2

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

 

 

Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Partners:

The Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) 2007 Annual Report provides a snapshot 

of OWOW’s notable accomplishments in calendar year 2007. I want to thank our partners from 

other federal agencies, state, tribal and local governments, the private sector, and academia who 

contributed to these milestones. 

Among our accomplishments, OWOW and its partners continued to make significant progress toward the President’s 2004 Earth Day pledge to protect 3 million acres of wetlands by 2009. In fact, 

our interagency effort is not only on track to meet this ambitious goal, but will surpass it. Through 

our National Estuary Program, Nonpoint Source Program, Five-Star Challenge Grants and Superfund Program, EPA (with significant contributions from OWOW) restored more than 25,000 

wetland acres and protected more than 100,000 acres since 2004. In November, the agency and its 

partners celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the National Estuary Program (NEP) during a wonderful open house at EPA headquarters, where we recognized the outstanding accomplishments of the 

NEPs.

As of 2007, more than 32,000 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs or pollutant clean-up budgets) 

were completed for impaired waterbodies, including more than 4,000 in 2007 alone. This past year, 

the TMDL program also took major steps to address mercury—the cause of impairment in more 

than 8,700 waterbodies—by encouraging more comprehensive state and regional mercury control 

programs. 

OWOW and its partners continue to make significant advances in our water quality monitoring 

and assessment programs. In 2007, we released our first-ever National Estuary Program Coastal 

Condition Report and made headway on our National Lakes Survey. These ambitious national 

assessments, along with our upcoming Rivers and Streams Survey and Wetlands Survey, will help 

us to better measure environmental progress as well as guide future management decisions. And 

finally, the year 2007 marked the completion of a reassessment of the 2001 Gulf Hypoxia Action 

Plan—setting the stage for a new Action Plan to be released this spring.

We need to be innovative and to explore ways to leverage the great work that we do. Our cross 

office teams on sustainable finance, communications, and smart growth continue to lead the way 

by reaching out to new partners and taking advantage of the latest tools and innovations on crosscutting issues. 

I look forward to working with each of you as we strive together to achieve our goals for clean 

water and healthy ecosystems in 2008.

Craig E. Hooks, Director

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds

Note from the Director
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Note from the Director.............................................................................2

About OWOW..........................................................................................4-5

Oceans and Coastal Protection Division.............................................6

Wetlands Division....................................................................................10

Assessment and Watershed Protection Division.................................13

Policy & Communications......................................................................16

OWOW Cross-Office Teams and Initiatives

Gulf Hypoxia.............................................................................................17

Watershed Planning.................................................................................18

Tribal Program Support...........................................................................18

Smart Growth...........................................................................................19

Sustainable Financing.............................................................................20

Communications......................................................................................21

Diversity....................................................................................................22

Cover photo of Yosemite by John H. McShane. Cover photo of egret by Gerold Morrison.

In this report...... 

Table of Contents
4

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Organizational Chart

Assessment and Watershed 

Protection Division

Phone: (202) 566-1155

Fax: (202) 566-1331

Benita Best-Wong, Director 

Tom Wall, Associate Director

Watershed Branch

John Goodin, Chief

Monitoring Branch

Susan Holdsworth, Chief

Nonpoint Source Control 

Branch

Dov Weitman, Chief

Wetlands Division

Phone: (202) 566-1348

Fax: (202) 566-1349

Dave Evans, Director

Rob Wood, Associate Director

Wetlands and Aquatic Resources 

Regulatory Branch

Brian Frazer, Chief

Wetlands Strategies and State 

Programs Branch

Lynda Hall, Chief

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds

US EPA, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20460

Craig E. Hooks, Director

Suzanne Schwartz, Deputy Director 

Phone: (202) 566-1146

Fax: (202) 566-1147

Policy, Communications, and Resource 

Management Staff

Barbara Chancey, Acting Director

Ocean and Coastal Protection 

Division

Phone: (202) 566-1200

Fax: (202) 566-1334

Paul Cough, Director 

David Travers, Acting Associate 

Director

Marine Pollution Control Branch

Dave Redford, Chief

Coastal Management Branch

Darrell Brown, Chief

Office of 

Ground Water and 

Drinking Water

Office of 

Science 

and Technology

American Indian 

 Envornmental Office

Office of 

Wastewater 

Management

Office of Water

Office of Wetlands,

 Oceans and Watersheds

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
5

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

 2007 Highlights

The Office of Wetlands, Oceans and 

Watersheds (OWOW)

OWOW is one of 

five offices in the 

Office of Water 

at EPA Headquarters in 

Washington, D.C. The 

office provides leadership, policy direction, 

and financial support to 

our 10 regional offices and to the states, tribes, and 

territories that implement our programs. We also 

work collaboratively with other federal agencies, as 

well as local governments, the private sector, and 

nonprofit organizations to carry out our mission to 

protect and restore the aquatic ecosystems of our 

marine and fresh waters.

In addition to our Clean Water Act authorities, the 

office has authorities under the Marine Protection, 

Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Ocean Dumping), 

Coastal Zone Management Act, National Environmental Policy Act and several other environmental 

statutes.

OWOW Programs and Initiatives

•	 National Estuary Program

•	 Dredged Material Management

•	 Ocean Dumping

•	 National Water Quality Inventory

•	 National Aquatic Resource Surveys

•	 Nonpoint Source Program

•	 Wetlands Permitting

•	 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)

•	 Five Star Restoration Program

•	 Wetland Program Development Grants

•	 Targeted Watershed Grants

•	 Volunteer Monitoring Program

For more information about OWOW, 

visit epa.gov/owow

Wetland Protection and Restoration: OWOW 

and its partners protected and/or restored tens of 

thousands of acres of wetlands in 2007. Major contributions came from the National Estuary Program, 

§319 Nonpoint Source Program, and the Five-Star 

Restoration Program.

