Browsing by Author "United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development"
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Item Anaerobic Compost Constructed Wetlands System (CWS) Technology: Innovative Technology Evaluation Report(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2002-12) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentAs part of the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluated constructed wetlands systems (CWS) for removing high concentrations of zinc from mine drainage at the Burleigh Tunnel in Silver Plume, Colorado. Exploration geologists have known for many years that metals, most commonly copper, iron, manganese, uranium, and zinc, frequently accumulate in swamps and bogs located in mineralized areas. This understanding forms the basis for the design of CWS - essentially excavated pits filled with organic matter - that have been developed and constructed over the past 15 years to treat drainage from abandoned coal mines in the eastern United States. Mine drainage is routed through the organic material, where metals are removed through a combination of physical, chemical, and biological processes. In fall 1994, anaerobic compost wetlands in both upflow and downflow configurations were constructed adjacent to and received drainage from the Burleigh Tunnel, which forms part of the Clear Creek/Central City Superfund site. The systems were operated over a 3-year period. The effectiveness of treatment by the CWS was evaluated by comparing the concentration of zinc and other metals from corresponding influent and effluent analyses. By far the dominant toxic metal present in the drainage was zinc. The upflow CWS removed an average of 93 percent of the zinc during the first year of operation, and 49 and 43 percent during the second and third years. The downflow CWS removed an average of 77 percent of zinc during the first year and 70 percent during the second year. (Flow was discontinued to the downflow system in the third year.)Item Analyses of Laboratory and Field Studies of Reproductive Toxicity in Birds Exposed to Dioxin-like Compounds for Use in Ecological Risk Assessment(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2003-04) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis report is intended to assist ecological risk assessors who must characterize risks to birds from exposure to dioxin-like chemicals. Those chemicals include the halogenated dibenzo-dioxins, dibenzo-furans, and biphenyls that have the same mode of action as 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. In particular, they include the coplanar PCBs, which account for most of the toxicity of PCB mixtures. They have been shown to severely affect birds in contaminated sites and regions by causing mortality, deformity and inhibited development of embryos and hatchlings.Item Assessing Contaminant Sensitivity of Endangered and Threatened Species: Effluent Toxicity Tests(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1999-09) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentToxicity tests using standard effluent test procedures were conducted (EPA 1994) with Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnows and four endangered fish species: bonytail chub (Gila elegans), Colorado squawfish (ptychocheilus lucias), razorback sucker (Xryauchen texanus) and Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis). We conducted 7-d survival and growth studies with embryo-larval fathead minnows and analogous exposures using the listed species. Survival and reproduction were also determined with C. dubia. Tests were conducted with: 1) carbaryl; 2) ammonia; and 3) a mixture of carbaryl, copper, 4-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol, and permethrin. The fathead minnow 7-d growth and survival test appears to be a reliable estimator of effects to the listed species used in this study. Additionally, the C. dubia survival and reproduction test was generally more sensitive than any of the fish tested. When the listed species and fathead minnow were different, the listed species was often less sensitive than the fathead minnow. However, other studies have shown listed species to be similar to or slightly more sensitive than fathead minnows when tested using effluent procedures. This study was conducted with fish species that have not been typically tested so factors such as handling procedures, optimum feeding rates, optimum test temperature, expected test to test variation and expected survival or growth have not been previously documented, and therefore results of this study should be interpreted cautiously. Our laboratory has evaluated only 10 aquatic vertebrate species (mostly fish) and there are over 90 fishes listed by the FWS. The database for fishes should be expanded to include additional species from different areas of the United States. Amphibian population declines have been recognized worldwide and the FWS has over 10 listed species, therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on testing additional amphibian species. Additional testing is also needed to evaluate sublethal effects of contaminants on listed species. Finally, other listed species including freshwater mussels and other invertebrates should also be examined.Item Assessing Contaminant Sensitivity of Endangered and Threatened Species: Toxicant Classes(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1999-09) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentUnder the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with determining if the manufacture, use, or disposal of a chemical will present an unreasonable risk of harm to the environment. Typically, management decisions are based on protecting populations of organisms. However, the Endangered Species Act requires that, in