation will come together in Charleston, South Carolina, a city with long history, sitting at the confluence of five rivers, and boasting the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere. All of which is very apt, since River Rally serves as a major bridge for a diverse community of organizations, agencies, tribes and businesses working to connect our water, lands and communities. At this year's conference, join us as Sadie Drescher from the Center for Watershed Protection, will be conducting a 90-minute workshop entitled "Low Impact Development Goes Coastal".

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Source: Center for Watershed Protection
http://cwp.org

EPA & Army Corps “Waters of the U.S.” Proposed Guidance

2011-05-09T16:06:00.001-04:00

Americans depend on clean and abundant water. However, over the past decade, interpretations of Supreme Court rulings removed some critical waters from Federal protection, and caused confusion about which waters and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act. As a result, important waters now lack clear protection under the law, and businesses and regulators face uncertainty and delay. The Obama Administration is committed to protecting waters on which the health of people, the economy and ecosystems depend.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have developed draft guidance for determining whether a waterway, water body, or wetland is protected by the Clean Water Act. This guidance would replace previous guidance to reaffirm protection for critical waters. It also will provide clearer, more predictable guidelines for determining which water bodies are protected by the Clean Water Act.

The draft guidance will reaffirm protections for small streams that feed into larger streams, rivers, bays and coastal waters. It will also reaffirm protection for wetlands that filter pollution and help protect communities from flooding. Discharging pollution into protected waters (e.g., dumping sewage, contaminants, or industrial pollution) or filling protected waters and wetlands (e.g., building a housing development or a parking lot) require permits. This guidance will keep safe the streams and wetlands that affect the quality of the water used for drinking, swimming, fishing, farming, manufacturing, tourism and other activities essential to the American economy and quality of life. It also will provide regulatory clarity, predictability, consistency and transparency.

The draft guidance will be open for 60 days of public comment to allow all stakeholders to provide input and feedback before it is finalized.

Read more at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/CWAwaters.cfm
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Source: Water Headlines

DEC Information and Advice Regarding High Waters and Flooding

2011-04-29T11:40:00.000-04:00

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) notes that the combination of heavy rains and significant snowmelt has brought high water levels throughout the region resulting in conditions that are not conducive to hiking, camping, boating and paddling. Despite the good weather forecasted for this weekend DEC is discouraging the public from entering the woods or accessing the waters of the Adirondacks for the following reasons:

Many roads in the Adirondacks have been closed due to flooding and washouts.
Streams are very high and most stream crossings that don’t have a foot bridge are impossible or dangerous to cross.
Many trails and campsites adjacent to streams, and other waters, are flooded. Other trails in lower elevations are very muddy and wet.
High winds moved through the area. Due to soils being saturated with water these winds may result in numerous trees being toppled. Trails and campsites may be covered and blocked by fallen trees.
The danger of landslides on mountain slopes is high due to saturated soils.
Snow is still present above 2600 feet, the snow is soft and slushy. Snowshoes are required to prevent “post holing”, avoid injuries and ease travel.
Water levels are high and water temperatures are low, rivers and streams are running swiftly.
Waters may contain logs, limbs and other debris.
High waters also conceal navigation hazards such as boulders, rock shelves, docks and other structures that normally are easily seen and avoided.

Water Levels in the Saranac River System
DEC continues to work with the Village of Saranac Lake to minimize and balance the impacts of flooding in the Village. DEC staff placed sandbags around the both the Upper and Lower Locks to protect the locks and retain additional water. Two dozen DEC operations staff, most of them seasonal staff at DEC campgrounds on their first day on the job this year, assisted Village of Saranac Lake employees and other in filling and placing sandbags around various locations on the shores of the Saranac River.
Repairing Flood Damaged Shorelines
Property owners who have streams or shorelines which have been eroded or otherwise damaged by flooding should check with the DEC Environmental Permits Office, and the Adirondack Park Agency (if the location is in the Adirondack Park), before undertaking repair work to determine if a permit or emergency authorization is required. Depending on the situation, work immediately necessary for the protection of life, health, general welfare, property or natural resources may be authorized under emergency authorization procedures. Projects for the purpose of shoreline restoration and erosion protection are subject to a permit application process.
The DEC Region 5 Environmental Permits Office can be reached at 518-897-1234 and the Adirondack Park Agency can be reached at 518-891-4050.
DEC provides a number of documents on its website to assist in developing a shoreline stabilization project:
Stream Crossings
Stream Crossings: Guidelines and Best Management Practices
Shoreline Stabilization
Shoreline Stabilization Techniques
How to Apply for a Protection of Waters Permit
Sample General Site Plans for Protection of Waters and Wetland Permit Applications
Sample Project Plans for Protection of Waters and Wetland Permit Applications

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Click on Title link to view entire article.
Thanks to TourPro/Adirondack Base Camp for the submission.

Invasive Beetles website

2011-04-28T16:12:00.001-04:00

BeetleDetectives.com features information on the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) and the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The site also encourages you to become a beetle detective to search for and report signs of AlB & EAB activity in your area.
____________________
http://beetledetectives.com/

iMapInvasives: Mapping Invasive Species On-Line

2011-04-27T09:04:00.001-04:00

Invasive species are widely considered to be one the greatest threats to biodiversity (Wilson, 2001). This is a nationwide problem encompassing many different non-native plants, animals, and even microbial pathogens. There are many individuals, public agencies and private organizations working to manage invasive species. Having access to strategic invasive species location information can support and enhance this important invasive species management work.

A consortium has formed to develop, support and maintain an on-line, GIS-based, all-taxa invasive species mapping tool, iMapInvasives, focused on serving the needs of land managers, regional planners and others working to prevent, control or manage invasive species. A particular emphasis is placed on functionality designed to aid in Early Detection/Rapid Response (ED/RR) efforts.

The initial consortium is comprised of four partners: the natural heritage program of the state of Florida (Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI), the New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP), The Nature Conservancy, and NatureServe.

For information on functionality currently under development see Future Plans section.

For information on the iMapInvasives Project including information about how your states can participate see the iMapInvasives Service section.

For more information visit iMapInvasives.org
____________________
Source: iMapInvasives.org

Igloo-shaped devices eat sewage

2011-04-25T14:39:00.001-04:00

Inexpensive igloo-shaped, pollution-eating devices nicknamed “Poo-Gloos” can clean up sewage just as effectively as multimillion-dollar treatment facilities for towns outgrowing their waste-treatment lagoons, according to a new study.

“The results of this study show that it is possible to save communities with existing lagoon systems hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, by retrofitting their existing wastewater treatment facilities with Poo-Gloos,” says Fred Jaeger, chief executive officer of Wastewater Compliance Systems, Inc., which sells the Poo-Gloo under the name Bio-Dome.

{read complete article}

____________________
Source: ASM International via Diane Rush, Hampshire Controls Corporation, Dover, NH

Runoff Roundup Spring Issue

2011-04-25T14:19:00.001-04:00

The Center for Watershed Protection has announces their Spring issue of Runoff Roundup, available on-line here.

In This Issue
• Runoff Ramblings
• Shade Coffee Roundtable in Puerto Rico
• Healthy Harbors, Healthy Neighborhoods
• Wetlands-At-Risk Protection Tool
• Nominate a Watershed Superstar
• Trainings and Conferences
• Cool Links

____________________
Center for Watershed Protection
8390 Main Street, Second Floor
Ellicott City, MD 21043-4605
Phone: (410) 461-8323
Fax: (410) 461-8324
e-mail: center@cwp.org

18th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks

2011-04-25T13:55:00.001-04:00

Announcing the 18th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks
May 18 & 19, 2011, High Peaks Resort, Lake Placid, NY

Featuring
• Author Bill McKibben
• NYS DEC Commissioner Joe Martens
• Robert B. Catell, AERTC
• Adirondack Partnership Project
• North Creek Case Study
• Alternative Water Treatment Technologies
• Bio, Solar, and Hydro Energy
• Birds of the Northern Forest
• Juried Student Paper Program

More information
Register
____________________
Contact Information:

Dan Fitts, Adirondack Research Consortium
201 Paolozzi Center, Paul Smith's College Campus
Paul Smiths, NY 12970
info@adkresearch.org
518-327-6276

DEC Announces Revised Baitfish Regulations

2011-04-25T13:04:00.001-04:00

New Rules Establish Corridors for Moving Bait for Personal Use in Same Waterbody

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced changes to current state regulations banning the overland transport of uncertified baitfish by anglers, including baitfish that are personally collected. The proposed revisions in the Notice of Proposed Rule Making would allow for the overland transport of personally collected baitfish within three specified transportation corridors, as long as the baitfish are used in the same waters from which they are collected.

The link below is to the press release. 45 day comment period began Wed 4/6 and ends 5/23.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/73584.html

Revised Asian Clam Containment and Eradication Plan

2011-04-25T12:55:00.001-04:00

Originally a suction harvesting operation was to be combined with use of benthic barriers this spring. This operation was fully permitted by the regulatory agencies. Unfortunately, the high costs, late ice-out conditions on the lake, and logistical issues for staging this complex operation on shore, all forced the LGACRRTF to abandon these plans and pursue an expanded benthic barrier only treatment effort in the spring. Based on results from the spring treatment effort, a fall treatment effort that involves suction harvesting and benthic barriers in some combination is planned.

The LGACRRTF is still aiming for eradication- but our timeline is now a bit stretched out – with ‘containment’ as the goal for this spring’s effort, then assessment and re-strategizing over the summer, and then ‘eradication’ as the goal of a follow-up effort this fall/winter.

Click here for the pdf of the latest plan.
____________________
Source: Lake George Asian Clam Eradication Project

EPA Solicits Public Comment on Permit to Reduce Stormwater Discharges from Construction Sites

2011-04-25T12:44:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing for public comment a draft permit that will help improve our nation’s waterways by regulating the discharge of stormwater from construction sites. Stormwater discharges during construction activities can contain sediment and pollutants that harm aquatic ecosystems, increase drinking water treatment costs and pollute waters that people use for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.

The proposed Construction General Permit (CGP) includes a number of enhanced protections, including enhanced provisions to protect impaired and sensitive waters. Some of the significant proposed permit modifications include new requirements for:

• Eligibility for emergency-related construction
• Required use of the electronic notice of intent process
• Sediment and erosion controls
• Natural buffers or alternative controls
• Soil stabilization
• Pollution prevention
• Site inspections
• Pollution Prevention Plans
• Permit termination

Many of the new permit requirements implement new effluent limitations guidelines and new source performance standards for the construction and development industry that became effective on February 1, 2010. These requirements include a suite of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures that apply to all permitted construction sites.

The permit will be effective in areas where EPA is the permitting authority, including four states (Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Mexico); Washington, D.C.; most territories; and most Indian country lands.

The public will have 60 days to comment on the draft permit. EPA anticipates that it will issue the final construction general permit by January 31, 2012.

The current permit is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011; however, EPA is proposing to extend the current permit until January 31, 2012 to provide sufficient time to finalize the new permit.

More information on the proposed construction general permit: http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/cgp.cfm
____________________
Source: EPA Water Headlines

Lake George Asian clam control effort informational web-site

2011-04-25T12:38:00.001-04:00

You may follow the work of the Lake George Asian Clam Rapid Response Task Force to control Asian clam in Lake George starting this spring. An informational web-site is up and running.

www.stoptheasianclam.info

Special thanks to the Lake George Association for their efforts to launch this site.
____________________
Source: Meg Modley
Aquatic Invasive Species Management Coordinator
Lake Champlain Basin Program
54 West Shore Rd. Grand Isle, VT 05458
(802) 372-3213
mmodley@lcbp.org
&
Hilary Smith, APIPP

22nd Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference

2011-04-25T12:32:00.001-04:00

Registration is open for the 22nd Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference, to take place May 17 & 18, 2011 at the Holiday Inn of Saratoga Springs, New York. Early-bird pricing is in effect through April 29 (*just 9 days left*) - please register soon to take advantage!