Hypoxia Action Plan: A complete reassessment of 

the 2001 Hypoxia Action Plan set the stage for the 

release of a new Action Plan in 2008 to combat the 

“dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ocean Dumping: In 2007, EPA submitted to Congress a package of legislative changes to the 

Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act 

to support ratification of the London Protocol, an 

international ocean dumping treaty. 

Total Maximum Daily Loads: More than 4,000 

watershed cleanup plans were completed in 2007, 

along with a multi-pronged strategy to accelerate 

the cleanup of mercury-impaired waters.

National Aquatic Surveys: The year 2007 marked 

the completion of field sampling for the National 

Lakes Survey, along with the selection of indicators 

and testing protocols for the Rivers and Streams 

Survey. These surveys will provide accurate scientific assessments of the condition of the nation’s 

waters and guide future management decisions.

Wetlands Guidance: OWOW provided exceptional policy and legal support following the Supreme 

Court’s Rapanos decision regarding the scope of 

“waters of the U.S.” Joint guidance by EPA and 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued in 2007 

implements the court’s decision.

Economic Benefits of Low Impact Development 

(LID): A new report published by OWOW highlights the economic viability of LID practices 

through 17 case studies that show how these practices and strategies can save money and protect 

water quality.

Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox: OWOW 

released an on-line repository of watershed outreach materials, including nearly 800 public service announcements, radio, TV and print ads, and 

other materials that can be customized for other 

watersheds.

2007 Highlights
6

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

 Ocean and Coastal Protection

The year 2007 

marked the 20th 

Anniversary of 

EPA’s National Estuary Program (NEP), 

passed as part of the 

1987 Amendments to 

the Clean Water Act to 

help protect and restore 

estuaries threatened by pollution, development, 

or overuse. In November 2007, EPA celebrated 

this milestone at an open house attended by 

more than 275 well-wishers and Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H. Grumbles. 

The event commemorated two decades of work 

by community stakeholders to protect water 

quality and the living resources of 28 estuaries 

of national significance. 

Major NEP Accomplishments

Each of the 28 National Estuary Programs 

works in collaboration with the private sector, 

non-profit organizations, government agencies, 

academia, and citizens to develop and implement comprehensive watershed plans that address priority natural resource concerns.

•	 Since 2000, the NEPs collectively have protected and restored nearly one million acres 

of habitat. Wetlands have constituted almost 

half of those acres. 

•	 Since 2003, the NEPs have obtained nearly 

$4 billion of public and private funding by 

developing alliances with implementing 

partners. 

For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/

owow/estuaries/openhouse.html. (Contact: 

Nancy Laurson, 202-566-1247). More information on leveraged funding is available at: www.

epa.gov/owow/estuaries/fund.htm. (Contact: 

Tim Jones, 202-566-1245)

The NEPs have leveraged approximately $15.50 for 

every $1 of EPA funding

NEPs and EPA Programs Recognized at 

the Open House

•	 Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries — for its

achievements in environmental enforcement, 

including a determination that led to the aquisition of more than 500 acres of Nueces Delta 

wetland habitat. 

•	 The Massachusetts Bays Wetlands Program

— for its role in developing methods to assess

wetland condition and for creating an assessment manual that will help evaluate restoration and mitigation success

•	 Delaware Inland Bays — for its support of the

Center for Inland Bay’s Poultry Integrators’

Nutrient Effort project and the development of

model farms in the watershed. 

•	 Maryland Coastal Bays — for promoting 

smart growth, including comprehensive planning, zoning and alternative futures. 

•	 The Office of Research and Development – for

assisting the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound NEP 

with scientific assessments related to long-term

watershed sustainability. 

•	 EPA’s Drinking Water Protection Program — 

for supporting the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary NEP in improving water quality 

for 1.5 million surface/drinking water users in 

the Schuykill Watershed.

•	 The Office of Wastewater Management — for

managing wet weather with green infrastructure efforts, particularly in the Buzzards Bay

NEP. 

National Estuary Program Celebrates 20th Anniversary 
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

EPA’s Ocean and Coastal Protection Division (OCPD) collaborated with EPA’s National Center 

for Environmental Economics (NCEE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop and pilot test a first-ever model to provide estimates of the economic 

impacts of a single aquatic invasive species (AIS)—the European green crab. With NCEE staff in the 

lead technical role, OWOW co-funded and provided policy support to develop and test the model. 

OWOW staff delivered presentations about the model at national and international research conferences. Options for using the model to develop estimates for other species’ economic impacts are now 

under development. For additional information, visit www.epa.gov/owow/invasive_species/. (Contact: Marilyn Katz, 202-566-1246)

Improved management of ballast water, one of the major vectors for introduction of AIS, can reduce the potential for introduction of invasive species by ships. OCPD worked with the U.S. Coast 

Guard to develop national ballast water standards and international standards under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). (Contact: John Lishman, 

202-566-1364)

As the cruise industry continues to expand, there is growing 

concern over the potential environmental impacts. Vessels, 

literally floating cities that can carry as many as 3,000 passengers, often operate in pristine coastal waters. 

