Water Headlines

Water Headlines for the Week of October 16, 2012 

1) WaterSense Intends to Revise the Irrigation Partner and Professional Certification Program
2) Success Spotlight: Turkey Creek, Oklahoma
3) Blog Spotlight: Clean Water is Environmental Justice

1) WaterSense Intends to Revise the Irrigation Partner and Professional Certification Program
WaterSense has announced its intent to modify its specifications for certification programs for irrigation professionals and the WaterSense irrigation professional partnership. The notification of intent outlines EPA's evaluation of the benefits and challenges associated with the existing irrigation partnership program, its experience in running the certification program, and its desires to expand the program's scope to attain additional water savings. The outlined intended revisions are two-fold: development of a consolidated and common set of general requirements that will apply to all professional certifying organizations and removal of the individual irrigation partnership designation to allow the benefits of partnership to expand to all professionals certified by WaterSense labeled programs. WaterSense is soliciting input from stakeholders who would like to provide comment on the Agency's proposal. Click here for more information.

2) Success Spotlight: Turkey Creek, Oklahoma
EPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 Program provides funding for restoration of nonpoint source-impaired water bodies. This week's success spotlight shines on Turkey Creek, Oklahoma. Turkey Creek flows through cattle and wheat production land. Poor management of grazing lands and cropland contributed to excess sedimentation and nutrient runoff in the watershed leading to low dissolved oxygen levels in the creek. As a result, Oklahoma placed the creek on the state's list of impaired waters in 2004. Agricultural practices, such as no-till and conservation crop rotations that helped to retain soil moisture and reduce soil erosion, improved the quality of grazing lands and cropland, thereby decreasing sediment and nutrient runoff into the creek. Water quality improved, prompting Oklahoma to remove Turkey Creek from the state's 2010 list for dissolved oxygen impairment. Turkey Creek now fully supports its fish and wildlife propagation designated use. Click here for more information.

3) Blog Spotlight: Clean Water is Environmental Justice
Nancy Stoner, acting Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Water, has blogged about the connection between environmental justice and clean water. In the blog, Ms. Stoner acknowledges the importance of access to safe water for communities, the role of partnerships to revitalize communities while securing cleaner water, and the opportunity to expand the conversation on environmental justice. Click here to read the blog.