INDEX:
---EDITOR'S NOTE---

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---
Senate Hears Testimony on Scope of Clean Water Act
A Pivotal Win for Wetlands in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Hobby of Filling Wetlands Costs Man $130,000 and a 180-day Jail Sentence
Amendment to Technical Service Provider Assistance Rule Addresses Public Agencies (Including States)
A Guide to Creating Vernal Pools

---NATIONAL UPDATES---
Conservation Groups Intervene to Protect Clean Water from Oil Spills
White House is Searching for Replacement for Departing Whitman at EPA
Whitman Issues New Public Involvement Policy
To Save Water in the West, Government Looks to Eradicate a Thirsty Plant
To Save the Ogallala Aquifer, Save Playa Lakes
Interior, USDA Sign MOU to Respond to Water Shortages in the West
USDA Retains National Forests Roadless Area Conservation Rule
Draft EIS to Improve Environmental Protection from Coal Mining Impacts
GAO Report: USDA Needs to Better Ensure Protection of Highly Erodible Cropland and Wetlands
Rumsfeld Blames Environmental Organizations for Impeding Military Activity

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---
Senate Committee Passes Measure to Protect America's Coasts
Other National Legislation

---STATES NEWS---
NH: Initial Proposal Released for new Wetland Mitigation Rules
HI: Wetland Restoration Project, RAMSAR Designation
Virginia's Attorney General: Commission Not Required to Hold Hearing on Reservoir Decision
Report: Adding Up the Effects of Oil and Gas Development in Alaska
NM: Court Rules in Favor of Minnow
FL: Record New Funding to Save the Everglades
NY: EPA & General Electric Reach Draft Agreement on Next Steps in Hudson River Cleanup
Los Angeles County Board Approves Environmental Plan for Huge Development

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---
A Guide to the Virginia Water Protection Permit Process
Take a Bite out of the West Nile Virus: Restore a Wetland
Lake Water Quality Influences Property Values, Study Says
Device to Gauge Erodibility of Soil Can Aid Watershed Planners
Non-Native Plants use Roads as Pathways, Scientists Find
Independent Oceans Commission Calls for Immediate Reforms
Mapping the Watery Topography of the Everglades
Report: Effects of Riprap on Riverine and Riparian Ecosystems

---POTPOURRI---
EPA Region 10 Seeks Wetlands Specialist
Research and Development Position Available
GAO Report: EPA: Problems Persist in Effectively Managing Grants

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---
For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit the ASWM calendar.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

To open an e-mail or not to open an e-mail, that is the question. I reviewed about 1500 e-mails for this edition of Wetland Breaking News. The review consists of two levels: reading the subject lines and deleting those deemed to be viruses, junk, or irrelevant followed by reading each e-mail for items of interest. It used to be easy to identify spam with obvious subject lines like "Best Home Loan Rates Ever," "this rocks dude, and "TV for Free." But now the spammers have stepped up their sophistication, and I've opened some wacky stuff with which you too may be familiar - "please get back to me as soon as possible," "do you remember me," "confidential." Now it's even worse with subject lines beginning with "re:" and "fwd:" - making me stop and think whether I am REALLY a part of the "Re: Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester" thread. E-mails I used to think were from ASWM's fan club - "you left your umbrella here;" "I love you please call" - all junk.

The moral of the story: if you'd like me to read something - a comment, a news item, general musings - use a clear subject line and reference wetland breaking news or WBN. Gary Voerman contributed to this edition using the subject line "EPA Wetlands Position in Alaska". So did David Smith - "Re: Wetland Breaking News - May 19." Other contributors included Thomas Biebighauser, USFS; Alex Adams, Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department; Pat Riexinger, NYS DEC; James Robb, IN DEM; and Richard Sprouse, MI DNR. Thanks, everyone!

Hope all is well.

Jennifer Brady-Connor
Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Senate Hears Testimony on Scope of Clean Water Act

Memphis, TN, June 12, 2003 --- Ducks Unlimited (DU), voiced its concern over changes to wetlands protection provided by the Clean Water Act before the U.S. Senate this week in Washington D.C. Dr. Scott Yaich, director of conservation programs for the nonprofit explained that weakening of federal wetland protection may have serious environmental and economic consequences. How the Bush Administration interprets the Supreme Court's Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) vs. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision, which reduces federal oversight of "isolated" wetlands, and acts on it, may determine the future of duck hunting.

