Potomac Highlands Watershed School Useful Links Page |
Note: There are program specific links available through the bookshelf.
Name |
Information |
|
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay |
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is a regional nonprofit organization that builds and fosters partnerships to protect and to restore the Bay and its rivers. The Alliance does not lobby or litigate. Instead, we do the slow, hard work of bridging dialogue between groups that don't see eye-to-eye, forming strategies for joint solutions, and building the capacity of communities for local-level action. | |
American Ground Water Trust |
The American Ground Water Trust is a not-for-profit education organization incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, USA. The Trust, an independent authority on the hydrologic, economic and environmental significance of ground water, combines technical expertise with a track record of networking and communication skills. |
|
Bay Journal
|
Bay Journal is published by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to inform the public about issues and events that affect the Chesapeake Bay. With a circulation of 50,000, the Bay Journal is published monthly except for midsummer and midwinter and is distributed free of charge. | |
Cacapon Institute |
Cacapon Institute is a non profit organization and WV Certified laboratory that uses science and education to help concerned citizens protect the Cacapon, Potomac, and other Appalachian watersheds. As Fact Finders, they conduct research to gain insight into watershed issues of local and regional importance. As Educators, they share technical information with the community and area schools in a "user friendly package." As Problem Solvers, they seek innovative solutions to environmental problems. | |
Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust
|
The Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust is a not-for-profit local land trust that assists landowners and communities throughout the Cacapon and Lost Rivers watershed in maintaining healthy rivers, protecting forests and farmland, and in preserving rural heritage for the enjoyment and well being of present and future generations. | |
Canaan Valley Institute |
Canaan Valley Institute is a nonprofit, non-advocacy organization committed to helping communities build their capacity to address environmental or economic problems by implementing locally determined solutions.States homepage. Since 1995, CVI has fostered local decision-making in support of sustainable communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic Highlands of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. |
|
Center for Watershed Protection |
Founded in 1992, the Center for Watershed Protection is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation’s most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes and rivers. The Center has developed and disseminated a multi-disciplinary strategy to watershed protection that encompasses watershed planning, watershed restoration, stormwater management, watershed research, better site design, education and outreach, and watershed training. |
|
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homev3
|
Pollution and other harmful activities degrade the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) fights for strong and effective laws and regulations. CBF also works cooperatively with government, business, and citizens in partnerships to protect and restore the Bay. When necessary, we use legal means to force compliance with existing laws. | |
The Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System |
The Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System is a component of the Chesapeake Bay Observing System. NOAA's Smart Buoys provide real-time weather and water observations and interpret locations along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. | |
Chesapeake Bay Program |
The Chesapeake Bay Program is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. The Chesapeake Bay Program partners include the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative body; the Environmental Protection Agency, representing the federal government; and participating citizen advisory groups. |
|
Chesapeake Bay Trust |
The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides grant funding for on-the-ground Chesapeake Bay restoration projects throughout Maryland, reaching thousands of students, organizations and community leaders each year. Since its inception in 1985, the Trust has awarded more than $24 million in grants, funding thousands of projects that have made a measurable impact on improving the Bay’s health and restoring Maryland’s most treasured natural resource. | |
Conservation Technology Information Center |
Established in 1982, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is a national, nonprofit public-private partnership working to promote the enhancement of soil and water quality by equipping agriculture with realistic, affordable, and integrated solutions. CTIC envisions agriculture using environmentally beneficial and economically viable natural resource systems. |
|
Environmental Concern, Inc. |
Founded in 1972, Environmental Concern (EC) is a public non-profit corporation dedicated to wetland education, restoration, and research. The nationally recognized publication, WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands, first published in 1991, is now in its 6th printing. Educators all across the country are benefiting from the many student wetland activities described in WOW! for use in the classroom. | |
Freshwater Institute |
Located near Shepherdstown, WV, the Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute combines applied research, engineering design, and economic development strategies to demonstrate a new vision of conservation that achieves a balance between economic growth and environmental goals. |
|
Friends of the Cacapon River |
The Friends of the Cacapon River serve as a resource to our communities on issues effecting the Cacapon River watershed. |
