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Learning Center for Residents Read The Label Survey
Compliance Alert Resources Resources The World Water Monitoring Day Hach Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Ala Wai Watershed Association Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services Several departments within the Honolulu City and County government are involved in watershed issues, including the Departments of Planning and Permitting, Facilities Maintenance, and Design and Construction. The Department of Environmental Services (ENV) administers the Clean Water Program. This effort ensures that the City and County of Honolulu conforms to a set of Federal rules called the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). These rules, part of the Federal Clean Water Act, are designed to protect ground and surface water. The NPDES regulations mandate cities with more than 250,000 residents to keep their municipal storm drains and sewer systems as free of pollution as possible. They also require the City and County to educate the public about the new law's requirements. Day to day management of the storm water program falls under the Engineering Division of the City's Department of Environmental Services. The Division, in turn, reports to the State Department of Health and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. As part of this program, the City and County will be testing and monitoring to determine the level of pollutants in our waters. ENV monitors storm water discharges from drainage areas near residential and industrial areas. They issue water pollution control guidelines to the private sector, such as construction companies and industrial firms. New guidelines will also be given to managers of high-rise apartments, office buildings and hotels to ensure their residents and guests are complying with the new law. The City also oversees private connections to our storm sewer system. All new connections will be required to have a permit issued by the Engineering Division. Old connections will be inspected and those with effluent that violates water quality standards will be disconnected. Permits for old connections may have to be reissued to the current property owner with information on current activity. GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network) Healthy Water, Healthy People Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) The NRCS is a part of the United States Department of Agriculture and provides leadership in a partnership effort to help conserve, maintain, and improve natural resources and environment. The NRCS assists private land owners, local, state and federal agencies with conserving their soil, water, and other natural resources through technical assistance, cost-shares, and financial incentives. Participation is voluntary and is done mostly with local partners. The authorized purposes for these NRCS-assisted watershed projects include: watershed protection, flood prevention, agricultural water management, water based recreation, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, ground water recharge, water quality management, and municipal and industrial water supply. However, program objectives have changed over time in response to legislative direction, environmental concerns, and changing social values. The objectives of many of the original projects were to reduce flooding, improve drainage, and increase irrigation efficiencies. In the 1960s, high priorities were placed on projects that provided jobs to combat poverty and encourage rural development; many of these projects involved establishing recreation areas. In recent years, projects have focused on land treatment measures to solve natural resource problems, such as substandard water quality and loss of wildlife habitat. Funding in fiscal year 1996 for program activities was $100 million (of which only $50 million is available for financial assistance). The NRCS is founded upon an agency vision--"People in Partnership with a Healthy Land." Consistent with this vision, NRCS will administer its watershed program to support: "Local people leading a voluntary, coordinated, and integrated watershed approach to address natural and human resource conservation needs." As NRCS expands and strengthens its national watershed program, the Agency will be guided by key principles in assisting local communities to plan and implement their watershed projects. Within the NRCS is the Watershed Science Institute, whose mission is to incorporate ecological principles into natural resource conservation and accelerate the development and transfer of appropriate technology in response to comprehensive watershed needs and environmental sustainability at the watershed and landscape scales. Soil and Water Conservation Districts State of Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch The State of Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Environmental Management has under its direction the Clean Water Branch and Safe Drinking Water Branch. The Clean Water Branch (CWB) protects the public health of residents and tourists who utilize Hawaii's coastal and inland water resources. The CWB also protects and restores inland and coastal waters for marine life and wildlife. This is accomplished through statewide coastal water surveillance and watershed-based environmental management through a combination of permit issuance, monitoring, enforcement, sponsorship of polluted runoff control projects, and public education. The mission of the Safe Drinking Water Branch of the Department of Health is to safeguard public health by protecting Hawaii's drinking water sources (surface water and groundwater) from contamination and to ensure that owners and operators of public water systems provide safe drinking water to the community. This mission is accomplished through the administration of the Safe Drinking Water Program, Underground Injection Control Program (UIC), Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP), and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The Department of Health is the local implementing agency for several EPA initiatives. State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources There are various divisions within DLNR that are involved in watershed issues in the State of Hawaiÿi. The Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) administers the State Watershed Protection and Management Program under Act 152, which works to protect and improve the condition of forests that benefit our water supply. The objectives of the program are to: 1) to help ensure water quality and quantity, 2) to prevent rapid run-off of storm flows and soil erosion, 3) to improve water infiltration into soil, and 4) to encourage forestry activities on private land. DLNR also administers the Landowner Incentive Program from the USFWS on the state level. The Division of Aquatic Resources manages the State's marine and freshwater resources through programs in commercial fisheries and resource enhancement; aquatic resources protection, enhancement and education; and recreational fisheries. Major program areas include projects to manage or enhance fisheries for long-term sustainability of the resources, protect and restore the aquatic environment, and protecting native and resident aquatic species and their habitat. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) The COE Civil Works programs include water resource development activities such as flood control, navigation, recreation, and infrastructure and environmental stewardship. The Corps has the authority to assist the states, local governments, and other non-federal entities in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, utilization, and conservation of water and related land resources. The COE is authorized to carry out Civil Works water resources projects for navigation, flood damage reduction, ecosystem restoration, storm damage prevention, hydroelectric power, recreation, and water supply. This is accomplished through special project authorities and continuing project authorities. Additionally, the COE manages portions of the Clean Water and Rivers and Harbors Acts. U.S. EPA Volunteer Monitoring U.S. Geological Survey Congress created the USGS in 1879 as a bureau of the federal Department of the Interior. The mission of the USGS is to provide reliable and impartial scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life. The USGS has the principal responsibility within the federal government for providing hydrologic information and for appraising the nation's water resources. USGS operates offices in every state to conduct studies in cooperation with local and state governments, and with other federal agencies. A list of principal contacts in each state is available at the USGS website: http://interactive2.usgs.gov/contact_us/index.asp Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Citizen Monitoring Program Additional materials will be added as they become available. |
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