NEIWPCC is seeking success stories from across the country that highlight program achievements covering a diverse array of Clean Water Act Section 303(d): Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) topics. Accepted stories may be used to craft multimedia communications products and be featured on the Clean Water Pod podcast. This EPA-funded project is intended to inspire other 303(d) Programs, inform stakeholders and the public, and generate support for future work to advance clean water.
Stories can be submitted for consideration through an online form. Success story focus areas include achievements related to nutrients, bacteria, environmental justice, climate change, 303(d) list prioritization, alternative approaches, engagement and partnerships, and protection. Each story will be developed into a two-page downloadable document describing the problem addressed, the strategies used, and the successful outcome. Additional communication products will be developed to reach a broader audience, such as StoryMaps, infographics, and data visualization tools.
Season three of the Clean Water Pod podcast – set to launch this fall – will focus on innovative approaches to TMDLs. Podcast host Jeff Berckes explains, “We are looking for stories that 303(d) practitioners and their teams are proud of. Perhaps this was finding a new way to incorporate data to complete a listing, or using a new model to understand an impairment better, or finding new and non-traditional partnerships to implement a TMDL.”
The project website houses communications materials developed to date and allows visitors to submit their story ideas.