A complete draft agenda is available online:
http://www.neiwpcc.org/npsconference/nps_pdfs/Agenda3-23-11.pdf

This year's event will feature:
· Keynote speaker Paul Tukey, expert on enviro-friendly lawncare, bestselling author and founder of Safelawns.org
• Two tracks throughout - Stormwater and Watershed-based NPS Management, featuring over 25 speakers on topics including:
o Green infrastructure
o Assessment and planning
o Hydrologic BMP performance
•Choice of second day event:
o Stormwater fieldtrip featuring visit to the Norlite Aggregate plant (filling up fast - don't miss out!)
o Agricultural fieldtrip featuring visit to the Saratoga Race Course
o NPS Film Series featuring Bloom: The Plight of Lake Champlain and The Hudson Riverkeepers

For more information about accommodations, sponsorship opportunities, and to register, visit the conference website: http://www.neiwpcc.org/npsconference
____________________
contact Clair Ryan, cryan@neiwpcc.org or 978-349-2522 if you have any questions or would like more information

Lake George Asian clam response poised to begin

2011-04-25T12:27:00.001-04:00

NEWS RELEASE

Lake George Asian clam response poised to begin.

The Lake George Asian Clam Rapid Response Task Force is pleased to announce that the Asian clam control effort will begin on the afternoon of April 25th, 2011. The eradication effort will be initiated with the installation of over 900 benthic barrier mats to cover up to six acres of dense beds of Asian clams in Lake George, NY.

The LGACRRTF and partners rally to prepare equipment and supplies in time for the treatment to begin and thank all local, state, and federal partners and local business owners for their cooperation in preparing this rapid response effort.

____________________
Source: Meg Modley
Aquatic Invasive Species Management Coordinator
Lake Champlain Basin Program
54 West Shore Rd. Grand Isle, VT 05458
(802) 372-3213
mmodley@lcbp.org

Resources for Lake, Watershed & Environmental Stewards

2011-02-14T13:56:00.002-05:00

LakeStewardship.org maintains several pages of links containing information and resources useful to lake, pond and environmental stewardship.

Critical Environmental Issues

Lake & Watershed Management Resources

These links can be found collectively on the Lake Stewardship home page

Wisconsin DNR announces new website

2010-12-28T16:33:00.000-05:00

You are invited to explore the Wisconsin DNR's new website! The old site will remain available until mid-2010.

Organized by topic, the new website is much easier to navigate. "Lakes" appears within several spots, most notably:

1.) Environment & Health -> Natural Resources -> Lakes

http://new.dnr.wi.gov/Default.aspx?Page=391c2658-429f-4eab-af05-128368702c28

2.) Outdoors and Nature -> Public Lands in Wisconsin -> Lakes & Flowages

http://new.dnr.wi.gov/Default.aspx?Page=627fd10d-e329-4647-8093-9d00418b6d29

A few notes about the new site:

Some pages link back to the old site. Over the coming months, Jim, Dennis and Jennifer will finish moving those pages over to the new site.

We will set up "redirects" from our old web addresses, so your links should still work. If you notice a problem, let us know.

New Dynamic Web Pages - Some new "dynamic" web pages are available!http://new.dnr.wi.gov/Default.aspx?Page=391c2658-429f-4eab-af05-128368702c28

1.) The "Lake Pages" - Find a lake. Work in progress, with data updates and additional information (water quality, etc.) forthcoming.

2.) "Contacts" - instead of being maintained by hand, the contact information is coming out of SWIMS, enabling us to cross-link people and lake organizations to projects, etc. Recent updates will be reflected soon.

3.) "Lake Contour Maps" - The maps Jim has worked so hard to scan. Now, lake name, area, etc. table is coming from the DNR Register of Waterbodies to keep information consistent across our pages.

4.) "Local Projects" (via. Grants)-- Click Grants to browse grants awarded. Work in progress with recently awarded grants yet to be geo-located, more "activities" to be added, and more final reports yet to be uploaded.

5.) "Invasives"and "Clean Boats, Clean Waters" -- these pages are the same for the most part.

Source: Jim Vennie and Jennifer Filbert, Lakes-L Blog for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 101 S. Webster Street • PO Box 7921 •Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921 • 608-266-2621

Asian Clams in Lake George

2010-12-28T09:02:00.000-05:00

Lake George Mirror article on Asian clams in Lake George, NY December 3^rd, 2010

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2010/12/lake-george-invasives-fight-cost.html

2011 National Beach Conference

2010-12-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host the 2011 National Beach Conference March 15-17, in Miami, Florida.This conference will provide a forum for discussing national beach water quality issues, exchanging information, and coordinating efforts in research and decision-making. Prior to the start of the conference,on March 14, EPA and its partners will provide training on beach monitoring, rapid methods, and predictive tools.

Source: EPA WaterHeadlines

EPA Completes Research to Inform Development of New Recreational Water Quality Criteria

2010-12-28T08:36:00.000-05:00

EPA has completed studies that serve as a scientific foundation for developing new or revised water quality criteria for recreational waters, such as lakes, rivers and oceans, by October 2012. EPA's research studies were focused on predictive modeling, method development and validation, and epidemiological studies. The new or revised criteria will replace the current criteria recommendations EPA issued in 1986 and are to be used by states, tribes and territories in their adoption of new water quality standards. These standards are to protect people who engage in recreational water activities from potential illness associated with fecal contamination in the water. The completion notices and reports from the studies are available on EPA's website at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/waterquality/standards/criteria/health/recreation/index.cfm. Some of the studies have also been published in professional journals and others are in the process of being submitted for publication.

For more information contact Lisa Christ at christ.lisa@epa.gov.

Source: WaterHeadlines

LCBP announces aquatic invasive species grant recipients

2010-12-02T15:33:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the NY recipients of aquatic invasive species grants from the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Your great work and commitment to stewardship through innovative projects leveraged $233,704 to help protect aquatic resources from invasives, way to go!

• Ausable River Association - river steward
• Boquet River Association - wetland monitoring
• Darrin Freshwater Institute - Asian clam response
• Lake Champlain Maritime Museum - Asian clam response
• Lake Colby Association - Eurasian milfoil control
• Lake George Association - lake steward program
• Rainbow Lake Association - lake steward
• Research Foundation of SUNY - AIS prevention at fishing tournaments
• The FUND for Lake George - Asian clam response
• Upper Saranac Lake Foundation - Eurasian milfoil control and prevention
• Watershed Stewardship Program, Paul Smiths College - spread prevention and early detection
• Lewis Creek Association (VT) - European frogbit spread prevention and control

Source: Hilary Smith, APIP

Invasive Species Ordinance

2010-11-14T14:38:00.000-05:00

Here is a sign posted at the boat launch on Upper Saranac Lake, Santa Clara, NY. The town has long been progressive about protecting it's aquatic resources.

Water cycle seems out of whack, experts find

2010-10-06T22:48:00.000-04:00

6:44 p.m. ET, Mon., October 4, 2010

NASA/JPL

msnbc.com

Researchers who set out to create a baseline for future research on water cycle trends on Monday reported an alarming discovery: 18 percent more water was fed into the oceans from rivers and melting polar ice sheets in 2006 than in 1994.

"That might not sound like much — 1.5 percent a year — but after a few decades, it's huge," researcher Jay Famiglietti said in a statement released with the report in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"In general, more water is good," said Famiglietti, an earth system professor at the University of California-Irvine. "But here's the problem: Not everybody is getting more rainfall, and those who are may not need it.

"What we're seeing is exactly what the (U.N.) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted, that precipitation is increasing in the tropics and the Arctic Circle with heavier, more punishing storms," he added. "Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of people live in semi-arid regions, and those are drying up."

The experts suspect that the evaporation and precipitation cycle of water is accelerating dangerously because of greenhouse gas-fueled higher temperatures. That, in turn, would trigger more severe monsoons and hurricanes.

"Hotter weather above the oceans causes freshwater to evaporate faster, which leads to thicker clouds unleashing more powerful storms over land," the statement said. "The rainfall then travels via rivers to the sea in ever-larger amounts, and the cycle begins again."

The researchers said they used satellite data on sea level rise, precipitation and evaporation to create what they called the "longest and first of its kind" record on global water discharge.

Over the 13 years studied, they added, "the trends were all the same: increased evaporation from the ocean that led to increased precipitation on land and more flow back into the ocean."

The experts cautioned, however, that 13 years is a relatively short time frame and that longer-term studies are under way.

LCBP releases $840,000 in Local Implementation Grants Opportunities

2010-08-27T18:03:00.001-04:00

Implementation Grant programs covered in this announcement include: Pollution Prevention Grants (up to $25,000 per grant for technical projects), Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention Grants (up to

$25,000 per grant for technical projects),Organizational Support Grants (up to $3,000 per grant for organization building), andEducation and Outreach Grants (up to $7,500 per grant for educational

projects). The LCBP anticipates awarding more than 45 grants, summing to more than $840,000 in 2010 to support local community involvement toward the implementation of the comprehensive management

plan Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin. Grant funds are anticipated through agreements with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Environmental

Protection Agency with appropriations supported by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy.

Grant Guidelines are available in the grants section of the LCBP website at www.lcbp.org/grants.htm with more information about how the grant program works and to help you prepare a competitive

application. Application Forms are provided in both PDF and Microsoft Word formats, for your convenience. Please review all of the materials provided within the Grant Guidelines carefully before

beginning your application. Organizations with existing LCBP-funded projects are eligible to apply for new funding only if all project deliverables and obligations under the existing and past awards are fully

up-to-date and the projects are in good standing.

You are encouraged to contact us at the LCBP office for assistance as you begin to develop your project. Because they do not make award decisions, our staff can help you interpret the application instructions

and guidelines.

Please note that completed applications must be received at the LCBP office in Grand Isle by close of business on the date noted above. We hope to have award decisions by early December 2011.

If you would like to receive a printed or email version of this grant, or if you would prefer not to receive these notices from the LCBP, please contact us at 802-372-3213 or grants@lcbp.org.

I look forward to seeing the 2010 applications!

Kathy Jarvis

Lake Champlain Basin Program

Fax: (802) 372-3233

Lllll

Spiny Waterflea

2010-08-27T18:00:00.001-04:00

The SUNY Plattsburgh / Lake Champlain Research Institute (LCRI) field crew caught spiny waterflea in Stewart's Bridge Reservoir on Tuesday 8/17. This is the last ponded water downstream of Great Sacandaga Lake before the Sacandaga River's final run to the Hudson. While this find is not surprising given the presence of SWF in Great Sacandaga, we believe it to be the first documented SWF in this waterbody. (Perhaps others know of earlier documentation?) Note the great photo of this specimen taken at the LCRI.

Sampling efforts thus far this summer have NOT detected spiny waterflea in the Glens Falls Feeder Canal or the Champlain Canal, so this is good news.

SUNY Plattsburgh / LCRI under the direction of Tim Mihuc, PhD is conducting field sampling activities associated with the Lake Champlain Long Term Water Quality and Biological Monitoring Project under an MOU with NYDEC using funding from the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Sampling is being conducted at the outlet dam of Stewarts Bridge Reservoir, one site on the Feeder Canal, 2 sites on the Champlain Canal, and at the 15 long term stations on Lake Champlain.

Fred Dunlap

NY Lake Champlain Basin Program Coordinator
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Water, Region 5
1115 Rte 86 PO Box 296
Ray Brook, NY 12977
ph: 518-897-1241 fax: 518-897-1245
email: fddunlap@gw.dec.state.ny.us

http://www.dec.ny.gov

http://www.lcbp.org

Asian Clam Positively Identified in Lake George

2010-08-26T17:43:00.000-04:00

Lake George, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI) has discovered a new invasive fresh water clam species in Lake George. This species, found last week by DFWI student Jeremy Farrell, was located in the Village of Lake George and poses a serious threat to native mussels and the Lake George ecosystem, according to Sandra Nierzwicki-Bauer, director of DFWI.

Nierzwicki-Bauer said the species - Corbicula fluminea - is an invasive clam from Asia, capable of self fertilization, achieving densities of thousands per square meter, and crowding native species from their typical habitats. Commonly known as the Asian clam, it is a light brown triangular clam that can survive in fresh and brackish waters. If the invasion is a localized one, it may be possible to eradicate, she added. The dominant native mussel in Lake George is Elliptio complanata.

"It is imperative that we move quickly to determine the extent of this infestation to assess the best treatment options that can be undertaken immediately," said Nierzwicki-Bauer, who is also a professor of biology at Rensselaer. "We have reached out to the regulatory agencies to assess all our options."