Ducks Unlimited: Interpretation of the Clean Water Act May Adversely Impact Waterfowl - http://www.ducks.org/news/YaichTestimony.asp
Earthjustice: Bush administration pushes to redefine Clean Water Act http://www.earthjustice.org/news/display.html?ID=611
American Rivers urges Senate to "plug the leak" in clean water protection http://www.amrivers.org/pressrelease/cleanwater061003.htm
Testimony and statements provided at the hearing can be found at:
http://epw.senate.gov/stm1_108.htm#06-10-03

A Pivotal Win for Wetlands in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit!

National Wildlife Federation e-mail, 6/13/03. In a pivotal decision reached June 12, 2003, the Fourth Circuit affirmed Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction over Maryland wetlands and a roadside ditch ultimately connecting the adjacent wetlands to the navigable Wicomico River and the Chesapeake Bay. The Court found that the Corps' interpretation of the word "tributary" in its tributaries regulation as covering the roadside ditch is reasonable and entitled to deference. It found that the Corps "has always used the word [tributary] to mean the entire tributary system, that is, all of the streams whose water eventually flows into navigable waters." The Court concluded that this interpretation is long-standing and not inconsistent with the regulation, and is therefore entitled to deference. The Court affirmed the Corps' judgment that since the tributaries rule extends to all tributaries of navigable waters, it extends to the roadside ditch connecting the Deaton wetlands to downstream navigable waters. [Read the Opinion from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals here: http://pacer.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinion.pdf/021442.P.pdf ] [NAHB Reacts To U.S. V. Deaton Wetlands Decision 6/13/03, http://www.nahb.org/news_details.aspx?sectionID=148&newsID=419 ]

Hobby of Filling Wetlands Costs Man $130,000 and a 180-day Jail Sentence

April 24, 2003, MN DNR NEWS. An Otter Tail County man has been ordered to pay $123,000 in restitution within 30 days, $6,000 in fines and serve a 180-day jail sentence for violating Minnesota's Wetland Conservation Act. Arnold Vernon Ruther, 47, Perham, was found guilty last March for a series of wetlands violations dating back to 1998. Sentencing was handed down on April 21, 2003 by Otter Tail County Judge Galen J. Vaa who said he found it unusual for a defendant to stand before a jury and claim filling wetlands was his hobby. Vaa likened the blatant disregard for the law to driving while intoxicated as a hobby. At the conclusion, the judge told Ruther his "hobby of filling wetlands was over." For more information visit www.bwsr.state.mn.us/aboutbwsr/updates/May2003.pdf

Amendment to Technical Service Provider Assistance Rule Addresses Public Agencies (Including States)

NRCS This Week for June 13, 2003--Under the 2002 Farm Bill, private and public entities such as consultants, states, and nonprofits can be reimbursed for providing technical services related to implementing the Farm Bill including activities relating to wetland restoration. An amendment to the TSP interim final rule will be published in the Federal Register during the week of June 22. This amendment establishes an approval process for public agencies to be TSPs separate from the certification process. The amendment to the TSP interim final rule was published on March 24, 2003. Comments on that amendment must be received by June 30, 2003. The interim rule establishes procedures for Technical Service Providers. Updates on the TSP policy, handbook, and amendment to the rule are available on the NRCS website at http://techreg.usda.gov/WhatsNew.aspx. Comprehensive information about TSP and requirements for qualifying can be found at: http://techreg.usda.gov/WhatsNew.aspx. As of June 11, 2003, over 1,300 individuals have registered through the TechReg web site at http://techreg.usda.gov, and 661 of those individuals have been certified as Technical Service Providers. A total of 170 businesses and agencies have registered, of which 62 have been certified.

