Welcome to the Watershed Academy’s Distance Learning Program — Watershed Academy Web. This Web site 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 the six themes listed below. Modules vary in the time they to complete, from ½ hour to 2 hours. Fifteen of them (marked with asterisks * below) are the core modules for the Watershed Academy Certificate Program.
Introductory/Overview Modules
These modules introduce the principles of the watershed approach and the value of working at a watershed level.
* Principles of watershed management
Sustaining healthy aquatic ecosystems
* Ecosystem services: benefits to human societies
Watershed Ecology Modules
These modules show that watersheds are natural systems that provide substantial benefits to people and the environment when they are kept in good condition.
* Introduction to watershed ecology
* Protecting instream flows: how much water does a river need?
* Stream corridor structure
Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: maintaining natural life support processes
Birds: bellwethers of watershed health
The role of nearshore ecosystems as fish and shellfish nurseries
Watershed Change Modules
These modules describe both natural and human-induced changes in watersheds, and compare normal changes with changes of concern.
The Effect of Climate Change on Water Resources and Programs
* Agents of watershed change
Growth and Water Resources
* Nonpoint source pollution with Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Watersheds: Connecting Weather to the Environment
Weather and the Built Environment
Human alteration of the global Nitrogen cycle
Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences and control
Nutrient pollution of coastal rivers, bays, and seas
Effects of aquaculture on world fish supplies
Analysis and Planning Modules
These modules address how watershed planning, monitoring and assessment are important first steps toward solving problems.
* Introduction to the watershed planning process
* Overview of watershed monitoring
Rapid bio-assessment protocols
Watershed ecological risk assessment
Fundamentals of the Rosgen Stream Classification System
Training in Use of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and NHDPlus
Management Practices Modules
These modules show how watershed management challenges such as urban runoff, cropland management, forestry and other issues are addressed by techniques that reduce environmental impacts.
* Eight tools of watershed protection in developing areas
* Agricultural management practices for water quality protection
* Forestry Best Management Practices in watersheds
Stream corridor restoration tools
Restoration: what’s right/wrong with this picture?
Introduction to EPA’s drinking water source protection programs
Source water protection: BMPs and other measures for protecting drinking water supplies
Controlling underground injection of wastewater
Advanced drinking water technology workshop
Managing transient non-community drinking water systems
Applying ecological principles to management of the U.S. national forests
Ecological principles for managing land use
Community/Social/Water Law Modules
These modules cover social issues, communications, relevant laws and regulations. They concentrate on the human element of watershed management.
Developing a Sustainable Finance Plan
* Getting in step: a guide for conducting watershed outreach campaigns
* Top ten watershed lessons learned
* Introduction to the Clean Water Act
Key Concepts of Water Quality Standards
Key Concepts of Impaired Waters and Developing TMDLS
Introduction to the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996
Statewide watershed management executive overview