The Lake George environmental organizations have contracted to bring in an expert in invertebrate biology and scientific SCUBA: Dan Marelli, from Florida. He has worked with DFWI scientists for over 15 years to help coordinate SCUBA surveys, and he will direct new surveys that will be carried out by FUND for Lake George, DFWI, Bateaux Below Inc., and volunteer divers. Immediate plans include a survey of the shallow and embayment areas to establish the extent of infestation. Possible eradication or management strategies include use of a benthic barrier, essentially a plastic mat that could "smother" the clams, suction harvesting, or a combination of these methods. Currently, benthic mats are being used on a one-acre area in Lake Tahoe, Calif., to help manage the infestation there. Preliminary field work by DFWI staff indicates that a minimum of 2.5 acres in Lake George is infested.

The environmental groups will be coordinating with the Adirondack Park Agency and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

An initial plan of action has been organized to complete a SCUBA survey during the next two weeks to determine the geographical range of the infestation. This will involve surveys by divers of the lake bottom sediment. Other nearby areas with suitable habitat will be surveyed soon. Initial surveys will be supervised by Marelli. Once the extent of the infestation has been quantified, either a management or eradication strategy will be determined. The initial survey work will utilize the eight-diver crew of Aquatic Invasives Management (AIM) of Lake Placid, which is currently working in Lake George on management of Eurasian watermilfoil, under a contract with the FUND for Lake George.

Peter Bauer, executive director of the FUND for Lake George, said, "This is the newest invader to be found in Lake George. We've long had Eurasian watermilfoil and curlyleaf pond weed, as well as zebra mussels. We've seen a few plants of Brittle Naiad, too. We don't know the current extent of the Asian clam infestation, but if we're lucky maybe this is an isolated infestation in Lake George that we caught early."

Once field investigations are completed, further information on the extent of the infestation will be provided.

"It is now most important that we pull together with other organizations and the public to mount a rapid and effective response to this disturbing discovery," said Bruce E. Young, chairman of the Lake George Park Commission. "The community should be reassured that steps are under way to assess the extent of the Asian clam colony and if possible, eradicate it."

"While the discovery of an established Asian clam population in the lake was not good news to hear, the good news is that all the groups involved are taking swift action and rallying the troops. We are all divvying up the tasks, and LGA is heading up public outreach. It is very important to spread the word to area boaters and business owners, as we do not want the clam to spread further within our own lake or to other nearby bodies of water as well. We will be providing educational materials about the Asian clam and its spread to boaters, businesses, and residents all around the lake in the next few days," said Walt Lender, executive director, Lake George Association.

"It will take a concerted partnership effort to address Asian clam in Lake George. Key partners have already begun the rapid response process to survey, evaluate, and determine feasible control and spread prevention options. The Lake Champlain Basin Program will assist management efforts in any way possible as this species affects not only Lake George but the entire Lake Champlain Basin watershed and beyond," said Meg Modley, Aquatic Invasive Species management coordinator, Lake Champlain Basin Program.

Background on Corbicula fluminea

Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) are native to South East Asia and were first documented on the west coast of the United States in 1938. Since then they have spread to over 40 states. Asian clams are small, averaging less than 25mm (1.5 inches) with an oval triangular shape, deep at the hinge. Its outer shell is yellow brown, light brown to black with distinctive elevated, evenly spaced concentric ridges on the surface.

The Asian clam is a very hardy and persistent freshwater mollusk, capable of rapid growth and spread. The Asian clam prefers to colonize on sandy substrates in quiet, warmer, sunlit waters, and can be found with one-third of its shell protruding above the substrate (although it has been found at water depths to 250 feet and within the sediment buried up to 7 inches in Lake Tahoe). Asian clams can form dense clusters, with up to 5,000 animals per square meter. Asian clams are able to withstand freezing conditions, but their ability to reproduce decreases with exposure to lower temperatures (below 10oC/50oF). For a long time, New England was considered environmentally inhospitable to the Asian clam.

The Asian clam is hermaphroditic and therefore capable of self-fertilization. A single clam can release over 400 offspring per day, depending on the conditions. The microscopic pediveligers (the final veliger or larval stage) travel along the substrate to a new location, attaching with byssus fibers to any available suitable substrate. The young that are hatched in the spring usually attain maturity by the fall (at 6-10 mm) and live an average of two to four years, with a maximum life span of seven years.

Geoffrey Schladow, director of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center of the University of California, Davis, said the Asian clams promote so much algae growth that they can turn some waters from blue to green. As they filter the water and consume plankton, they deposit high concentrations of nutrients in their excretions. Another significant impact of the Asian clams infestations is the "biofouling" or the impairment or degradation of intake pipes for power plants and drinking water treatment systems.

Contacts:

Mark Marchand
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
518-276-6098
marchm3@rpi.edu

Peter Bauer, executive director
Fund for Lake George
518.668.9700 x 304
Cell: 518.796.0112
pbauer@fundforlakegeorge.org

Mike White, executive director
Lake George Park Commission
518.668.9347 x13
mike@lgpc.state.ny.us

C. Walter Lender, executive director
Lake George Association
518.668.3558
wlender@lakegeorgeassociation.org

Asian Clam Positively Identified in Lake George

2010-08-26T17:40:00.000-04:00

Nierzwicki-Bauer said the species - Corbicula fluminea - is an invasive clam from Asia, capable of self fertilization, achieving densities of thousands per square meter, and crowding native species from their typical habitats. Commonly known as the Asian clam, it is a light brown triangular clam that can survive in fresh and brackish waters. If the invasion is a localized one, it may be possible to eradicate, she added. The dominant native mussel in Lake George is Elliptio complanata.

"It is imperative that we move quickly to determine the extent of this infestation to assess the best treatment options that can be undertaken immediately," said Nierzwicki-Bauer, who is also a professor of biology at Rensselaer. "We have reached out to the regulatory agencies to assess all our options."

The Lake George environmental organizations have contracted to bring in an expert in invertebrate biology and scientific SCUBA: Dan Marelli, from Florida. He has worked with DFWI scientists for over 15 years to help coordinate SCUBA surveys, and he will direct new surveys that will be carried out by FUND for Lake George, DFWI, Bateaux Below Inc., and volunteer divers. Immediate plans include a survey of the shallow and embayment areas to establish the extent of infestation. Possible eradication or management strategies include use of a benthic barrier, essentially a plastic mat that could "smother" the clams, suction harvesting, or a combination of these methods. Currently, benthic mats are being used on a one-acre area in Lake Tahoe, Calif., to help manage the infestation there. Preliminary field work by DFWI staff indicates that a minimum of 2.5 acres in Lake George is infested.

The environmental groups will be coordinating with the Adirondack Park Agency and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

An initial plan of action has been organized to complete a SCUBA survey during the next two weeks to determine the geographical range of the infestation. This will involve surveys by divers of the lake bottom sediment. Other nearby areas with suitable habitat will be surveyed soon. Initial surveys will be supervised by Marelli. Once the extent of the infestation has been quantified, either a management or eradication strategy will be determined. The initial survey work will utilize the eight-diver crew of Aquatic Invasives Management (AIM) of Lake Placid, which is currently working in Lake George on management of Eurasian watermilfoil, under a contract with the FUND for Lake George.

Peter Bauer, executive director of the FUND for Lake George, said, "This is the newest invader to be found in Lake George. We've long had Eurasian watermilfoil and curlyleaf pond weed, as well as zebra mussels. We've seen a few plants of Brittle Naiad, too. We don't know the current extent of the Asian clam infestation, but if we're lucky maybe this is an isolated infestation in Lake George that we caught early."

Once field investigations are completed, further information on the extent of the infestation will be provided.

"It is now most important that we pull together with other organizations and the public to mount a rapid and effective response to this disturbing discovery," said Bruce E. Young, chairman of the Lake George Park Commission. "The community should be reassured that steps are under way to assess the extent of the Asian clam colony and if possible, eradicate it."

"While the discovery of an established Asian clam population in the lake was not good news to hear, the good news is that all the groups involved are taking swift action and rallying the troops. We are all divvying up the tasks, and LGA is heading up public outreach. It is very important to spread the word to area boaters and business owners, as we do not want the clam to spread further within our own lake or to other nearby bodies of water as well. We will be providing educational materials about the Asian clam and its spread to boaters, businesses, and residents all around the lake in the next few days," said Walt Lender, executive director, Lake George Association.

"It will take a concerted partnership effort to address Asian clam in Lake George. Key partners have already begun the rapid response process to survey, evaluate, and determine feasible control and spread prevention options. The Lake Champlain Basin Program will assist management efforts in any way possible as this species affects not only Lake George but the entire Lake Champlain Basin watershed and beyond," said Meg Modley, Aquatic Invasive Species management coordinator, Lake Champlain Basin Program.

Background on Corbicula fluminea

Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) are native to South East Asia and were first documented on the west coast of the United States in 1938. Since then they have spread to over 40 states. Asian clams are small, averaging less than 25mm (1.5 inches) with an oval triangular shape, deep at the hinge. Its outer shell is yellow brown, light brown to black with distinctive elevated, evenly spaced concentric ridges on the surface.

The Asian clam is a very hardy and persistent freshwater mollusk, capable of rapid growth and spread. The Asian clam prefers to colonize on sandy substrates in quiet, warmer, sunlit waters, and can be found with one-third of its shell protruding above the substrate (although it has been found at water depths to 250 feet and within the sediment buried up to 7 inches in Lake Tahoe). Asian clams can form dense clusters, with up to 5,000 animals per square meter. Asian clams are able to withstand freezing conditions, but their ability to reproduce decreases with exposure to lower temperatures (below 10oC/50oF). For a long time, New England was considered environmentally inhospitable to the Asian clam.

The Asian clam is hermaphroditic and therefore capable of self-fertilization. A single clam can release over 400 offspring per day, depending on the conditions. The microscopic pediveligers (the final veliger or larval stage) travel along the substrate to a new location, attaching with byssus fibers to any available suitable substrate. The young that are hatched in the spring usually attain maturity by the fall (at 6-10 mm) and live an average of two to four years, with a maximum life span of seven years.

Geoffrey Schladow, director of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center of the University of California, Davis, said the Asian clams promote so much algae growth that they can turn some waters from blue to green. As they filter the water and consume plankton, they deposit high concentrations of nutrients in their excretions. Another significant impact of the Asian clams infestations is the "biofouling" or the impairment or degradation of intake pipes for power plants and drinking water treatment systems.

Contacts:

Mark Marchand
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
518-276-6098
marchm3@rpi.edu

Peter Bauer, executive director
Fund for Lake George
518.668.9700 x 304
Cell: 518.796.0112
pbauer@fundforlakegeorge.org

Mike White, executive director
Lake George Park Commission
518.668.9347 x13
mike@lgpc.state.ny.us

C. Walter Lender, executive director
Lake George Association
518.668.3558
wlender@lakegeorgeassociation.org

France to Drain Glacial Lake That Threatens Thousands - Discovery News

2010-08-26T01:20:00.000-04:00

http://news.discovery.com/earth/france-to-drain-glacial-lake-that-threatens-thousands.html

France to Drain Glacial Lake That Threatens Thousands

August 25, 2010 8:15:31 PM

French engineers are prepping to drain a dangerous lake hidden underneath a glacier on Mont Blanc before the lake breaches its icy confines and floods the Saint Gervais valley, home to 3,000 people.

Valley residents are well acquainted with the raw power of glacial outbursts from Mont Blanc. In 1892, a lake broke through its frozen container, surged into the valley and killed 175 people.

To prevent a repeat of this catastrophe, French authorities are responding quickly to the threat. Scientists first noted a cavity of water below the mountain-top glacier in March, but the magnitude of the lake was only discovered in July.

Researchers believe the lake contains 2,275,000 cubic feet of water -- comparable to the amount of water released during the 1892 flood. If it bursts, it could inundate the valley in less than half an hour.

Melting of the overlying Tete-Rousse glacier, probably due to rising temperatures in the region, created this secret lethal lake. In other parts of the world, such as Iceland, glacial lakes often form due to volcanic activity.

In each case, the surrounding glacier acts as a temporary dam on the water. But it can easily crumble or, with enough water pressure, float up off the bedrock and release a torrent on the valley below. Icelanders are so used to these violent events that they've given them a name: "jokulhlaup."