A Guide to Creating Vernal Pools

"All the information you need to build and maintain an ephemeral wetland" is the subtitle to this 34-page publication by Thomas Biebighauser, USFS, who has established over 700 seasonal, permanent, emergent, and forested wetlands in Kentucky and Ohio. The techniques described in the Guide have been used successfully in Kentucky, Ohio, and Minnesota. They draw from basic pond building principles and are coupled with the concepts of vernal pool ecology. Chapters include "About Vernal Ponds," "Planning a Vernal Pond Construction Project," "Constructing a Vernal Pond," and reference material exploring vernal pool construction, supply, and budget need. Available online in PDF form or order your very own hard copy at http://www.southernregion.fs.fed.us/boone.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

Conservation Groups Intervene to Protect Clean Water from Oil Spills

Natural Resources Defense Council news release, 6/11/03. Washington -- Oil industry efforts to narrow federal water safeguards were opposed today by environmental groups intervening in two lawsuits that could impact the steps that the oil industry -- and all other industries -- are required to take to protect U.S. waters from pollution. At issue is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's oil spill prevention program, which is designed to prevent discharges of oil into the waters of the United States, and to contain those discharges if they occur. The oil industry claims that it should only have to take steps to prevent oil spills in certain waters, narrowly defined as "navigable," and thus can legally discharge oil into most of the nation's streams and creeks and many of its wetlands. http://www.nrdc.org/media/default.asp#0611oil

White House is Searching for Replacement for Departing Whitman at EPA

ENN Daily News for 6/18/03. White House officials are narrowing the list of candidates to head the Environmental Protection Agency, and congressional Democrats are making clear they plan to use the nomination to challenge President Bush's environmental record. http://www.enn.com/news/2003-06-19/s_5276.asp

Whitman Issues New Public Involvement Policy

EPA web site. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman issued the new Public Involvement Policy on June 6, 2003. The policy gives clear guidance to EPA staff on effective ways to involve the public in all of the agency's programs and activities. The Public Involvement Policy recommends these seven basic steps for effective public involvement: 1) plan and budget; 2) identify whom to involve; 3) consider providing assistance; 4) provide information; 5) conduct involvement; 6) review, use input and provide feedback and 7) evaluate public involvement. EPA also released the "Framework for Implementing EPA's Public Involvement Policy" and EPA's "Response to Public Comments on the Draft 2000 Public Involvement Policy." The policy, framework and EPA's responses are posted at http://www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement/policy2003.htm

To Save Water in the West, Government Looks to Eradicate a Thirsty Plant

ENN Daily News for 6/20/03. Escondido, CA - "Past a winery and down a dirt road, jackrabbits and squirrels scamper into the brush near where Mike Kelly grabs hold of a shrub with billowy, pale pink flowers near a small creek bed. His mission: to yank the shrub out and kill as many as he can. [The] seemingly innocuous plant, known as tamarisk or salt cedar, is slowly wreaking havoc across the West. The Bush administration is spending millions to find the best way to snuff out the water-guzzling shrub that has spread unchecked across more than 1 million acres in more than a dozen Western states stretching from Montana to the Mexican border. One tamarisk can suck up 300 gallons of water per day . . . " http://www.enn.com/news/2003-06-20/s_5577.asp

To Save the Ogallala Aquifer, Save Playa Lakes

Playa Lakes Joint Venture news release, 6/16/03. A major, yet relatively unknown natural resource is playing a critical role in replenishing and protecting the western Great Plains' water supply - playa lakes. Playa lakes are the most numerous wetlands in the region, totaling more than 40,000 in eastern New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, western Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma, and the Texas Panhandle combined. More than 95 percent of the world's playa lakes are located in the western Great Plains - they are a unique natural resource. There are several good reasons why people should learn about and maintain playa lakes, one of which is the wetlands' role in recharging the Ogallala Aquifer. The 174,000 square-mile Ogallala formation lies beneath portions of eight states: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. http://www.pljv.org/newsarchive/release061603.html

Interior, USDA Sign MOU to Respond to Water Shortages in the West

Capitol Reports Environmental NewsLink, 6/11/03. Washington - "Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton and Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman signed a Memorandum of Understanding last week that will enable both agencies to respond more quickly to emerging water supply shortages in the West and speed assistance to the farmers, ranchers and communities in greatest need . . . The MOU is part of Water 2025: Preventing Crises and Conflict in the West, a recently launched proposal under which Interior and USDA are working with state and local governments to identify the watersheds facing the greatest potential water supply risks in the next 25 years, evaluate the most effective ways of addressing these challenges, and recommend cooperative planning approaches and tools that have the most likelihood of success . . . " http://www.caprep.com/0603019.htm

