A statewide program to educate local decision makers about the impacts of land use choices on water quality
AWARE Colorado Update • January 2007
AWARE Colorado continues to visit communities around the state to inform local officials and others about tools and strategies to protect water quality. To learn more about the AWARE Colorado program or schedule a presentation click here.
Here are some new resources and upcoming events.
The “Water Protection Toolkit for Local Officials” has recently been revised and posted on AWARE Colorado’s Web site, www.awarecolorado.org/toolkit.html. Web links were updated throughout the publication.
The toolkit would make a useful addition to orientation packets for new commissioners or board members. If you would like a hard copy of the toolkit, contact Cynthia Peterson at 303-861-5195 or cpeterson@awarecolorado.org.
• NEW RESOURCESBuilding Better II: A Guide to America's Best New Development Projects (Clean Water Edition)
This compilation of case studies from throughout the country features outstanding development and redevelopment projects that use innovative design strategies to protect water quality. It is published by the Sierra Club and can be downloaded at www.sierraclub.org/healthycommunities/buildingbetter/2006/report.pdf.
Source Water Collaborative Web site
The Source Water Collaborative, a recently formed group of 15 organizations interested in source water protection, launched a new Web site at www.protectdrinkingwater.org. The site provides comprehensive source water information for policymakers, developers, farmers and others with the goal of integrating drinking water protection into land stewardship and planning decisions.
Web site highlights low-impact development
Portland, Ore., has implemented a number of water protective strategies to prevent polluted runoff in new and redevelopment projects. The approaches include swales, landscape infiltration, street stormwater planters, roof gardens, green streets, landscaped curb extensions and porous pavements. For photos, technical reports, education materials and design specifics logon www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=34598.
“After the Storm” now available as streaming video
This half-hour program, co-produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and The Weather Channel, features areas of the country where polluted runoff threatens critical watersheds. Experts and involved citizens discuss impacts to water resources and effective solutions. The video highlights activities people can do to around their homes to protect water quality. To access the free streaming video, logon www.clu-in.org/search/t.focus/id/602/.
The Greening of Stormwater
This 21-page report highlights several Michigan communities that use green infrastructure and low-impact development techniques to protect rivers and lakes while encouraging community sustainability. The report, published by the Clean Water Fund and American Rivers, is available at www.cleanwateraction.org/pdf/GreeningStormwater.pdf.
The Perils of Parking Lots
By Leo Pierre Roy
Published in Land Development Today
April 10, 2006
This article discusses strategies to minimize the environmental impacts of parking lots and reduce stormwater management needs. Logon www.landdevelopmenttoday.com/Article632.htm.
The January/February 2007 issue of Stormwater journal has several articles related to land use and water quality, including:
- Water Quality and Land Use: Analyzing relationships among multiple watersheds using contingency analysis
- Monitoring the Success of Infiltration Requirements: Combining regulation with outreach and demonstration sites
- Integrating Stormwater: The role of landscape architecture and site design in stormwater treatment
The journal is available online at www.erosioncontrol.com/sw_current_toc.html.
• UPCOMING EVENTS
Jan. 17, 2007
11 am to 1 pm MST
Chet Arnold from the University of Connecticut’s Center for Land Use Education and Research, John Rosum with the Connecticut NEMO Project and Dave Dickson with the National NEMO Network will provide a thorough overview of the methods, impacts and educational offerings of the Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Program. The instructors will also discuss the National NEMO Network, an organization of 30 affiliated state and local educational programs.
For more information, logon www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/webcasts.
Fostering Sustainable Behavior: Community-Based Social Marketing WorkshopFeb. 21, 2007
9 am to5 pm
University Memorial Center, CU-Boulder.
This workshop, led by Doug McKenzie-Mohr, will introduce community-based social marketing and provide participants with the skills needed to develop effective environmental education programs.
For more information and to register logon http://ecenter.colorado.edu/rmss2007/program.html#presummit/.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about ways communities can prevent the impacts of land use on water quality, visit the AWARE Colorado Web site at www.awarecolorado.org.
AWARE Colorado is an educational program of the League of Women Voters of Colorado Education Fund. It is funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Copyright 2007 League of Women Voters of Colorado Education Fund
1410 Grant Street, Suite B204, Denver, CO 80203