The Land Use – Water Quality Link: Resources
compiled by Molly Beitzel, GMU student.

  Websites

  1. LGEAN (Local Government Environmental Assistance Network) www.lgean.org
    ~ LGEAN enables local officials to interact with their peers and others about different environmental activities and policies. It is full of different resources for officials to learn about the hot environmental topics and current legislative activities. It is a good resource to use to learn about the government’s concerns with the environment.

  2. Bay LOGIN (Chesapeake Bay Local Government Environmental Information Network) www.baylogin.org
    ~ This website is to keep local governments informed about Bay Program activities that impact local governments. These local governments can also provide feedback to the Bay Program. The information found on the website is about restoring the Chesapeake Bay and all of its watersheds.

  3. Land Use and Water Resource Research www.luwrr.com
    ~ This website serves as a journal about land use issues. It aims to connect science and policy to create management solutions, keeping in mind people’s livelihoods and the environment at the same time.

  4. USGS Chesapeake Bay Activities – Land Use and Watersheds http://chesapeake.usgs.gov/landcover.html
    ~ The USGS website provides current information about land use and watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay area. This website also gives a list of programs currently going on in this area, in which research is being done. This site contains more biological information about land use than anything else.

  5. Natural Resource Conservation Service – State of the Land http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/techinical
    ~ Webpage for Land not found

  6. Maryland Sea Grant – “Land Use in the Chesapeake Region” http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/Policy/landuse.html
    ~ This site is about marine research done by the University of Maryland. The information available on this website is the research and educational tools produced by the university about the Chesapeake Bay. This is a great resource for information and research done on the Chesapeake Bay.

  Organizations

  1. Center for Watershed Protection www.cwp.org
    ~ The Center for Watershed Protection program is geared towards protecting watersheds. This site provides information about watersheds, current projects going on to restore watersheds, and publications dealing with watersheds. This is a great resource for research on watersheds.

  2. Stormwater Manager’s Resource Center, Inc. www.stormwatercenter.net
    ~ This website provides assistance on stormwater management issues. There is information available to help government officials create ordinances dealing with stormwater issues, create stormwater manuals for communities, create educational programs in communities, as well as solutions for stormwater problems.

  3. Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) www.chesapeakebay.net
    ~ This website is all about the Chesapeake Bay; from the animals and plants that live there, to the pollutants of the bay, to the way the land is used around the bay. It provides profiles of the watersheds leading into the bay. There is also a great page about getting involved, for teachers and students, citizens, or businesses.

  4. Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) http://nemo.uconn.edu/index.htm
    ~ NEMO is a University of Connecticut educational program for land use decision makers. It provides research on land use and workshops for officials who make decisions about land use. They also have information available about case studies that they have done.

  5. Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) http://clear.uconn.edu/default.htm
    ~ This University of Connecticut program provides education and assistance to land use decision makers on how to protect natural resources while accommodating economic growth. Research is done by the university to develop tools and training.

  6. Michigan Land Use Institute www.mlui.org/index.asp
    ~ This institute is aimed at strengthening communities, as well as protecting natural resources. Their mission is to help avoid suburban sprawl and over – development in Michigan. The site includes special reports and publications about the land use in Michigan.

  7. Susquehanna River Basin Commission www.srbc.net
    ~ Website will be described.

  8. Interstate Commission Potomac River Basin www.potomacriver.org
    ~ Website will be described.

  9. National Association of Counties (NACo) – Water Programs www.naco.org/programs/environ/water/watermgt.cfm ~This site has technical assistance projects that address water management issues. It is a resource for those who want to expand water management and protection efforts in their communities. The site provides information about watersheds and different projects and activities to restore them.

  10. Local Government Commission (LGC) www.lgc.org
    ~ The Local Government Commission is an organization that provides assistance to local governments to help sustain healthy environments and healthy economies. Some of the solutions for local governments that are available on the website deal with waste prevention, transportation, economic development, community design, people and community,
    environment, and energy. Overall, this organization works to make communities more livable for the people and healthier for the environment.

  11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – (FAO / AGL Land and Water Development Division) www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/agricult/agl/default.stm
    ~ The Land and Water Development Division deals with different services to ensure a more productive and efficient use land and water resources in order to meet present and future food and agriculture demands on a sustainable basis.
    Available on this website are a lot of information resources including projects that have been done, publications, databases, and online conferences that have been done. Most of the projects have been done in Africa and Latin America and the Carribean.


  State & Federal Agencies / Departments

  1. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation www.dcr.state.va.us
    ~ The Virginia Department’s mission is to conserve and protect the state’s natural, historic, recreational, scenic, and cultural resources. The programs include Virginia State Parks, National Heritage Programs, Soil and Water Conservation, Damn Safety Programs, and Recreation Planning. They work with different programs around the state in these areas to conserve and protect our resources.