As glaciers recede in many parts of the world, various monitoring programs have been set up to watch for potential jokulhlaups, including one in the Alps which spotted the Mount Blanc lake.

This is the first attempt to defuse a jokulhlaup, and pumping the water out of the massive lake is a complicated, risky project. "They have to drill between 40-50 meters (131-164 feet) of ice before reaching the water cavity. We are about 3,200 meters (roughly 10,500 feet) high; there's no road, only helicopter access and it's also an area prone to avalanches," Nicolas Karr, a member of France's National Forests Office told the BBC in an interview.

It is unclear how much of the lake engineers plan to drain. Even pumping out a small fraction of it will significantly reduce the stress on the overlying glacial cap, and the chance of a flood. Authorities are still not sure where the drained water will go.

Image: girolame, Flickr

Tour Operators, Israel Reject Claims That Jordan River Is Unsafe for Baptisms

2010-08-12T12:59:00.001-04:00

Operators of tours to the Holy Land are defending their services, yet proceeding with caution, in response to reports that one of the holiest sites in Christendom may pose serious health concerns.

Israeli officials are reassuring Christian pilgrims that the Jordan River, where many Christians go to be baptized, poses no health risk, despite reports from environmentalists that the waters are dangerously polluted.

The environmentalist group Friends of the Earth contends that high levels of coliform bacteria from sewage in the river have made it unsafe for bathing. But water tests released this week prove otherwise, Eli Dror of Israel's Nature and Parks Authority told Reuters.

"There's absolutely no problem with the quality of the water. People can come and baptize here as much as they want, I guarantee it," Dror said.

Israeli officials strongly denied any problem and pointed out that they had received no health complaints.

Tour operators, meanwhile, said they were not alarmed by the report.

"This destination has increased in popularity in the last few years, and [the baptisms] are such a small component of our tour that people focus on a lot of other things," Lael Kassis of Go Ahead Tours said.

"Israel has a religious history dating back thousands of years, so people will go for the incredible history and culture. And parts of the river are cleaner than others, so I don't hear any comments."

The Lower Jordan is a murky stream cut off from its source in the Sea of Galilee by the needs of towns and agribusiness and topped with waste water and runoff. But Israeli officials and tour providers say they work hard to provide a safe experience for people coming to be baptized in the river, and they say Friends of the Earth's claims should not scare visitors away.

"This site is one of the most important, most holy sites of the Christian people and they come from all over the world, so we're investing a lot of money to prepare it," Raphael Ben-Hur, an official with the Senior Ministry of Tourism, told Reuters. "It would be crazy to allow pilgrims to immerse themselves in pollution."

Jocelyn Pimm, managing director of Worldwide Christian Travel, agrees.

"People go just to be baptized in the River Jordan so the site is well-managed, specially designated for baptism with proper facilities, and I've never had complaints about pollution," Pimm said. "We have more people traveling to Israel now than we have ever had."

She said people will continue to go to the river regardless of the pollution reports, because there are so many historical and religious aspects to the pilgrimage.

"People will go just go to see the site without being baptized," Pimm said. "One person in about every 10 groups asks to be baptized. It's a very small number."

But Friends of the Earth insists the Jordan River is no place for a baptism.

"We've known for a long time that these waters are not healthy," Friends of the Earth's Gidon Bromberg told Reuters. "For most of the year they are four times more polluted than Israeli standards would permit.

"People who baptize in these waters presently, if they have a cut in their skin, could quickly develop a rash. If they swallow any of the water they could develop a stomach upset and start vomiting," he said.

Friends of the Earth alleged that competition for tourism may have persuaded Israeli authorities to bend health norms in the interest of keeping the industry booming there. But Dror said the group's health risk allegation was a scare campaign designed to promote its wider agenda -- to get Israel and Jordan to restore a third of the river's inflow from Galilee and return the river to better health.

"Of course it could be much better," Dror told Reuters. "But we need the water. We don't have any other choice."

Dror, referring to water quality assessment statistics, explained that the Lower Jordan contains large quantities of saline water from the upper Galilee, farm runoff, water from fish farms and partially treated sewage from a buried pipe -- but not "raw sewage" as charged by environmentalists.

Source: FoxNews.com

Most Abundant Food Source Disappearing

2010-07-29T15:30:00.001-04:00

In oceans around the world, there has been a surprisingly large and extensive decline in phytoplankton -- the tiny algae that keep marine food webs afloat.

The drifting green flecks have been dying off for at least a century, with a staggering 40 percent decline since 1950, according to a new study.

Phytoplankton make up half of all plant matter around the globe, said marine ecologist Daniel Boyce, whose study appears this week in the journal

Nature. Its disappearance threatens the stability of climate, the well-being of fisheries and the overall health of the oceans.

"It's hard to really imagine phytoplankton could be so important because most people don't see them in their daily lives. They're microscopic and they live out at sea," said Boyce, of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. "But everything that happens to them affects the entire marine food chain, including us."

Some recent satellite images have shown the ocean turning from green to blue as a result of phytoplankton declines, but those data stretch back only 13 years. Other studies have offered mixed results.

To get a more accurate picture and to look further into the past, Boyce and colleagues collected a half-million measurements of ocean clarity from a public data set that dated back to 1899.

Over the last century-plus, analyses showed, phytoplankton levels have dropped by one percent each year in eight out of 10 large ocean regions. The greatest decline occurred in areas around the poles, near the equator and in the open oceans. The rate of disappearance picked up after 1950, totaling a 40 percent drop-off since then.

"It's really big," said David Siegel, a marine scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "I'm a little leery about how big that number is."

The scientists can't yet say what's causing the mass die-off of phytoplankton, but temperature data offer a clue. The declines were worst in places where the surface of the sea has warmed the most. Warmer ocean water limits the amount of nutrients that can get from the depths to the surface. Phytoplankton need those nutrients to live.

With less phytoplankton around, fish have less to eat. As the decline works its way up the food chain, fishermen will have less to catch and fish-eaters less to eat. Phytoplankton even affect climate by taking up carbon dioxide and absorbing heat.

"Everyone looks at blue oceans and goes: 'Isn't that beautiful?'" Siegel said. "But a blue ocean is full of nothing. You really want something, and we're only making more of the blue ocean."

Source: Discovery News
http://news.discovery.com/earth/phytoplankton-oceans-food-web.htmlOcean's

Adirondack Forum Will Take Aim at Invasive Species

2010-07-08T01:26:00.001-04:00

Registration is now open for a free Adirondack Forum on Invasive Species. The Forum, a one-and-a-half day event, will be held August 10-11 at Paul Smith's College. You will learn how you and your community can be prepared for harmful invasive species invading Adirondack lands and waters.

Partners of the Adirondack Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management have organized the Forum to give citizens, community groups, members of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, resource managers, and elected officials from across the region an opportunity to discuss invasive species. The Forum will highlight initiatives underway in the region; showcase local successes and challenges as told by community members; feature up-to-date information about new invasive species; and identify important next steps that groups must collectively take to have a real and lasting impact on this challenging environmental and economic issue.

The Forum's theme centers on the need to consider all types of invasive species – plants and animals in both aquatic and terrestrial settings – and on ways in which communities can be prepared to address them. Invasive species are a top threat to lands and waters, to favorite outdoor pastimes and cherished traditions, and to forestry, fisheries, and agriculture upon which local economies rely. Some species, like purple loosestrife, have been in New York for hundreds of years, but others, like emerald ash borer, arrived only recently. The explosion in the expansion of species and the rate of new arrivals is alarming and cause for concern.

Each year a greater number of communities are faced with tough decisions about invasive species. In response, groups in the Adirondack region banded together over a decade ago to take aim at this pressing problem. They work together to halt the invasion by focusing on prevention and management. A great deal has been accomplished, but much more has yet to be done.

The Forum is free, and participants may register for all or part of the event. Information about registration, lodging and meals and a draft program are available online at http://adkinvasives.com/Forum.html. The deadline to register is July 28. For more information, contact Hilary Smith at the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program,

518-576-2082 or hsmith@tnc.org.

Citizen science: Birders contribute valuable data on invasive plant species

2010-06-30T06:04:00.000-04:00

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- In an effort to assess ties between birds' feeding habits and the spread of nonnative invasive plants, researchers provided ornithologists from four US states with questionnaires on daily bird-plant encounters. The 1,143 unique interactions reported by the birders laid the groundwork for a study on the role of native birds in the seed dispersal of invasive plants throughout the US.

Clare Aslan and Marcel Rejmánek of the University of California, Davis mailed questionnaires to more than 1,000 members of the Ornithological Societies of North America in the states of California, Florida, New York and Washington. The questionnaires addressed daily birding activities, experience level of the birder, bird-plant interactions and any additional comments. The answers were analyzed by the researchers and compared with pre-existing empirical data and/or follow-up field observations.

From the 179 birders who responded, the researchers gathered 1,143 interactions -- of those interactions, 539 (47 percent) involved birds feeding on fruits or seeds of nonnative plants. As birds feed on seed-bearing fruit or the seeds of plants themselves, they inadvertently drop leftovers in nearby soil or carry them greater distances in their plumage. The birders' reports suggest that--through their feeding and habitat preferences--specific birds are contributing to the spread of certain nonnative invasive plant species.

"The spread of invasive plants is tricky to keep track of," said Aslan. "Even if scientists are able to pin-point the site of introduction, it's very difficult to untangle the method, frequency and route of dispersal. In the case of fruit-eating migratory birds, this can be even more challenging as the seed dispersal is more widespread. The goal is to link specific birds with their new-found preferences for certain invasive plant species."

For example, the common North American bird the Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) was reported to feed on the invasive Chinese tallow, glossy privet and European olive plants in California; the researchers later confirmed all three accounts through field observations. The survey analyses also identified 17 under-researched plant species of particular concern for invasion as they were observed to be frequented by birds; these reports provided scientists with research ideas.

"By gathering the daily observations of established ornithologists, we were able to locate a starting point for future studies," said Rejmánek. "We identified birds feeding on and nesting in plants introduced to the U.S., and we identified new plants that hadn't been considered for follow-up research before. Incorporating the findings from birdwatchers, we are able to prioritize research efforts and fill in some of the current knowledge gaps on the topic."

Source: Science Daily
Click on Title link to view entire article.

Association of Watershed and Stormwater Professionals Launches new website

2010-05-12T09:36:00.000-04:00

The Center for Watershed Protection has announced the launch of the Association of Watershed and Stormwater Professionals (AWSPs) organization and website. The new website is of limited use, only providing information on membership benefits for this fledgling organization. These include:

Two issues of AWSP journal (due out Fall 2010 and Spring 2011) valued at $49/ issue
Substantial webcast discounts (up to $100 more than the Early Bird specials for the season or $20 per webcast).
You can save a total of $200 when you register for two sets of webcasts!
50% discounts on publications
Subscription to our quarterly e-newsletter, Runoff Rundown

Click on Title link to view entire article.

EPA Requests Proposals for Urban Watershed Grant

2010-04-26T17:29:00.001-04:00

As part of the Urban Waters initiative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available up to $600,000 in a targeted watershed grant for an eligible entity to establish and manage a national-scale, competitive urban watershed small grant program, and provide urban watershed technical services. EPA's Urban Waters initiative will help communities – especially disadvantaged communities – access, restore and benefit from their waters and the surrounding land.

The urban watershed small grant program and the watershed technical services funded under the EPA grant will promote community stewardship by increasing the capacity of local watershed groups and local communities. Better understanding of their urban watersheds will lead to better decision making, and improved restoration and protection efforts in the future. EPA is encouraging local watershed organizations and communities to envision the role their urban watershed should have in their long range development plans.

Questions must be received by May 6, 2010 and proposals must be received by EPA by May 19, 2010. The selection of the successful applicant will be announced this summer.

More information on the Targeted Watershed Grants Program: http://www.epa.gov/twg

EPA Decentralized Wastewater Management E-Handbook Now Available

2010-04-08T18:47:00.001-04:00

The EPA Office of Wastewater Management has recently expanded its "Handbook for Managing Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems with the addition of an "E-Handbook." The E-Handbook features resource guides containing detailed information on the 13 management program elements featured in the existing management handbook: public education, planning, performance, site evaluation, design, construction/installation, operation/maintenance, inspections/monitoring, residuals management, training/certification, financial assistance, inventory/recordkeeping, and compliance assurance.

