CFAES Give Today
Environmental Professionals Network

School of Environment and Natural Resources

CFAES

Water Quality, Watersheds, and Streams and Lakes Links

Agencies and organizations

United Nations water programs
(World Water Day 2013; global info on water; outreach; education; issues)

US Environmental Protection Agency “water”
(for all water programs: drinking water, education/training, grants/funding, laws/regulations, our water, pollution prevention/control, research and performance, science and technology, water infrastructure, what you can do; find your watershed w/zip code; many links under “wetlands, oceans, and watersheds” and “wastewater management”)

Ohio EPA Div. of Surface Water
(ensures compliance with federal Clean Water Act; issue permits to regulate wastewater treatment plants/factories/storm water; develop comprehensive watershed plans for impaired streams; monitor surface waters)

US Geological Survey
(search for various water issues under “Science Topics”; links to real-time data, more, link to: Ohio Water Science Center for a wealth of Ohio info/data)

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
(links to states and local/county service centers; links to major program areas: Programs & Services Technical Resources Land Use Soils Water Air Plants & Animals Energy Climate Change People; data rich programs: Snow and Water Data National Resources Inventory Web Soil Survey)

Ohio NRCS  
(many water quality and watershed programs and funding)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(info/research on coasts and oceans; relates to hypoxia issues and Ohio River/Great Lakes watersheds in Ohio; rainfall/weather data)

US Army Corps of Engineers 
(regulatory programs, including Section 404 permits; mitigation)

National Association of Clean Water Agencies
(focused on wastewater utilities but involved in all facets of water quality protection and regulations; links to local member utilities/agencies/partners; training; advocacy)

Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources 
(links several related divisions with water programs)

Ohio DNR Div. of Soil and Water Resources
(implements regulatory and incentive ag conservation programs; supports/links to SWCDs; supports watershed projects and nutrient management; links to local watershed action plans; link to Ohio ag pollution abatement program)

Ohio DNR Scenic Rivers Program, in Div. of Watercraft  
(links to info for 14 scenic rivers and 4 coordinators; stream monitoring)

OSU School of Environment and Natural Resources Ohio Watershed Network 
(provides information to “watershed community” and natural resources professionals to protect  resources in watershed; links to watershed groups; implements OSU’s training/development Watershed  Academy)

Ohio Department of Health
(links to all ODH topics A-Z; link to Div. of Environmental Health with many water programs; find local health departments)

Water Environment Federation (“The Water Quality People”)
(info for public/K-12; training/online/conferences; publications; policy; global issues; links to topics: Biosolids Collection Systems Stormwater Utility Management Watershed Management Wastewater Treatment Water Reuse Infrastructure Membranes Microconstituents Nutrients Climate Change Energy Efficiency Workforce Sustainability Water Security)

Ohio Water Environment Association
(wastewater related org dedicated to protection of water;  members: scientists/lab specialists, engineers, treatment plant personnel, manufacturer's reps, educators/students, regulators; training; certifications)

American Water Works Association
(dedicated to safe water; knowledge/information/advocacy for improving water quality/supply in North America/beyond; professional development; info)

Ohio Water Quality Association
(trade association representing the water treatment industry; guards rights of homeowners and Ohio water treatment professionals; associated with the Water Quality Association, the international trade association representing household, commercial, industrial and small community water treatment industry)

North American Lake Management Society
(focus on lake management for variety of uses; address land use on a watershed level; includes: scientists, academics, professional lake managers, politicians/policy makers, regulators, volunteer monitors, lake property owners, lake users; certifications; info; partnerships; training)

Ohio Lake Management Society   
(promotes research and management of Ohio’s lakes, private and public; education/technical assistance, collection/ dissemination of water quality data: CLAM Citizen Lake Awareness and Monitoring; policy)

Alliance for the Great Lakes
(helps conserve, restore, sustain world’s largest freshwater resource: policy, education, citizen involvement; links to programs:  clean water, water conservation, invasives, coastal conservation, education, adopt-a-beach, GL action center, sustainable businesses)

Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition
(consists of more than 115 environmental, conservation, and outdoor recreation organizations, zoos, aquariums and museums with goal to restore/protect the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Environmental Law Center
(protects GL and their communities; in Detroit; involves law students; link to Professor Noah Hall blog All Things Wet and Legal in the Great Lakes Region)

Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network
(limnologists, ecologists, information technology experts, engineers; building a scalable, persistent network of lake ecology observatories; data)

The Ohio Environmental Council
(water programs:  rivers/streams; Lake Erie; community/watersheds; supports/links to regional watershed councils: NW, NE, SE, Central Ohio; news, info, advocacy; legal clinic)

American Rivers
(protect/restore U.S. rivers and streams; annual release of America’s Most Endangered Rivers program areas: rivers and global warming, river restoration, river protection, clean water/supply)

Rivers Unlimited
(statewide group created to protect/restore rivers; resources)

The Nature Conservancy
(U.S.-based global organization; uses science and people to protect land, water, biodiversity)

Ohio TNC
(protects Ohio’s land, waters, biodiversity through projects and advocacy; local filed trips/events)

Clean Water Action
(organization promoting clean, safe and affordable water; prevention of health threatening pollution; creation of environmentally safe jobs and businesses; organizes grassroots groups/coalitions)

Clean Water America Alliance
(promotes holistic, watershed-based approaches to water quality/quantity challenges by overcoming traditional silos of clean water, drinking water, stormwater and water reuse; issue research; education/outreach; recognition, including annual U.S. Water Prize)

Ohio Nowcast Daily Recreational Water Quality Concerns
(USGS/partners; near real-time info for water quality at three Lake Erie beaches/one recreation river)

(local agencies and organizations may be added later; in meantime try links above to link to them)

 

Other web links

Lake Scientist
(emerged from 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)