  2. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality www.deq.state.va.us
    ~ This department is aimed at protecting the environment of Virginia. On this webpage, you can access news releases, public notices, missions, and publications about our environment in Virginia. There is a lot of information available about everything going on dealing with the environment.

  3. Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department (CBLAD) www.cblad.state.va.us/
    ~ This department deals with the impact of land use on the Chesapeake Bay. The current programs and projects, as well as Bay acts and regulations are explained on this site. There is also information about the latest news, events, and publications dealing with the issue of land use.

  4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds Division www.epa.gov/owow
    ~ This page of the EPA webpage deals with wetlands, oceans and watersheds. It gives information about the waters as well as information on how they can be protected.

  5. Surf Your Watershed www.epa.gov/surf/
    ~ This site is a great resource for watershed research, you can search your watershed in which you live. Here you will find what pollutants are effecting your watershed and what is expected to harm your watershed in the future. You can also adopt your own watershed.

  6. Watershed Information Network www.epa.gov/win/law.html
    ~ Basic laws related to water is explained on this website; they are federal statutes governing water resources in the United States. They include the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, among others.

  7. “Using Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) set – aside funds for Source Water Protection (SWP)” and “Using the DWSRF for SWP Loans” which are both located at www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf.html
    ~ This part of the EPA site is called Ground Water and Drinking Water. The drinking water state revolving fund is explained here, including the fact sheets and reports, program data, related reports, and work groups.

  Publications

  1. Chesapeake 2000 Agreement www.chesapeakebay.net/agreement.htm
    ~ Chesapeake 2000 is an agreement made by the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Partnership to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay so it will remain for future generations. Issues they have committed to are living resource protection and restoration, vital habitat protection and restoration, water quality protection and restoration, sound land use, and stewardship and community engagement. Summaries and goals of these issues are also available.

  2. Effects of Land Use on Water Quality (Michigan) http://mi.water.usgs.gov/sieffectwq.php
    ~ Various issues are listed that have to do with land use and water quality. These articles include information, maps and pictures of the water and the latest land use issues.

  3. “Land and the Chesapeake Bay” ~ Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) www.cbf.org/resources/pubs/landsbook.PDF
    ~ Page not found on website.

  4. Codes and Ordinances Worksheet http://www.cwp.org/pubs_download.htm
    ~ Download a publication on Codes and Ordinances.

  Workshops

  1. U.S. EPA – Local Government Workshops: Tools for Watershed Protection www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/training/lousberg.html
    ~ These two day long workshops are for those who are local and state government officials, planners, public works and health officials, scientific and technical personnel, and others involved in land and resource management and protection. There is an average of six workshops a year around the nation. The information provided are both regulatory and non – regulatory tools available for resource protection, including innovative zoning ordinances, land acquisition techniques, tax incentives, and others.

  2. Emerging Trends in Watershed Protection, October 9th , Brewer’s Art, Baltimore, MD (More info TBA, go to www.cwp.org)
    ~ Page not found on website.

  3. Delaware Sediment and Stormwater 2002 Conference: The Race for Clean Water, October 21 – 23, Dover, DE www.dnrec.state.de.us/dnrec2000/Divisions/Soil/Stormwater/Conf/E Reg Index.htm
    ~ Website not found.

  4. Urban Stormwater: Enhancing Programs at the Local Level, February 16 Pre – Conference Workshop, Chicago, IL www.cwp.org/Call For Papers.htm
    ~ This conference is scheduled for February 17 – 20, and intended to cover state – of – the – art technologies and implementation programs that have proven success in local communities. This conference is the fifth in a popular series of water quality specialty conferences sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Authors who would like to participate in this conference program can apply. For more information, visit the website.

  5. Oregon State Seminars http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/news/conferences/waterquality.html
    ~ Website not found.


  Other (Programs, Tools, etc.)

  1. Long – Term Hydrological Impact Assessment (L – THIA) http://www.ecn.purdue.edu/runoff/
    ~ Website not found.

  2. NASA’s Land Use / Land Cover Change Program http://lcluc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
    ~ LCLUC is an interdisciplinary scientific theme within NASA’s Earth Science Enterprise. Listed on this website are the program’s goals and questions; as well as publications, announcements, and events.

  3. Builders for the Bay http://www.cwp.org/buildersforbay.htm
    ~ Website not found.

  4. Businesses for the Bay http://www.chesapeakebay.net/b4bay.htm
    ~ Businesses for the Bay is a voluntary team of forward – looking businesses, industries, government facilities and other organizations located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As members, businesses are committed to implementing pollution prevention in daily operations and reducing the releases of chemical contaminants and other wastes into the Chesapeake Bay. There are membership responsibilities, and meetings and conferences.

  5. Land Use and Water Summit http://www.valleywater.org/Newsandevents/Eventsandoutreachcalendar/
    LandUse&WaterSummit.cfm
    ~ Website not found.