Related Websites and Tools
General References and Resources
- Water Resources of the United States
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Information and links to water data, technical resources, programs and publications.
water.usgs.gov/ - Biological Indicators of Watershed Health
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Web site that explains the importance of biological indicator and indicator species to the health of your watershed
www.epa.gov/bioindicators/ - Channel Process and Stream Hydrology Model Presentation
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Presentation on why streams meander, erosion process, stream evolution, and consequences.
www.agen.okstate.edu/waterquality/presentations/Stream_Trailer/Stream_Concepts/ - Drinking Water and Human Health
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Information regarding research, education, and extension activities related to drinking water and human health.
www.usawaterquality.org/themes/health/ - EcoWatch
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Help keep an eye on the environment... become a Citizen Scientist with the Illinois EcoWatch Network.
www.dnrgis.state.il.us/website/geography.asp?GEOGRAPHY=ECOPARTNER&PATH=ECOWATCH - Illinois Rivers Decision Support System
Source of information and documentation for projects within the Illinois River Watershed. Provides a GIS visualization of the Illinois River.
ilrdss.sws.uiuc.edu/default.asp - Illinois State Water Survey
Over 100 years of research publications on hydrologic, atmospheric, and watershed studies.
www.sws.uiuc.edu/ - Illinois Water Quality Information
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Water-quality data related to the Federal Clean Water Act. Mapping Tool were uses can locate, create, and print maps within Illinois.
il.water.usgs.gov/proj/wqinfo/index.html - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Bi-monthly publication of applied research and conservation news.
www.swcs.org/f_pubs_journal.htm - Local Community Resources
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Provides information for people interested in water quality, land use, government finance, and meeting management.
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lcr/index.html - Minnesota Stormwater Manual
The Minnesota Stormwater Manual is a valuable tool for stormwater managers; it helps professionals and newcomers manage stormwater in a way that conserves, enhances, and restores high-quality water in our lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and ground water, ensuring a high quality of life for all Minnesotans.
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-manual.html - National Drinking Water Clearinghouse
Helping small communities by collecting, developing, and providing timely information relevant to drinking water issues
www.nesc.wvu.edu/ndwc/ - National Small Flows Clearinghouse
Helping Americas Small Communities Meet Their Wastewater Needs
www.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/ - Rapid Bioassessment Protocols
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Reference for conducting quick, basic, and cost-effective assessments of stream quality.
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/rbp/index.html - Renewing Local Watersheds:Community Leaders' Guide to Building Watershed Communities
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This community leaders' guide offers a process for local residents to come together as a group to learn about their watershed and become more actively involved in the management of their waters.
www.soc.iastate.edu/ext/watersheds_manual/index.htm - Stormwater Outreach Materials
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Set of materials that EPA created for customization and use in stormwater outreach awareness.
cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwatermonth.cfm - Stream Corridor Restoration Principles, Processes, and Practices
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On-line book that provides basic information on stream corridors and critical ecosystems.
www.usda.gov/stream_restoration/newtofc.htm - Total Maximum Daily Load
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Place to find the latest news about TMDL, current 303d List, and an interactive map engine.
www.epa.state.il.us/water/tmdl/ - Urbana Water
Online toolkit and directory on urban water management. Directory of urban water management best management practices, for both urban design and management of construction sites.
www.urbanwater.info/ - USA Water Quality
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The Cooperative State Research Education Extension Service (CSREES) National Water Quality Program Web site were you can obtain information on regional projects, source-water protection, urban storm-water, and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
www.usawaterquality.org/ - Why Watersheds?
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Presentation that describes what a watershed is, how development impacts watershed health, plus why protecting watersheds is critical.
www.cwp.org/whywatersheds_files/frame.htm
Building Watershed Management Committees
- 5 Stages of Group Development
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Describes the four developmental stages that a committee will go through to become successful.
www.chimaeraconsulting.com/tuckman.htm - Building Local Partnerships
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Guide that discusses the benefits of local partnerships, who should be included, keys to successful partnerships, and how partnerships develop ways to maintain consensus.
www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/BuildingLocal.html - Community Based Watershed Management
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Ohio Watershed Network summary that discusses characteristics of community watershed groups and keys to success.
oohioline.osu.edu/ws-fact/0001.html - Community Development Toolbox
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An online environment where people pursuing community development goals are empowered to make better decisions as they solve problems facing their community
www.communitydevelopment.uiuc.edu/cfarsriit.html - Illinois Resource Planning Fact Sheets
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Fact Sheets that help identify stakeholders and establishes operating procedures for the planning committee.
www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/planning/resplng.html - Leading & Communicating
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Information on selecting a effective leader and improving communications in watershed groups.
www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/LeadingCom.html - Local Community Resources
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Provides information for people interested in water quality, land use, government finance, and meeting management.