The E-Handbook focuses on individual and clustered wastewater systems that discharge to the soil, but the information can also be applied to small systems that discharge to surface waters through federal or state National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit programs. The E-Handbook is intended for health departments, wastewater system management entities, local governments, and others involved in managing multiple individual or clustered treatment systems. Each resource guide contains detailed information on each program element topic and links to other resources, case studies, and examples of successful management programs. The resource guides in the E-Handbook can be accessed via hot-links in the current Management Handbook posted at http://www.epa.gov/owm/onsite

Upcoming Invasive Species Webinars

2010-04-07T23:17:00.001-04:00

Cornell University Cooperative Extension ForestConnect Webinar Series April and May, 2010

Anyone who has not previously registered [you only need to register once] can complete the registration via the WEBINARS link at www.ForestConnect.info<http://www.ForestConnect.info> Registration is quick and without cost. Registration ensures you receive notice of the specific link to participate, first come first served, in each monthly webinar. Webinars are live at noon and 7PM and typically run 60 minutes plus questions.

More information about the ForestConnect webinar series is available at www.ForestConnect.info<http://www.ForestConnect.info> SAF CFE credits will be requested.

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April 21, 2010 - "Managing early successional wildlife habitat" will be presented by Kristi Sullivan, Cornell University Department of Natural Resources. Grasslands, shrublands, and young forest habitats (collectively referred to as early-successional habitats) have been declining in New York and throughout the Northeast for decades as have the wildlife species associated with them. Many are listed as species of special concern in several northeastern states. The American woodcock has declined considerably over the past 30 years, and New England cottontails occur in only 20% of the area in which it was historically found. During this webinar, woodland owners, foresters, and natural resource managers learn about tools to manage habitat for the benefit of early successional wildlife including ruffed grouse, songbirds, New England cottontails, and other wildlife.

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May 19, 2010 - "Effectively Communicating the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Message through Media Outreach" will be presented by Dr. Holly Menninger, Cornell University Department of Natural Resources. This webinar is especially relevant to Extension educators, natural resource professionals, and invasive species team leaders. The communication of clear, accurate, and consistent messages about Emerald Ash Borer is a critical component of an effective EAB outreach program. With an emphasis on EAB preparedness and community action, Menninger will provide Webinar participants with tips and tools to more effectively use media outreach to deliver these messages to the public. Topics covered will include: message development, an overview of journalism, strategies for media engagement, and tips for more successful interviews.

Peter J. Smallidge, Ph.D.
NYS Extension Forester
Director, Arnot Teaching and Research Forest
Director, Cornell Maple Program

116 Fernow Hall, Department of Natural Resources
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853

pjs23@cornell.edu
www.ForestConnect.info
www.ArnotForest.info
www.CornellMaple.info

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Thanks to Leslie Surprenant for bringing this to my attention

Leslie Surprenant
Invasive Species Management Coordinator
NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Office of Invasive Species Coordination
625 Broadway, 5th Floor
Albany, NY 12233-4756
518-402-8980

EPA Climate Reports Available Online

2010-04-07T23:00:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Water has issued the National Water Program Climate Change Strategy 2009 Progress Report. The report summarizes the climate change accomplishments of the National Water Program through 2009. The report, along with highlights factsheets, is available at: http://www.epa.gov/ow/climatechange/implementation.html

EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries program recently issued its 2009 Progress Report, describing ongoing efforts to assist coastal communities in preparing for the impacts of climate change. This report features the activities of each of the program's 11 partners and key lessons learned in the adaptation-planning process.

The Progress Report can be downloaded at: http://www.epa.gov/cre/downloads/2009-CRE-Progress-Report.pdf

NALMS 19th Annual Southeastern Lakes Management Conference: May 4 - 7, 2010

2010-04-04T14:48:00.001-04:00

NALMS 19th Annual Southeastern Lakes Management Conference:

Managing Extremes: Watersheds and Climate Disruption

May 4 - 7, 2010 Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hawthorne Inn and Conference Center. C

onference and hotel registration deadlines are coming up soon. Please note the changes in dates from previous announcements:

• Early Bird Conference registration deadline: Sunday, April 4, 2010- Hotel registration at discounted rate deadline: Tuesday, April 13, 2010

The conference is focused on the continuing challenges of protecting, managing and maintaining water quality, water supply and aquatic resources under the full range of conditions including the extreme circumstances of weather and climate change.

(Visit http://nclakemanagement.org/conferences/SE19/index.html to register for conference).

PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOPS: May 4 & 5, 2010

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 – Full day workshops

• Algae Identification - Instructors: JoAnn Burkholder, PhD, NCSU and Linda Ehrlich, PhD, Phycologist

• "Man VS Stats", a survival guide for the statistical wilderness - Instructor: Dennis Helsel, PhD, Practical Stats

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 – ½ day morning workshops

• Life and Death for Lakes: Basic Properties and Processes, Dr. John Hains, Clemson

• Local Stream Restoration Tour, Darrell Westmoreland, North State Environmental

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

The Conference opening plenary session is at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, May 5 with a talk by Linda Rimer, US EPA on Climate Change. Jason Ortegren will give a talk entitled

Perspectives on Drought in the Southeastern U.S.: Past, Present...and Future? as the highlighted speaker for the luncheon on Thursday, May 6.

Concurrent sessions from Wednesday afternoon through Friday noon will cover a multitude of subjects that reflect the broad range of issues affecting lakes and watersheds in the Southeast. Topics in the sessions include – Drought and Flood management, Water Conservation, Water Quality, Storm Water Management, Stream and Watershed Restoration, Water Supply Issues, Climate Change Initiatives, Invasive Species and other important topics.

LOCATION: The Hawthorne Inn and Conference Center is conveniently located in central North Carolina. Owned and operated by Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, the Inn is conveniently located in downtown Winston-Salem – at the doorstep of Old Salem.The conference rate is $77 for single, double, double /double or King plus taxes. Complimentary breakfast is included with room. Reservations can be made by calling

800 972-3774 and ask for the NC Lake Management Conference block or online @ www.hawthorneinn.com code 26D4ES.

The reserved block of rooms at the conference rate will only be available until Friday, April 13, 2010- so reserve early at the discounted rate!

REGISTRATION: $175 (after April 4: $200); includes morning coffee, two lunches, breaks, as well as a special reception on Wednesday night at the Hawthorne Inn. There are additional registration fees for the Pre-Conference Workshops on May 4-5 (includes breaks and lunch for full day workshops). Workshop and conference registration information and forms can be found on the NCLMS website at

http://nclakemanagement.org/conferences/SE19/index.html.

For exhibitor registration information, contact Cary Martin at cary.martin@aquacontrol.com.

COUNCIL PROPOSES ACTION TO PROTECT FORESTS, FARMLANDS AND WATERWAYS FROM INVASIVE SPECIES

2010-04-02T17:33:00.001-04:00

Draft Report Recommends New Classification System to Restrict Movement of Non-Native Plants and Animals

For the first time, New York would classify non-native plants and animals to help prevent the spread of invasive species through waterways, forests and farmlands, under a proposal unveiled today by the state Invasive Species Council.

The Council released a draft report, "A Regulatory System for Non-Native Species," that calls for a multi-pronged approach to tackling one of the state's fastest growing environmental threats. Among other recommendations, the Council proposed a new assessment system for invasive species – such as zebra mussels, Sirex wood wasps and Eurasion milfoil – that would allow the state to categorize them as "prohibited," "regulated" or "unregulated." Such a classification system would help restrict movement of potentially harmful plants and animals.

The Council, created by state statute, comprises nine state agencies and is co-led by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM). The Council released the draft report for public comment through May 14 (details below). Following finalization, the report will be sent to Governor David A. Paterson and the state Legislature for possible action.

"Invasive species have a devastating impact, not only on the environment but also the economy," DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said. "They have wiped out certain tree species, hurt recreational and commercial fishing, and tainted water supplies. The best way to prevent their spread is to focus on the many pathways by which plants and animals are moved around the globe. The system the Council is proposing strikes the right balance of minimizing the major threats to our ecology and economy while allowing for the careful use of plants and animals that pose lower risks."

The Public Review Draft of the "invasive species list report" - A Regulatory System for Non-native Species - has been released for public comment. Comments will be received through 14 May 2010.

You can find the Report at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/63402.html

EPA Holds Additional Public Hearings on Proposed Florida Water Quality Standards

2010-04-02T12:02:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding several public hearings in April, in addition to the public hearings that were held in February, to receive more input on the agency's proposed Florida water quality standards. The standards will protect people's health, aquatic life and the long-term recreational uses of Florida's waters, which are a critical part of the state's economy.

The additional hearings are scheduled for:

April 13, 2010: Fort Myers
Harborside Event Center
1375 Monroe Street, Fort Myers, Fla. 33901
12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

April 14, 2010: Tampa
Hilton Tampa Airport
2225 North Lois Avenue, Tampa, Fla. 33607
12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

April 15, 2010: Jacksonville
Clarion Hotel Airport Conference Center
2101 Dixie Clipper Drive, Jacksonville, Fla. 32218
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed standards through April 28

More on the proposed rule and public hearings:
http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/rules/florida/

EPA Proposes Veto of West Virginia Mine Permit Under the Clean Water Act

2010-03-31T15:03:00.001-04:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposal under the Clean Water Act to significantly restrict or prohibit mountain top mining at the Spruce No. 1 surface mine in Logan County, W. Va. Spruce No.1 mine is one of the largest mountaintop removal operations ever proposed in Central Appalachia. The project was permitted in 2007 and subsequently delayed by litigation. The Spruce No. 1 mine would bury over 7 miles of headwater streams, directly impact 2,278 acres of forestland and degrade water quality in streams adjacent to the mine.

EPA's proposed determination comes after extended discussions with the company failed to produce an agreement that would lead to a significant decrease of the environmental and health impacts of the Spruce No. 1 mine. EPA has used its Clean Water Act veto authority in just 12 circumstances since 1972 and never for a previously permitted project. The proposed determination identifies numerous potential adverse impacts associated with the Spruce No. 1 project including water quality impacts, fish and wildlife impacts, mitigation impacts, and cumulative mining impacts.

Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404(c) authorizes EPA to restrict or prohibit placing certain pollutants in streams, lakes, rivers, wetlands and other waters if the agency determines that the activities would result in "unacceptable adverse impacts" to the environment, water quality, or water supplies. This authority applies to proposed projects as well as projects previously permitted under the CWA. A final decision to restrict or prohibit the Spruce No.1 mine will be made at EPA Headquarters based on a recommendation from the Regional Administrator, public comments, and discussions with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Mingo Logan Coal Company.

The proposed determination is being published in the federal register and EPA is taking public comment for 60 days. EPA is also scheduling a public hearing in West Virginia to provide an additional opportunity for public input.

The proposed determination: http://www.epa.gov/region03/mtntop/spruce1documents.html

EPA's Watershed Academy Webcast on Monitoring and Assessment Under the Clean Water Act

2010-03-30T08:34:00.000-04:00

EPA is announcing a Watershed Academy Webcast on April 7, 2010 at 1:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern to learn about "Monitoring and Assessment Under the on the Clean Water Act." This is a third in a series of Webcasts on the Clean Water Act (CWA). Earlier Webcast topics included an introduction to the CWA and an introduction to water quality standards.

This Webcast will focus on key aspects of monitoring and assessment under the CWA including:
1) collection, assembly and evaluation of water quality data and other relevant information, 2) inferring current waterbody condition based on such data and information, and 3) determining whether or not individual waterbodies meet applicable state water quality criteria.

To register for this Webcast, visit www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts

Virtual Water Trade Show

2010-03-09T10:28:00.002-05:00

Introducing a new, completely virtual water event!

VirtualH2O, taking place April 20-21, 2010, will combine virtual tradeshow exhibits and conference presentations to deliver attendees an innovative -- and convenient -- opportunity to network with and learn from leaders in the water and wastewater industries.

Conference Program

VirtualH2O will offer attendees access to 30 presentations across the following tracks: Municipal Drinking Water, Municipal Wastewater, Industrial Water/Wastewater, Urban Water Management, and Municipal Water Utility Management. Click here (http://www.virtualh2oevent.com/index/conference-information.html) to view the conference agenda.

Conference sessions will be delivered as pre-recorded webcasts, with instructors on-hand for a live Q & A session after the presentation.

