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Background:
Water pollution is generally categorized as either
point or non-point source (NPS) pollution. Point source pollution
originates in effluent from industrial and municipal operations,
and is purposely discharged into water sources through conduits
such as pipes or ditches. Most point source water pollution in Alabama
has been successfully controlled through the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), a discharge permit program
established as part of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972.
However, this permit program has not been effective in controlling
NPS pollution, which comes primarily through storm water runoff.
Actions that prevent potential pollutants from
reaching storm water runoff are the most effective methods for preventing
NPS pollution. Actions that trap and remove pollutants already in
transport through storm water runoff before the runoff reaches a
perennial stream are less effective, but can significantly reduce
NPS pollution. Watersheds discharge storm water runoff into easily
identifiable water bodies and stream segments. Thus, watersheds
are the preferred geographical units for assessing NPS pollution
across the landscape. The effectiveness of pollution prevention
efforts in a given watershed can be readily determined by monitoring
the quality of runoff water from that watershed.
In Alabama, the Land Grant University System has
research, education and extension outreach programs that target
pollution prevention from NPS pollution sources. University professionals
use resources developed through these programs to assist natural
resource managers, industries, communities and individuals in identifying
NPS pollution problems and how to prevent them.
Conditions in Your Watershed:
Your everyday actions, regardless of whether they
are associated with activities where you live, work or play, can
contribute to the quality of water that flows from your watershed.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and local
citizen watershed or stream monitoring groups are the primary sources
for information on the conditions of your watershed. These same
agencies, plus additional organizations and educational institutions,
are good sources of information on how you can help protect your
watershed.
Alabama uses the USGS 8-digit Cataloging Unit (CU) watersheds as
the spatial framework for defining its watershed assessment categories
and for targeting the watersheds it views as its highest restoration
priority. In most cases, only certain areas within an entire CU
will show major water quality impairments. Alabama provides EPA
with pinpoint data for reservoirs, streams, lakes or smaller water
bodies that need management attention. Most of this information
comes from the Unified Watershed Assessment and 303(d) list of impacted
waters, which each state must provide to EPA as mandated by the
Clean Water Act. Both EPA and ADEM make this information available
to the public through the Internet. The EPA also maintains a directory
of volunteer water quality monitoring programs.
Wadeable Streams Assessment
For category and priority classification by 8-digit watersheds
in Alabama, visit the EPA Watersheds.
To find specific information by 8-digit watersheds
in Alabama, go to EPA's Surf
Your Watershed web site (click on locate your watershed map,
click on the map, click on Alabama, and then click on the watershed
of choice).
Resources and Programs:
Over the past 30 years, Land Grant Universities
in Alabama have substantially increased their efforts in research,
education and extension outreach addressing water quality and pollution
prevention. A wide variety of resources and programs on pollution
assessment and prevention are now available from the Internet.
Publications:
Web Links:
FAQs:
Auburn University Pollution Assessment and Prevention Team:
Eve Brantley
Bill Deutsch
EPA
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
U.S. Department
of Energy Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Pollution Prevention
Resource Exchange
National
Home*A*Syst Pollution Assessment Program
National
Farm*A*Syst Pollution Assessment Program
Alabama
Clean Water Partnership
Extension Outreach
The mission of the Alabama Cooperative Extension
System is to transform research results into information that can
be delivered on a county basis to benefit local residents and benefit
the public at large. While many outreach education programs by Extension
have traditionally targeted agricultural producers and managers
as well as other rural residents, water quality efforts in pollution
assessment and prevention also target youth, adults and businesses
in urban environments.
Alabama
Water Watch
Alabama
Water Quality Curriculum
Alabama
Clean Water Partnership
Alabama
Soil and Water Conservation Committee Watershed Assessment
EPA Office of
Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Water Quality
Information Center
Scientific Research
A primary mission of scientific research at Alabama's
Land Grant Universities is to develop new and better ways of providing
the agricultural needs of Alabama's citizens, while protecting our
natural resources for long-term sustainability.
Auburn
University Environmental Institute
Alabama
Water Resources Research Institute
Alabama
Agricultural Experiment Stations
Auburn
University Department of Agronomy and Soils
Auburn
University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
College
of Sciences and Mathematics
College and University Education
Courses offered at Auburn University related to Pollution Assessment
and Prevention may be found in the following departments:
College of
Agriculture
Department
of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture
Department
of Biosystems Engineering
Department
of Agronomy and Soils
School
of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
College
of Sciences and Mathematics
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