USDA Retains National Forests Roadless Area Conservation Rule

USDA news release, 6/9/03. Washington -The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it will retain the Roadless Area Conservation Rule (Roadless Rule) that protects millions of acres of critical watersheds, wildlife habitat and unique ecosystems. The U.S. Department of Justice also announced that the State of Alaska has agreed to settle its legal challenge to the application of the Jan. 12, 2001 Roadless Rule in Alaska. The USDA Forest Service will propose for public review an amendment to the rule to identify how Governors may seek relief for exceptional circumstances, such as to protect public health and safety or reduce wildfire risks to communities and critical wildlife habitat. These exceptions will clarify and augment exceptions already present in the rule. The rule will remain unchanged in states where Governors choose not to seek relief for exceptional circumstances. http://www.usda.gov

Draft EIS to Improve Environmental Protection from Coal Mining Impacts

Capitol Reports Environmental NewsLink WASHINGTON (06/03/03) -- Federal and state agencies have released a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) recommending new actions to further enhance protection for Appalachian streams from effects associated with mountaintop coal mining. . . Information in the draft EIS shows that program improvements put in place by Federal and State agencies since 1998 are contributing to increased environmental protection during mountaintop coal mining. Permit data comparing surface coal mining operations approved since 1998, with those authorized for the five years prior to 1998, show that the total area of Appalachian watersheds covered by valley fills was cut by over 50 percent and the total length of streams covered by these fills was cut by over 25 percent. http://www.caprep.com/new_dig3.htm

GAO Report: USDA Needs to Better Ensure Protection of Highly Erodible Cropland and Wetlands

The General Accounting Office (GAO) released the following reports Agricultural Conservation: USDA Needs to Better Ensure Protection of Highly Erodible Cropland and Wetlands. GAO-03-418. The report, compiled from surveys of NRCS field staff finds that almost half of NRCS' field offices are not implementing one or more aspects of the conservation provisions of the act. The report also identifies specific concerns on the effectiveness of NRCS' oversight of compliance reviews and documents 61% of the producer's appeals on noncompliance determinations received a waiver resulting in the reinstatement of $40.4 million of the 59.6 million that was withheld in these cases. It raises concerns about the potential bias in favor of the producers found in violation of conservation provisions by the local county committees, which are composed of producers and are authorized to grant waivers for noncompliance. An overview of the report's findings is available at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d03418high.pdf The 112 page report is located at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-418

Rumsfeld Blames Environmental Organizations for Impeding Military Activity

Daily Grist, 5/22/03. Setting the stage for a congressional standoff, the U.S. House and Senate handed in opposite votes yesterday on a Pentagon-backed measure to ease endangered-species protections on military land. Four Republican senators broke with their party for a 51-48 vote against the measure, while the House supported it 252-175. Both houses of Congress are expected to pass their versions of a $400 billion defense spending bill today, but the environmental measure could be a sticking point in negotiating a compromise bill. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld called the Senate vote "a mistake" and said he would try to reverse it. Rumsfeld also blamed environmental organizations for "aggressive litigation" that, he said, impedes military activity and could result in sending "men and women to battle without the training they need." The Pentagon controls some 25 million acres of land that includes habitat for hundreds of imperiled species." http://www.gristmagazine.com

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Senate Committee Passes Measure to Protect America's Coasts

Audubon Advisory 6/20/03. The Senate Commerce Committee passed bill number S.861, the Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Act sponsored by Senator Fritz Hollings (D-South Carolina) -- legislation that would protect important coastal and estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical or aesthetic values and are threatened by development and other threats. The bill now moves to the Senate floor for final action . . . For complete details e-mail audubonaction@audubon.org

Other National Legislation

S.1097 Calfed Bay-Delta Authorization Act http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.01097: Title: A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement the Calfed Bay-Delta Program. Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 5/21/2003) Cosponsors: 1. Latest Major Action: 5/21/2003 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

S.1072 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.01072: Title: A bill to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Inhofe, Jim [OK] (by request) (introduced 5/15/2003) Cosponsors: 3. Latest Major Action: 5/22/2003 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Competition, Foreign Commerce, and infrastructure. Hearings held.