In December 2007, OWOW released for public comment a draft report 

assessing five major waste streams from cruise ships: sewage, graywater, oily bilge water, solid waste, and hazardous waste. For each 

waste stream, the draft report discusses its nature and volume, existing federal regulations, environmental management, potential adverse 

environmental impacts, and actions by the federal government. After 

EPA completes a review of public comments, including options, alternatives, and recommendations on whether and how to better control 

and regulate these waste streams, the agency intends to issue a final 

report in 2008. OWOW also has completed a comprehensive, multiyear evaluation of cruise ship sewage and graywater. Complete results of that evaluation will be 

made public in 2008, and are summarized in the draft assessment report. More information is available at: www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/cruise_ships/. (Contacts: Elizabeth Kim, 202-566-1270 and Laura 

Johnson, 202-566-1273) 

EPA Completes Draft Cruise Ship Discharge 

Assessment Report

Protecting Oceans and Coasts

Economic Model Helps Estimate Impacts from 

Aquatic Invasive Speciess
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

EEPA took a number of major steps in 2007 to improve ocean dumping management. In November, EPA submitted to Congress a package of legislative changes to the Marine Protection, 

Research, and Sanctuaries Act to support ratification of 

the London Protocol, an international ocean dumping treaty. As 

co-chair of the National Dredging Team (NDT), EPA undertook a review of the National Dredging Policy and the NDT’s 

2003 Action Agenda. The review included an assessment of 

the Marine Transportation System and the federal response to 

priority dredging issues. EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held a meeting of the National and Regional Dredging 

Teams and a national meeting of Dredged Material Managers 

to facilitate continued coordination among the leading stakeholders in dredging and dredged material management. 

In 2007, EPA released two guidance documents on the beneficial use of dredged material, drafted an emergency permit template to assist EPA regions in cases 

of emergency dumping requests, and began a major revision to EPA’s open water dredged material disposal guidance documents. Finally, in 2007, EPA’s Ocean Survey Vessel Bold monitored 13 

ocean disposal sites to ensure compliance with environmental requirements. More information is 

available at: www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/regulatory/dumpdredged/dumpdredged.html. (Contacts: 

Elizabeth Kim, 202-566-1270 and Molly Madden, 202-566-1279) 

EPA Strengthens Ocean Dumping Management

Ocean and Coastal Protection

I

n June 2007, EPA released the National Estuary Program (NEP) Coastal Condition 

Report (NEP CCR), the first assessment of the overall ecological condition of NEP 

estuaries. The report, which provides a snapshot of the condition of ecological 

resources in the 28 estuaries of the NEPs, rated the overall condition of the NEPs 

as fair. This report rates the NEP estuaries individually, regionally, and nationally using four primary indicators of estuarine condition: water quality; sediment 

quality; benthic community condition; and fish tissue contaminants. The findings 

of the NEP CCR will serve as a benchmark for analyzing the progress of the NEPs 

and offer insights on what additional actions are needed to better protect, manage, 

and restore coastal ecosystems. For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/owow/

oceans/nepccr/index.html. (Contact: Greg Colianni 202-566-1249) 

National Estuary Program Coastal Condition Report Provides 

Assessment of Ecological Conditions 
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Protecting Oceans and Coasts

EPA Continues Leadership 

Role in U.S. Ocean Action Plan

S

ince issuance of the Ocean Action Plan (OAP) in 2004, state-led regional collaborations have 

made progress in identifying and addressing state ocean and coastal priority issues. As of 

2007, the Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR), co-chaired 

by EPA, NOAA, Council on Environmental Quality, and the Department of the Interior has helped 

facilitate the establishment of three federal interagency teams at the regional level to coordinate 

with and support, respectively, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GMA), the Northeast Regional Oceans 

Council (NROC), and the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health. EPA serves as a colead on each of these interagency regional teams. 

Recent OAP Activities

•	 	In August 2007, at a meeting of the GMA, Gulf State governors and

federal agencies renewed a commitment to enhance the economic and environmental health of the Gulf. Since the release of the GMA’s Action Plan

in March 2006, more than 90 percent of the plan’s 70+ actions have either

been completed or are in progress. 

•	 In 2007, the federal/regional team of the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health completed a draft Action Plan that focuses on

beaches, ocean and coastal habitat, and ocean and coastal monitoring, 

among other priority issues. The release of the final Action Plan, anticipated in early 2008, reflects commitments by the states (CA, WA, and

OR) comprising the Agreement. 

•	 At a Northeast Ocean Congress in May 2007, NROC identified future directions for four core

ocean management areas: ocean energy resource planning and management; ocean and coastal 

ecosystem health; maritime security; and coastal hazard response and resiliency.

More information is available at: http://ocean.ceq.gov/. (Contacts: Hazel Groman, 202-566-1219 and

Lucinda P. Power, 202-566-2129)
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

EPA Assists in Challenges and Policy Questions Arising from Rapanos 

Supreme Court Decision

Wetlands Division

On June 5, 2007, EPA and the Corps of Engineers issued joint guidance on the scope of “waters of the US” protected under the Clean Water Act §404 program after the 2006 U.S. 

Supreme Court decision in Rapanos vs. U.S. , which addressed the authority of the Corps of Engineers’ to regulate wetlands not immediately adjacent to navigable waterbodies.

The guidance implements Rapanos by defining which waters maintain Clean Water Act protection 

(i.e., jurisdictional waters) subsequent to the Supreme Court ruling. The guidance explains that 

jurisdictional waters include traditional navigable waters and their adjacent wetlands, “relatively 

permanent” waters and immediately abutting wetlands, and other streams and adjacent wetlands 

that have a “significant nexus” to the physical, chemical, or biological integrity of a traditional 

navigable water. The Rapanos Guidance focuses on those waters at issue in the decision and does 

not address all categories of potentially jurisdictional waters, such as “isolated” waters.

Several supporting additional documents were issued jointly with the guidance, including the 

Jurisdiction Form, Instructional Guidebook, and Interagency Coordination Memorandum, to help 

ensure that EPA and the Corps coordinate closely, particularly for determinations that require a 

“significant nexus” finding or involve “isolated” waters. The memorandum establishes a process 

with specific time frames for reaching joint jurisdictional decisions. EPA and the Corps continue to 

assert in post-Rapanos litigation that a water is jurisdictional under the CWA when it is either “relatively permanent” or has a “significant nexus” to a traditional navigable water. (Contact: Donna 

Downing, 202-566-1367)

On August 24, 2007, the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) 

published in the Federal Register a Proposed Rule on Excess 

Spoil, Coal Mine Waste, and Buffers for Waters of the United

States, commonly referred to as the “Stream Buffer Zone” rule. The 

purpose of the proposed rule is to improve regulatory stability by 

clarifying the requirements for mining in and around streams. The 

proposed rule also strengthens requirements for addressing adverse environmental effects of spoil disposal, particularly impacts 

on streams, from the construction of excess spoil fills (e.g., “valley 

fills”). 

