Kayakers on the Chetco River. Photo by Zachary Collier / Northwest Rafting Co.
The Clean Water Act is the nation’s most comprehensive water law. It’s about much more than cleaning up the nation’s worst water pollution. Its stated goal is “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters”. Every river advocate should know how to get directly involved in pursuit of this lofty goal in their state and watershed.
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While the CWA is a federal law, it has always assigned most of the responsibilities for its implementation and enforcement to the states. In an era when federal rules are being weakened, agencies are being downsized, and funding is being slashed, this matters now more than ever.
Our friends at River Network offer an online publication titled The Clean Water Act Owner's Manual. It provides plain-language descriptions of every segment of the CWA, along with clear instructions for anyone interested in using it to prevent and solve problems for their home waters. Armed with the Owner’s Manual and a list of key sources of state-level information and public involvement opportunities, anyone can make a difference for their home waters. Now, with this portion of our website, Pacific Rivers is building a Northwest companion to the CWA Owner’s Manual. It provides direct links to the state-level information river advocates in Washington, Idaho and Oregon need. |
Algal bloom in Brownlee Reservoir. Courtesy of Lorraine Backer / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health image library.
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Aanchal Vidyarthi, Pacific Rivers volunteer.
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Pacific Rivers volunteer Aanchal Vidyarthi developed the idea for this new resource. After taking the River Network online training course herself, she did the detailed work to find and organize the links to Northwest agencies’ web sites related to every specific portion of the CWA, with crosstabs to the relevant portion of the Owner’s Manual. We are in her debt — and we hope you find this new resource useful, whether you are a seasoned CWA advocate or just getting started.
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HELPFUL RESOURCES
LEAD STATE AGENCIES |
TRIENNIAL REVIEWS |
INTERESTED PARTY / EMAIL LISTS |
DESIGNATED USES |
WATER QUALITY CRITERIA |
ANTIDEGRADATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES |
WATER QUALITY STANDARDS |
MIXING ZONES |
INDUSTRIAL & COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE USE |
TRANSPORTATION STORMWATER |
CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER |
DISCHARGE PERMITS:
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DREDGE & FILL PERMITS
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STATE & TRIBAL OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL PERMITS
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IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS & RESTORING WATER QUALITY
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TMDLs |
NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL & GRANTS |
STATE LOANS |