some cases, managers must estimate the take of individuals to determine if the loss of individuals might adversely affect a population of an endangered or threatened (listed) species. The most direct assessment would be to determine the sensitivity of a listed species to a particular contaminant or perturbation. However, this direct approach would be time consuming and expensive because it might require development of organism culturing and handling procedures, some species may not be amenable to culture, there might be multiple species to be considered, and would be contaminant specific. It is not possible to test all listed species that may need protection from environmental contaminants. Therefore, decisions need to be made for listed species using toxicity data obtained from standard test procedures and using surrogate organisms typically tested in laboratory toxicity assessment (e.g., rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, fathead minnow Pimephales promelas, and the cladoceran Ceriodaphnia dubia). These surrogate species are easily tested using standardized methods; however, there is concern that these species or procedures may not adequately represent populations of listed species. By evaluating the sensitivity for a number of listed species, it is possible to make generalizations regarding the protection afforded listed species through standard regulatory programs. This research project had two objectives: (1) determine the relative sensitivity to contaminants of listed species using standard acute toxicity tests; and (2) determine the degree of protection afforded listed fish species through the use of standard species used in whole effluent toxicity tests. Previous cooperative research conducted between the EPA and U.S. Geological Survey primarily evaluated the similarity in response to five chemicals with different modes of actions (carbaryl, copper, 4-nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol and permethrin) between surrogate (rainbow trout and fathead minnows) and listed species within the same taxonomic family (Salmonidae, Cyprinidae) using standard toxicity tests. The present study expands this data base by testing five additional species with these five chemicals. Species were listed either by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or state agencies or were species identified as surrogates in FWS Recovery Plans. Organisms included: (1) the Family Percidae fountain darter (Etheostoma rubrum, Federally listed), greenthroat darter (Etheostoma lepidum, state listed - Texas); (2) the Family Acipenseridae, shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, identified as surrogate for the Federally listed pallid sturgeon - Scaphirhynchus albus); (3) the Family Poeciliidae, Gila topminnow(Poeciliopsis occidentalis, Federally listed); and (4) the Family Bufonidae, boreal toad tadpoles (Bufo boreas, state listed - Colorado). The data we have generated indicated that in 96-h acute toxicity tests, if rainbow trout is used as a test species, a species typically used in pesticide registration or water quality criteria derivation, those procedures which protect the rainbow trout would likely be protective of most listed aquatic fish species. If a safety factor is needed to estimate 96-h LC50s for listed fish species, our data indicates that 0.5 would be a conservative estimator. Also, if EPA water quality criteria are recalculated by eliminating certain species from the data set, such as rainbow trout, then listed fish species might not be adequately protected.Item Chesapeake Bay Watershed Pilot Project(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1994-03) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThe Chesapeake Bay Watershed Pilot Project was initiated to develop and test methods for generating digital land cover and land use products from satellite based remotely sensed imagery. These methods and the resulting data products were intended to fulfill specific program requirements of the Landscape Characterization component of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP-LC) and the Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report presents a standardized methodology for digitally classifying remote sensing data over relatively large and diverse geographic areas. This report describes the methodology used to produce the land cover/use map of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Chapter 2 discusses the development of the classification scheme and gives a general description of the classes. A technical description of all processing and quality assurance/quality control methods, including spatial and thematic accuracy assessments, is presented in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 presents results and summary statistics, and discusses difficulties, accomplishments, and recommendations for future research. Conclusions are presented in Chapter 5. The Chapters are followed by References, Acknowledgments, and Appendices.Item Comparisons of Boating and Wading Methods Used to Assess the Status of Flowing Waters(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2001-04) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis document has been designed to provide an overview of the biological, physical and chemical methods of selected stream biomonitoring and assessment programs. It was written to satisfy the need to identify current methods that exist for sampling large rivers. The primary focus of this document is the boating methods used to assess flowing waters, but both boat-based and wading methods are included. The target audiences are individuals tasked: 1. to work with data generated from one or more of these programs; 2. to design or improve a bioassessment and monitoring programs; 3. to conduct field work using