Number 75                     January 1996              ISSN 1062-9149

Judith A. Gale and Deanna L. Osmond
NCSU Water Quality Group

In order to adequately control nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, it is necessary to select and implement the most appropriate best management practices (BMPs) and to strategically position these practices on the landscape. The decision support system, WATERSHEDSS (WATER, Soil, and Hydro-Environmental Decision Support System), currently under development by the North Carolina State University Water Quality Group, has been designed as a computer tool to aid in NPS pollution control decisions at the watershed level.

Objectives of the decision support system are threefold:

• Information transfer - to compile, synthesize, and make accessible information from successful agricultural NPS pollution control projects,

• Watershed assessment - to assess and evaluate NPS pollution in a watershed based on user-supplied information, and

• Watershed evaluation - to evaluate, through geographic information system (GIS)-assisted modeling, the water quality effects of alternative land treatment scenarios.

WATERSHEDSS is comprised of six components:

• Hypertext expert-systems-like user interface that serves as the watershed assessment and evaluation framework for the decision support system,

• Education component,

• Annotated bibliography of NPS literature,

• Agricultural BMP database,

• Linked GIS and spatially distributed water quality model, and

• Pollutant budget spreadsheet.

The target audience for WATERSHEDSS includes watershed managers and land treatment personnel who need both information and assessment tools to assist them in the decision-making necessary to effectively protect water quality. The education component also makes detailed information on water quality, land treatment, and wetland topics accessible to members of the general public interested in water quality.

Because the intended audience for the decision support system is global in scope, WATERSHEDSS has been made accessible via the Internet as part of the World Wide Web. This format allows easy user access to WATERSHEDSS and ease of movement within the system. Linkages to outside information sources are available and can be continually updated.

Upon entering WATERSHEDSS, the user can either: 1) access information about watershed management or 2) evaluate alternative land treatment scenarios.

Information

The information option (education component) provides facts and case studies about the effects of land use and BMPs on water quality from a watershed perspective. Extensive information on water quality topics, such as nutrients, pathogens, and wetlands, is also available. This information is delivered through a hypertext format so that a variety of topics related to agricultural NPS pollution control can be accessed.

Watershed Evaluation

The evaluation option helps the user determine the appropriate BMPs for a particular water quality impairment. Users answer a series of questions about their watersheds, including type of surface water body, designated uses of the water body, water impairment, and pollutant and its source. Based on this and other information, alternative BMPs are suggested and users can then choose the practices she or he believes will be most beneficial for reducing NPS pollution.

Decisions about the placement of BMPs that reduce or mitigate pollutants will be made with the aid of a spatially distributed water quality model (AGNPS) linked to a GIS (GRASS). To use the AGNPS-GRASS interface, users must have digital watershed data. Maps generated by the GIS will allow users to evaluate the impact on water quality of different land treatment practices and their placement on the landscape. The evaluation portion of WATERSHEDSS has been designed as an interactive system requiring the user to both provide information and make decisions throughout the watershed evaluation process.

Sources of Support and Cooperators

Development of WATERSHEDSS has been funded under a three-year Grant Cooperative Agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia (Project Officer: Dermont Bouchard), and the North Carolina State University Water Quality Group. Cooperators at the Pennsylvania State University Environmental Resources Research Institute have contributed the agricultural BMP database and two case studies, and are helping to develop the GRASS-AGNPS interface. Development of the decision support system under the current grant will continue through September of 1996.

Accessing WATERSHEDSS

WATERSHEDSS can be accessed through any of the currently available graphical browsers, such as Netscape or Mosaic, at:

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/bae/programs/extension/wqg
(the NCSU Water Quality Group Home Page) or

http://h2osparc.wq.ncsu.edu
(WATERSHEDSS Home Page).

For Further Information Contact

Deanna Osmond, Co-Task Leader for development of WATERSHEDSS,
Water Quality Extension Specialist
email: deanna_osmond@ncsu.edu or
Judith Gale, Project Manager
Water Quality Extension Specialist
email: judith_gale@ncsu.edu
NCSU Water Quality Group
615 Oberlin Road, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27605-1126
Tel: 919-515-3723, Fax: 919-515-7448

The Water Wise Gardener Program:
Lessons Learned about Public Education on Water Quality

Marc T. Aveni, Extension Agent
Virginia Cooperative Extension

Introduction

The Water Wise Gardener Program, developed by Virginia Cooperative Extension, is an educational program aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution from suburban areas. Targeted pollutants include: 1) nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer and animal wastes; 2) sediments, primarily from erosion resulting from poor construction and development practices; and 3) toxic substances, such as pesticides, household chemicals, motor oil, and road salt.

