Resources Related to Gulf Hypoxia, Nutrient Pollution and the Mississippi River Basin
The links on this page provide resources related to hypoxia, nutrient pollution, the Mississippi River Basin, and the Gulf of Mexico. See the ‘Key Hypoxia Task Force Resources’ box for documents regarding the Hypoxia Task Force.
- Hypoxia and the Gulf of Mexico
- Funding and Tools
- EPA Nutrient Policy and Data
- EPA Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Website
- Other Federal Agencies' Relevant Webpages
- Nonpoint Source Pollution
- Models
- Total Maximum Daily Loads
- Water Quality Standards
- Water Quality Trading
- National Academies Reports
Some of the links below exit the site. Exit
Hypoxia and the Gulf of Mexico
- Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON)
- LUMCON Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch
- EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
Funding and Tools
EPA Watershed Academy
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Watershed Academy offers a variety of self-paced online training modules that represent a basic and broad introduction to the watershed management field. The modules are organized by six themes, and several address nutrient-related topics. The Watershed Academy also provides archived audio presentations, PowerPoint files, and other webcast-related materials from webcasts conducted on nutrient-related topics.
EPA Nutrient Policy and Data
EPA Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Website
EPA developed an improved website about nitrogen and phosphorus pollution to provide the public with information about this type of pollution—where it comes from, its impacts on human health and aquatic ecosystems, and actions that people can take to help reduce it. EPA's website also includes updated information on states' progress in developing numeric water quality criteria for nutrients as part of their water quality standards regulations. EPA recognizes that states and local communities are best positioned to restore and protect their waters, and the agency is providing technical guidance and tools to help states develop numeric nutrient criteria for their water bodies.
Other Federal Agencies' Relevant Webpages
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- NOAA Home
- Hypoxia Overview
Coastal Hypoxia Research Program (CHRP) - Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Hypoxia Assessment (NGOMEX)
NOAA Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Assessment
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- USDA Home
- USDA Conservation
- NRCS Conservation Programs
- NRCS Nutrient Management
- Mississippi River Basin Healthy Rivers Initiative
- 2014 Farm Bill
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
- Conservation Reserve Program
- Farmable Wetlands Program
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- USGS Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico Studies
- Nutrient Flux for the Mississippi River Basin and Subbasins
- USGS Publications on Nutrients in the Mississippi River Basin and Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico
Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution
Websites
Models
Modeling Resources and Guidance
- EPA TMDL Model Evaluation and Research Needs (PDF) (403 pp, 10.8MB)
- The Watershed Approach: Data and Tools
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
Websites
- EPA TMDL Homepage
- Example Nutrient TMDLs
- Examples of Approved Nutrient TMDLs
- Links to Other TMDL-Related Sites
- Overview of Current Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program and Regulations
- TMDL Laws, Regulations, Treaties
- TMDL Technical Support Documents
- Water Quality Modeling and Total Maximum Daily Loads Guidance
Documents/Guidance
- TMDL Modeling ToolBox Fact Sheet (PDF) (2pp, 691K)
- Protocol for Developing Nutrient TMDLs: First Edition
- Protocol for Developing Sediment TMDLs: First Edition
- Compendium of Tools for Watershed Assessment and TMDL Development
- Guidance for Water Quality-Based Decisions: The TMDL Process
- TMDL Model Evaluation and Research Needs
Water Quality Standards
Websites
- State Development of Numeric Criteria for Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution
- Water Quality Standards Homepage
- State, Tribal & Territorial Standards
- Water Quality Criteria
- Ecoregional Criteria Documents
- Nutrient Indicators Dataset
- EPA's National Nutrients Strategy
- N-STEPS (Nutrient Scientific Technical Exchange Partnership and Support)
Documents/Guidance
- Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria Documents for Lakes and Reservoirs
- Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria Documents for Rivers and Streams
- Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual: Estuarine and Coastal Marine Waters
- Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual: Rivers and Streams
- Nutrient Criteria Technical Guidance Manual: Lakes and Reservoirs, First Edition
- Water Quality Standards Handbook: Second Edition
Water Quality Trading
Websites
- EPA Water Quality Trading Homepage
- EPA Webcast Seminar: "Introduction to Trading for Water Quality Protection" (Dec. 14, 2005)
- USDA Water Quality Trading
Documents/Guidance
National Academies Reports
- Nutrient Control Actions for Improving Water Quality in the Mississippi River Basin and Northern Gulf of Mexico
- Committee On The Mississippi River and the Clean Water Act
- User's Guide: Mississippi River Water Quality and the Clean Water Act (54 pp, 4.1MB)
- Report in Brief: Mississippi River Water Quality and the Clean Water Act (4 pp, 524K)