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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Wetlands, Oceans, & Watersheds
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Watersheds for Kids

 

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. What is the nation's worst water quality problem?
    A: Nonpoint source pollution is the largest source of water quality problems. It is the main reason that 40% of our assessed water bodies are unsafe for basic uses such as fishing or swimming.
    For more info: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/facts/point1.html


  2. What is a TMDL?
    A: A TMDL-or total maximum daily load-is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards. In other words, it is the sum of the allowable loads of a single pollutant from all contributing point and nonpoint sources, and includes a margin of safety and consideration of seasonal variations. In addition, a TMDL contains the reductions needed to meet water quality standards and allocates those reductions among the sources in the watershed.
    For more info:
    http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl
  3. How can I help prevent pollution to waters?

    On Farmland
    A:Agriculture activities that cause pollution include confined animal facilities, grazing, plowing, irrigation, fertilizing, planting, and harvesting. The impacts can be minimized by properly using combinations of best management practices within an environmental context.
    For more info: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/facts/point6.html

    At Home
    A:Limiting paved surfaces, landscaping with nature, proper septic system maintenance and proper chemical use, storage and disposal are easy and inexpensive ways to prevent household water pollution. Raising community awareness can also be essential to solving this problem
    For more info: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/facts/point10.html


  4. How can I become involved in EPA's volunteer monitoring program?
    A: EPA supports the efforts of state, local, and independent volunteer monitoring programs throughout the country, but does not generally recruit or train individual volunteers. EPA's role is primarily to provide technical and outreach assistance to groups engaged in volunteer monitoring.

    If you are interested in becoming involved in volunteer monitoring, you may want to start by visiting our volunteer monitoring homepage. Consult our National Directory of Volunteer Environmental Monitoring programs for the address of a volunteer program near you, or visit our Surf Your Watershed page to learn about other watershed-based volunteer opportunities. To learn more about volunteer monitoring in general, look through our national newsletter, The Volunteer Monitor, read our volunteer monitoring fact sheet , or browse through one of the methods manuals on our homepage.


  5. What is a wetland?
    A: Wetlands are the link between water and land or the collective term for areas between dry land and bodies of water. Wetlands also act as filters thereby protecting sources of drinking water.
    For more info: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/facts/fact5.html

    What is EPA's role?
    A:EPA's authortity to protect wetlands comes through secion 404 of the clean water act.



  6. What are the environmental consequences of wetland loss?
    A: The loss or degradation of wetlands has many consequences, such as increased flooding or the decline of water quality.



  7. What funds are available to support wetlands oceans and watershed activities?
    A: There are currently three grant programs that OWOW administers through our regional offices: The National Estuary Program, The Wetlands Protection State Development Grant Program and the Nonpoint Source Implementation Grant Program.

    In addition, in Dec. 1999, EPA published a document called the Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection (Second Edition), which provides information on 69 federal grant and loan programs which might be available to fund watershed protection and restoration projects.

  8. What is a watershed? What watershed do I live in?
    A: Watersheds are nature's boundaries. They are the areas that drain to water bodies, including lakes, rivers, estuaries, wetlands, streams, and the surrounding landscape. Ground water recharge areas are also considered. Surf Your Watershed is a new device that allows you to enter your zip code and find out what watershed you live in as well as certain programs that are currently on-going in your watershed as well as water quality and pollution information for that area.
    Go to Surf Your Watershed
    Why is EPA focusing on watersheds?


  9. What resources are available for kids on our Homepage?
    A: There are many "cool" things on our page for kids but a couple of highlights include The Marine Debris Curriculum and the Wetlands reading list from the Wetlands Hotline (1-800-832-7828).


  10. What is an estuary and what is EPA doing to protect them?
    A: An estuary is a coastal area where fresh water from rivers and streams mixes with salt water from the ocean. Many bays, sounds, and lagoons along coasts are estuaries. Portions of rivers and streams connected to estuaries are also considered part of the estuary. The land area from which fresh water drains into the estuary is its watershed. EPA Protects estuaries through the National Estuary Program.
    For more Information: http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/about2.htm


  11. What newsletters do you provide and how can I be added to your mailing lists?
    There are currently 6 newsletters that our office sponsors. Just follow these links to see the latest issues and leave a comment to be added to the list.
    Coastlines
    News Notes
    Watershed Events
    The Water Monitor
    The Volunteer Monitor

 

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