EPA is required under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 

Act of 1977 to concur before the rule is finalized. Wetlands staff proposed language that would require mining activities avoid and minimize potential adverse environmental impacts to streams whenever 

possible. In December 2007, the Wetlands Division submitted formal 

agency comments on the proposed rule and supporting Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 

EPA will continue to work with OSM as they finalize the rule. (Contact: Tanya Code, 202-566-1063)

EPA Weighs-in on Proposed Stream Buffer Zone Rule 

Photo: John H. McShane
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Protecting Wetlands

EEPA’s Wetlands Division is working closely with the Army 

Corps of Engineers to improve access to §404 permitting data 

and to better track wetlands mitigation efforts. EPA assisted 

in the development of the Corps’ new nationwide regulatory data 

management system known as ORM2. Deployment of ORM2 into all 

38 Corps Districts was completed in 2007, thereby, allowing greater 

tracking of all §404 wetland permit decisions. Also, EPA supported 

the integration of ORM2 into a second Corps database known as RIBITS. RIBITS, a spatially-enabled, Internet-based tracking tool, allows 

the Corps as well as other natural resource agency staff to efficiently 

manage all information related to mitigation banks. Soon all Corps 

Districts will be able to take advantage of the benefits offered by RIBITS and ORM2. 

These databases will enable the Corps to expand the quality and 

quantity of permit program data collected and tracked, manage 

decisions regarding impacts and compensatory mitigation in a geospatial context, and ensure 

datasharing with EPA, states and the public. Improved data collection will help federal agencies, 

states and others more effectively track wetlands losses and better measure the effectiveness of 

mitigation efforts. Since 2001, the agencies have been working to address weakness raised by the 

National Academy of Sciences, the General Accounting Office, and others on the effectiveness of 

compensatory mitigation. (Contact: Palmer Hough, 202-566-1374)

I

n 2007 OWOW continued to lead a multi-agency effort through the Federal Geospatial Data 

Committee to develop a National Wetland Mapping Standard. When finalized, the standard will 

greatly streamline and standardize wetlands data collection, documentation and management 

procedures and will help to accelerate the update and completion of the wetlands data layer, including future “real-time” updates.

This collaborative effort will enable federal, state, tribal, local agencies and others to collect and 

provide digitally mapped data in a consistent format for inclusion in the National Wetlands Inventory and for uploading into the wetlands data layer of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. 

The draft standard is being revised to reflect public comments received in 2007, with a goal to finalize the standard in 2008. Better geographical data will strengthen efforts to protect valuable aquatic 

resources and incorporate wetlands protection goals into larger watershed planning and management efforts. (Contact: Margarete Heber, 202-566-1189) 

Federal Geospatial Data Committee Proposes New National Wetland 

Mapping Standard

New Data Management Systems Help Track 

Wetland Permits, Weigh Wetland Mitigation Decisions in a 

Geospatial Context
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Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Wetlands Division

I

n 2007, the Wetlands program completed an evaluation of the Wetland Program Development

Grants (WPDGs) to assess their effectiveness in building state/tribal wetland programs between the years 2001- 2006. The evaluation used interviews with state and tribal program staff, 

grant records, and selected grantee products to determine the role of WPDGs in helping states and 

tribes build three core elements of their wetland programs: monitoring and assessment, regulation, and restoration. The report found that the WPDGs play an important role in supporting 

state/tribal wetland programs, especially for smaller programs. Grantees were generally pleased 

with the overall process used for soliciting and administering grants. 

The report also highlighted the gap between small 

and large programs (as measured by the number 

of full-time employees): smaller programs, especially, had a hard time doing effective work in 

those years in which they did not receive WPDGs. 

The evaluation made several recommendations 

for EPA, including how to bridge the gap between 

small and large programs. Results of the evaluation are informing a new Enhanced State and Tribal 

Programs Initiative – an effort now underway. This 

initiative will examine ways to make WPDGs more effective as well as look at ways to help states 

and tribes build their programs through other forms of EPA assistance. (Contact: Romell Nandi, 

202-566-1203)

Program Evaluation Identifies Improvements to Wetland Grants

Wetlands Demonstration Pilot Grants Show the 

Value of Program Implementation 

EPA continues to pursue numerous tools to help states and tribes build the capacity of 

their wetlands programs. As part of our commitment to make the most effective use 

of grant resources, EPA set aside $18.6 million of its Clean Water Act §104(b)3 funds for 

competitive, three-year Wetlands Demonstration Pilot Grants that states and tribes could use to 

implement aspects of their wetlands programs. These pilot grants differ from EPA’s established 

Wetland Program Development Grants, which finance the development but not the implementation 

of wetlands programs. The focus of the effort is to demonstrate whether implementation activities 

produce environmental results. 

EPA awarded funds to projects in 22 states and one tribe from FY 2005 to FY 2007. The 26 projects cover a variety of wetland program activities including restoration, protection, inventorying, 

mapping, monitoring, assessment, and regulation of wetlands resources. In order to evaluate the 

effectiveness of the pilots, EPA is working with grantees to analyze the resulting programmatic and 

environmental outcomes. Now in the second year of collecting results, EPA has streamlined the reporting process so that the 26 projects can be organized into nine activity areas that facilitate more 

consistent and quantitative reporting. This approach allows EPA to evaluate changes in wetlands 

programs and to track expected long-term environmental benefits more effectively. Final results of 

the 3-year pilot will be available in 2009. (Contact: Katherine Antos, 202-566-0620) 

Photo: Elinor Osborn
13

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Memorandum on Listing Waters Impaired by Atmospheric Mercury Under 

Clean Water Act Section 303(d) 

Protecting Watersheds

Over 8,700 waterbodies are listed under 

Clean Water Act (CWA) §303(d) as 

impaired due to mercury, often originating from atmospheric sources. EPA has 

developed a voluntary approach that recognizes the challenges in addressing mercuryimpaired waters through CWA programs 

alone. Under this approach, states, territories 

and tribes with multi-media mercury reduction programs may defer the development 

of atmospheric mercury TMDLs (pollutant 

clean-up budgets) and may include such 

waters in a subcategory of their impaired 

waters lists. Using this new approach, EPA is 

encouraging states to take early action to address their mercury sources and more quickly 

achieve environmental results.