methods (or based on methods) reviewed in this text; 4. to conduct field comparisons among these methods to determine the extent of their comparability and when each method is best employed. This document is useful to these individuals in that it brings together relatively obscure literature from a wide variety of sources and it presents current and developing methods in a comprehensive context. These features allow this document to serve as a guide for comparing the methods used by various agencies for assessing large rivers. Much of the included text has been largely adapted and modified from the agency documents from which it was derived. This has been done purposefully to reduce the risk of misinterpretation.Item Criteria for Evaluation of Proposed Protozoan Detection Methods(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1999-03) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development; United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of WaterNo abstract available.Item Developing and Implementing a Bird Migration Monitoring, Assessment, and Public Outreach Program for Your Community: The BirdCast Project(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2001-09) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development; United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental InformationThis handbook provides information your organization can use to create and implement a Web-based bird monitoring program. It presents detailed guidance, based on the experience of the EMPACT BirdCast Project, on how to: 1. Identify target communities that would be interested in reporting on and following the progress of bird migration; 2. Record and present real-time information about bird migration using radar, weather information, and acoustic monitoring; 3. Collect groundtruthing information from volunteer birders and present it to the public; 4. Provide education and outreach to members of the public about what to do when migratory birds pass through their area. This handbook provides simple "how to" instructions on each facet of planning and implementing a bird monitoring program, along will additional information about bird migration: Chapter 3 discusses bird migration as a general conservation issus and how the different members of a bird migration monitoring organization work with each other to help birds as they migrate; Chapter 4 discusses instrument-based observations of birds; Chapter 5 covers a variety of issues relevant to volunteer groundtruthing, including a detailed description of BirdCast's policies and experiences working with volunteer birders; Chapter 6 treats the methods and strategies a bird monitoring organization may make use of to conduct public outreach and education; Appendix A presents examples of education and outreach materials from the BirdCast project. Interspersed throughout the handbook are success stories and lessons learned in the course of the EMPACT BirdCast project.Item Environmental Curricula Handbook: Tools in Your Schools(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2002-12) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis handbook is designed to provide teachers and other educators with guidance on how to teach students about environmental issues related to air, water, and soil quality. It provides information to help educators incorporate environmental education into the classroom. The handbook is organized as follows: Chapter 2: How Do EMPACT Programs Work in Schools discusses why environmental education is important, how to incorporate the lessons and ideas highlighted in this handbook into age-appropriate curricula, and how to identify quality environmental education materials; Chapter 3: Teaching the Teacher - How Do I Make an EMPACT on My Students? provides background information on air, water, and soil and why we should be concerned about the quality of these substances; Chapter 4: Air-Based Projects covers the air-based EMPACT projects and their curriculum components; Chapter 5: Water-Based Projects covers the water-based EMPACT projects and their curriculum components; Chapter 6: Land-Use and Soil-Based Projects covers the land- and soil-based EMPACT projects and their curriculum components. This handbook can assist educators in designing lesson plans and activities to teach the principles of environmental science. It highlights a host of EMPACT projects that have developed or are developing curricula or other classroom materials to foster student learning. The highlighted projects cover a variety of grade levels (see Appendix C: Activities by Grade Level). Therefore, this handbook can be used by any teacher, from kindergarten through grade 12. In addition, college-level materials have been developed for some projects. Moreover, in most cases, the activities and lessons geared towards one particular grade can easily be adapted for others. Teachers and educators can review the project descriptions and read about the activities, lesson plans, and tools they employ to develop ideas for their own classrooms. In addition, the handbook includes resources and contact information and in some cases a Web site where lesson plans and activities can be accesses directly. This handbook also references supplementary sources of information, such as Web sites, publications, organizations, and contacts, that can help the user find more detail guidance. (See Appendix A: Additional Resources).Item Environmental Planning for Communities: A Guide to the Environmental Visioning Process Utilizing a Geographic Information System (GIS)(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2000-09) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThe purpose of this Guide is to explain how a GIS can be used by communities as a tool to support environmental visioning as