H.R.2141 Mineral Exploration and Development Act of 2003 Title: To modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] (introduced 5/15/2003) Cosponsors: 18. Latest Major Action: 5/21/2003 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Executive Comment Requested from Interior.

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STATES NEWS

NH: Initial Proposal Released for new Wetland Mitigation Rules

New Hampshire has released an initial proposal for new wetland mitigation rules. No hearing dates have been announced but the proposal is available online at http://www.des.state.nh.us/wetlands/rule-law.htm#proposed

HI: Wetland Restoration Project, RAMSAR Designation

According to David Smith, the Hamakua Marsh Ecosystem Restoration and Community Development Program is in its second year, working to restore Hamakua Marsh in Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii. Second through sixth graders produced a web site this past year (hamakuamarsh.com). An annual report for 2001-2002 is available in pdf. The report is expected to be available online soon. Also, Kawainui Marsh, the largest freshwater wetland in Hawaii, has been designated a Ramsar wetland. Contact ericgilman@earthlink.net for details.

Virginia's Attorney General: Commission Not Required to Hold Hearing on Reservoir Decision

Chesapeake Bay Foundation news release, 6/17/03. Citing a June 10, 2003, letter from Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) urged the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) to reject the City of Newport News' "demand" for a formal hearing on the proposed King William reservoir project. If built, the reservoir would destroy more than 437 acres of Chesapeake Bay wetlands, making it the largest authorized wetland loss in the mid-Atlantic since the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act restricted wetland destruction. The reservoir also would threaten Virginia's prime spawning area for American shad, once among the most prolific Bay fish but today so scarce Virginia has banned their harvest. http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer (scroll down to Bay News)

Report: Adding Up the Effects of Oil and Gas Development in Alaska

Like all states, Alaska has hubs of industrial activity, and in this corner of the United States, much of it is centered on the North Slope, an 89,000 square-mile area where large-scale oil development has been taking place since the 1960s. In Alaska, industrial activity is having effects on the environment, just as it is apt to anywhere. But the extent of its effects over the course of many years has been unclear -- until now.
http://infocusmagazine.org/3.1/env_alaska.html

NM: Court Rules in Favor of Minnow

6/13/03, by Ben Neary. The New Mexican - "In a decision that turns New Mexico water management on its head, a federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation must consider the effect on endangered species when it releases water from reservoirs and otherwise operates federal waterworks in the state. State officials promise to appeal the ruling. They say it puts the water supply of Santa Fe, other New Mexico cities and irrigators on the Middle Rio Grande in question. But environmentalists, who sued the bureau to try to save the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow, say the ruling establishes that all the state's water-users share responsibility for saving endangered species . . . " http://www.santafenewmexican.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=6&ArticleID=28485

FL: Record New Funding to Save the Everglades

FL DEP news release, 6/10/03. Tallahassee - Governor Jeb Bush signed Senate Bill 54A that clarifies amendments made to the Everglades Forever Act during the Regular Session this year. The legislation also provides the bonding authority for an additional $800 million for Everglades Restoration. Including the record $225 million appropriated in this year's budget, Florida's total financial commitment to restore water flow through the famed River of Grass now tops $1.5 billion. Senate Bill 54A eliminates specific language within the amended Everglades Forever Act that has been a source of concern to Florida's federal partners. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2003/june/0610_glades.htm

NY: EPA & General Electric Reach Draft Agreement on Next Steps in Hudson River Cleanup

EPA Region 2 News, 5/28/03, New York -- EPA has taken another important step toward cleaning up PCB-contaminated sediment in the Hudson River by reaching a draft agreement with the General Electric Company (GE) to perform the project design work required before dredging can begin. Under the agreement, embodied in a draft Administrative Order on Consent (AOC), GE will develop detailed approaches to removing sediment from the river bottom, transporting and disposing of the material, and replacing the habitat in dredged areas. The company is also agreeing to pay up to $28 million as a partial reimbursement of EPA's past and future costs associated with the dredging project. www.epa.gov/region2

