Download or read book Wetlands Streams and Other Waters written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Clean Water Act Jurisdictional Handbook written by Roxanne Thomas and published by . This book was released on 2007-01-01 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In June 2006 the Supreme Court, in a decision that split 4-1-4, produced a result in Rapanos v. United States that makes federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction over the wetlands, streams, and other waters of the United States confusing and uncertain for citizens, landowners, and regulators alike. Members of Congress have introduced new legislation to restore jurisdiction over many of the waters cast into doubt by the decision; and the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers (the federal regulatory agencies) issued a joint guidance document in June 2007 attempting to guide their respective staffs. Numerous federal courts have attempted to apply the uncertain teachings of Rapanos as well. With the support of the Turner Foundation, and the assistance of numerous experts in wetlands science and law, the Environmental Law Institute has prepared a handbook that analyzes the case law, compiles the relevant scientific studies, and provides a set of jurisdictional checklists. The Handbook will assist anyone faced with a jurisdictional question involving a wetland or stream to understand what factors will allow them to find Clean Water Act jurisdiction.
Download or read book Inconsistent Regulation of Wetlands and Other Waters written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act CWA written by Barry Leonard and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2011-08 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade, interpretations of Supreme Court (SC) rulings removed some critical waters from Fed. protection, and caused confusion about which waters and wetlands are protected under the CWA. As a result, important waters now lack clear protection under the law. This draft guidance clarifies how the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) will identify waters protected by the CWA and implement the SC¿s decisions concerning the extent of waters covered by the Act. It clarifies how the EPA and the ACE understand existing requirements of the CWA and provides guidance to agency field staff in making determinations about whether waters are protected by the CWA. This is a print on demand report.
Download or read book Wetlands written by Committee on Characterization of Wetlands and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1995-09-20 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Wetlands" has become a hot word in the current environmental debate. But what does it signify? In 1991, proposed changes in the legal definities of wetlands stirred controversy and focused attention on the scientific and economic aspects of their management. This volume explores how to define wetlands. The committee--whose members were drawn from academia, government, business, and the environmental community--builds a rational, scientific basis for delineating wetlands in the landscape and offers recommendations for further action. Wetlands also discusses the diverse hydrological and ecological functions of wetlands, and makes recommendations concerning so-called controversial areas such as permafrost wetlands, riparian ecosystems, irregularly flooded sites, and agricultural wetlands. It presents criteria for identifying wetlands and explores the problems of applying those criteria when there are seasonal changes in water levels. This comprehensive and practical volume will be of interest to environmental scientists and advocates, hydrologists, policymakers, regulators, faculty, researchers, and students of environmental studies.
Download or read book Strategies for Defining Chemical Connectivity Between Streams and Wetlands written by John Brito and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Methods for characterizing wetland-to-stream chemical connectivity were developed to help regulators define jurisdiction and wetland managers prioritize their use of resources. Chemical connectivity here is based on historic stream water quality found using publically available databases and analyzed in a Geographic Information System (GIS). Although stream data was readily available, wetland data was not abundant. Interpolation methods were therefore developed using observed water quality data points in streams and projecting them to adjacent wetlands. The different interpolation methods were compared using their root mean square error (RMSE) and local polynomial interpolation (LPI) for chloride data and Universal Kriging for specific conductance data was found to typically yield the best results. To also address the lack of actual wetland water quality data a relative site suitability analysis approach using GIS was developed to determine monitoring locations for generating additional data. The key environmental variables identified that relate to connectivity and potential health of the wetlands include hydrology and land use. In additional to conservative water quality parameters, the idea of measuring fluorescence-based excitation and emission matrix (EEM) is introduced. This is a rapid assessment source tracking tool for identifying the natural organic matter (NOM) in different waters. EEM trends through two drinking water treatment plants demonstrate the consistency of the EEM signature and shows that only the more aggressive chemical activities cause notable changes.