part of the CBEP process. Although significant reference material exists on CBEP and on GIS applications, the use of GIS in the CBEP process has not been presented in a comprehensive document. A few case studies have shown how a GIS can be used effectively during environmental visioning, but a general discussion of that theme has not been prepared. This Guide to the Environmental Visioning Process Utilizing a Geographic Information System (GIS) has been developed consistent with the requirement of CBEP. In this framework, the guide can be utilized to meet the needs of individual media issues (e.g., the watershed management approach to water quality issues) and to support integrated ecosystem analyses, embodying the multiple impacts on air, water, and land resources.Item EPA Handbook for Use of Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES): A Goldmine of Data for Environmental Health Analyses(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2003-03) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis Handbook provides descriptive background information and general guidance on how to access and use data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). This is an enormous human database that can be used to develop information suitable for use in risk assessments, and to support regulatory and policy needs of EPA. For more than 30 years, EPA has been one of many collaborating agencies that help plan and support funding of data collection through NHANES. Because only a limited number of Agency managers and staff are aware of the content and availability of this rich database, this Handbook was developed to familiarize staffs with NHANES and foster increased use of the data to support EPA needs. Despite the limitations and complex design of this survey, it is clear that NHANES is a unique, rich database that offers a tremendous amount of human health, nutrition, and exposure information, and will continue to do so into the future. It is hoped that by informing staff about NHANES, this Handbook will encourage efforts to "mine" the data to support Agency needs across the program offices. It is also hoped that innovative approaches (e.g., using geographic information systems; linking NHANES to available databases such as the National Death Index), will be developed to analyze the data in new ways that produce information that is useful to the mission of the Agency. Now that the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has established their Research Data Center, it should be possible to conduct studies that were impossible in the past because of lack of access to sensitive data. Finally, more thought should be given to designing and conducting studies that make use of subjects' biological samples (blood, urine, saliva) stored by NCHS. These samples offer a rare opportunity to study potential biomarkers of exposure and/or effects on a national sample of the U.S. population and link the data to health, nutrition, exposure and socioeconomic data collected in the baseline surveys.Item Evaluation Guidelines for Ecological Indicators(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2000-05) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis document presents fifteen technical guidelines to evaluate the suitability of an ecological indicator for a particular monitoring program. The guidelines are organized within four evaluation phases: conceptual relevance, feasibility of implementation, response variability, and interpretation and utility. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development has adopted these guidelines as an iterative process for internal and (EPA's) affiliated researchers during the course of indicator development, and as a consistent framework for indicator review. Chapter One describes the guidelines; Chapters Two, Three, and Four illustrate application of the guidelines to three indicators in various stages of development. The example indicators include a direct chemical measure, dissolved oxygen concentration, and two multi-metric biological indices, and index of estuarine benthic condition and one based on stream fish assemblages. The purpose of these illustrations is to demonstrate the evaluation process using real data and working with the limitations of research in progress. Furthermore, these chapters demonstrate that an evaluation may emphasize individual guidelines differently, depending on the type of indicator and the program design. The evaluation process identifies weaknesses that may require further indicator research and modification. This document represents a compilation and expansion of previous efforts, in particular, the initial guidance developed for EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP).Item Facilitating Public Access to Government Environmental Monitoring Data: The Living Everglades Web Site(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2003-01) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis handbook was developed to document The Living Everglades web site development process and to share information with other communities looking to establish a similar information network on ecological restoration efforts. The manual explains, in a step-by-step process, how the SFWMD created its web site, including choosing particular data features, developing the architecture to support the site (with a focus on providing map-based access to time-series data and documents), and soliciting input from stakeholders to create a user-friendly web site. With this information, we hope that communities can take aspects of the project and customize it to meet their own local needs. The handbook is designed primarily for agencies that already collect environmental data and want to make these data more accessible to other users, such as researchers or