About Us

Land Grant Universities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and USDAs Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension System (CSREES), working with EPA Region III, have formed a partnership to advance water quality protection and restoration efforts in the Mid-Atlantic by providing water quality science support, training and education. This regional program will be anchored by, and complement, state water quality programs and existing Extension efforts. Partnerships are also being developed with NRCS, USGS, river basin commissions and non-governmental organizations.

For more information contact Tom Simpson at tsimpson@umd.edu or Jake Vandevort at jvandevo@umd.edu or 301-405-1215.

Research and Extension expertise from the following universities provide the foundation for the Mid-Atlantic water quality program: University of Delaware Delaware State University University of Maryland University of Maryland, Eastern Shore Penn State University Virginia State University Virginia Tech West Virginia State University West Virginia University

The Mid-Atlantic Water Quality Program will: 

1) Develop focused regional educational programs on topics of regional or national importance for which we have or can access expertise;

2) Develop relationships with target audiences - regional offices of Federal agencies, regional organizations, States, stakeholder groups - to provide research and science information; 

3) Improve coordination, cooperation, communication and information sharing among water quality programs at participating institutions; 

4) Become the voice for Extension water quality programs in the Mid-Atlantic.

Current Regional Activities Include:

Nutrient Management
Refinement of regional P- Indices and coordination among State management tools.
Developing outreach materials for the agricultural community on the emerging science and management of ammonia emissions from animal operations.
Development of State Phosphorus budgets over time, and 
Development of educational materials for managers and decision-makers.

Watershed Management, Public Policy & Economics
Developing education materials on policy issues such as TMDLs, the Federal CAFO rule, water quality trading, and the water quality impacts from small AFOs.

Small and Underserved Audiences
Developing a drinking water assessment and education tools for underserved farming communities in Virginia, Delaware and Maryland, and Assessing water quality impacts of small and specialty farms.

Residential Environment and Landscape Management
Developing educational materials for homeowners on proper lawn care, and Facilitating information exchange among urban nutrient management professionals.

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

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Please direct questions and comments about this page to Jake Vandevort

Page Last Updated On: January 16, 2007