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lcr/index.html - Participation in Watershed Planning
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Strengthen participation with information from Ohio Watershed Network on locally lead watershed management.
ecarp.osu.edu/Citizen_Participation.pdf
Developing Watershed Plans
- 9 Step Watershed Management Plan
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Fact sheets for the NRCS nine steps to developing a watershed management plan.
www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/engineer/ResPlng/RPGbk.html - Basics of Developing Mission, Vision
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Information from the Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits on developing a effective mission statement.
www.mapnp.org/library/plan_dec/str_plan/stmnts.htm#anchor519441 - Field Office Techincal Guide
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Technical Guide which contains information regarding soil, water, wildlife and air conservation practice standards.
efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/treemenuFS.aspx?StateName=Illinois&MenuName=menuIL.zip&MenuType=2 - Guidance Book on Management Measures
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Guidance book called Guidance Specifying Management Measures for Sources of Nonpoint Pollution in Coastal Waters that provides background information on nonpoint pollution and promotes management measures.
www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/MMGI/ - Minnesota Stormwater Manual
The Minnesota Stormwater Manual is a valuable tool for stormwater managers; it helps professionals and newcomers manage stormwater in a way that conserves, enhances, and restores high-quality water in our lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and ground water, ensuring a high quality of life for all Minnesotans.
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-manual.html - Natural Resource Checklist
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Natural resource checklist, that contains items that are used in writing a watershed management planning. Provides assist to the watershed planning committee on information for a Watershed Management Plan.
www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/tmdl/TipsAndHints/NatResChecklist.html - Putting Together a Watershed Management Plan
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Information on what do once a planning committee has been formed.
www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/PutTogether.html - Rapid Watershed Planning
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Rapid Watershed Planning presentation that provides a basic outline for watershed planning, identifying steps for completing a plan.
www.stormwatercenter.net/Slideshows/rapid_files/frame.htm - Total Maximum Daily Load
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Place to find the latest news about TMDL, current 303d List, and an interactive map engine.
www.epa.state.il.us/water/tmdl/ - Watershed Assessment
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Information on tools available for watershed assessments.
www.cwp.org/tools_assessment.htm - Watershed Plan Checklist
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Checklist of items required for preparing a Watershed Plan with Section 319 funds.
www.state.in.us/idem/owm/planbr/wsm/fy2003checklist.pdf - What should our mission statement say?
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Information on creating a mission ( PR) statement that is easy to remember and be used to lobby support for your group.
www.nonprofits.org/npofaq/03/21.html
Educational Materials
- Adopt-A-Watershed
Website that offers curriculum for grades K 12. Activities include Significance of Trees (1st Grade) to Wade into Watersheds (4th Grade) to Watershed Physics (High School).
www.adopt-a-watershed.org/ - American Heritage Rivers Services
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Catalog of services available to those working to improve the health of rivers across the nation.
www.epa.gov/rivers/services/ - Drinking Water and Human Health
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Information regarding research, education, and extension activities related to drinking water and human health.
www.usawaterquality.org/themes/health/ - Drinking Water for Kids
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Offers sections on Games & Activities, Classroom Activities & Experiments and Kids Health.
www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/index.html - Environmental Education Programs
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Website that highlighting Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), contains links to Project WILD (Wildlife Educational for Teachers) and Project Learning Tree (Forestry Education for Teachers). All materials/activities are correlated to the Illinois State Goals for Learning Standards and meet National Science Standards.
dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/classrm/wild/intro.htm - Minnesota Stormwater Manual
The Minnesota Stormwater Manual is a valuable tool for stormwater managers; it helps professionals and newcomers manage stormwater in a way that conserves, enhances, and restores high-quality water in our lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and ground water, ensuring a high quality of life for all Minnesotans.
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-manual.html - Online Eco-Games
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Website that provides an online Watershed Game for students and adults!
www.bellmuseum.org/mnideals/watershed/watershed.html - Water Science for Schools
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Provides information on water and water use plus offers activities and a picture gallery.
ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/ - Wetlands, Oceans, & Watersheds Kids' Page
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Offers online watershed games, experiments and curriculum. Also touches upon the subjects of wetlands, estuaries and non-point source pollution.
www.epa.gov/owow/kids.html
Funding Sources
- American Heritage Rivers Services
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Catalog of services available to those working to improve the health of rivers across the nation.
www.epa.gov/rivers/services/ - C2000 Online Grant Application
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Ecosystem Partnership information, on-line application and links to completed grant applications.
dnr.state.il.us/orep/c2000/ecosystem/ - Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection
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Searchable database of financial assistance sources (grants, loans, cost-sharing) available to fund a variety of watershed protection projects.
cfpub.epa.gov/fedfund/ - Grant Proposals
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Illinois Water Resources Center has provided seed money for many water projects. Site provides links to other grant information.
www.environ.uiuc.edu/iwrc/research.htm - IEPA Funding Sources
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Information on financial assistance and Section 319 Application Forms.
www.epa.state.il.us/water/financial-assistance - Illinois Clean Energy Grants
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The Illinois Clean Energy provides support to local communities working to improve environmental quality in Illinois.
