General Clean Water Act information

EPA's Office of Water: The first place to go for information on the federal Clean Water Act and its programs...after this site of course!

Clean Water Network: This alliance of groups works to strengthen and protect the Clean Water Act. Use their site to stay up to date on the issues.

Water quality standards

Find your state or tribal standards: Use this clickable map to find your state's water quality standards and dive in!

Water Quality Standards Handbook: This is U.S. EPA's guide to all things water quality standards. It is long but is a great reference to look up answers to all your key questions. Once you find the subject you're looking for, it is actually pretty reader-friendly.

U.S. EPA's water quality standards website: Visit the portal to U.S.EPA's standards site and find resources from technical guidance to policy to information on trainings.

Point source pollution permits

Permitting an End to Pollution ($15, or free to download): This
River Network handbook will give you all the tools you need to begin
analyzing permits in your state. The guide systematically walks you through
finding out about proposed or existing permits in your area,
reviewing their contents, submitting your comments to your state water
quality agency.

U.S. EPA's NPDES website: EPA's NPDES site provides policy and techncial resources, links to many useful databases, links to your state program contacts, and more.

Enforcement and Compliance History On-line (ECHO): Use ECHO to determine whether:1.) compliance inspections at permitted facilities have been conducted by EPA or State/local governments, 2) violations were detected, and 3.)enforcement actions were taken and penalties were assessed in response to environmental law violations.

Impaired waters/303(d) listing

U.S. EPA's TMDL website: click on your state to get a summary of hte most recent 303(d) list of impaired waters for your state. Or click on "guidance" under Law and Regulations to find the most recent guidance on creating impaired waters lists.

Watershed restoration plan/TMDLs

Tracking TMDLS:This River Network guide is designed to give you the information you need to review and comment on TMDL watershed cleanup plans. Step by step, learn about the TMDL program and follow TMDL development on the imaginary Sique River.

The Ripple Effect: This citizens' handbook to influencing the development of TMDLs is dated, but still very sound and an easy read.

EPA's library of approved TMDLS: See examples of differnt types of TMDLs -- from bacteria to temperature.

Nonpoint source pollution control/319

EPA Nonpoint Source Pollution: EPA's nonpoint site covers basic information about nonpoint source pollution, the 319 program, coastal issues, funding opprotunities, and more.

Enforceable State Mechanisms for the Control of Nonpoint Source:
This study examined the laws of the fifty states, Puerto Rico, and the
District of Columbia to identify and analyze enforceable mechanisms for
the control of nonpoint source water pollution. Water Pollution Environmental Law Institute, 1997.

Almanac of Enforceable State Laws to Control Nonpoint Source Water Pollution: This report provides a state-by-state summary, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, of enforcement-based laws that are
potentially applicable to nonpoint source water pollution. Environmental Law Institute, 1998.

Wetland protection/Dredge and fill permits/404

Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works page: This page includes information about the Corps' regulatory program for wetlands. Links provide information on the Nationwide Permit program, mitigation, jurisdiction issuse, and more.

U.S. EPA's wetlands page: This site provides basic information about wetlands, policy and guidance, and much more.

State water quality certification/401

U.S. EPA's page on 401 certification for wetland activities: Learn more about water quality standards for wetlands, and what that means for 401 certification.

Text of Section 401: Read it for yourself!

Funding sources

U.S. EPA's Clean Water Financing page: This page can serve as your jumping off point to all kinds of different federal financing programs.

U.S. EPA's Environmental Finance program: This program seeks out creative ways to finance environmental projects, including water quality projects.

American Rivers' Citizen Toolkit on Water Infrastructure Funding: American Rivers has compiled basic tools, resources, and their own reports in one easy place for your use as a toolkit.