As of 2007, more than 32,000 CWA Total Maximum Daily Loads for all types of pollutants have 

been completed, including more than 4,000/year over the last three years. EPA is providing leadership to states on the recommended elements for TMDLs, including those relevant to our multipronged strategy for mercury-impaired waters. More information is available at: www.epa.gov/

owow/tmdl/mercury5m/. (Contact: Ruth Chemerys, 202-566-1216)

S

tormwater runoff from developing and urbanized areas is a significant contributor to water 

quality impairments. Currently, there are thousands of Clean Water Act §303(d) listed waters 

impaired by stormwater-source pollutants such as pathogens, nutrients, sediments and metals. Stormwater-source TMDLs are a challenge to develop because of the variety and number of 

sources, the variability of the pollutants, the limited monitoring data available, and the complexity of the mechanisms by which pollutants in stormwater discharges affect ambient water quality. 

In 2007, EPA issued a new report summarizing 17 TMDLs with stormwater sources. The report 

highlights a number of TMDLs that address a range of pollutants, use different models, different 

allocation and implementation methods—and that have been developed for stormwater sources in 

16 states throughout the country during the past eight years.

 

This report is intended to aid states, EPA regions, and other TMDL practitioners to develop more 

accurate pollutant allocations that can be better implemented in permits and other local programs, 

while at the same time helping to maintain TMDL pace and improve the rate at which impaired 

waters are restored nationwide to meet water quality standards. This new report is available 

at: www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/17_TMDLs_Stormwater_Sources.pdf. (Contact: Christine Ruf, 

202-566-1220) 

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) 

with Stormwater Sources: A Summary of 17 TMDLs
14

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

EPA released a new report entitled “Reducing Stormwater Costs through 

Low Impact Development (LID) Strategies and Practices,” which contains 17 case studies that show the economic viability of LID practices. 

The report shows that using these practices in construction projects can 

lower costs while improving environmental results. LID practices are innovative stormwater management practices to manage urban stormwater runoff. The goal is to mimic the way water moves through an area before it is 

developed by using design techniques that infiltrate, evapotranspirate, and 

reuse runoff. Common LID practices include rain gardens, grassed swales, 

cisterns, rain barrels, permeable pavements and green roofs. LID practices 

increasingly are used by communities across the country to help protect 

and restore water quality.

The report highlights examples that, in most cases, reduce project costs while improving environmental performance. Total capital savings ranged from 15 to 80 percent, with a few exceptions 

in which LID project costs were higher than conventional stormwater management costs. As LID 

practices become more common, it is likely that they will become cheaper to use. The report is 

available at www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/costs07. (Contacts: Anne Weinberg, 202-566-1217 and 

Robert Goo, 202-566-1201)

I

n 2007, EPA released the Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox, a user-friendly 

and highly acclaimed set of Web-based resources designed to assist communities across the U.S. conduct locally effective watershed education 

and outreach activities. The Toolbox, online at www.epa.gov/nps/toolbox, 

includes a searchable catalog of nearly 800 print, radio, and TV ads and 

outreach materials in the following categories: lawn and garden care, motor 

vehicle care, pet care, septic system care, household chemicals and waste, and 

general stormwater awareness. Many of the campaign materials were funded 

by Clean Water Act §319 funds.

 

This repository of audience-tested materials is designed to meet the needs of stormwater professionals 

who might be strapped for ideas, money, time or staff to develop messages and products for their own 

communities. The Toolbox also provides EPA’s publication “Getting in Step - A Guide to Conducting 

Watershed Outreach Campaigns,” as well as an ample collection of surveys and evaluations of outreach 

programs from around the country and a collection of logos, slogans, and mascots to help unify a 

community’s campaign. A version of the Toolbox has also been released on CD, meaning that Internet 

access is not required to take advantage of these resources. (Contact: Don Waye, 202-566-1170)

.

Assessment and Watershed Protection

EPA Releases Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox

EPA Documents Cost Savings by 

Using Low Impact Development Practices
15

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

 

Statistically-representative surveys of the aquatic resources of the U.S. have begun providing the agency with the information it needs 

to identify national priorities and to evaluate the effectiveness of water 

quality protection efforts. The surveys are designed to yield unbiased 

estimates of the condition of a whole resource, based on a representative sample of waters. 

EPA and its partners in the states have successfully completed the field 

season for the first assessment of the condition of the nation’s lakes, 

ponds, and reservoirs. Early in 2007, EPA held ten sessions around 

the country training over 80 field crews who then sampled 909 lakes, 

ponds, and reservoirs in the course of the summer. Field crews collected data for indicators of regional and national ecological integrity, 

such as sediment diatoms, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and shoreline 

physical habitat conditions; indicators of trophic status, such as nutrients, chlorophyll a, and transparency; and pathogens and algal toxins as recreational indicators. A 

report on the Survey of the Nation’s Lakes is planned for 2009.