Download or read book Wetland Ecosystems written by William J. Mitsch and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-04-13 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New focused text introduces readers to wetland ecosystems and systems approaches to studying wetlands With its comprehensive coverage of wetland science, management, and restoration, Mitsch and Gosselink's Wetlands has been the premier reference on wetlands for more than two decades. Now, the coverage of specific wetland ecosystem types from earlier editions of this acclaimed work has been updated, revised, and supplemented with additional content in order to create this new text focusing exclusively on wetland ecosystems. This book now complements Wetlands, Fourth Edition. Following an introduction to ecosystems in general and wetland ecosystems in particular, Wetland Ecosystems examines the major types of wetlands found throughout the world: coastal wetlands, freshwater marshes and forested swamps, and peatlands. The final chapter reviews three fundamental systems approaches to studying wetlands: mesocosms, full-scale experimental ecosystems, and mathematical modeling. This new text features: Updated descriptions of the hydrology, biogeochemistry, and biology of the main types of wetlands found in the world New content introducing general ecosystems, wetland ecosystems, whole ecosystem and mesocosm experiments with wetlands, and systems ecology and modeling A detailed description of the ecosystem services provided by wetlands A broad international scope, including many examples of wetlands located outside North America Two new coauthors offering new perspectives and additional insights into the latest ecosystem and modeling techniques An abundance of illustrations helps readers understand how different biological communities and the abiotic environment in wetland ecosystems interact and function. Tables and text boxes provide at-a-glance summaries of key information. Lastly, each chapter concludes with a list of recommended readings. This text has been designed as an introduction for students and professionals in wetland ecology and management, general ecology, environmental science, and natural resource management.
Download or read book Status of the Nation s Waters Including Wetlands Under the Jurisdiction of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 916 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Texas Aquatic Science written by Rudolph A. Rosen and published by Texas A&M University Press. This book was released on 2014-11-19 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This classroom resource provides clear, concise scientific information in an understandable and enjoyable way about water and aquatic life. Spanning the hydrologic cycle from rain to watersheds, aquifers to springs, rivers to estuaries, ample illustrations promote understanding of important concepts and clarify major ideas. Aquatic science is covered comprehensively, with relevant principles of chemistry, physics, geology, geography, ecology, and biology included throughout the text. Emphasizing water sustainability and conservation, the book tells us what we can do personally to conserve for the future and presents job and volunteer opportunities in the hope that some students will pursue careers in aquatic science. Texas Aquatic Science, originally developed as part of a multi-faceted education project for middle and high school students, can also be used at the college level for non-science majors, in the home-school environment, and by anyone who educates kids about nature and water. To learn more about The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, sponsors of this book's series, please click here.
Download or read book Epa Needs a Better Strategy to Identify Violations of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act written by U.s Environmental Protection Agency and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-05-30 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The EPA conducted this review to assess the U.S. Environmental Protects's enforcement in protecting federally regulated wetlands, streams, and other surface waters under section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Download or read book The Wetlands Coverage of the Clean Water Act Is Revisited by the Supreme Court written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Twice in the past, the Supreme Court has grappled with issues as to the geographic scope of the wetlands permitting program in the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). On June 19, 2006, the Supreme Court rendered a third decision, Rapanos v. United States, on appeal from two Sixth Circuit rulings consolidated by the Court. The Sixth Circuit rulings offered the Court a chance to clarify the reach of CWA jurisdiction over wetlands adjacent only to nonnavigable tributaries of traditional navigable waters -- including tributaries such as drainage ditches and canals that may flow intermittently. (Jurisdiction over wetlands adjacent to traditional navigable waters was established in one of the two earlier decisions.) The Court's decision provided little clarification, however, splitting 4-1-4. The four-justice plurality decision, by Justice Scalia, said that the CWA covers only wetlands connected to relatively permanent bodies of water (streams, rivers, lakes) by a continuous surface connection. Justice Kennedy, writing for himself, would have demanded a substantial nexus between the wetland and a traditional navigable water, using an ambiguous ecological test. Justice Stevens, for the four dissenters, would have upheld the current broad reach of Corps of Engineers/EPA regulations. Because no rationale commanded the support of a majority of the justices, lower courts will have to wrestle with the proper rule of decision to extract from Rapanos for resolving future cases. The legal and policy questions associated with Rapanos -- regarding the outer geographic limit of CWA jurisdiction and the consequences of restricting that scope -- have challenged regulators, landowners and developers, and policymakers for more than 30 years. The answer may determine the reach of CWA regulatory authority not only for the wetlands permitting program but also for several other CWA programs; the CWA has one definition of "navigable waters" that applies to the entire law. Critics of the regulatory program had hoped that the Supreme Court's decision would provide a "bright line" jurisdictional standard, but the 4-1-4 ruling did not do so and has led to pressure for guidance, new regulations, or possibly congressional action to clarify the current questions. While regulators and the regulated community debate the legal dimensions of federal jurisdiction under the CWA, scientists contend that there are no discrete, scientifically supportable boundaries or criteria along the continuum of wetlands to separate them into meaningful ecological or hydrological compartments. Wetland scientists believe that all such waters are critical for protecting the integrity of waters, habitat, and wildlife downstream. Changes in the limits of federal jurisdiction highlight the role of states in protecting waters not addressed by federal law. From the states' perspective, federal programs provide a baseline for consistent, minimum standards to regulate wetlands and other waters. Most states are either reluctant or unable to take steps to protect non-jurisdictional waters through legislative or administrative action.
