LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | Secretary Aurelia S. Giacometto
A DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
An online resource for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Includes areas of cyanotoxins; detection; health and ecological effects; research; causes, prevention and mitigation; policies and guidelines; and links to state information.
This web site includes model ordinances to serve as a template for those charged with making decisions concerning growth and environmental protection. For each model ordinance listed, there are several real -life examples of ordinances used by local and state governments around the nation. The ordinances address matters that are often forgotten in many local codes, including aquatic buffers, erosion and sediment control, open space development, stormwater control operation and maintenance, illicit discharges, and post construction controls. There is also a miscellaneous category containing ordinances that don't fit into these sections. In addition, this web site has materials that support particular ordinances, such as maintenance agreements and inspection checklists.
EPA MyWATERS Mapper dynamically displays snapshots of EPA Office of Water program data. This version of MyWATERS Mapper depicts the status of NPDES permits for each State; summary information from the Clean Watershed Needs Survey; and water quality assessments. Future versions will include other Office of Water Program Snapshots. MyWATERS Mapper also contains water-related geographic themes such as 12-digit watersheds, the national stream network known as the National Hydrography Dataset, and other water-related map layers. MyWATERS Mapper enables you to create customized maps at national and local scales.
N-STEPS (Nutrient Scientific Technical Exchange Partnership and Support) provides direct support for nutrient criteria development. This site is a "One Stop Shop" for national, regional, and local nutrient criteria developments. The types of assistance available from N-STEPS include: •read questions and responses about the science of nutrient criteria development, as well as implementation questions, •see presentations by state nutrient experts and water quality managers, •participate in webcasts, •participate in nutrient related discussion boards, •view a bulletin board of recent nutrient happenings in other regions as well as at Headquarters, •and download factsheets and guidance documents on nutrient water quality criteria issues such as: ◦Nutrient-algal dynamics, ◦Sampling design for determining ecosystem specific nutrient algal dynamics, ◦Statistical analysis of data to assess nutrient-algal dynamics
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, states, and tribes are conducting a series of surveys of the nation's aquatic resources. Often referred to as probability-based surveys, these studies provide nationally consistent and scientifically-defensible assessments of our nation's waters and can be used to track changes in condition over time. Each survey uses standardized field and lab methods and is designed to yield unbiased estimates of the condition of the whole water resource being studied (i.e., rivers and streams, lakes, wetlands, or coastal waters).
As described in EPA's March 16, 2011 memorandum, "Working Effectively in Partnership with States to Address Phosphorus and Nitrogen Pollution through Use of a Framework for State Nutrient Reductions," (PDF) (6 pp, 346.6K) EPA will work collaboratively with interested and willing states, other partners, and stakeholders to help states develop effective statewide strategies for reducing loadings of nitrogen and phosphorus while they continue developing numeric criteria for these pollutants. The first elements in EPA's recommended framework are to: 1) prioritize watersheds on a statewide basis for nitrogen and phosphorus loading reductions and 2) set watershed load reduction goals based upon best available information. To support states, other partners, and stakeholders in this important work, EPA has developed this data access tool, providing downloadable data layers and key information on the following: ◦the extent and magnitude of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in our Nation's waters; ◦water quality problems or potential problems related to this pollution; and ◦potential sources of these pollutants. Where available, the data layers in this data access tool are national in scope. In some cases, data sets are available only in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (e.g., US Geological Survey (USGS) estimated loadings of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution) or for a smaller area or region. This data access tool and data layers represent the best information currently available, and by making these data layers viewable and downloadable through this data access tool, EPA does not draw any conclusions or make any recommendations or determinations as to sources of nitrogen or phosphorus to our Nation's waters.
The Nonpoint Source (NPS) Outreach Toolbox is intended for use by state and local agencies and other organizations interested in educating the public on nonpoint source pollution or stormwater runoff. The Toolbox contains a variety of resources to help develop an effective and targeted outreach campaign. Includes targeted topics for general stormwater and storm drain awareness, lawn and garden care, pet care, septic system care, motor vehicle care, and household chemicals and waste. TV, radio, and print ads and other outreach products to increase awareness or change behaviors; Logos, slogans, and mascots; surveys and evaluations; and media campaigns.
These EPA data provide information about the nutrient-related Clean Water Act Section 319 projects currently underway that have reported on load reductions for nutrients. Active projects do not include those that are marked as discontinued, never initiated, completed, or accepted by EPA. Nutrients include the following pollutants: algal growth/chlorophyll, ammonia, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (low), nitrate, nitrogen, nutrients, phosphorus, sedimentation-siltation, suspended solids, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, and phosphate.
A web-based data layer in EPA NPDAT Tool. This layer provides information on nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from 2010 facility monitoring reports with corresponding nitrogen and phosphorus limits from EPA's Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Pollutant Loading Tool
These values, derived from EPA's NARS provide nitrogen and phosphorus pollutant levels statistically associated with degraded biological condition and may indicate the potential for biological community impacts at or near a monitoring site. Values for streams and for lakes to TN and TP.