The objective of the program is to reduce pollution to area water ways and protect water supplies in three ways:

• Educate the public about lawn, landscape, septic system, and well-water best management practices (BMPs) that have been demonstrated to have the least impact on water quality, especially nonpoint source pollution;

• Motivate homeowners to implement these practices; and

• Partner Master Gardener volunteers with new volunteers to achieve the first two goals listed above.

Specific working goals of the program include:

• 85% of participants complete the one-year Water Wise Gardener Program, including a series of seminars and one-to-one interactions with volunteers, designed to educate participants about proper lawn care practices;

• Conduct soil tests for 90% of participants' lawns; and

• Consistent with state and local mandates, document a 40% reduction in the amount of nitrogen applied, a 25% reduction in yard trimmings sent to landfill, and a 25% reduction in pesticides used and water applied by participants.

The following sections identify and describe some key aspects of and lessons learned from the Water Wise Gardener Program to date.

Who is the Audience?

Before planning or conducting a water quality education program, one of the first questions to ask is: "Who is the intended audience?" There are a number of ways to classify the publics (people) to be served by a public education program. The physical area served by an Extension office -- a small county, a big city, a rapidly developing suburban area -- obviously plays a large part in audience determination. An inner-city program will be different from a suburban program or a rural area program. Discovering which water quality issues are important from a political, social, and community perspective is a key element of the program planning process.

Some generalizations about audiences and their interest in water quality can be made. For example, in rural areas, the quality of well water and septic system maintenance will likely be of major interest to both residents and local governments. In suburban areas, lawn and yard care is popular with residents and commercial landscapers, neighborhood appearance is a great concern to homeowner associations, and storm water management is an issue with which localities are struggling to deal effectively. Inner-city audiences may be concerned about municipal water quality problems or other more urban issues.

What is Public Education Anyway?

Most Cooperative Extension programs incorporate a combination of informational, developmental, and implementational components. Informational programs are focused on distributing and sharing information. Speakers, brochures, videos, press releases, and field days generally fall into this category. In most areas, Cooperative Extension programs are trying to get away from the purely informational approach to education in favor of a more developmental approach. The aim of a developmental program is to move a targeted audience confronted with a problem (poor water quality, a bad lawn, overuse of fertilizer), through an educational process that leads to implementation of desired behaviors. Developmental programs require: 1) objectives that are sequenced and aimed towards accomplishment of program goals and 2) evaluation of program results.

The Five Level Program Involvement Model for Water Quality Education

The heart of the Water Wise Gardener Program is the Five Level Program Involvement Model for Water Quality Education.

In the first level of the program, suburban homeowners and renters participate in a series of workshops, seminars, and field days designed to educate them about the impacts of activities such as lawn care on water quality, and to interest them in participating in the volunteer lawns component of the program (level 2).

While seminars and workshops are great places to begin public education on water quality issues, developmental programs should challenge people to a deeper level of involvement. One of the most successful methods of developmental education related to lawn care and water quality is the volunteer lawn. In this part of the program, homeowners volunteer to implement the recommended practices about which they have learned. The homeowner signs an agreement stating his or her intention to implement the practices and to keep track of lawn and landscape activities (including amounts of fertilizer and pesticides applied) on a record form for a specified period of time. The homeowner is assigned a personal Master Gardener (a volunteer trained in many aspects of horticulture), with whom the homeowner can consult about the implementation of the recommended practices. The Master Gardener conducts at least one personal visit with the homeowner and establishes regular phone hours when he or she can call with questions. With some innovation, the volunteer lawn concept could be adapted to create a volunteer well or septic system program.