Registration is FREE and absolutely no travel is required.

Virtual Trade Show

Exhibitors will be on-hand in virtual booths to share information about their latest water and wastewater products and network with attendees. Visiting a virtual booth provides attendees with an innovative way to learn about and evaluate products that interest them -- without traveling to a physical tradeshow or walking an exhibit hall.

VirtualH2O takes networking efforts to the next level, enabling real-time interaction between vendors and attendees in the form of live chat and email exchanges. Exhibitors can also share information about their products and services through the use of video as well as literature downloads.

More information available at www.virtualh2oevent.com

Register at https://presentations.inxpo.com/Shows/Penwell/H2O/04-10/Registration/registration.html

Winnipesaukee communities discuss solutions to water quality concerns

2010-02-18T22:17:00.000-05:00

Winnipesaukee communities discuss solutions to water quality concerns
by Erin Plummer
January 13, 2010

MEREDITH — Communities and state officials are taking steps toward improving water quality on Lake Winnipesaukee with the release of unfavorable data on the condition of various areas of the lake.

Representatives from the Department of Environmental Services, North Country Resource, Conservation, and Development, the Lakes Region Planning Commission, the University of New Hampshire, representatives from Moultonboro, Laconia, Gilford, and Holderness, and other interested parties came out for a meeting in Meredith last Tuesday to address water quality on local subwatersheds.

Conservation officials discussed looking at a subwatershed approach to addressing water quality on Winnipesaukee, working on a smaller scale for a possible greater chance of success, as it would be more manageable. This approach could identify pollution sources and identify clear regulatory authority and greater coordination of efforts.

The presentation was part of a watershed planning an implementation process that started in 2006.

Click on Title link to view entire article. Thanks to Diane Rush for the submission.
Source: NewHampshireLakesAndMountains.com by Salmon Press, PO Box 729, 5 Water Street, Meredith, NH 03253

EPA Issues Rule to Reduce Water Pollution from Construction Sites

2009-11-30T07:42:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued a final rule to help reduce water pollution from construction sites. The agency believes this rule, which takes effect in February 2010 and will be phased in over four years, will significantly improve the quality of water nationwide.

Construction activities like clearing, excavating and grading significantly disturb soil and sediment. If that soil is not managed properly it can easily be washed off of the construction site during storms and pollute nearby water bodies.

The final rule requires construction site owners and operators that disturb one or more acres to use best management practices to ensure that soil disturbed during construction activity does not pollute nearby water bodies. In addition, owners and operators of sites that impact 10 or more acres of land at one time will be required to monitor discharges and ensure they comply with specific limits on discharges to minimize the impact on nearby water bodies. This is the first time that EPA has imposed national monitoring requirements and enforceable numeric limitations on construction site stormwater discharges.

Soil and sediment runoff is one of the leading causes of water quality problems nationwide. Soil runoff from construction has also reduced the depth of small streams, lakes and reservoirs, leading to the need for dredging.

More information: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/guide/construction

Spiny Waterflea Lkae Champlain Projects

2009-11-30T07:36:00.000-05:00

Grand Isle, VT - The first of five Lake Champlain projects funded through an appropriation in the Great Lakes Fishery Commission budget was initiated this week. Senator Patrick Leahy secured a $500,000 appropriation to be transferred to the Lake Champlain Basin Program and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat and to remove hazardous materials from Law Island, a popular recreation area near Colchester, VT. This project, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will result in a preliminary barrier design to reduce the spread of the spiny water flea, a small predatory crustacean, from New York's Great Sacandaga Lake to Lake Champlain.

Senator Leahy in a statement said: "I am pleased that the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are moving quickly to prevent the spread of the spiny water flea into Lake Champlain. Invasive species, like water chestnut and the alewife, can do massive damage and may be impossible to eliminate once they become established. This is truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

The spiny water flea was found in Great Sacandaga Lake in October, 2008. The invasion of Lake Champlain by this species would be ecologically harmful, because it competes with native species near the base of the food chain. They are also a serious nuisance in recreational fishing because their bodies collect on and foul fishing gear. Resource managers and anglers are very concerned that this species could spread to Lake Champlain from the Great Sacandaga Lake through the Champlain Canal.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sampled for the presence of the spiny water flea in both the Champlain Canal and Lake Champlain several times through the summer of 2009. Fortunately, no specimens were found.

Dave Tilton, Manager of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Program in the region, is pleased with the selection of a contractor. "Thanks to support from Senator Leahy and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, we're able to obtain bioengineering services to review the biology of the spiny water flea as it relates to its potential to travel from Great Sacandaga Lake, down the Sacandaga River to the Hudson, and through the Feeder Canal into the Lake Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain," said Tilton. "Our engineering contractor will also assess design criteria for a filter or other facility and develop construction cost estimates."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hiring HDR Engineering to complete the work. HDR Engineering, which has a branch office in Syracuse, New York, will determine advantages and drawbacks for each alternative to deter the spiny water flea. Work is expected to be completed early in 2010.

"We're working as quickly as possible to prevent the spread of the spiny water flea," said Tilton. "We hope the results of this first contract will help prepare the cooperating State and Federal agencies to implement the chosen alternative in the next year or two.

For further information about the spiny water flea projects contact Dave Tilton, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 11 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction, Vermont (802) 872-0629. For information on additional projects scheduled for 2010, log onto www.lcbp.org<http://www.lcbp.org> or call (802) 372-3213.

Source: Hilary Smith, APIPP

NPDES Permit Writers' Course now on-line

2009-07-30T19:23:00.000-04:00

NPDES Overview Course for Permitees – Now Available On-line

EPA is now offering segments of its very popular "NPDES Permit Writers' Course" on line. In response to diminishing travel budgets and to reach a broader audience, EPA's Office of Wastewater Management is developing web-based presentations that cover some of the material presented in the live course.

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program is authorized under the Clean Water Act to control the discharge of pollutants from industrial and municipal point sources to waters of the United States. The "NPDES Permit Writers' Course" is a five-day training course covering the key elements of NPDES permit development. The course is taught by experienced EPA staff and contractors and has been very successful in training new EPA and State NPDES permit writers.

These recorded presentations are not intended to replace the "live course," but should enable permit writers who attended the NPDES Permit Writers' Course to review the material on demand in a self-paced environment. The Web-based presentations should also be useful for those who have not attended a live course, but wish to become familiar with important concepts of the NPDES permit program.

The first installment in this Web-based training, "Establishing Water Quality-based Effluent Limitations in NPDES Permits" is now available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/outreach/training/pwtraining.cfm

This web site provides links to the presentations, as well as introductory text describing the training materials, and explanations of how to navigate through the presentations. Additional training materials will be posted to the site in the coming months.

Questions or comments should be directed to David Hair in EPA's Water Permits Division at 202-564-2287 (hair.david@epa.gov)

Source: Waterheadlines

Two Literature Reviews Related to Recreational Water Quality Risks

2009-07-24T12:59:00.000-04:00

EPA conducted two literature reviews to help inform development of new or revised recreational water quality criteria by 2012. The first document, "Review of Published Studies to Characterize Relative Risks from Different Sources of Fecal Contamination in Recreational Waters," describes the existing information available to characterize the relative risks of human illness from various sources of fecal contamination in recreational waters. The second document, "Review of Zoonotic Pathogens in Ambient Water," provides a summary of information on waterborne zoonotic pathogens that come primarily from warm-blooded animals.

Both documents are available on EPA's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/recreation/.

Source: Waterheadlines

Web Seminar - What's Below the Surface of Your Reservoir

2009-07-23T16:53:00.001-04:00

YSI has announced a free web seminar entitled What's Below the Surface of Your Reservoir? - Using Water Quality Monitoring & Mapping Systems to Find Out More About Your Source Water

July 30 1PM-2PM EDT

If you are interested in:
• Early warning of taste- and odor-causing algae
• Monitoring low dissolved oxygen and stratification
• Tracking the impacts of storm events
• Monitoring water quality at intakes
• Calculating volume of reservoir

Join the webinar to learn about:
• Automated vertical profiling of water column
• 3-D mapping of water quality
• Bathymetry and volume mapping
• Case studies from source water manager

For more information, contact YSI at: environmental@ysi.com
Tel: +1-937-767-7241 US: 800-897-4151

Interagency Funding Guide for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Focus on invasive spp

2009-07-21T11:28:00.000-04:00

An Interagency Funding Guide has been developed in order to provide one-stop-shopping for applicants interested in applying for over $250 million in grants and project agreements which would be expected to be available through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (if the full $475 million for the Initiative is appropriated). These grants and project agreements are intended to jump-start achievement of the Initiative's long term goals: safely eating the fish and swimming at our beaches, assuring safe drinking water, and providing a healthy ecosystem for fish and wildlife. The Interagency Funding Guide is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/glri/fundingguide2009_r1.pdf

Note that pp 3-5 of the document describe funding opportunities for research, control and prevention of invasive species.

Be sure to regularly check http://nyisri.org/Funding.aspx for invasive species funding updates and full RFP's as they become available.

Source: Holly Menninger
Senior Extension Associate and
NY Invasive Species Research Institute Coordinator
Department of Natural Resources
Cornell University

Water Quality Video Contest Winners Inspire Stewardship for the Nation’s Waters

2009-07-14T16:52:00.002-04:00

The two winners of EPA’s first-ever water quality video contest made videos that will help educate the public about water pollution and give simple steps that people and communities can take to improve water quality.

“We are delighted by the number and quality of contest submissions,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Michael H. Shapiro. “This is another illustration of how new Web technologies allow people to express their passion for water quality in new and exciting ways.”

In the 30 or 60 second category, “Protect Our Water - Check Cars for Oil Leaks” submitted by Lucas Ridley of Trenton, Ga. was the overall winner. His video illustrates one easy step you can take to protect your watershed through proper motor vehicle care.

In the 1-3 minute category, “Dastardly Deeds and the Water Pollution Monster” submitted by Nora Kelley Parren of Hinesburg, Vt. was the winner. Her animated video, made entirely out of discarded paper, illustrates how polluted runoff threatens ecosystems and offers tips people can take to protect water quality. The two winning filmmakers will each receive a $2,500 cash award, and their videos are featured on EPA’s Web site.

EPA received more than 250 video submissions that covered a wide variety of topics including low impact development, wetlands, marine debris, watershed management, water quality monitoring, polluted runoff, and other water-related topics. EPA received many other highly creative videos, and 22 videos were recognized as honorable mentions.

Thanks to the 1972 Clean Water Act, there have been great improvements to our nation’s waters over the past 37 years; however, there is more that we can do. Educating citizens about actions that they can take to reduce their impact is vital to improving the nation’s water quality.

To view the winning videos and honorable mentions: http://www.epa.gov/owow/videocontest.html

Source: Waterheadlines

VT TNC Distributes Vermont Monthly Invasives Update as e-newsletter

2009-07-01T13:41:00.001-04:00

The Vermont Chapter of Nature Conservancy's Wise on Weeds! program distributes a well-produced Monthly Invasives Update chock full of usefull information covering terrestrial and aquatic invasive species. This newsletter should be of interest to residents throughout the Northeast and not just Vermont. If you would like to like to receive the newsletter, or have something to contribute, please contact Sharon Plumb at splumb@tnc.org.

Here's the June 2009 Table of Contents to give you an idea of what you can expect:

1. Species Spotlight: Japanese Knotweed

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
2. Vermont Aquatics Nuisance Bill
3. The Conservancy's Wise on Weeds! Program Receives EPA Educational Grant
4. The Conservancy's Wise on Weeds! Program Receives Wellborn Ecology Grant

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
5. Managing Invasive Plants in Your Forests
6. Invasive Plant Management for Road Crews Workshops
7. Invasive Plants 101! Landowner Workshop at Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
8. Get outside with The Nature Conservancy and Pull it Up!
9. Burlington Parks & Rec Invasive Plant Removal Program
10. Volunteers Needed to Assist in European Frogbit Management

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
11. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the 2009 "Pulling Together" Initiaitive
12. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the 2009 Native Plant Conservation Initiative (NPCI) grants cycle

RESOURCES
13. Wild Ones Promotes Native Plants
14. Invasive Species Middle School Curriculum
15. Goutweed Soup

Aquatic Invasive Speces Rapid Response Plan Approved for Lake Champlain Basin

2009-07-01T12:59:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the dedicated work of the Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) Aquatic Nuisance Species Subcommittee and Rapid Response Workgroup, the Lake Champlain Basin Rapid Response Action Plan for Aquatic Invasive Species has been approved by the LCBP Steering Committee. This plan is intended to ensure that appropriate protocols, trained personnel, equipment, permits, and other resources are in place to contain and potentially eradicate newly detected nonnative aquatic invasive species as they are reported in the Basin. The plan envisions a task force comprised of members from Quebec, New York, and Vermont to implement and oversee rapid response actions.