The year 2007 was also the planning year for the survey of the nation’s rivers and streams; indicators and sampling protocols were selected. Field sampling for rivers and small streams will be 

conducted in 2008 and 2009. Also in 2007, OWOW led research efforts and initial discussions in 

preparation for the 2011 survey of the condition of the nation’s wetlands. For more information on 

the National Aquatic Resource Surveys, visit www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/reporting.html. (Contact: Susan Holdsworth at 202-566-1187) 

Release of the Water Quality Exchange Improves Data Sharing

Work Continues on the National Aquatic Resource Surveys; 

Lakes Field Sampling Season a Success

I

n 2007, EPA’s STORET program released the Water Quality Exchange (WQX), 

a new data transfer system that makes it easier for states, tribes, and others to 

submit and share water quality monitoring data over the Internet. With WQX, 

groups who collect water quality data no longer need to use EPA’s STORET database to submit their monitoring results to the National STORET Data Warehouse, 

the national repository of water quality information. WQX, in essence, uses new 

Web technology to bring data sharing into the 21st century.

EPA also released new services for users of the STORET Warehouse, including a new Web-based 

Watershed Summary tool designed to help water quality managers and the public quickly review 

the type and sources of data available for any watershed. The Watershed Summary tool produces a 

list of number of stations, the types of data (such as metals, nutrients, or pesticides data), who has 

entered the data, the period of record for the data, and how much data are available. The user can 

then download specific data for that watershed. Another feature created for more sophisticated 

users is a series of Web-services that allow large volume data analysts to retrieve data directly from 

the warehouse without using the Web-based download tool. For more information on WQX, visit 

www.epa.gov/STORET/WQX. (Contact: Kristen Gunthardt, 202-566-1194)

Improving Monitoring and Assessment
16

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

I

n 2007 the Targeted Watersheds Grants (TWG) program awarded 15 

implementation grants to watershed organizations, local governments 

and universities for on-the-ground watershed projects. Awards totaling 

over $13 million will support a variety of activities, including stream channel and wetland restorations; educating local officials on smart growth and Low Impact Development techniques; implementing agricultural best management practices; reducing toxics in marine 

sediments through a “living cap” of oyster reefs; improving water quality at orphaned acid mine 

drainage sites; and developing a sustainable agricultural and forest product branding program. 

Over $3 million was awarded to six capacity building organizations to develop the organizational 

and technical capacity of watershed organizations throughout the country. Areas of greater need— 

Appalachia, the Great Plains and the Arid West— were a special focus of the grants. Under the 

capacity building grants, project activities include: 

•	 holding regional watershed roundtables, 

•	 training watershed organizations in Appalachian coal country in 

water quality monitoring and fiscal sustainability, 

•	 growing state watershed councils and tribal water quality entities in the west, 

•	 establishing a national clearinghouse for watershed information, 

•	 offering training and technical assistance in the acquisition of 

water rights and dedication of these rights to instream flow 

needs, and 

•	 building a Regional Water Quality Assistance Network that provides watershed organizations 

with practical tools (such as model ordinances and public process facilitation and sustainable 

financing mechanisms). 

For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/twg. (Contact: Aileen Molloy, 202-566-1424) 

$16 Million Awarded to new Capacity Building and 

Implementation Grantees under Targeted Watersheds 

Television and radio weathercasts are the most popular news item in any 

media market – nearly 80 percent of viewers report that the weather is the 

primary reason they watch local news. Because broadcast meteorologists 

routinely convey complex scientific information, the weather report provides a 

unique opportunity to bridge the environmental information gap.

To foster the dissemination of environmental information to the public, OWOW 

is one of several partners funding Earth GaugeTM, a free environmental newsletter produced by 

the National Environmental Education Foundation targeted at television and radio weathercasters 

in 90 media markets, including 130 broadcast meteorologists. Earth GaugeTM is designed to make 

it easy for weathercasters to explain the environmental implications of weather events and what 

viewers can do to help protect their watersheds. For more information, visit www.epa/gov/owow/

watershed/weather. (Contact: Patty Scott, 202-566-1292)

Earth GaugeTM Delivers Environmental Information to the 

Public via the TV Weather Report

Policy and Communications Team
17

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Gulf Hypoxia Team

Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan Increases Accountability

The complex interaction of excess nutrients carried to the Gulf of Mexico by the Mississippi and 

Atchafalaya Rivers, physical changes within the river basin, and stratification of the Gulf waters 

contributes to hypoxia— a “Dead Zone” — with oxygen levels too low to sustain marine life. 

In 2007, the hypoxic zone was the third largest on 

record - bigger than the State of Massachusetts. 

This year brings to a close a multi-year comprehensive reassessment of the 2001 Action Plan for 

Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the

Northern Gulf of Mexico. The inter-governmental 

Mississippi River/ Gulf of Mexico Watershed 

Nutrient Task Force, chaired by Assistant Administrator Benjamin Grumbles, will release a revised 

Action Plan in Spring 2008. The 2008 Action Plan 

will increase accountability and specificity, incorporate emerging science, include an Annual Operating Plan and Annual Report to maintain and 

track progress, shift the lead for nutrient reduction 

strategies to the states while adding complementary federal strategies, and include a communication/

outreach plan to engage stakeholders. 

To reduce the size of the Dead Zone, the Coordinating Committee for the Task Force, chaired by 

OWOW Director Craig Hooks, along with the Gulf Hypoxia Team, are bringing federal agencies 

and states together to build strong partnerships, develop voluntary and regulatory approaches, and 

increase national awareness. For more information, visit: www.epa.gov.msbasin. (Contact: Kristen 

Goodrich, 202-566-1284)

The Hypoxia Website can be accessed at: 

www.epa.gov/msbasin/.
18

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Watershed Planning/Tribal Program Support

I

n March of 2007, OWOW released a final version of the Internetbased Watershed Plan Builder Tool. The tool promotes the development of comprehensive watershed plans that protect and restore 

the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. 

It helps organizations develop plans that are tailored to the concerns 

and issues specific to their watersheds, thus helping them achieve 

state water quality standards and other environmental objectives. 

The Plan Builder is available on-line at: www.epa.gov/owow/watershedplanning.