|
Grand Caverns (VA) |
Although the Living South River Labs at Grand Caverns are a rich addition for any grade level, these labs and exhibits are targeted to 6th graders on their MWEE, and designed to be part of an 8 station karst/groundwater action phase. The day at Grand Caverns includes the Living Cave exhibit, a Grand Caverns tour, Living South River labs, and stations in the park for Alternative Energy, Hydrology, Water Chemistry, and Soils. | |
Groundwater Foundation |
The Groundwater Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and motivating people to care for and about groundwater. |
|
Groundwater Foundation Kids Corner
|
|
|
Growing Native |
Growing Native is a year-round volunteer project that collects hardwood seeds and plants trees to help restore and protect rivers and streams in the Potomac River watershed. Growing Native is a project of the Potomac Watershed Partnership,which is managed by Potomac Conservancy, and made possible by the generous support of its partners and sponsors. | |
Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin |
The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) is an interstate compact commission established by Congress in 1940 to help the Potomac basin states and the federal government to enhance, protect, and conserve the water and associated land resources of the Potomac River basin through regional and interstate cooperation. |
|
The Kuse Farm and Nature Preserve |
Some native tree characteristics with our friends at the Kuse Farm in Wisconsin. | |
Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education
|
Since 1985, the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE), a nonprofit educational association, has served thousands of teachers (and students at all grade levels), natural resource managers, nature center staff, and environmental program managers with dynamic training programs, workshops, conferences, awards programs, networking opportunities, publications, and related materials and resources. Through these efforts, MAEOE has helped to encourage, educate, support, and inspire Maryland educators to build a citizenry that understands and is responsibly engaged in advancing sustainability to address human needs and to conserve the Earth's natural resources. | |
The Opequon Creek Project Team |
The Opequon Creek Project Team (OCPT), a 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation, was formed in April 2005 to plan and implement nonpoint source pollution reduction projects in the watershed. Several local, state and federal government agencies are represented at OCPT’s regular meetings, and clean-up and tree planting events have attracted many watershed residents and their families. Opequon Creek Project team quickly has become a dynamic force of progress in the community’s effort to protect and enhance its natural resources. | |
Potomac Conservancy |
The Potomac Conservancy conducts a comprehensive land protection program; develops and implements a variety of land and water restoration projects; provides counseling and other conservation support services for more than 70 other land trusts across four states and the District of Columbia; provides meaningful, hands-on volunteer and education programs for adults and young people to foster a stewardship ethic; and partners with other land trusts, conservation organizations, and local, state, and federal agencies to more efficiently and expeditiously achieve land protection and restoration goals. |
|
Potomac Riverkeeper |
Potomac Riverkeeper was formed by citizens and conservation leaders out of concern for the need to respond to multiple threats with a single independent advocate dedicated to protecting The Potomac River and its tributaries. Their MISSION is to protect and restore the Potomac River, from its headwaters in West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay, through citizen action, advocacy and enforcement. |
|
Potomac Watershed Partnership |
The Potomac Watershed Partnership (PWP) is providing a new opportunity to enhance the quality of life for all creatures that depend on the Potomac River basin. The Partnership is one of 15 such partnerships nationwide that are bringing public and private organizations together to protect the nation’s most vital watersheds. |
|
River Network |
River Network's Mission is to help people understand, protect and restore rivers and their watersheds. They envision a nation whose rivers are cared for by those who use them and live in their watershed. Their constituency is comprised of grassroots river and watershed conservation organizations, public agencies, tribal governments and coalitions, and other working to save freshwater ecosystems. |
|
Sleepy Creek Watershed Association |
The Sleepy Creek Watershed Association's mission is to protect and preserve Sleepy Creek and its watershed and to educate the community on the value of this precious natural resource in Morgan County, WV. | |
Stewards of the Potomac Highlands |
Stewards of the Potomac Highlands is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) citizens group aiming to preserve open spaces, forests, farmland, rural communities and towns and foster stewardship of the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. We promote ways to make a living in our area without destroying our air, soil, water, wildlife and scenery. We encourage community and transportation planning for sustainable economic development which will protect the environment, discourage sprawl, and support family and community cohesion, local business, local history and culture. | |
Trout Unlimited
|
Trout Unlimited's mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. TU is a national organization with more than 150,000 volunteers organized into about 400 chapters from Maine to Montana to Alaska. This dedicated grassroots army is matched by a respected staff of lawyers, policy experts and scientists, who work out of more than 30 offices nationwide. These conservation professionals ensure that TU is at the forefront of fisheries restoration work at the local, state and national levels. | |
US Forest Service |