It is generally a good idea for an Extension agent to start out with a small number of lawns the first year, perhaps 10, and see how it goes before committing to greater numbers of volunteers. Some homeowners with volunteer lawns can require a big time commitment, especially if their yards need a great deal of work and they are counting on an Extension agent to answer all their questions! In many cases, a lack of trained Master Gardeners is the primary factor limiting the number of volunteer lawns that can be initiated at one time. A minimum of a one-year commitment by the volunteer lawn homeowners is essential.

Demonstration lawns are the third level in the Water Wise Gardener Program. A demonstration lawn signifies achievement, mastery, and knowledge gained. Once participants have been in the volunteer lawn status for a year or more, they are knowledgeable about the public education mission of Cooperative Extension and how water quality relates to lawn care. Their lawns are probably looking good as well! This is the time to highlight their efforts to the community via some type of sign. A realistic goal is to have about 20% of the volunteer lawns continue as demonstration lawns for a year or more.

Other types of demonstration lawns can also be incorporated into the program. A popular approach is designation of a plot at a park or other public place as a demonstration of water quality landscaping. Field days and workshops can be held at the plot to demonstrate sustainable landscaping techniques.

Master Gardener training is the fourth level of the program. Volunteers who are already familiar with the Water Wise Gardener Program, by virtue of having participated in volunteer or demonstration lawns, are recruited as Master Gardener volunteers. This brings the volunteer effort full circle, as the volunteer who has received training in levels 1 through 3 now makes a commitment to share his or her knowledge with others in the community.

In level 5, a final evaluation of the program takes place and decisions are made about future directions. Perhaps program goals have been achieved and resources can now be focused on other efforts. Ideally, the community is invested enough in the program to be willing and able to support it in the future solely with community resources and volunteers.

Don't Forget Evaluation

Assessing the results of programs designed to educate the public about water quality issues in terms of actual impacts on participants' behavior is important for many reasons. Increasingly limited funds for educational programs require that such efforts can be shown to be effective in bringing about desired changes in individual behaviors that affect water quality.

Informational techniques generally provide a "one shot" approach, the impact of which is difficult to quantify, other than to specify, for example, how many people watched a video or received a publication. What people do as a result of receiving the information -- did participants change their behavior or did they go on doing what they were doing before? -- is hard to determine. Nonetheless, such informational opportunities certainly have a place in educational programs, and are effective at raising awareness.

Developmental programs are designed to assist participants in both learning new information and changing behaviors. A common approach to evaluating behavioral changes is administration of pre- and post-program surveys that ask the same questions. The survey assesses changes (usually expressed in percentages) in recommended behaviors or practices addressed in the educational program. In contrast to the informational approach, a developmental education program requires higher levels of staff and participant commitment.

Pre- and post-program surveys are valuable for obtaining data on homeowner practices and attitudes, as well as demographic information, such as age, race, income, and voting district. A well designed pre-program survey, completed before a homeowner attends the first seminar, will supply information on his or her knowledge and attitudes about yard care and water quality, as well as specifics on amounts of fertilizer and pesticides being used. Similarly, a survey completed after a participant has been participating in the program for at least a year will assess what the homeowner has learned, how his or her attitudes have changed, and whether he or she has reduced fertilizer and pesticide applications. By comparing pre- and post-program surveys, an Extension agent can evaluate whether or not program goals have been met. Use of a computer software spreadsheet or database manager facilitates keeping track of, analyzing, and reporting the data.

Once the data have been analyzed, it is essential to prepare and widely distribute an easy-to-read summary sheet reporting program results. Such information helps demonstrate that public education is indeed effective in reducing nonpoint sources of pollution by changing peoples' attitudes and practices in and around their homes.

Where We Are Heading ?

With funding from the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, a program guide on the Water Wise Gardener Program is being prepared for release in the near future. Plans are under way to implement pilot versions of the program in Extension offices throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

For Further Information Contact

Marc T. Aveni, Extension Agent
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Prince William County Office
8033 Ashton Avenue, Suite 105
Manassas, VA 22110
Tel: 703-792-4632, email: Ex153@vt.edu

Mueller, D.K., P.A. Hamilton, D.R. Helsel, K.J. Hitt, and B.C. Ruddy. 1995.
Nutrients in Ground Water and Surface Water of the United States -- An Analysis of Data Through 1992.Water- Resources Investigations Report 95-4031. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO. 74p.

