New LID Green Streets Website

The Low Impact Development Center, Inc. has launched a new resource website for Green Highways and Green Streets projects. The purpose of the Website is to highlight significant Green Highways and Green Streets programs that the Center and other project partners have been involved in. The site provides examples and guidance for communities and institutions that are developing green infrastructure strategies for water resource protection, community development, and to address climate change through greening roads and communities.

Oregon Reservoir Managers Puzzled Over Late Algae Blooms

A strangely persistent bloom of blue-green algae at Lost Creek Lake has experts wondering whether the reservoir's water quality has diminished or the toxic algae has somehow genetically mutated to ward off competition for fall dominance here. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin a three-year water-quality study at the reservoir to see whether any environmental changes have tipped the water in favor of anabaena flos-aquae.
The algae bloom triggered a Sept. 16 public health advisory against water contact and eating of trout or bass caught at the 31-year-old reservoir on the upper Rogue River. This bloom has persisted in spite of water temperatures in the mid-40s, and new water samples showed algae levels still at more than 130 times higher than safety thresholds set by state health officials.

Read more: Southern Oregon's Mail Tribune, December 14, 2008
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081214/NEWS/812140335

CWP hosts webinar on new Watershed Forestry Resource Guide

The Center for Watershed Protection and the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area are hosting a free webinar to introduce the Watershed Forestry Resource Guide, a new online resource for all things related to forests and their role in watershed and stormwater management. The Watershed Forestry Resource Guide website contains pages specific to forest planning and assessment, reducing stormwater runoff, forest-friendly development, and planting and maintaining trees.

The webinar will be held on December 2 from 12-1 EST, 11am- 12 CST, 10-11am MST, 9-10:00am PST. To register for this webinar, please visit:http://tinyurl.com/62wmxl

EPA Publishes Draft TMDLs to Stormwater Permits Handbook

EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) and Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) have jointly issued a Draft "TMDLs to Stormwater Handbook," available for public comment.

This Draft Handbook provides a technical reference for TMDL practitioners and permit writers on current methods being used to develop more detailed stormwater-source TMDL allocations, TMDL implementation plans including best management practices, and methods for translating TMDL allocations into NPDES stormwater permit requirements. The Handbook also provides background information on the components of these programs, but assumes that the reader has a working knowledge of both TMDLs and NPDES stormwater permits.

Source: EPA Water Headlines listserv, November 17, 2008

Constructed Wetland Slideshow Added

We recently added some new content to our blog site. Check out the Constructed Wetland Slideshow on the lower right hand side of the page. It shows before, during, and post-construction photos of the F. X. Browne, Inc. constructed wetland at our Lansdale, PA headquarters.

Dr. Frank Browne Keynote Speaker on Low Impact Development

Dr. Frank Browne, President of F. X. Browne, Inc., was the Keynote Speaker at Southeast New York’s 8th Annual Stormwater Conference in Orange County, New York. Dr. Browne presented on low impact development and sustainable design. F. X. Browne, Inc., a nationwide expert in low impact development and stormwater management, was selected by DEP to be a Qualified Stormwater Consultant to assist developers with meeting the mandates of new smart-growth and stormwater regulations in land development design.

Happy Birthday, Clean Water Act!

The Clean Water Act turns 36 years old this week. In the past 36 years, enormous amounts of change have occurred with respect to policy and environment in the US. Constantly spreading impervious surfaces, diminishing wetlands, and alterations of natural watercourses have led to increased flooding and millions of dollars of damage to populated areas. However, improvements in natural channel design and wetland and stream restoration techniques as well as the NPDES Phase I and Phase II stormwater regulations are helping to reduce flooding and restore habitat. F. X. Browne, Inc. is proud to be on the forefront of environmental restoration consulting and engineering design.