the community at large. These agencies will find all chapters of the handbook relevant, but should be aware that Chapters 4 and 5 (and some of the appendices), which delve into the web site development process, might be most suited to computer programmers, software consultants, and other Information Technology (IT) specialists. This handbook is organized as follows: Chapter, The Everglades Restoration Effort, provides background on the stresses on the Florida Everglades, the role of the SFWMD in preserving and restoring the ecosystem, the environmental data the agency collects and monitors, and the database used to store these data; Chapter 3, Overview of The Living Everglades Web Site, explains the organization, contents, and uses of The Living Everglades web site; Chapter 4, Creating a Similar Web Site, discusses the basic steps in setting up a similar web site, including establishing the key audiences and purpose, conducting a data inventory, choosing a data access/delivery system, ensuring ease of use and management, and determining resource requirements; Chapter 5, Behind the Web Site: The Software Application Design, provides a behind-the-scenes look into the architecture and programming of the three-tiered web site; Chapter 6, Working With Stakeholders and Partners, discusses how the SFWMD effectively worked with partners and stakeholders to develop a user-friendly web site, train users, and promote the site.Item Fish Field and Laboratory Methods for Evaluating the Biological Integrity of Surface Waters(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1993-03) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis manual contains biocriteria and describes guidelines and standardized methods for using fish in evaluating the health and biological integrity of surface waters and for protecting the quality of water resources. Included are sections on quality assurance and quality control procedures; safety and health recommendations; fish collection techniques; specimen processing techniques; identification and taxonomic references; fish age, growth, and condition determinations; data recording; length-frequency; length-age conversion; annulus formulation; relative weight index; flesh tainting; fish kill investigation; bioassessment protocols for use in streams and rivers; family-level icthyoplankton index; fish health and condition assessment; guidelines for fish sampling and tissue preparation for bioaccumulative contaminants; and an extensive bibliography for fisheries.Item Framework for a Computational Toxicology Research Program(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2003-11) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis document is intended to identify the research needs of the Agency and the unique capabilities of ORD laboratories to provide the basis for a more focused and integrated research program in the future. To accomplish this, ORD has consulted the Agency's Science Advisory Board (SAB) on this framework and held a workshop with scientists from across ORD to discuss the content and intent of this document. Based on comments from the SAB and the workshop, ORD will develop an implementation plan to guide research on computational toxicology over the next 5-10 years.Item Horizontal Configuration of the Lasagna (TM) Treatment Technology - User Guide(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2002-06) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis report is a user's guide that discusses the technology and operations unique to the installation and operation of the horizontal configuration of the Lasagna (TM) integrated soil remediation technology. This technology, called Lasagna (TM) because of the layers of electrodes and treatment zones, has been developed to combine electrokinetics with treatment zones for use in low-permeability soils where rates of hydraulic and electrokinetic transport are too low to be useful for remediation of contaminants. The technology was developed by two groups, one involving industrial partners and the U.S. Department of Energy and another involving U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the University of Cincinnati, who each pursued different electrode geometries. This report deals with the horizontal configuration where electrodes and treatment zones are installed by hydraulic fracturing in soil. This report covers a period from October 1993 to August 2001 and work was completed September 29, 2001.Item Introduction to Phytoremediation(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2000-02) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentPhytoremediation is the name given to a set of technologies that use different plants as a containment, destruction, or an extraction technique. Phytoremediation as a remediation technology that has been receiving attention lately as the results from field trials indicate a cost savings compared to conventional treatments. The U.S. EPA has a dual role in which it seeks to protect human health and the environment associated with hazardous waste sites, while encouraging development of innovative technologies that might more efficiently clean up these sites. This Introduction is intended to provide a tool for site regulators, owners, neighbors, and managers to evaluate that applicability of phytoremediation to a site. This document defines terms and provides a framework to understand phytoremediation applications. It is a complication of research and remediation work that has been done to date. The format is intended to be accessible to EPA RPMs, state regulators, and others who need to choose between alternate technologies, as well for site owners, consultants, contractors, and students who are interested in basic information. It is not a design manual, and is not intended to provide enough