Download or read book Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States written by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Wetlands written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Environment and Public Works. Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property, and Nuclear Safety and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1992-01-01 with total page 580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself. The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressedâ€"restorationâ€"is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines: Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology.
Download or read book Stream Corridor Restoration written by and published by National Technical Info Svc. This book was released on 1998 with total page 648 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document is a cooperative effort among fifteen Federal agencies and partners to produce a common reference on stream corridor restoration. It responds to a growing national and international interest in restoring stream corridors.
Download or read book Wetlands written by Congressional Research Congressional Research Service and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2014-11-03 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent Congresses have considered numerous policy topics that involve wetlands. Many reflect issues of long-standing interest, such as applying federal regulations on private lands, wetland loss rates, and restoration and creation accomplishments. The issue receiving the greatest attention recently has been determining which wetlands should be included and excluded from requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA), especially the Section 404 permit program that regulates waste discharges affecting wetlands, which is administered by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a result of Supreme Court rulings in 2001and 2006 that narrowed federal regulatory jurisdiction over certain isolated wetlands, the jurisdictional reach of the permit program has also been narrowed. In response, legislation intended to reverse the Court's rulings in these cases has been introduced in Congress but not enacted. In March 2014, EPA and the Army Corps proposed a rule to define the scope of waters protected by the CWA. According to the agencies, the proposed rule would revise the existing administrative definition of "waters of the United States" consistent with the Supreme Court's rulings and consistent with science concerning the interconnectedness of tributaries, wetlands, and other waters and the effects of these connections on the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of downstream waters. The proposal, which could be finalized in 2015, is controversial with groups who contend that it would vastly increase federal assertion of jurisdiction that triggers CWA regulatory requirements. Wetland protection efforts continue to engender controversy over issues of science and policy. Topics include the rate and pattern of loss, whether all wetlands should be protected in a single fashion, the effectiveness of the current suite of laws in protecting them, and the fact that 75% of remaining U.S. wetlands are located on private lands. Many public and private efforts have sought to mitigate damage to wetlands and to protect them through acquisition, restoration, enhancement, and creation, particularly coastal wetlands. While recent data indicate success in some restoration efforts, leading to increases in some types of wetlands in some locations, many scientists question if restored or created wetlands provide equivalent replacement for natural wetlands that contribute multiple environmental services and values. One reason for controversies about wetlands is that they occur in a wide variety of physical forms, and the numerous values they provide, such as wildlife habitat, also vary widely. In addition, the total wetland acreage in the lower 48 states is estimated to have declined from more than 220 million acres three centuries ago to 110.1 million acres in 2009. The national policy goal of no net loss, endorsed by administrations for the past two decades, had been reached by 2004, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service, as the rate of loss had been more than offset by net gains through expanded restoration efforts authorized in multiple laws. However, more recent data show wetlands losses of nearly 14,000 acres per year. Many protection advocates say that gains do not necessarily account for the changes in quality of the remaining wetlands, and many also view federal protection efforts as inadequate or uncoordinated. Others, who advocate the rights of property owners and development interests, characterize these efforts as too intrusive. Numerous state and local wetland programs add to the complexity of the protection effort.
Download or read book Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams written by Thibault Datry and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-07-11 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams: Ecology and Management takes an internationally broad approach, seeking to compare and contrast findings across multiple continents, climates, flow regimes, and land uses to provide a complete and integrated perspective on the ecology of these ecosystems. Coupled with this, users will find a discussion of management approaches applicable in different regions that are illustrated with relevant case studies. In a readable and technically accurate style, the book utilizes logically framed chapters authored by experts in the field, allowing managers and policymakers to readily grasp ecological concepts and their application to specific situations. Provides up-to-date reviews of research findings and management strategies using international examples Explores themes and parallels across diverse sub-disciplines in ecology and water resource management utilizing a multidisciplinary and integrative approach Reveals the relevance of this scientific understanding to managers and policymakers
