Pollution and Water Quality
According to the United Nations, declining water quality has become a global issue of concern as human populations grow, industrial and agricultural activities expand, and climate change threatens to cause major alterations to the hydrological cycle. Resources available in this sub-theme include manuals describing water quality testing and treatment, reports and assessments of water quality from around the world, methods of maintaining water quality and managing pollution, and other resources that support enabling environments for effective water quality control.
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Pollution and Water Quality Resources
Managing Urban Runoff
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This page provides information and resources to help citizens and municipalities protect water quality from sources of urban runoff. There are guidance documents, manuals, factsheets and research studies available to learn best management practices.Read more
Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Nonpoint Source (NPS) Outreach Toolbox is the EPA's guidance for effective outreach education on nonpoint source pollution or storm water runoff. The Toolbox contains a variety of resources with examples for increasing awareness and changing behavior in relation to storm water awareness,...Read more
U.S. National Aquatic Resource Surveys
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. EPA has developed approaches for implementing a statistically valid survey for assessing the nation's waters. These resources are specific to states but provide a framework approach to help build national monitoring program. The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) use randomized...Read more
AQUATOX 3.1 Plus Simulation Model for Aquatic Systems
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
AQUATOX is a simulation model for aquatic systems. AQUATOX predicts the flow of pollutants, such as nutrients and organic chemicals, and their effects on the ecosystem, including fish, invertebrates and aquatic plants. This model is a valuable tool for ecologists, biologists, water quality modelers...Read more
System for Urban Stormwater Treatment Analysis Integration Model (Sustain)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SUSTAIN is a decision support system that will assist storm water management professionals in developing implementation plans for flow and pollution control to protect sources waters. It will also assist watershed and storm water practitioners to develop, evaluate and select optimal best management...Read more
Water Quality Exchange
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Water Quality Exchange (WQX) provides a standard format for exchanging water quality monitoring data. Even though it's designed for data sharing within the U.S., the data exchange schema could be reused by any country to establish a data exchange...Read more
Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual: Rivers and Streams
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This manual provides methods to assess water body nutrient impairment and develop ecoregion-specific nutrient criteria. The document provides background information on classifying rivers and streams, selecting criteria variables, designing monitoring programs, building a database analyzing...Read more
Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual: Lakes and Reservoirs
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This manual details the U.S. EPA's scientific recommendations regarding ambient concentrations of nutrients that protect resource quality and aquatic life. The guidance manual is intended to help the user develop criteria useful for abating cultural eutrophication...Read more
Regional focus:
North America, United StatesMonitoring Guidance for Determining the Effectiveness of Nonpoint Source Controls
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This nonpoint source monitoring guidance addresses the design of water quality monitoring programs to assess both impacts from nonpoint source pollution and the effectiveness of control practices and management measures. Emphasis is on project and BMP effectiveness, statistical analysis, and...Read more
Guiding Principles on an Optional Approach For Developing and Implementing a Numeric Nutrient Criterion That Integrates Causal and Response Parameters
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
These guiding principles offer an approach for developing a numeric nutrient criterion that integrates causal (nitrogen and phosphorous) and responsive parameters into one water quality standard.Read more
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