In 2007 OWOW, the Office of Environmental Information and the Office 

of Research and Development initiated work on Watershed Central, an integrated watershed Web 

site. The portal-like site will serve as a clearinghouse of information for watershed practitioners and 

will contain a Wiki (a user-developed on-line encyclopedia) to share information across agencies and 

among watershed organizations. The agency hosted a series of stakeholder meetings to solicit input 

on this collaborative undertaking. (Contact: Stuart Lehman, 202-566-1205)

Watershed Plan Builder Completed; 

Watershed Central Project Commences

Throughout the year, OWOW provided critical leadership toward the 

advancement of tribal water programs. OWOW’s support for the 

National Tribal Water Council resulted in greater coordination 

among tribal water program professionals and an improvement in the 

Office of Water’s ability to communicate with Indian Country. Notable 

was OWOW’s performance at the Council’s first official meeting in October 

where the full range of OWOW programs was presented. Also notable was 

the introduction of Tribes to the National Water Quality Monitoring Council 

and sustainable finance tools. OWOW’s leadership resulted in the phasing-in 

of Structured Consolidated Training for Tribes under the Clean Water Act and selection to the newly established Tribal Training Implementation Work Group. 

OWOW met with the Director of the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (conglomeration 

of 64 First Nations of Canada and Tribes from the US) and participated in National Tribal Caucus 

meetings. Finally, OWOW provided National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management 

planning and co-host support culminating in the promotion and oversight of conference presentation 

proposals, participation, and outreach. (Contact: Kathleen Kutschenreuter, 202-566-1383, and Andrea 

Matzke, 202-566-1150)

Tribal Water Protection Efforts Advanced
19

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Smart Growth Team

OWOW’s Smart Growth Team focused on delivering training and technical assistance to communities in 2007, along with piloting and promoting Low Impact Development practices.

Delivering Smart Growth Training to Coastal Communities

Through an interagency agreement with NOAA, OWOW and EPA’s Smart Growth Office collaborated to provide training in 10 coastal communities in 2007 – including the Charlotte Harbor National 

Estuary Program (NEP) in Florida. In February, 2008, the curricula was updated with case studies 

from the NEPs and delivered to 30 participants at the New Partners for Smart Growth conference in 

Washington, D.C.. This two-day course helps communities make better informed decisions about 

how and where growth will occur. The training is provided free of charge to communities.

Helping Reduce Combined Sewer Overflows Using Green Infrastructure

OWOW is collaborating with EPA’s Smart Growth Office to deliver technical assistance that will help 

Northern Kentucky’s Sanitation District No. 1 reduce combined sewer overflows using a range of regional, neighborhood, and site-scale green infrastructure. These approaches still allow for sustainable 

growth, while adequately protecting water resources. 

Assisting the District of Columbia’s Stormwater Management

The team is working with the District of Columbia’s Stormwater Task Force and other stakeholders to 

come up with recommendations on stormwater policies, management, and funding mechanisms. The 

team’s extensive case study research of innovative policies and practices is informing the District’s decisions. At the same time, the process of applying nationwide research in a local context helps package 

case studies for a wider audience of municipal decision makers.

.

(Contacts: Jamal Kadri, 202-566-1248; Robert Goo, 202-566-1201; and Rebecca Dils 202-566-1378)

 

The team is working to install green roofs at EPA 

Headquarters and the U.S. Botanic Garden, much

like the roof pictured here on Chicago’s City Hall.

Low Impact Development on Historic Federal Buildings

In 2007, OWOW overcame an unanticipated hurdle in efforts to install 

a demonstration green roof on EPA Headquarters in Northwest D.C.. 

Since the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, the 

initial reaction of the General Services Administration (GSA), which 

leases the building, was that a green roof retrofit was not possible. After 

continued negotiation and education about the benefits, GSA granted 

approval. Plans are underway to complete the installation in 2008. The 

team continues to undertake Low Impact Development (LID) projects 

in order to support the environmental benefits provided by LID and 

to better understand the barriers faced by others trying to implement 

these practices. EPA has expanded this effort through a new interagency 

agreement with the U.S. Botanic Garden that will facilitate both the 

design of a green roof on the U.S. Botanic Garden and coordinated 

education materials.

Smart Growth Team Helps Build Sustainable Communitiess
20

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Delivering Finance Training to Target Groups

This past year, the team assisted with finance planning for three target groups:

Nonprofits and their service providers: The SFT organized finance presentations at River

Network’s “River Rally,” the largest gathering of watershed organizations and their service

providers, and the National Center for Nonprofit Enterprise’s “Your Money or Your Mission?”

The team also conducted a tools workshop targeting nonprofits in the Washington, D.C. area.

For more information, visit epa.gov/owow/funding/workshop_notes.htm.

The National Estuary Programs (NEPs): The team conducted a two-day finance training for San Juan Bay NEP. This

workshop resulted in development of three finance mechanisms that have been proposed in a bill to the Puerto Rico legislature: cruise ship, license plate, and income tax check off contributions. For more information, visit epa.gov/owow/funding/

SJBEP_workshop.htm.

Remote Users: The team worked with the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center to develop “Moving

Beyond Grants,” a Webcast on effective finance tools and approaches. The Webcast, attended by 295 people, is archived at

www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. The team also continued to update EPA’s Watershed Funding Portal, which contains

finance tools, resources, and searchable databases. The portal can be accessed at www.epa.gov/owow/funding.html. 

(Contacts: Tim Jones, 202-566-1245, and Rakhi Kasat, 202-566-1644)

I

n 2007, OWOW’s Sustainable Finance Team (SFT) developed and refined tools and offered training 

to strengthen the long-term financial sustainability of watershed organizations. 

