LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | Secretary Aurelia S. Giacometto
A DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
A planning document that details scientific, technical, operational and financial components to establish observation systems for cooperative long-term monitoring of northern GOM hypoxic zone.
ArcGIS based tool that aids in making decisions about conservation, restoration, and planning. The Habitat Priority Planner takes away much of the subjective nature of the process by providing a means of obtaining critical habitat analyses that are consistent, repeatable, and transparent. The program allows users to easily test various ideas and "what if" scenarios on the fly, making it the perfect tool to use in a group setting. Participatory mapping process that can help communities make land use decisions.
The Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) is a state/federal program designed to collect, manage, and disseminate fishery-independent data in the southeastern U.S. A main goal is to maximize data collection efficiency to provide managers with the best information possible to make decisions. Three components currently collaborate with NMFS (or NOAA Fisheries): SEAMAP-Gulf, SEAMAP-South Atlantic, and SEAMAP-Caribbean. Each component operates independently, planning and conducting surveys, and disseminating information in accordance with cooperatively established administrative policies and guideline. Congress has allocated SEAMAP funding since 1983. Funds are obligated annually to the southeastern states for surveys and studies via multi-year cooperative agreements. NMFS Office/Region/Science Center staff review and evaluate proposals based on technical merit, soundness of design, ability of the applicant to perform the proposed work, potential contribution of the project to national or regional goals, and appropriateness of proposed costs. The NMFS (or NOAA Fisheries) uses a portion of the funding for its segment of the survey work, plankton sorting, and administrative responsibilities. Surveys of shrimp, groundfish, plankton, and reef fish are conducted in the Gulf of Mexico. Shallow-water trawl and long-line surveys, a survey of Pamlico Sound, fish habitat characterization, and data management are the major activities in the South Atlantic. Spiny lobster and queen conch surveys and reef fish monitoring are important efforts in the Caribbean. Surveys by individual components reflect distinct regional needs and priorities, but surveys in one area often provide data important to researchers in other geographic regions.
Nonpoint Source News-Notes is an occasional bulletin dealing with the condition of the water-related environment, the control of nonpoint sources of water pollution (NPS), and the ecosystem-driven management and restoration of watersheds.
Established by Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, requires States and U.S. territories to identify navigable waters that cannot attain water quality standards without reducing nonpoint source pollution and develop management plans to reduce nonpoint source pollution; Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) [Public Law 100‐4, February 4, 1987] directed the Governor of each state to prepare and submit a Nonpoint Source Assessment Report and Nonpoint Source Management Plan for reduction and control of pollution from nonpoint sources to navigable waters in the State; Louisiana Revised Statute 30:2011, signed by the Governor in 1987 as Act 272, instructed Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, designated at the Lead Agency for the state’s Nonpoint Source Program, to develop and implement a NPS Management Program. The NPS Management Program is to be developed in coordination with appropriate state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee in those areas pertaining to their respective jurisdictions (La.R.S. 30:20).
The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model was developed for use in whole farm/small watershed management (Williams et al., 2000). The model was constructed to evaluate various land management strategies considering sustainability, erosion (wind, sheet, and channel), economics, water supply and quality, soil quality, plant competition, weather, and pests. Management capabilities include irrigation, drainage, furrow diking, buffer strips, terraces, waterways, fertilization, manure management, lagoons, reservoirs, crop rotation and selection, pesticide application, grazing, and tillage. Besides the farm management functions, APEX can be used in evaluating the effects of global climate/CO2 changes; designing environmentally safe, and economical landfill sites; designing biomass production systems for energy; and other spin-off applications. The model operates on a daily time step and is capable of simulating hundreds of years if necessary. Farms may be subdivided into fields, soil types, landscape positions, or any other desirable configuration.
This standard establishes the acceptable criteria and documentation requirements for a plan that addresses the application and budgeting of nutrients for plant production. All nutrient sources, including soil reserves, commercial fertilizer, manure, organic byproducts, legume crops, and crop residues shall be accounted for and properly utilized. These criteria are intended to minimize nutrient entry into surface water, groundwater, and atmospheric resources while maintaining and improving the physical, chemical, and biological condition of the soil.
Long-term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network of sites within HUC 2 level to provide platform for research on sustainability of US agricultural systems. As of Nov 2012, there are no Long-term monitoring locations in Louisiana.
This web-based software application was designed to provide a simple, convenient way to express multiple water quality parameters into a single, easy to understand value. A calculated WQIag# value is ranked from 1 to 10, where a value of 10 is assigned to the runoff water of highest quality and value of 1 to lowest water quality.
ACWA is a national, nonpartisan professional organization. ACWA members are the state, Interstate and territorial officials who are responsible for the implementation of surface water protection programs throughout the nation. In addition to serving as a liaison among these officials, ACWA facilitates communication with federal government; promotes public education; is the national voice for state/tribal/territorial clean water program concerns, interests, and priorities; facilitates technical and policy innovation among national and state/tribal/territorial water programs (best practices); fosters the collaboration needed for sound public policy; and carries out activities in an efficient, ethical and fiscally sound manner.