Nutrients & Water Quality:A Region 8 Collaborative Workshop

Tina LaidlawEPA Region 8 Nutrient Coordinator

April 23, 2014

Workshop Summary & Recommendations

Purpose for EPA’s Nutrient Workshop

Nutrients are a nationwide and regional concern. The science and policy surrounding nutrients is complex.

Need to bring together stakeholders from the various contributing sectors.

Foster community of regulators and regulated, researchers, practitioners, managers, and policymakers.

Photo courtesy of M. Luers

Photo courtesy of R. Clayshulte Photo courtesy of T. Robinson

Workshop ParticipantsWorkshop participants included scientists, managers, and stakeholders from the following sectors:

Wastewater Drinking water Stormwater Agriculture Other point and nonpoint source stakeholders

Key Questions Related to Nutrients & Water Quality

The workshop was divided into three sections to address three distinct questions

Day 1: What is the Problem?

Day 2: What is Being Done About the Problem?

Day 3: How Can Stakeholders and Agencies Work Together in Managing the Problem?

Summary of Workshop Recommendations

1. Flexibility in Approach

2. Building Relationships

3. Financing Water Quality Improvements

4. Nutrient Controls and Standards to Improve Water Quality

Flexibility in Approach

 

• Solutions will come from site-specific, sector-specific approaches, championed by those directly aware of local circumstances

• Adaptive management should be considered integral

• 100% achievement many not either be possible or necessary

Building Relationships

• Communication, relationships and trust should be established at the local level

• Regulators should become more knowledgeable about day-to-day operations of stakeholders.

• Continuity in agency staff is needed to foster productive relationships

• Education, information exchanges and continued dialog on nutrients are needed

Financing Improvements in Water Quality

• Investigate nutrient trading across sectors

• Means of financing nutrient controls needs to be built into any nutrient control program

• The relationship between benefits and costs needs to be understood and communicated to stakeholders, ratepayers, and dischargers

Nutrient Controls and Standards

Nutrient controls should consider local input and involve local stakeholders

Uniform sampling and data collection protocols should be established. Data sharing should be improved among all entities.

Controls should consider nutrient loading, water quality impairments, and effectiveness of best management practices.

Education and marketing are needed to achieve controls

Unanimous Recommendation

All participants stressed the need to continue the dialog leading to creative and collaborative solutions to nutrient problems.

Suggested Next Steps

1. Establish a small work group to champion actionable next steps

2. Encourage states to initiate internal dialogues among stakeholders

3. Stage educational and relationship building opportunities (e.g., tours)

4. Establish pilot projects to demonstrate possibilities.

Suggested Next Steps5. Establish a nutrient information clearinghouse

6. Choose exemplary examples and share them

7. Foster communication with other EPA Regions

8. Establish a Speaker’s Bureau with Power Point presentation available

More Information

Workshop Website:

www.cwi.colostate.edu/nutrients

Resource Library Speaker Abstracts and Presentations Speaker Biographies Abstracts and Posters Workshop Participant List Workshop Photos