WATER Resources

Resources

Quick Links

FALL Projects

On this page we have compiled a set of resources that may help you complete your projects. These resources include links to the organizations that developed each of the project write-ups and others that do similar work, links to businesses that can help you realize your project goals, and links to potential sources of funding for your projects.

FALL

Creating a Rain Garden
Source: Low Impact Development Center University of Wisconsin Rain Garden Manual (3 MB PDF file) - A colorful and complete guide to rain garden installation. University of Wisconsin Rain Garden Brochure (696 KB PDF file) - An overview of rain gardens - ideal for handout material. RainScapes – Montgomery County - On this site you will find information about Rain Gardens, Rain Barrels, Native Plant Nurseries, Images and more. Virginia Department of Forestry - A quick general overview of rain gardens with additional specific information for Virginia residents. Rain Gardens.org - A complete website just on rain gardens. Center for Watershed Protection (212 KB PDF file) - A short how-to document on rain gardens and rain barrels. Taylor Creek Nurseries (512 KB PDF file) - A brochure on rain gardens including what type of plants to install with pictures. Plants for Rain Gardens (44 KB PDF file) - A document just on rain garden plants - no pictures. Prince George’s County Bioretention Page - A technical manual on rain gardens (bioretention) from the County that pioneered its use. Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Collecting Native Seeds
Source: Potomac Watershed Partnership Potomac Conservancy - Growing Native website with all sorts of information on the program. Virginia Department of Forestry - Information on collecting acorns. Virginia State Nurseries (Augusta) - Directions to nursery drop off Virginia locations & places where you can purchase trees. Virginia State Nurseries (Garland Gray) - Directions to nursery drop off Virginia locations & places where you can purchase trees. Maryland Forest Service - General site for information on state nurseries in Maryland. Collecting Hardwood Seeds - Site listing tree species and when they are collected - specific to Minnesota, but can be extrapolated to our region. Tree and Seed Guide (1.1 MB PDF file) - Potomac Watershed Partnership photo guide to collected tree species and their seeds. Sample Permission Letter (14 KB PDF file) - For seed collection events. Sample Site Tracking Form (22 KB PDF file) - For seed collection events. Sample Newsletter Posting (15 KB PDF file) - For seed collection events. Sample Calendar Posting (36 KB PDF file) - For seed collection events. Sample Bag Tags (3 KB PDF file) - For seed collection events. Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Storm Drain Stenciling
Source: Provided by the State of Maryland and Adopt-A-Stream (Save Our Streams) Texas Storm Drain Stenciling Guidebook (992 KB PDF file) - An excellent how-to guide on storm drain stenciling. Texas Storm Drain Marking Manual (192 KB PDF file) - A shorter version of the above guide. Maryland DNR - A Maryland-focused guide to stenciling. University of Wisconsin - A web-based guide with other activities. South Carolina Department of Health (660 KB PDF file) - Four-page color instructions on stenciling. Vendors Das Manufacturing Bowhead Manufacturing Earth Water Stencils Sample Press Release (7 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events. Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events. Sample Flyer (340 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events. Sample Data Form (12 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events. Sample Door Hanger (4.5 MB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Planting Trees from Containers or Ball and Burlap
Source: TreeMendous Maryland Weston Nurseries - A simple guide walking through each step in one paragraph. Planting a tree – A step by step guide with information on everything from choosing a tree to pruning. Savy Gardener – Planting Trees - A guide with several graphics. Better Homes and Gardens - Good step by step photos, but lots of ads. D.C. Urban Forestry Administration – Recommended Street Trees for Urban Areas Benefits of Urban Trees - Background on why Trees are important Arbor Day Foundation - Everything you could want to know about trees, planting them and caring for them. Casey Tree Endowment - A D.C. oriented organization dedicated to increasing tree cover in the nation's capital. Colorado State University - The Ten Commandments of Tree Planting American Forests - Information on Urban Forests Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Creating a Watershed Model
Source: The University of California Cooperative Extension 4-H Project University of California - Watershed Model Construction Manual (621 KB PDF file) - Manual on which our write up was based. EPA - Build a Watershed Model (884 KB PDF file) - A very simple desktop version of a watershed model. Virginia Save Our Streams Program - How to Make a Watershed Model - An extremely simple model with no graphics. Watershed Model (28 KB PDF file) - A watershed model lesson plan for educators. National Geographic - User-Friendly Rivers - Three lesson plans about rivers and watersheds including one on watershed models. EnviroScape - Vendor of manufactured watershed models. Classroom Watershed Setup (2.5 MB PDF file) - An interesting do it yourself model that includes groundwater. Envision - Vendor of groundwater models.
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WINTER

Creating a Worm Bin
Source: New Mexico State University (16 KB PDF file) Greater Vancouver Regional District, Worm Composting (728 KB PDF file) - A colorful brochure on worm composting. Missouri DNR - Details on building a worm bin including a list of reference materials. Greater Vancouver Regional District, Composting - A website with several documents on different types of composting. Solid Waste.org - A great website with information on how to reduce household waste including a design for worm composting. How to Compost - A website with links to the top composting websites. Montgomery County DEP - A local website along with a list of worm composting suppliers. Order Worm Supplies: Vermiculture.com Vermitechnology Harmony Farm Supply Worm Woman Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Building Bird Boxes
Source: Hinterland Who’s Who U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Homes for Birds - Designs of bird boxes for many species of birds. Cornell Bird Boxes - An amazing site all about birdhouses and helping native nesters find a place to live. Cornell Ornithology Lab - Information on birds and bird migration from the nation's foremost ornithology program. Backyard Bird Feeding - Information and plans for bird feeders. Backyard Bird Problems - A site with literature on problem bird species and problems for birds. Backyard Birding - A list of links about birding from home. Building Nesting Boxes Nest Boxes to buy - Backyard Bird Co. Nest Boxes to buy - Shaw Creek Bird Supply Homemade Nest Boxes For Cavity-Nesting Ducks - A site specifically on duck boxes. Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Constructing Compost Bins
Source: Spokane Solid Waste Home and Garden Television - A step by step guide with photos on building a compost bin. Ontario Compost Bin Fact Sheet - Designs for a 3 chamber compost bin. A Guide to Backyard Composting - Here's the Dirt (3.6 MB PDF file) - A color brochure on composting. British Columbia Compost Bin Fact Sheet - A website with several documents on different types of composting. Ohio State, Composting at Home - Illustrations of different compost bins and a guide to solving composting problems. Colorado State, Composting Yard Waste - A detailed guide to composting including a guide to solving composting issues. Backyard Gardener - Links to several composting designs and links to composting resources. Composters to Buy - A composting vendor. Sample Liability Waiver (37 KB PDF file) - For volunteer events.
Writing a Watershed Fact Sheet
Source: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin Electronic Watershed Fact Sheets Sideling Hill Creek Watershed Town Creek Watershed Rock Creek Watershed, Pennsylvania Marsh Creek Watershed, Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Watershed Fact sheets (16 KB PDF file) - A pdf of fact sheets from the Potomac Basin. Shenandoah Watershed Fact Sheet (16 KB PDF file) - A pdf of fact sheets from the Potomac Basin. Monocacy Watershed Fact Sheet (16 KB PDF file) - A pdf of fact sheets from the Potomac Basin.
Carrying Out a Letter Writing Campaign
Source: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin Red de Solidaridad de la Maquila Solidarity Network - A guide to starting an activist campaign.