This report presents an analysis of historical data on nutrient concentrations in ground and surface waters compiled using data from 20 large watersheds across the United States. The watersheds are being monitored as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1986.

The report on nutrients is one of several national synthesis assessments focusing on selected water quality topics using nationally consistent data from the NAWQA Program. Patterns in water quality across the country, and changes over time, are identified, and explained to the extent possible. Topics being addressed by national syntheses include nutrients, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and aquatic biology.

Some important findings are presented below.

• Nitrate was the nutrient of greatest concern in the historical ground water data.

• Nitrate in rural agricultural wells used for drinking water was higher and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard more frequently than in other non-agricultural areas of the country.

• Regions of the United States where vulnerability to nitrate contamination of ground water in agricultural areas was highest included parts of the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast, where typically well-drained soils have little capacity to hold water and nutrients.

• Nutrient concentrations in surface water were generally related to land use. Nitrate concentrations were highest in samples from sites downstream from agricultural or urban areas. However, concentrations were not as high as in ground water and rarely exceeded the drinking-water standard.

• Recent improvements in wastewater treatment have decreased ammonia concentrations downstream from some urban areas, but the result has been an increase in nitrate concentrations.

Copies of the report may be obtained ($15.75 per copy including shipping and handling) from the U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Science Information Center, Open-File Reports Section, Box 25286, Mail Stop 517, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225, Tel: 303-202-4200, Fax: 303-202-4695.

Carr, D.W. and B.T. Rushton. 1995. Integrating a Herbaceous Wetland into Stormwater Management. Stormwater Research Program, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Brooksville, FL. 131p. + appendices.

Among recent alternatives suggested for stormwater treatment is the use of existing isolated wetlands. The large number of natural wetlands and the rapid population growth in Florida make this an attractive alternative for new development. Uncertainty exists, however, about the ability of such wetlands to absorb the increased peak volumes and higher levels of nutrients and metals found in urban runoff. Additional concerns exist about the ecological effects of stormwater on natural wetlands.

This publication reports on a study: 1) evaluating the effectiveness of a three-acre isolated herbaceous wetland (marsh) to treat stormwater runoff from a 15-acre drainage basin; 2) comparing water quality results to state water quality standards; and 3) documenting the effects of stormwater management on marsh vegetation and sediment.

Copies of the report may be obtained (free) by contacting Diane Caban, Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34609-6899, Tel: 1-800-423-1476 (FL only) or 904-796-7211, extension 4378.

Thompson, J.N. and D.L. Green. 1994. Riparian Restoration and Streamside Erosion Control Handbook. Nonpoint Source Program and Natural Resources Section, Div. of Water Pollution Control, Tennessee Dept. of Environment and Conservation, Nashville, TN. 74p.

This practical guide is designed to assist landowners in preventing erosion of private lands and rehabilitating damaged streamside or riparian zones. The authors present techniques for stabilization of streambanks and restoration of freshwater ecosystems. Included in the handbook are chapters on riparian zone management, aquatic permits and regulations, stream dynamics and causes of erosion, removing obstructions, and stream stabilization methods (conventional bank armoring, stabilization structures, in-stream structures, conventional vegetation, soil bioengineering, habitat restoration).

Copies of the handbook may be requested (free) from Jennifer N. Thompson, Nonpoint Source Program, Division of Water Pollution Control, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, 7th Floor, L & C Annex, 401 Church St., Nashville, TN 37243-1534, Tel: 615-532-0689, Fax: 615-532-0046.

During 1993, the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research conducted a mail survey of pesticide program administrators in all 50 states. The survey addressed topics including general information, licensing and certification, record keeping, environmental concerns, farmworker safety and health, administration, regulatory authority, and aerial application of pesticides. Responses were received from all states except Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, and New Mexico.

Photocopies of the special issue of North Carolina Insight (Volume 15, Nos. 2-3, September 1994) reporting on the survey may be ordered ($14.75 per copy including postage) from the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, Inc., P.O. Box 430, Raleigh, NC 27602, Tel: 919-832-2839.