US Forest Service |
|
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service in WV |
In 2003, the WV office of the USDA-NRCS joined with 30 other state and federal water quality agencies in West Virginia to sign a resolution to carry out a cooperative watershed approach through the West Virginia Watershed Management Framework. The vision of the Framework is coordinating efforts to enhance, preserve, and protect the state’s water quality for the benefit of all citizens. The benefits include maintaining public health; providing diversified recreational, educational, and scientific uses; and allowing economic growth while maintaining ecological and biological integrity. |
|
USEPA - Clean Water Act |
USEPA - Clean Water Act Web Site. Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. As amended in 1977, this law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The Act established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. It gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. The Clean Water Act also continued requirements to set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. |
|
USEPA - Surf Your Watershed |
Surf Your Watershed is a service to help you locate, use, and share environmental information about your state and watershed. |
|
USEPA - Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds |
We all live in a watershed -- the area that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, wetland, or ultimately the ocean -- and our individual actions can directly affect it. EPA and its partners are working together on a watershed basis to protect the nation's water resources. |
|
USEPA Watershed Academy Web |
USEPA Watershed Academy Web offers a variety of self-paced training modules that represent a basic and broad introduction to the watershed management field. The modules are organized by six themes. Modules vary in the time they to complete, from ½ hour to 2 hours. |
|
USGS - Chesapeake Bay Activities |
The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the original CBP Federal partners, has the critical role to provide unbiased scientific information that is utilized to formulate, implement, and assess the effectiveness of restoration goals. The USGS Chesapeake Bay Science Program is meeting these needs through a combination of research, monitoring, modeling, and interaction with the partners in the CBP and the Department of Interior (DOI). |
|
USGS Water Data for the Nation |
These pages provide access to water-resources data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Online access to this data is organized around the categories listed to the left. The USGS investigates the occurrence, quantity, quality, distribution, and movement of surface and underground waters and disseminates the data to the public, State and local governments, public and private utilities, and other Federal agencies involved with managing our water resources. |
|
USGS Water Science for Schools |
The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science for Schools web site offers information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge. |
|
Watershed Watch
|
The Watershed Watch Campaign provides information to the public about the importance and value of the Santa Clara Basin watershed and explains why protection of watersheds is essential for all living things - both now and in the future. | |
West Virginia Conservation Agency |
The West Virginia Conservation Agency (WVCA) coordinates statewide conservation efforts. The West Virginia State Code charges the WVCA (in Chapter 19-21A-2) to conserve natural resources, control floods, prevent impairment of dams and reservoirs, assist in maintaining the navigability of rivers and harbors, conserve wildlife, protect the tax base, protect public lands and protect and promote the health, safety and general welfare of the people. | |
West Virginia Chesapeake Bay Program |
Welcome to the home of West Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Initiative. This site is intended to serve as a resource to all those interested in how West Virginia is doing its part to help restore local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. | |
West Virginia Rivers Coalition |
West Virginia Rivers Coalition mission is to seek the conservation and restoration of West Virginia's exceptional rivers and streams. |
|
WV Division of Natural Resources |
WV Division of Natural Resources |
|
WVDEP - Division of Water and Waste Management http://www.wvdep.org/item.cfm?ssid=11 |
WV Division of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management's mission is to preserve and enhance West Virginia's watersheds for the benefit and safety of all. The Division of Water and Waste Management strives to meet its mission through implementation of programs controlling surface and groundwater pollution caused by industrial and municipal discharges as well as oversight of construction, operation and closure of hazardous and solid waste and underground storage tank sites. In addition, the Division works to protect, restore, and enhance West Virginia's watersheds through comprehensive watershed assessments, groundwater monitoring, wetlands preservation, inspection and enforcement of hazardous and solid waste disposal and proper operation of underground storage tanks. |
|
West Virginia Save Our Streams |
The West Virginia Save Our Streams (WVSOS) program is a volunteer monitoring program that trains West Virginia citizens of all ages, how to monitor, and become watchdogs over their local wadeable streams and rivers. WVSOS uses a streamside biological approach to monitoring, which involves collecting a series of benthic macroinvertebrate samples, placing the organisms in trays of water, sorting them into look-alike groups, and calculating a stream condition index, which, assigns a rating to the stream site. This information, along with the habitat assessment survey, provides the volunteer enough information to make a general assessment of the stream site. By monitoring additional sites along the stream, the volunteers can make an assessment of the stream's overall health. |