Los Angeles County Board Approves Environmental Plan for Huge Development

ENN News Service, 5/28/03. LOS ANGELES - "A plan to build the largest subdivision in Los Angeles County history cleared a hurdle Tuesday when supervisors approved an environmental impact report. The proposed 20,885-home Newhall Ranch development, in oak- and sage-covered hills about 35 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, will need more approvals from a judge and county officials to be built. But the 4-1 vote was a defeat for environmentalists, who said they may sue to stop the project . . . Half of the project's 12,000 acres would be permanently set aside for wilderness and recreation, and there would be 50 miles of walking trails . . . " http://www.enn.com/news/2003-05-28/s_4627.asp

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

A Guide to the Virginia Water Protection Permit Process

Photograph by W. Kedzierski, 2001, Prepared by: The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. June 2003. This guide is intended to orient the public to the Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Permit Program. The goals are to provide instructions on how to apply for VWP general permit authorizations and individual permits, explain the general processes for modifications and extensions to permits/permit authorizations, and generally explain the public notice and hearing process. http://www.deq.state.va.us/wetlands/ (click on report to the right)

Take a Bite out of the West Nile Virus: Restore a Wetland

Indiana has pulled together a terrific website embracing "Hoosier Wetlands." Besides having the best logo around, the website is chock full of news, success stories, a "legislative watch." This month the featured article is about West Nile Virus, mosquitoes, wetlands, and the relationship among the three. Check it out at http://www.in.gov/wetlands/newsletters/hswetlands/index.html

Lake Water Quality Influences Property Values, Study Says

Tom Meersman, Star Tribune. Published May 26, 2003. "Minnesotans who headed to their lake cabins for the holiday weekend may want to see how far down they can see into the water. A new study of lakes in north-central Minnesota shows just how much clear water can enhance the value of lakeshore property. The study by researchers at Bemidji State University calculated how much property values would rise or fall on 37 lakes if water clarity improved or worsened. Researchers examined 1,205 residential property sales from 1996 to 2001 on lakes in the upper Mississippi River watershed. The land values were compared to water quality data for those lakes . . . Leech Lake, for example, is clear to a depth of about 10 feet. The study said that if the water got clearer -- so that you could see down another 3 feet -- a lake property's value would rise by $423 for each foot of frontage. For a 40-foot lakefront lot, that amounts to nearly a $17,000 gain in value . . . " For the complete article send an e-mail to j.brady-connor@aswm.org

Device to Gauge Erodibility of Soil Can Aid Watershed Planners

By Luis Pons, 6/9/03, ARS News Service--Watershed managers and structural engineers may benefit greatly from a soil-erodibility testing device developed by the Agricultural Research Service. The Jet Test Apparatus, developed by hydraulic engineer Gregory J. Hanson of the ARS Plant Science and Water Conservation Research Laboratory in Stillwater, Okla., applies stresses to soil beds by means of a water jet that can be pumped at various flow rates. It may become vital equipment during testing of aging, earthen flood-control structures such as dams and dikes, as well as in ARS efforts to understand, predict and control soil erosion and sedimentation within the nation's streams and lakes. The apparatus allows users to measure resistance to erosion in cohesive soils by analyzing the portion of the soil bed scoured by the jet stream in relation to the hydraulic stress placed upon the surface. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2003/030609.htm

Non-Native Plants use Roads as Pathways, Scientists Find

6/11/03 by Brian Melley, AP. Sacramento - One of the quickest ways to kill native plants and cause myriad problems across the West is introducing foreign weeds, and one of the quickest paths is a new road, according to a pair of recent studies. The results may seem obvious, as hitchhiker seeds latch onto passing vehicles, but they have wide implications for untrammeled public lands. The two studies by a graduate student at UC Davis, coauthored by a professor and by a U.S. Geological Survey researcher in Utah, found that invasive species were more likely to be found near roads and that their spread was wider with each improvement to the roadway, such as grading and paving. . . ." http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/living/science/6062120.htm