This report summarizes the first two and a half years of the National Farm*A*Syst efforts to support state development of voluntary water pollution prevention programs for farmsteads and rural residents. The report provides an overview of coordinated activities, pilot project results to date, and plans for future activities. Farm*A*Syst efforts are jointly supported by the Extension Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at the national level and by numerous organizations at the state and local levels. More than 35 states are already actively involved with the program.

Copies of the report ($2 per copy) may be obtained by contacting: National Farm*A*Syst Program, B142 Steenbock Library, 550 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1293, Tel: 608-262-0024, Fax: 608-265-2775.

Horner, R.R., J.J. Skupien, E.H. Livingston, and H.E. Shaver. 1994. Fundamentals of Urban Runoff Management: Technical and Institutional Issues. Terrene Institute, Washington, DC.

Fundamentals of urban runoff hydrology and impacts of urban land use are presented in this manual. Emphasis is placed on the importance of providing an overall framework for runoff control programs. The report, a summary of materials distributed at a workshop held in Chicago in 1992, should be of interest to individuals who implement runoff requirements under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments, or section 319 of the Clean Water Act.

Copies ($40 including shipping) may be ordered from the Terrene Institute, 1717 K St. NW, Ste. 801, Washington, DC 20006, Tel: 202-833-8317.

The National Water Quality Evaluation Project (NWQEP) was initiated in 1980 through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the NCSU Water Quality Group. The purpose of the grant was to provide technical assistance to 21 federally funded experimental Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) projects located throughout the U.S. NWQEP NOTES originated as part of the RCWP effort and has been published by the NCSU Water Quality Group since 1983.

The purpose of the newsletter is to provide current technical information on nonpoint source pollution control, including federal, state, and local initiatives and projects; new technologies and approaches; and useful publications. NWQEP NOTES is also intended to facilitate multi-disciplinary networking by professionals working in the nonpoint source pollution control field.

NWQEP NOTES is distributed free to over 1,600 water quality managers, land treatment specialists, and other natural resource professionals in all 50 states; Washington, DC; the Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico; and 14 other countries. Publication of the newsletter has been supported through grants from USDA (1983 through October 1994) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (November 1994 through the present).

March 6 - 8, 1996
New Bern, North Carolina

Workshop Objectives: Forestry BMPs should protect the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of forest streams. States have established water quality standards and criteria to designate and protect beneficial uses. The only way to determine if forestry BMPs are effectively protecting water quality is a well designed and implemented effectiveness monitoring program.

The workshop, which will focus on the Southeastern United States, is designed to guide agencies and industries in answering the following questions:

• Do properly selected, installed, and maintained forestry BMPs adequately protect water quality?

• Does a management activity jeopardize water quality?

• Which BMPs should be used in specific situations?

• How long do BMPs remain effective and what level of maintenance is required?

• How effective are BMPs under major climatic events?

Audience: Anyone with technical responsibility for forestry water quality programming, particularly in the Southeastern United States.

Format: The workshop consists of two days of presentations and group working sessions and a one-day field trip to the Weyerhaeuser Long-Term Coastal Plain Paired Watershed Study and other sites. Topics include stream/ecosystem classification; monitoring program design and statistical considerations; on-land monitoring; chemical, physical, and biological monitoring methods; aquatic habitat classification and assessment; and forestry BMP effectiveness program case studies. Speakers and participants will define and discuss effectiveness monitoring and demonstrate monitoring methods.Sponsors: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; NC Cooperative Extension Service; NCSU College of Forest Resources; NCSU Water Quality Group

For More Information Contact: Ann Coughlin, College of Forest Resources, Box 8001, NCSU, Raleigh, NC 27695-8001, Tel: 919-515-3184, Fax: 919-515-3687, email: coughlin@cfr.cfr.ncsu.edu

NWQEP NOTES is issued bimonthly. Subscriptions are free (contact: Publications Coordinator at the address below or via email at wq_puborder@ncsu.edu). A list of publications on nonpoint source pollution distributed by the NCSU Water Quality Group is also available with each issue of the newsletter.

I welcome your views, findings, information, and suggestions for articles. Please feel free to contact me.

Judith A. Gale, Editor
Water Quality Extension Specialist
North Carolina State University Water Quality Group
Campus Box 7637
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695
Tel: 919-515-3723
Fax: 919-515-7448
Internet: notes_editor@ncsu.edu