This plan will be very helpful should hydrilla (for example) be found in Lake Champlain. Hydrilla has rapidly spread since it was introduced into Florida waters by an aquatic fish dealer and is now found in Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts. The aggressive invasive poses a looming threat to Lake Champlain as it is very adaptable and difficult to control once it has established a population. The Rapid Response plan will limit its impact on the Lake and prevent hydrilla from clogging waterways.

For more information about hydrilla or other aquatic nuisance species, visit www.lcbp.org/nature.htm.

Source: Lake Champlain Basin Program

$10 million Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program

2009-07-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

EPA is announcing the availability of up to $10 million in "Climate Showcase Communities" grants for local and tribal governments to establish and implement climate change initiatives. EPA requests proposals which create replicable models of sustainable community action, generate cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions, and improve the environmental, economic, public health, or social conditions in a community.

How many grants will be awarded?

The agency expects to award a total of approximately 30 cooperative agreements ranging from approximately $100,000 to $500,000.

Approximately 5% of the fund ($500,000) are set-aside for tribal
governments. EPA expects to award 1-3 grants under the tribal set aside.

Who is eligible for the grant program?

Eligibility for the program includes local governments (a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, any other regional or interstate government entity, or any agency or instrumentality of a local government), federally recognized Indian tribal governments, and inter-tribal consortia.

(Ed. note: Are you an eligible party with an idea but need help developing a succesful proposal? LakeStewardship.org can help by connecting you with leading scientists & researchers in the field of climate change. Email Michael at LakeStewardship.org >> michael@lakestewardship.org)

Are applicants required to provide matching funds?

A 50% cost-match or cost-share is required for this program with the exception of tribal governments and intertribal consortia which are exempt from matching requirements. The cost share and/or match can be in the form of cash or as in-kind contributions, such as use of volunteers and/or donated time, equipment, expertise, etc.

What is the application deadline?

Proposals are due by July 22, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. EDT. An optional notice of intent to apply is requested by July 1, 2009.

Who will administer the grant program?

The Grant program is administered by EPA's Local Climate and Energy Program, an initiative to assist local and tribal governments to identify, implement, and track policies and programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions within their operations and surrounding communities.

What resources will be available to grant recipients?

Over the course of the grant program, EPA will offer peer exchange, trainings, and technical support to grant recipients. Each grant recipient will be profiled online and in EPA materials. EPA will share lessons learned from the grant program with communities across the nation.

For more information: http://epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/showcase.html

To view the Request for Applications: http://www.epa.gov/air/grants/09-08.pdf

------------------------------------------
Source: Anne Weinberg & NPSINFO listserv (see NPSINFO Resource Center epa.gov/nps/npsinfo for more information)

Rain Gardens - Inexpensive & attractive treatment of stormwater runoff

2009-06-29T09:32:00.001-04:00

A rain garden is a shallow depression in the ground that captures runoff from your driveway or roof and allows it to soak into the ground, rather than running across roads, capturing pollutants, and delivering them to nearby lakes and stream. Rain gardens are placed between stormwater runoff sources (roofs, driveways, parking lots) and runoff destinations (storm drains, streets, lakes, streams). Plants and soil work together to absorb and filter pollutants and return cleaner water through the ground to nearby streams.

Rain gardens are an inexpensive and attractive way to improve water quality and enhance the beauty of your yard or business.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension has developed an outstanding Web site that is dedicated to all aspects of building rain gardens. The website address is http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/raingarden/

Sources:
Bridget Munger, Stormwater Outreach & Education Coordinator
N.C. Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources, Raleigh, NC

NC Cooperative Extension Rain Garden website

Wetland Program Development Grants Request for Proposals

2009-06-12T18:12:00.001-04:00

On Friday May 29, 2009, EPA announced the release of the FY09 National Wetland Program Development Grants Request for Proposals (RFP). The total amount of expected federal funding available under this announcement
is approximately $550,000 and the federal portion of the awards will range from $25,000 to $225,000. Grants are awarded through Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act and are made to
build the capacity of all levels of government to develop and implement effective, comprehensive programs for wetland protection and management.

This year the RFP lists five national priority areas:
1) State/Tribal
Technical and Meeting Support;
2) Regulation;
3) Monitoring and Assessment;
4) Voluntary Restoration/Protection; and
5) Water Quality Standards for Wetlands.

The RFP will close at 7pm EDT on July 15, 2009, with decisions expected by the end of the fiscal year. The RFP can be viewed on the EPA wetlands website: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/HQrfp09.pdf

Source: Waterheadlines

4th Annual Adirondack Invasive Species Awareness Week is July 5 -11

2009-06-12T18:00:00.001-04:00

The 4th Annual Adirondack Invasive Species Awareness Week is July 5 -11. Awareness Week provides an opportunity to raise attention to invasive species and ways to stop their spread. Groups across the region host activities locally which help to broaden the reach of our collective message.

We're requesting that activities be submitted by June 24th so that we can alert media in advance. Activities will be posted online at http://adkinvasives.com/InvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek.html.

Need ideas? Consider...
Plant pulls
Earthworm watches
Plant paddles
Forest pest trapping
Tips and tricks for I'd
Milfoil boat tours
Native plant landscaping
Free boat washing
River walks
Didymo dunk station
And more...

We hope you will join in the effort during Awareness Week to protect the Adirondack region from invasive species. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you!
Hilary

Hilary Smith
Director, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program
The Nature Conservancy - Adirondack Chapter
PO Box 65
Keene Valley, New York 12943
518-576-2082 x 131 (tel)
518-576-4203 (fax)
hsmith@tnc.org
www.adkinvasives.com

Presidential initiative provides volunteers for your lake & watershed stewardship programs

2009-06-12T17:55:00.001-04:00

SUBJECT: President's new service initiative provides opportunity to get new volunteers for your program - act quickly

Dear Watershed Organizations and Volunteer Monitoring Program Coordinators:

President Obama will soon be announcing a Summer of Service campaign which offers a new and exciting opportunity to help you build up your roster of volunteers and raise awareness about volunteer monitoring and watershed stewardship. This week the President will be encouraging nonprofit organizations with a need for volunteers to register at www.serve.gov.

On June 22, the President and his Cabinet will officially launch the Summer of Service and encourage Americans to volunteer for their communities. The President will direct potential volunteers to www.serve.gov to find local opportunities for service.

EPA is using this opportunity to promote volunteer monitoring and watershed stewardship. It is our hope that this Presidential initiative will encourage many more people to work to protect their watersheds.

Please consider registering your. program at www.serve.gov. You may get contacted by a number of volunteers eager to help your organization.

Think through what opportunities you might have for this summer, including monitoring workshops and events, debris cleanups, riparian restoration, community education, storm drain marking and other activities. If you want to sign up, you should do so as soon as possible, as a surge of web traffic is expected starting this week by
both organizations and individuals looking to get involved in volunteering this summer. However, if you're not quite prepared for a whole new cadre of volunteers, or for reporting the results of your summer volunteer activities at www.serve.gov, you may not want to sign up at this time. One of the goals of this effort will be sustainable volunteerism, so if you're not ready to sign up this summer, you can always do so later on.

Please go to www.serve.gov to register your program or for more information.
Thanks for all you do, every day.

If you have questions about this initiative, feel free to contact Alice
Mayio at mayio.alice@epa.gov.

LAKE STEWARDS ON DUTY AGAIN AROUND LAKE GEORGE

2009-06-04T15:08:00.001-04:00

June 2, 2009 Lake George, NY - Again this summer, lake stewards will be at boat launches around Lake George to educate boaters about invasive species spread prevention and to inspect boats.

Stewards will be located at Norowal Marina and Dunhams Bay Marina in the south end, and Mossy Point, Hague Town Launch, Gull Bay Town Launch, and Rogers Rock in the north end on various weekends.

"We have a great group of stewards working for us this summer. They all grew up in the area. They love Lake George, and want to give back by helping protect it this summer," said Emily DeBolt, the Lake George Association's Education and Outreach Coordinator.

DeBolt and the LGA coordinate the Lake George Lake Steward program on behalf of the Lake George Watershed Coalition. Training for the stewards, as well as data collection methods, are done in coordination with the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smiths College and the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

Already, the lake stewards are off to a great start this season, removing 6 plants from boats over Memorial Day Weekend at Norowal Marina. 3 were native plants, and 3 were invasive plants: Eurasian watermilfoil, Curly-leaf pondweed, and Water Chestnut.

Water Chestnut has widespread negative impacts on Lake Champlain, but the invasive weed is not currently found in Lake George.Last summer, the stewards inspected 2,964 boats at launches around the lake between Memorial Day and mid-August, removing a total of 61 specimens of aquatic invasive species.

In addition to inspecting boats and providing information about invasive species, the stewards ask boaters a number of questions as part of a survey, which will be used to gain a better understanding of how invasive species are spread and to gauge the public's knowledge on the issue.

As part of the survey, stewards ask what body of water the boat was last in. Last year, boaters reported having come from 159 different waterbodies in 19 different states before arriving at Lake George.

Some of those boats, 25 to be exact, reported having last been in Great Sacandaga Lake, where the first invasion of the spiny waterflea in an inland waterbody in New York, was discovered last fall. The spiny waterflea is a tiny zooplankton that could disrupt our fishery, and it, along with many other potential invaders, are on the stewards' radar for this summer.

The stewards will also be spreading the message about the new DEC firewood regulation, which limits the movement of untreated wood to 50 miles in an effort to protect our forests from insect invaders, such as the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) and Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB), which have devastating impacts on tree populations in the Great Lakes and the Northeast. One of the prime methods for spread of these pests is through the transportation of firewood. EAB has been moving from Michigan to Ohio, Pennsylvania and Quebec. ALB has been found in the New York City area, as well as Worcester, Pennsylvania.

By definition, invasive plant and animal species are non-native, yet are well adapted to the conditions and face no natural controls in the form of predators. When established, invasive species reproduce quickly and outcompete native species for necessary resources, such as food, space, oxygen, and sunlight. Eventually, native species can be completely displaced by the invader. Invasive species also have the potential to cause significant economic impacts and impacts to human health.

Some funding for the program has been provided by the New York State Department of State and by the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

For more info about the Lake Steward program, or ways you can get involved in helping protect Lake George, contact the LGA at 668-3558 or go online to www.lakegeorgeassociation.org.

Source: Lake George Association - P.O. Box 408 - Lake George, NY 12845(518) 668-3558 - Fax (518) 668-4702 - www.lakegeorgeassociation.org

Help Protect Adirondack Waters from Invasive Species

2009-06-01T16:32:00.000-04:00

Early detection of invasive species increases chances of successful eradication. Get on-board with the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program's 8th annual aquatic invasive plant training and learn aquatic plant identification tips and survey techniques. Volunteers are asked to conduct an annual survey on an Adirondack lake of their choice to search for aquatic invasive plants.

To-date, 371 aquatic enthusiasts have spent over 4,000 hours surveying 216 Adirondack waterways. From the Fulton Chain to Lake Champlain, volunteer efforts are making a difference!

The training is free, but space is limited. Please RSVP by June 8th to Tyler Smith, Aquatic Invasive Species Project Coordinator, at tyler_smith@tnc.org or 518-576-2082 x119.

Select a training location that best suits you. All sessions are from 10am-2pm.
• June 16, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Bolton Landing
• June 18, Goff-Nelson Memorial Library, Tupper Lake
• June 23, Hudson River-Black River Regulating District Field Office, Mayfield

Returning volunteers are encouraged to attend the plant identification portion as a refresher.

