Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories highlight waterbodies identified by states as being primarily nonpoint source-impaired and having achieved documented water quality improvements. Projects described on this site have received funding from Clean Water Act (CWA) section 319 and/or other funding sources dedicated to solving nonpoint source (NPS) impairments. These stories also describe innovative strategies used to reduce NPS pollution, the growth of partnerships and a diversity of funding sources.
Why is EPA Developing Success Stories?
The Nonpoint Source Success Stories Web site serves two main purposes. First, the site offers an opportunity for states to highlight where their restoration efforts have resulted in water quality improvements in NPS-impaired waterbodies. Second, the site allows EPA to track the number of NPS-impaired waterbodies that are partially or fully restored—which is a key measure in the effort to document how NPS restoration efforts are improving water quality on a segment basis across the nation. This measure, known as WQ-10, is part of EPA's National Water Program Guidance and helps to direct states in their efforts to document results. Only partially or fully restored waterbodies that are featured in stories on this Web site can be counted under measure WQ-10.
A box on the Success Story Page offers a running count of the partially or fully restored waterbodies achieved to date.
Types of Success Stories
To qualify as a Success Story, a waterbody must have been listed on the CWA section 303(d) list or on the Integrated Report (IR) as Category 4 or 5 during the 1998/2000 listing cycle or subsequent years. Since being listed, waterbodies have achieved documented water quality improvements which can be attributed to actual NPS control or restoration efforts. Success stories are separated into one of three types, depending on the type of water quality demonstrated:
Type 1. Waters that are Partially or Fully Restored
These stories feature waterbodies that meet water quality standards for one or more pollutants (e.g., nutrients, sediment, mercury, etc.) and/or designated uses (e.g., drinking water supply, recreation, aquatic life support, etc.) after being previously included on the 303(d) list of impaired waters. Waterbodies highlighted in these stories may be either partially or fully restored. By "fully restored," EPA means that the waterbody meets all water quality standards or designated uses. By "partially restored," EPA means that after restoration the waterbody meets some, but not all, of the initially impaired water quality standards or designated uses. In short, partially or fully restored waterbodies must meet one or more water quality standards or have some or all pollutants and/or designated use impairments removed from the 303(d) list and/or moved from the Integrated Report Category 4 or 5 to Category 1 or 2.
Type 2. Waters that Show Progress toward Achieving Water Quality Goals
These stories feature waterbodies that show significant progress toward achieving water quality goals, but do not yet meet water quality standards. In these cases, water quality improvements include either achieving measurable, in-stream reduction in a pollutant or achieving improvement in a parameter that indicates stream health (e.g., an increase in fish or macroinvertebrate counts). Since these waterbodies still do not meet standards, they remain on a state's 303(d) list and/or on the state's Integrated Report as a Category 4 or 5.
Type 3. Waters that Show Ecological Restoration
This section includes waterbodies that had water quality problems but were not listed on the 303(d) list or on the Integrated Report (for unspecified reasons). However, restoration efforts were implemented that resulted in one or more uses being restored.
Success Story Submittal Guidance
For states preparing Success Stories, in coordination with their regional nonpoint source coordinator, please use the following materials to assist in developing your 2-page (approximately 1000 words) success story:
Nonpoint Source Success Story Builder(3 pp, 3 MB) : An Excel template to help streamline the success story development process, and help clarify EPA's expectations for information to be included in proposed NPS success stories.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.- Format and Content for Section 319 Success Stories (PDF)(11 pp, 292 K, June 2007)
- 2015 Guidance Addendum (PDF)(4 pp, 522 K, June 2015)