information to choose, engineer, and install a phytoremediation application. This work may also be used to help guide research, development, and regulation. Areas of needed research have been identified. By compiling the published and unpublished work, research repetition can be avoided, and areas of opportunity that need attention should be clear.Item ISO 14000 Resource Directory(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1997-10) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development; United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention and ToxicsThis Directory provides information about current initiatives related to the developing ISO 14000 series of environmental standards. Interest in the standards among governments, nongovernmental organizations, industry and the public is high and expected to grow as the standards become finalized. A measure of this interest is the fact that even before the first of the ISO 14000 series standards was issued, over 100 government and nonprofit organizations submitted information for inclusion in this Directory. This number excludes the hundreds of private sector initiatives, not included in this Directory, that are also underway. The U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to ISO Technical Committee 207 (the ISO Committee developing the ISO 14000 series standards), for example, consists of hundreds of members from industry, government, consulting firms, nongovernmental organizations, and academiz. Dozens of private sector organizations have emerged to offer training, consulting, and other services related to ISO 14000, while hundreds of individual companies are investigating ISO 14000 to determine its implications. The ISO 14000 is a global series of standards developed outside regulatory channels that has the potential to revolutionize both the way industrial and other organizations manage environmental affairs, the way regulatory agencies relate to the regulated community, and the way customers and society at large relate to companies and other organizations. Whether this potential will be realizes is not yet clear. Much will depend on how industry, governments, and nongovernmental organizations respond to, and use, the standards. If their potential is realized, the introduction of the ISO 14000 series standards could be one of the most significant environmental developments of our time. This Directory is an effort by EPA to contribute to an understanding of the ISO 14000 series standards. It does not attempt to promote or discourage use of the standards. Rather, it is intended to facilitate communication among the many groups or individuals examining or using the standards. A useful first step in improving our understanding of the standards is to provide a forum where interested parties can communicate and learn from each others' experience. The audience for this resource directory is anyone interested in the ISO 14000 series of International Environmental Standards. Companies from large to small and government at all levels could find the information contained in this directory useful.Item Landscape Monitoring and Assessment Research Plan - 1994(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1994-03) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentLandscape ecology is the study of the structure, function, pattern, and changes in heterogeneous land areas. Landscapes are described by the spatial arrangements of ecological resources. Landscape patterns are an important determinant of the intrinsic sustainability of certain ecological processes that, in turn, provide ecological goods and services (societal values). The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's Landscapes component (EMAP-L) will focus on those landscape patterns that affect flows of energy, water, nutrients, and biota. The primary focus will be on the societal benefits derived from watershed integrity, biotic integrity and diversity, and landscape stability and resilience. The Landscape Monitoring and Assessment Research Plan is divided into five sections which describe: (1) the theoretical basis (landscape ecology) for monitoring landscapes and how this relates to and complements the objectives of EMAP; (2) the conceptual basis of the approach, including the societal values and assessment questions to be addressed; (3) the indicators of landscape condition; (4) the methods for monitoring and assessing the status and trends of landscape condition; and (5) the research and development activities needed to implement the plan.Item Manual: Constructed Wetlands Treatment of Municipal Wastewaters(United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2000-09) United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and DevelopmentThis manual discusses the capabilities of constructed wetlands, a functional design approach, and the management requirements to achieve the designed purpose. The manual also attempts to put the proper perspective on the appropriate use, design and performance of constructed wetlands. For some applications, they are an excellent option because they are low in cost and in maintenance requirements, offer good performance, and provide a natural appearance, if not more beneficial ecological benefits. In other applications, such as large urban areas with large wastewater flows, they may not be all appropriate owing to their land requirements. Constructed wetlands are especially well suited for wastewater treatment in small communities where inexpensive land is available and skilled operators hard to find and keep. Primary customers will be engineers who service small communities, state regulators, and planning professionals. Secondary users will be environmental groups and the academics.
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