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Watershed Protection
Environmental Protection Agency
Watershed Basics |
EPA is protecting watersheds throughout the region. To learn more about watersheds and watershed protection, please explore the “Watershed Basics” summary to the right. To learn more about specific watershed protection efforts within Region 2, visit the EPA watershed programs below.
Targeted Watersheds Grants Program (TWG) - This program is designed to encourage successful community-based approaches and management techniques to protect and restore our nation's waters. Successful watershed organizations were chosen because they best demonstrate their ability to achieve measurable environmental results relatively quickly. Visit the list of Region 2’s Targeted Watershed Grant Projects to learn more.
National Estuary Program (NEP) - The mission of the NEP is to restore and protect America's nationally significant estuaries. Through its approach of inclusive, community-based planning and action on the watershed level, the NEP is an important initiative in conserving our estuarine resources, and an effective model for the protection and management of other coastal areas. Visit Region 2’s National Estuary Program to learn more.
New York City Watershed Protection Program: Information on New York City's water supply, the watershed programs in place to protect it, and Federal drinking water regulations that govern it. The site discusses the NYC Watershed Memorandum of Agreement between watershed parties, and EPA's Filtration Avoidance Determination for NYC's Catskill/Delaware water supply. The site also includes links to other internet sources of information on the Watershed.
Great Lakes Region 2 is involved in many geographic initiatives to protect the Great Lakes. Several Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes are located in our region. EPA Region 2 plays an important role in activities taking place in both the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie basins.
Lake Champlain Rich in biological diversity, recreational activities, and cultural resources, Lake Champlain is an essential asset to its surrounding regions in New York, Vermont, and Canada. Environmental issues in the lake threaten these resources. For additional information, visit the Lake Champlain Basin Program. 
Onondaga Lake Environmental contaminants of concern in Onondaga Lake include nutrients, bacteria, and toxic substances. Region 2 has taken many actions to address the various sources that contribute to the contamination of Onondaga Lake. For additional information, visit the Onondaga Lake Partnership.
The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority Watershed Stewardship Initiative (PRASA-WSI) is a cooperative effort among regulators and the regulated community to establish watershed management plans for watersheds that serve as a significant source of drinking water and receive significant effluent from PRASA wastewater and drinking water plants. Based on these factors, the Loiza and LaPlata Watersheds were selected for the first PRASA-WSI project. For more information about the PRASA-WSI, see the PRASA-WSI presentation on Rutgers University’s Regional Water Program Coordination website.
Implementation of the watershed approach relies on the involvement of numerous stakeholder groups. Visit some additional Region 2 Watershed Partners also working to restore our watersheds.
Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper
Cayuga County Soil & Water Conservation District
Center for Environmental Information, Inc.
Ten Towns Great Swamp Watershed Management Committee
Puerto Rico Water Resources and Environmental Research Institute
New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission
Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board
Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District