Enhancement of Decision-Making Tool

Plan2Fund Objective Prioritization Tool (OPT) helps stakeholders save time and energy when achieving consensus on top funding priorities and moving toward implementation of strategic plans. This 

free, Web-based tool helps groups determine rules to evaluate competing objectives or projects as 

well as a scoring system to rank those objectives or projects. This year, the team worked with Boise 

State University’s Environmental Finance Center to make Plan2Fund OPT more user-friendly and 

easy to present to decision makers, funders, and constituents. For more information, visit: efc.boisestate.edu/efc/Tools/OPT/tabid/109/Default.aspx or contact Bill Jarocki at 208-426-4293 or bjarock@

boisestate.edu.

Building Capacity at EPA

The SFT worked to build the capacity of EPA employees to provide financial planning assistance to groups they serve. In June, the team presented a 

poster entitled Cha-Ching!! Sustaining Community Involvement and Watershed

Protection at EPA’s Community Involvement Conference to inform attendees 

about the links between finance planning, community involvement, and 

environmental results. During the year, the team also collaborated with the 

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance, State Revolving Fund 

branch, and other agency program staff to share tools, explore innovative finance mechanisms, and foster partnerships. Finally, the SFT initiated an Office of Water finance network to 

promote better collaboration on watershed finance. 

OWOW Finance Team Enhances Tools and Training to Help Build More 

Sustainable Watershed Organizations

Sustainable Finance Team
21

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Communications Team Continues Popular Webcast Series and Expands 

Watershed Tools Training

Communications Team

I

n 2007, OWOW’s Cross Office Communications Team hosted 

12 Watershed Academy Webcasts on a variety of watershed 

topics. These free, on-line seminars attracted more than 2,500 

participants in 2007, including participants from all fifty states and 

several other countries. Almost 30 webcasts are now available 

covering topics such as social marketing, low impact development, 

pollutant trading, water quality monitoring, and watershed plan 

development. 

The team also hosted numerous trainings on Key EPA Internet Tools

for Watershed Management. This popular computer training course covers many of 

EPA’s powerful tools for watershed management, including Enviromapper, STORET, 

Adopt Your Watershed, the Watershed Plan Builder, and others. The course includes 

an introductory overview in addition to a more in-depth, hands-on computer 

training session for more advanced users. The course has been taught 25 times 

and reached 654 people in six EPA regional offices, several states, and other 

venues. In addition, the training was presented as a Webcast in March 2007 

and at the River Rally in May 2007. The curriculum is now available on-line as 

a self-paced tutorial at: www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/epatools/, 

so that practitioners can learn anytime, anywhere. 

(Contacts: Anne Weinberg, 202-566-1217; Patty Scott, 202-566-1292; Meghan 

Klasic, 202-566-1262)

• 	 Smart Growth and Green Infrastructure

•	 Watershed Financing – Moving Beyond Grants

• 	 Water, Energy, and Climate Change

•	 	 Wetlands: Condition, Loss and Restoration

• 	 Earth GaugeTM: Conveying Environmental Information through the 	 	 	 	

	 TV Weather Report

• 	 Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) & ART

• 	 Using STORET Data to Characterize Your Watershed

• 	 Long-Term Stewardship of Wetlands Mitigation Sites

• 	 The Watershed Plan Builder

• 	 Key EPA Internet Tools for Watershed Management

• 	 Implementing TMDLs and Trading Through the National Estuary Program

• 	 Using NEMO- Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials- to 	 	 	 	

	 Advance Watershed Management

2007 Webcast Seminars

All theseminars are archived (along with the audio) and can be accessed anytime at: www.

epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. They can also be downloaded as a podcast from iTunes.
22

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Diversity Action Team

The theme for the Fiscal Year 2007 Diversity 

Action Plan was increasing awareness of disability issues and supporting ways to create 

a positive work environment to help persons with 

mental and physical disabilities overcome challenges to foster success both professionally and 

personally.

OWOW staff selected Lucky Man, a Memoir by Michael J. Fox, for the OWOW Diversity Book Club 

discussion. Lucky Man discusses Fox’s experiences 

in dealing with Parkinson’s disease. The team also 

presented The Aviator, an Academy Award-winning 

biographical drama based on the book “Hughes” 

by Richard Hack, that illustrates Howard Hughes’s 

struggle and descent into obsessive compulsiveness and reclusiveness. After the film, Katrina 

Gay from the National Alliance on Mental Illness 

facilitated a discussion to help raise awareness 

within EPA about mental disabilities. Ms. Gay 

provided insights as to how organizations can be more accommodating to persons with disabilities. 

Sherry Duhon and Jean Bergey from Gallaudet University shared their experience with the deaf community and also reflected on deafness in America based on the documentary, “Through Deaf Eyes,” 

which was attended by 50 EPA staff. William Haig, EPA’s Reasonable Accommodations Officer, 

presented information on Reasonable Accommodation Procedures to managers and the diversity 

action team staff. And in June, OWOW staff participated and assisted people with disabilities at the 

EPA Career Job Fair. Throughout the year, OWOW’s popular diversity newsletters broaden the staff’s 

appreciation of cultural diversity and focus on activities that foster diversity. The theme for FY ‘08 

is “Generations.” (Contacts: Janice Winfield, 202-566-1151; Kathleen Kutschenreuter, 202-566-1383; 

and Abu Moulta-Ali, 202-566-1068)

OWOW Diversity Action Team Spreads Awareness on Mental 

and Physical Disabilities

After watching the “Aviator,” the National Alliance for Mental 

Illness led a facilitated discussion with staff.
23

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

Visit OWOW on the Web at: 

www.epa.gov/owow

OWOW 2007 Annual Report

Photo: John H. McShane
24

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds 2007 Annual Report

We welcome your comments! OWOW welcomes suggestions on how to make this report more useful and informative for our readers. Please send comments to:

Patricia Scott 

scott.patricia@epa.gov

 

Document Number: EPA 840R08001

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds,

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (4501T)

Washington, D.C. 20460

May 2008

www.epa.gov/owow

OWOW 2007 Annual Report