www.illinoiscleanenergy.org/programs/natural.htm - Landowners Guide
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Publication on available cost-share programs and technical assistance for landowners was updated July 2002.
dnr.state.il.us/OREP/C2000/Incentives.htm - Natural Resource Grants
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Web Site
dnr.state.il.us/orep/c2000/grants/grants_links.htm - Watershed Funding Resources
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Useful information on locating federal, state and private funding sources.
sspa.boisestate.edu/efc/Tools&Services/watershed_funding_resources.htm
Grant Writing Help
- A Guide for Proposal Writing
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Guide developed on ways to improving proposals writitng by the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation.
www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/documents/general/9783/proposal.htm - Developing and Writing Grant Proposals
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Website that provides information on developing and writing grant proposals.
aspe.hhs.gov/cfda/ia6.htm - EPA Grant-Writing Tuitorial
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Provides information on ways to enhance a proposal, completing forms, and shows examples of funded projects.
www.epa.gov/seahome/grants/src/grant.htm - Grant Writing for Non-profit
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Guide for non-profit groups that provide assistance in the grant writing process.
www.npguides.org/ - Grant Writing Tips
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Short grant writing tip by the Office of Comminity and Special Projects and the Alliance Grant Center.
www.uscolo.edu/faccntr/tips.html - Proposal Writing Short Course
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Information on proposal writing and planning to cultivate potential donors.
fdncenter.org/learn/shortcourse/prop1.html - The Body Heart & Soul of Grant Writing
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Friends of California Libraries article on what a grant is and how to search for a grant.
www.friendcalib.org/newsstand/f3grant.htm
Locating Resource Data
- Water Resources of the United States
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Information and links to water data, technical resources, programs and publications.
water.usgs.gov/ - American Heritage Rivers Services
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Catalog of services available to those working to improve the health of rivers across the nation.
www.epa.gov/rivers/services/ - Illinois Water Quality Information
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Water-quality data related to the Federal Clean Water Act. Mapping Tool were uses can locate, create, and print maps within Illinois.
il.water.usgs.gov/proj/wqinfo/index.html - Natural Resource Checklist
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Natural resource checklist, that contains items that are used in writing a watershed management planning. Provides assist to the watershed planning committee on information for a Watershed Management Plan.
www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/tmdl/TipsAndHints/NatResChecklist.html - Rapid Bioassessment Protocols
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Reference for conducting quick, basic, and cost-effective assessments of stream quality.
www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/rbp/index.html - Social Demenisions of Watershed Planning
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Web site and workbook that provide a general overview of the importance of social issues to the watershed planning process and also provide detailed guidance on how to assess these issues in individual watersheds. A social profile is a collection of baseline data that describes characteristics of a community or people in a defined area.
www.watershedplanning.uiuc.edu/ - Surf Your Watershed
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Helps you locate and use watershed information.
www.epa.gov/surf/ - Total Maximum Daily Load
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Place to find the latest news about TMDL, current 303d List, and an interactive map engine.
www.epa.state.il.us/water/tmdl/ - View USGS Maps and Aerial Photo Images Online
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Provides links to USGS maps and aerial photo images that you can view from your Web browser
mapping.usgs.gov/partners/viewonline.html - Watershed Information Network
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Information and assistance on protecting and restoring watersheds.
www.epa.gov/win/
Roles in Watershed Planning
- EcoWatch
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Help keep an eye on the environment... become a Citizen Scientist with the Illinois EcoWatch Network.
www.dnrgis.state.il.us/website/geography.asp?GEOGRAPHY=ECOPARTNER&PATH=ECOWATCH - Renewing Local Watersheds:Community Leaders' Guide to Building Watershed Communities
From:
This community leaders' guide offers a process for local residents to come together as a group to learn about their watershed and become more actively involved in the management of their waters.
www.soc.iastate.edu/ext/watersheds_manual/index.htm
Why Watershed Management Matters
- Minnesota Stormwater Manual
The Minnesota Stormwater Manual is a valuable tool for stormwater managers; it helps professionals and newcomers manage stormwater in a way that conserves, enhances, and restores high-quality water in our lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and ground water, ensuring a high quality of life for all Minnesotans.
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-manual.html - Online Watershed Management Training
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Watershed Academy module that explains basic watershed processes, principles of long-term watershed management, elements of successful watershed management frameworks, and benefits of a watershed management approach.
www.epa.gov/OWOW/watershed/wacademy/acad2000 - Renewing Local Watersheds:Community Leaders' Guide to Building Watershed Communities
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This community leaders' guide offers a process for local residents to come together as a group to learn about their watershed and become more actively involved in the management of their waters.
www.soc.iastate.edu/ext/watersheds_manual/index.htm - What is a Watershed?
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Educational videos that explain what a watershed is, impacts on watersheds, and sources of pollution.
www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/glossary/whatisaws.html - Why Watersheds?
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Presentation that describes what a watershed is, how development impacts watershed health, plus why protecting watersheds is critical.
www.cwp.org/whywatersheds_files/frame.htm