Independent Oceans Commission Calls for Immediate Reforms

Pew Oceans Commission news release, 6/4/03. Overfishing at sea, over-development along the coasts, and increasing pollution from cities and fields are leading to decline of ocean wildlife and the collapse of ocean ecosystems, according to a landmark report released today by scientists, fishermen, conservationists, business leaders, and elected officials. The independent Pew Oceans Commission calls for immediate reform of U.S. ocean laws and policies to restore ocean wildlife, protect ocean ecosystems, and preserve the ecological, economic, and social benefits the oceans provide. The comprehensive report, entitled America's Living Oceans: Charting a Course for Sea Change, is the result of a three-year, nationwide study of the oceans, the first of its kind in more than 30 years. http://www.pewoceans.org/

Mapping the Watery Topography of the Everglades

USGS Science Picks June 2003 - So flat, so broad, so indeterminate is the boundary between land and water in the Florida Everglades that it is famously known as a River of Grass. Yet even here, across more than 10,000 square miles of soggy, inaccessible, pancake-flat terrain, water still, though almost imperceptibly, flows downhill. The USGS has meticulously mapped the above ground and underwater topography of the Everglades to support the hydrologic and ecological modeling studies needed for ecosystem restoration planning. Because the Everglades is so expansive and remote and includes environmentally sensitive areas, impenetrable vegetation, and other areas unapproachable by airboat, access to many places is possible only by helicopter. The USGS has developed a helicopter-based instrument, known as the Airborne Height Finder (AHF) which is able to measure the terrain surface elevation, whether above or under the water, in a noninvasive, nondestructive manner. Using an airborne surveying platform (the helicopter) equipped with GPS (global positioning system) technology and a high-tech version of the surveyor's plumb bob, the AHF system distinguishes itself from remote sensing technologies in its ability to physically penetrate vegetation and murky water, providing reliable measurement of the underlying topographic surface. To see the AHF in action, go to http://www.usgs.gov/features/h_finder.html. Further information is available at http://sofia.usgs.gov

Report: Effects of Riprap on Riverine and Riparian Ecosystems

Fischenich, J. C. (2003). "Effects of Riprap on Riverine and Riparian Ecosystems," ERDC/EL TR-03-4, U.S. Army Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. Research was initiated under the Wetlands Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) to develop guidelines for the evaluation of the environmental impacts and benefits of riprap. The first step in this research was the formulation of an annotated bibliography of related publications that could serve as a basis for regional and site-specific evaluations, and that characterizes the current state of knowledge on this subject. This document presents the results of the literature review. Citations are presented in the following sections, with an annotation summarizing the study findings. http://www.wes.army.mil/el/wrap/pdf/trel03-4.pdf

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POTPOURRI

EPA Region 10 Seeks Wetlands Specialist

Region 10 of the Environmental Protection Agency will be hiring a wetlands specialist to provide technical support for the Oil and Gas Sector Team in Alaska. The incumbent should have substantial experience with the 404 program including enforcement. The position is located in Anchorage, Alaska and will be at the GS11/12 level (Alaska has a 25% cost of living allowance). EPA will pay moving expenses. Applicants must apply on-line through EZHIRE. The announcement should come out next week and will run for three weeks. Questions about the position should be directed to Gary Voerman, Voerman.Gary@epamail.epa.gov or 206-553-0717.

Research and Development Position Available

The Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute and the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences are seeking an individual for a tenure-track faculty position to conduct research and develop courses in the area of coastal wetland biogeochemistry with a focus on functions and process, global climate change science, microbial-soil-plant relationships, and/or biogeochemistry concerns. Required Qualifications: Ph.D.; evidence demonstrating the potential for achievement in research and teaching; strong written and oral communications skills. Applicant review begins 8/1/03. Applications should consist of a CV (including e-mail address), a statement of research/teaching interests and accomplishments, reprints if available, and the names and contact information for three individuals who would write a letter of recommendation upon request. Submit to: Professor Irv Mendelsshon, Chair, Search Committee, Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute and Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, School of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Ref: Log #0832, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803.

GAO Report: EPA: Problems Persist in Effectively Managing Grants

The General Accounting Office (GAO) today released the following testimony, Environment Protection Agency: Problems Persist in Effectively Managing Grants, by John B. Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-03-628T, June 11. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-628T http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d03628thigh.pdf Highlights.

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