The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a draft handbook to help communities, watershed organizations, and local, state, tribal, and federal environmental agencies develop and implement watershed plans to meet water quality standards and protect water resources. EPA plans to finalize this draft in about one year after watershed managers have time to use the handbook and provide recommendations to improve it. EPA believes the handbook will be particularly helpful to those working with impaired or threatened waters. It contains guidance on quantifying existing pollutant loads, developing estimates of the load reductions required to meet water quality standards, developing effective management measures, and tracking progress.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
www.southernsustainableforests.org