Lake Stewardship:A Resident’s Guide to Understanding, Protecting, Restoring and Managing Lake & Pond Water Quality

2009-05-28T15:30:00.004-04:00

I am writing a book on lake stewardship based on my 20+ years of experience managing lakes and working with lake stewards across the United States. I've included an excerpt from the introduction that tells a bit more about the why and what of this book. There are several good references out there that provide the nuts and bolts, and I intend to provide some of that as well. More importantly, I hope to distill my experience into a valuable and unique resource for those of you out there who live on and care about lakes. As the book progresses, I will likely share portions on-line here. Meanwhile, feel free to write me, the Wandering Limnologist, and tell me what are your main questions and concerns so that I can continue to provide answers on this blog (see Ask the Wandering Limnologist post) and further refine the book so it meets your needs.

Introduction
Managing your lake or pond is going to be the most demanding socio-politico-economic-environmental undertaking in your life. Say goodbye to summers spent swinging in the hammock and hello to squabbles with seasonal friends and neighbors, endless meetings, . . . Well, it’s not all bad. Your lakefront property is an investment that needs protecting, an economic investment related to your retirement, a legacy to leave your offspring. While complicated at times and fraught with the real potential for conflict, acting as good stewards of your lake is one of the most rewarding ways you can spend your valuable free time.

The purpose of this book is to get you up to speed on lake stewardship by sharing my lake management knowledge accumulated through more than two decades of experience working on literally hundreds of lakes and ponds across the eastern half of the United States. You will learn important aspects about lake ecology and water quality. You will learn how your presence on the shore of a lake impacts lake ecology and water quality. You will learn the things you can do to preserve your lake. And you will learn about the things you can do if you need to restore your lake to a more pristine condition. While the science of applied limnology, the study of freshwater systems, and lake management can be complicated, I will do my best to present this material in a way that helps you understand what is going on beneath the surface of your lake.

Pulling Together Initiative seeks proposals that will help control invasive plant species

2009-05-25T09:00:00.002-04:00

The Pulling Together Initiative has issued a Request for Proposals that will help control invasive plant species, mostly through the work of public/private partnerships such as Cooperative Weed Management Areas. PTI applications are accepted from private non-profit (501)(c) organizations, local, county, and state government agencies, and from field staff of federal government agencies. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible to receive PTI grants, but are encouraged to work with eligible applicants to develop and submit applications to PTI.

PTI grants provide an opportunity to initiate working partnerships and demonstrate successful collaborative efforts such as the development of permanent funding sources for Weed Management Areas. To be competitive, a project must:

prevent, manage, or eradicate invasive and noxious plants through a coordinated program of public/private partnerships; and
increase public awareness of the adverse impacts of invasive and noxious plants.

Successful PTI projects:

Focus on a particular well-defined area, such as a watershed, ecosystem, landscape, county or Weed Management Area.
Target a specific and measurable conservation outcome.
Are supported by private landowners, state and local governments, and the regional/state offices of federal agencies.
Have a project Steering Committee composed of local cooperators who are committed to working together to manage invasive and noxious plants across their jurisdictional boundaries.
Have a clear long-term weed management plan which is based on an integrated pest management approach using the principles of ecosystem management.
Include a specific, ongoing, and adaptive public outreach and education component.

Special consideration for funding will be given to projects that:

Address invasive species threats impacting one of the NFWF Keystone Initiative focal topics including for example:

• Eastern North America Early Successional Habitat (Wildlife and Habitat, Birds)
• Prairie Couteau Grasslands (Wildlife and Habitat)
• Sky Islands Grasslands (Wildlife and Habitat)
• Gunnison sage-grouse (Birds)
• Southeastern Grasslands (Birds)
• Seabirds (Birds)
• Shortgrass Prairie (Birds)
• Colorado River Fishes (Fish)

Address invasive plant management through an Early Detection/Rapid Response approach.

For additional information about each of these Keystone Initiatives, visit www.nfwf.org/keystones.

Application Procedures

PTI Applicants must complete the online pre-proposal application form at www.nfwf.org/grantapplication

The pre-proposal form deadline is June 30, 2009.

Applicants that are invited to submit a full proposal will receive instructions via e-mail for accessing the full proposal form. Full proposals are due on September 30, 2009.

Project Timetable

June 30, 2009 • Pre-proposal deadline.
September 30, 2009 • Full proposal deadline.
January 29, 2010 • Formal announcement of award recipients.

Free "Wetlands – Reconnecting Youth with Nature." Webcast May 28th in celebration of American Wetlands Month

2009-05-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

EPA’s Watershed Academy is sponsoring a free May 28th Webcast Seminar entitled "Wetlands – Reconnecting Youth with Nature" in celebration of American Wetlands Month.

As more Americans dwell in cities and suburbs, our society has become increasingly distanced from the natural world. More sedentary lifestyles, a reliance on electronic devices for creative play and entertainment, more structured "free-time" and less opportunity to explore outside have only added to this separation for children. The absence of everyday connections with nature can have a very negative effect – if our youth don't have meaningful experiences with nature, how will they come to care for and appreciate it and spearhead the next generation of environmental stewardship?

Join us for a special American Wetlands Month Webcast as we explore this issue, hear about their efforts to change these trends, and discuss the unique role wetlands can play in reconnecting young people with nature. The Webcast will feature Richard Louv, distinguished author and Chairman of the Children and Nature Network; Suzanne Pittenger-Slear, President and CEO of Environmental Concern Inc.; and Davon Kenneth Johnson, Earth Conservation Corps.

To register for the free Webcast, please visit http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts/

EPA's WaterSense Program Revises Draft Specification for Single Family New Homes

2009-05-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

The WaterSense program has refined its draft labeling specification for single-family new homes (initially released in May 2008). The revised draft specification addresses efficient plumbing fixtures, hot water delivery systems, appliances, landscape design and irrigation.

The revised specification will ensure that future WaterSense labeled homes still use 20% less water than similar new homes, while reducing the burden and cost to the builders. The modifications to the previous draft specification have built in some additional flexibility; the changes include:

Hot water delivery systems - New performance standards no longer require specific types of hot water delivery systems or insulation of hot water pipes.
Landscaping - The revised landscaping criteria allow for a wider variety of landscaping options
Irrigation systems – Additional requirements for minimum distribution uniformity values and rain shutoff devices increase the efficiency of newly installed irrigation systems.
Water budget tool – An improved resource, the water budget tool, better reflects growing seasons and plant water requirements.
Inspection guidelines- An optional sampling protocol adds flexibility and streamlines the inspection process for production builders.

These changes reflect further research, stakeholder comments and industry best practices. Once the specification is finalized, homes built and inspected to the specification will bear the WaterSense label.

The updated specification for single-family new homes will be available for public comment through July 7, 2009. EPA anticipates releasing the final Water-Efficient Single-Family New Home Specification in late 2009.

EPA welcomes input on the revisions made to the specification, and encourages all interested parties to view the most recent documents and provide comments. In addition, EPA plans to hold at least one public meeting on the revisions in June 2009.

Visit http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/new_homes.htm to learn more about the Water-Efficient Single- Family New Home Specification.

Source: Waterheadlines

Ask the Wandering Limnologist

2009-05-20T11:05:00.002-04:00

Here is a question posed to The Wandering Limnologist by the owner of a newly-created 15 acre lake regarding aquatic plants:

Dear Wandering Limnologist,
I have a newly created lake that is full for the first time this spring and have been reading many sources regarding lake management. Some books say that the key to clear water is to have plants growing that stabilizes the bottom. One article besides dealing specifically with phosphorus gives the impression as many other conflicting articles do – that "all vegetation is bad". How do you keep a stable bottom with "good plants" and limit the bad?
Signed,
Weedless in SE New York

Dear Weedless:

There are a certain amount of nutrients in a lake acting like fertilizer to make green things grow - green things being algae & phytoplankton and aquatic plants. If you have no aquatic plants then all those nutrients go into phytoplankton and algae growth, causing cloudy water (green, green-brown, or brown). What you have been reading could also be talking about stabilizing lake bottom sediments, shallow water sediments, and lake shorelines. Without plants, wave action will resuspend sediments into the lake causing cloudiness (brown).

Lake ecosystems & lake management are not simple things. If anyone tells you verbally or in something you read that "doing this one thing" fixes all your problems or even solves one problem, be very suspect. For instance, say you had too many plants. Someone tells you that grass carp will fix your problem. It is true that grass carp eat plants. But they preferentially select and eat tastier (to them) plants first and maybe you didn't want to get rid of the tasty plant but another more troublesome plant. Furthermore, no one knows how many grass carp is the correct number. Too few and nothing happens, so the tendency is to throw in too many (there is no correct magic number). So the grass carp eat up all the tasty plants, then all the 2nd tastiest plants and so on until they eat up ALL the plants. Now your lake has no plants. Yea! But then all that phosphorus that was in the plants comes out as fish poop and with no plants you get algae and plankton and your lake is a green algae mess. And with no plants the bass can find and eat up all the small and young fish and you get no more new fish that can grow up to be big fish. And so on.

That is just on example how a "quick and easy fix" can cause more problems than it solves. So do yourself and your lake a favor, support your local lake expert. All kidding aside, don't be led around by simple statements and claims when it comes to your lake. Trust the experience of a certified lake manager when I say it is almost always more expensive to clean up a lake than it is to prevent it from getting messed up in the first place.

Oh, and the short answer is, yes you need plants in your lake to stabilize the shore and provide refuge for baby fish. You really just need to stabilize the shallow, near-shore area and there are plenty of plants that will only grow in shallow water and therefore NOT spread across the whole lake. You don't need or want plants covering the entire bottom of the lake because there aren't many deep water plants that only grow a few inches. They all want to shoot up to the surface.

So, as with the grass carp example, you have to be careful what you plant and introduce into the lake. As pretty as they are, AVOID WATERLILIES AT ALL COSTS. If you want some water lilies, plant them in buckets that you place in the lake so they won't spread everywhere! There are good sources for obtaining aquatic plants and I recommend that we create an aquatic plant planting plan for your new lake.

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Visit the Wandering Limnologist at http://wanderinglimnologist.org

Submit your questions to The Wandering Limnologist at wanderinglimnologist@lakestewardship.org

NYS DEC and USDA Need Volunters for Emerald Ash Borer Surveys

2009-05-19T05:17:00.002-04:00

While not strictly a lake issue, this is certainly a watershed issue - Michael -

DEC and USDA are calling all volunteers and interested groups to assist with their 2009 Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) trapping surveys. Your help is requested in the following ways:

1. hang EAB traps in ash trees (June) (this can range from 1 to many traps, depending on your interest/availability)

2. check the traps mid-season and send in any target beetles (July)

3. remove the traps at the end of the season and send in any target beetles (August)

Training will be from 9-2 on Tuesday, May 26th at the DEC in Ray Brook.

If you are unable to attend the training but are interested in helping, arrangements can be made to get you the information and supplies you need.

Please email Tom or Jason with your interest:

Tom Colarusso, Thomas.W.Colarusso@aphis.usda.gov
Jason Denham, jpdenham@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Did You Know?

2009-05-17T14:55:00.003-04:00

Did you know that our "sister" site, LakeStewardship.org, has over 200 links for composting toilets and information about lakes and of interest to lake residents as well as lake managers? There is also a section with links to information on critical lake and watershed issues.
Check it out at http://lakestewardship.org/

Plus, you can support Lake Stewardship by shopping at the Lake Stewardship Store, where you can buy excellent books about lakes and lake management, as well as virtually any other items of which you may be in need.

Check out at The Lake Stewardship Store

Michael: The Lake Stewardship Guy & The Wandering Limnologist

GE dredging of PCBS begins on upper Hudson River

2009-05-17T14:49:00.001-04:00

FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) — Dredges have started removing PCB-laden sediment from the upper Hudson River, more than three decades after the oily chemicals fouled the waterway.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency held a ceremony Friday as the first load of contaminated mud was dredged from the river and unloaded onto a barge 45 miles north of Albany in Fort Edward. The agency called for dredging in 2002.

General Electric Co. discharged wastewater containing PCBs — a probable carcinogen — into the Hudson before the substance was banned in 1977.

Under an agreement with the EPA, GE will clean up 265,000 cubic yards of river bottom this year. Results will be studied before a second, much larger stage would begin. Fairfield, Conn.-based GE has not committed to the second phase.

Source: AP/Adirondack Daily Enterprise; Posted online May 15, 2009, published in April 16 Sat/Sun. edition