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Share information on your organization and find partners on Watershed Central, EPA's social network for water professionals, and Adopt Your Watershed, EPA's database of citizen-based watershed groups. Look under "Act" to find information for professionals, citizens and watershed groups.
With all of the rain that we have had over the last several months, many homeowners have had to deal with an excess of stormwater. How clean is that stormwater that runs off of your property or off of your neighbors?
Invasive species have been identified by the Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service as one of the four significant threats to our Nation’s forest and rangeland ecosystems. In response to this identified threat, a multidisciplinary team of specialists, managers, and researchers has worked together to produce a National Strategy and Implementation Plan for Invasive Species Management. The U.S. Forest Service announces the publication of its first-ever national-level direction on the management of invasive species across aquatic and terrestrial areas of the National Forest System.
In 2010, youth in Pennsylvania’s Dauphin, Lebanon, and Lancaster Counties were invited to be part of a unique opportunity: a chance to learn, hands-on, about the water in their own community and how their daily lives impact that water.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day which will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications. This is a great opportunity to dispose of unwanted medications properly and keep pharmaceuticals out of our water supply.
A new publication from North Carolina Extension offers guidance for North Carolina communities in the use of conservation design for land use planning. The publication presents great information for Low Impact Development.
EPA will be hosting a second webcast to discuss the implications of the Sixth Circuit Court decision on Clean Water Act NPDES permitting requirements for pesticide discharges.
Exploreshale.org is a public service media project by Penn State Public Broadcasting and was funded by the Colcom Foundation. The website is designed to enhance public understanding of the basic science surrounding the Marcellus Shale by providing a fact-based interactive learning experience.
The Water Resources website is a great resource for timely and easy to use information on a variety of water-related issues.
You recently had your private water supply tested, hoping to gain valuable information about the quality and condition of your water. Upon receiving the water analysis report, you find yourself looking at confusing columns of decimal numbers, abbreviations, and contaminants that are difficult to pronounce. What does this all mean?
Autumn is a beautiful season as the leaves begin to change and people start pulling out their brightly colored sweaters. However, all of those falling leaves can be a headache for any of you that have large ponds on your property.
If your well was flooded after the recent visit by Hurricane Irene or Lee - or any other high water event, you should be concerned about the safety of your well. There are a number of potentially harmful substances that could be in your water supply – specifically coliform bacteria.
November 2, 2011 – Norcross, Georgia USA – NuGIS (Nutrient Use Geographic Information System) is a web-based nutrient balance model that predicts partial nutrient balance and nutrient removal to use ratios for the U.S. at county, state, and watershed scales. Harvest removals of N, P and K are estimated from USDA-NASS crop production data and the latest crop removal coefficients. Fertilizer use and recoverable manure nutrients are estimated from AAPFCO fertilizer sales data and Agricultural Census information for the five Census years from 1987 through 2007 with annual estimates since 2007 available in the near future. Balance estimates and the component data layers can be viewed via an interactive graphical interface or exported in tabular form. NuGIS can be accessed by logging in at >http://nugis.ipni.net/login/<.
The Triple Divide Watershed Coalition was formed this year in Potter County, Pennsylvania, and is comprised of the nine public water supplies in that county, with assistance from the County Commissioners, Penn State Extension, Potter County Education Council, and the PA DEP. Inspired by water quality concerns from natural gas well drilling, the group is identifying some new ways to do business that they hope will prove to be good for water quality.
A study of more than 200 drinking-water wells near Marcellus Shale natural-gas wells in 20 counties did not find statistically significant evidence of contamination from hydraulic fracturing -- a process used by gas drillers to release natural gas using a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemical additives. A webinar will be held at noon on November 1, 2011. See: http://extension.psu.edu/water Events for more details.
So what’s the deal with bottled water? Is it safe? Is it better than my tap water? Is it worth the high cost? The last question will have to be answered by you. However, here are some facts about bottled water to help you in determining that answer.
Aquatic Invasive Species are a very real threat to our watersheds. These species are associated with ecological, economic and/or human health harm. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have been reported in the Sassafrass River, Maryland, not far from the Pennsylvania border. Since human recreational activities, boating, fishing, etc., are their primary means of spread, we need to be aware of where they are located. Read more about the Maryland sighting.
The storms and floods we have experienced this past summer have damaged many properties across Pennsylvania. As a private land owner, your storm damage management should involve a quick assessment to determine the extent of the damage and what management efforts are needed to restore your land.
The Pennsylvania NRCS office has developed an outstanding compilation of conservation guidance that is a crossroad between all that is conservation planning assistance – and that which is regulatory in PA for working lands.
Recent flooding in Central Pennsylvania has brought a lot of attention to the various safety issues associated with flood waters. Even with all the warnings issued, it’s not uncommon to see images of children and families wading in flood waters, exploring flooded creeks and streams, and taking chances with their health and safety.
