The Clean Water Pod

Nutrient control regulations have successfully maintained the water quality of Dillon Reservoir in Summit County, Colorado since the 1980s despite an increase in development and population in the watershed. Hear how protection efforts prevented more costly restoration, and how incorporating various stakeholder perspectives has increased innovation and accountability. About our guests: Joni Nuttle...

Hear from two Wisconsin-based utilities about their efforts to reduce phosphorus through adaptive management practices, such as cover crop planting and no-till farming. Both projects emphasize collaboration, cost-effectiveness, and the role of community engagement to improve water quality. About our guests: Erin Houghton is the Watershed Programs manager at NEW Water – the brand of the Green Bay M...

In Oregon’s salmon-rich Tualatin River, a water quality trading credit program is being implemented to address the river’s Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for temperature impairment. Hear about why this unique approach was selected and how it works, as well as how trading provides broader ecological benefits. About our guests: Brian Creutzburg is the alternative compliance specialist at the Oregon...

Lake Champlain is shared by New York, Vermont, and Canada, requiring a uniquely collaborative approach to implementing the states’ Total Maximum Daily Loads for phosphorus reduction. In this episode, hear about the history and cultural significance of the lake and vital partnerships working to improve water quality. The conversation emphasizes the importance of community engagement to enhance mana...

Host Jeff Berckes speaks with water professionals from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the City of Boise about their creative approach to the Lower Boise River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for nutrients. The City of Boise found an atypical way to meet pollutant reductions identified in the TMDL 40 miles downstream from the wastewater treatment facilities. The location of the D...

Iowa is home to many lakeside beaches created to provide recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. Sand deposited at the water’s edge for public access was found to behave differently than the rest of the lake environment, harboring potentially harmful bacteria concentrations during the summer months when beach going is most popular. In this episode, listen to how watershed improvemen...

In northern New Mexico, the Rio Hondo is an important ecological, recreational and cultural waterway that winds through Taos Ski Valley. In this episode, host Jeff Berckes speaks with a state agency representative as well as the deputy director of a nonprofit organization focused on water quality. They discuss how the Rio Hondo was successfully delisted from the impaired waters list and a protecti...

The population of Cape Cod, Massachusetts nearly triples during the height of the summer tourism season, putting stress on its natural resources. Water quality has become impaired by nutrients, primarily resulting from septic systems. To help protect its beloved waters, local organizations are working on solutions to reduce nitrogen pollution, such as with alternative septic systems and cranberry...

The Choptank River flows through Delaware and Maryland into the Chesapeake Bay, serving as an important fishery for the region. Working to improve the health of this watershed, the Envision the Choptank partnership takes a team approach in its efforts to advance water quality, support the ongoing oyster restoration and engage a wide range of stakeholders. In this episode, host Jeff Berckes speaks...

Great Bay is a large flooded inland estuary, located along New Hampshire’s coast, and part of the U.S. EPA’s National Estuaries Program. The bay is a recreational resource and recreational fishery, home to a growing oyster aquaculture which supports water quality improvements. In this episode, host Jeff Berckes speaks with an environmental scientist, a shellfish farmer, and a chef that prioritizes...

Containing the largest estuary in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay watershed includes almost the entire state of Maryland. This important cultural, economic and natural resource was in decline due to an increase in nutrients entering the Bay. In an effort to restore water quality, Maryland’s Bay Restoration Fund (BRF) was established in 2004, creating a dedicated fund to upgrade wastewater tr...

Addressing nutrient pollution resulting from underperforming septic systems in Montana’s scenic Flathead Lake Basin is the topic of episode two. Host Jeff Berckes is joined by three environmental science professionals to discuss issues associated with septic systems, how they can impact water quality, and the role homeowners can play in preventing this type of pollution. They also share their late...

Host Jeff Berckes kicks-off season two by discussing the role of nutrients in water quality. He is joined by professors Jamie Vaudrey and Jim Cotner to speak about phosphorus and nitrogen – two common nutrients found in freshwater and coastal ecosystems. They explore what these nutrients are, where they come from, and how they impact water quality. About our guests: Jamie Vaudrey is an assistant r...

In the final episode of season one, host Jeff Berckes begins by speaking with Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water at the Environmental Protection Agency, Benita Best-Wong. The season has covered the programs and successes of the first 50 years of the Clean Water Act, and culminates with perspectives from Best-Wong and excerpts from previous guests about the biggest clean water challenges for...

States, territories and tribes receive Section 319 grant money to support a wide variety of activities – such as technical assistance, education, training and monitoring – for specific nonpoint source implementation projects. During this episode, hear about the role of local support, volunteer monitoring, and building strong partnerships that make nonpoint programs succeed!   About our guests:  St...

Join host Jeff Berckes and guests to get to the "point" of "point source pollution." The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program, commonly referred to by its acronym, “NPDES,” addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. During this episode, learn about the types of NPDES permits, who needs a permit, and how...

How much is too much? A Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, is both the calculation and the plan to meet water quality standards. A TMDL defines the maximum amount of a specific pollutant allowed to be in a waterbody for it to meet designated water quality standards. While a specific equation, a TMDL is also what we call the plan that outlines how to reduce pollutant loads. TMDLs are typically deve...

You can’t solve a problem until you know what’s there, and the Clean Water Act’s impaired waters list helps to define the state of our waters. To get to fishable, swimmable waters we need to figure out which waters are impaired by what pollutants. The impaired waters list connects the goals of water quality standards with monitoring data to help states understand and prioritize water quality impro...

This month we’re diving into the world of water quality monitoring. The "how" of achieving clean water can be messy – but crucial – work. Monitoring helps guide decisions surrounding the implementation of the rest of the Clean Water Act. We’ll explore the elements of successful water quality monitoring programs, where these programs are heading, and hear a couple success stories along the way.   A...

We're back to continue diving into the Clean Water Act! In this episode we discuss water quality standards – an important program that helps set the course for work within the Clean Water Act. Follow us @cleanwaterpod on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest from The Clean Water Pod!   About our guests: Jennifer Wigal is the Water Quality Administrator for the Oregon Department of Environment...

In honor of the Clean Water Act’s 50th anniversary on October 18, 2022, the Clean Water Pod podcast is launching to explore clean water efforts across the country. In this first episode, host Jeff Berckes is joined by John Goodin, former director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, and Tom Stiles, director of the Bureau of Water for the Kansas...