Tennessee Tech University

According to the Conservation Technology Information Center, a watershed is "the area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. Just as creeks drain into rivers, watersheds are nearly always part of a larger watershed." These land areas are an integral part of the Center's research, forming the basis of several major funded research endeavors (see the Duck River Watershed and Emory River Watershed links to view the products from some of these projects).

For more information about national watershed research and current topics, visit the following links:

• Center for Watershed Protection: The CWP provides "local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation's most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes, and rivers." Its multidisciplinary strategy for watershed protection "encompasses watershed planning, watershed restoration, stormwater management, watershed research, better site design, education and outreach, and watershed training."
• NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials): NEMO's mission is to provide "information, education and assistance to local land use boards and commissions on how they can accommodate growth while protecting their natural resources and community character. It was built on the basic belief that the future of our communities and environment depends on land use, and since land use is decided primarily at the local level, education of local land use officials is the most effective, and most cost- effective, way to bring about positive change."
• "Planning for a Rainy Day: Kansas City's '10,000 Rain Gardens' Initiative Curbs Stormwater, Pollution": This online article, published by the Water Environment Federation, describes how the "10,000 Rain Gardens" educational and workshop programs are leading Kansas City, Missouri, residents to use rain gardens, which incorporate native plants planted in shallow basins, to "improve the area's water quality and reduce stormwater runoff."
• Tennessee Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Training and Certification Program for Construction Sites: This program is part of the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center's initiative of transferring information through "professional training and education, especially for individuals involved in land disturbing activities."

Duck River Watershed Bibliography

This project was funded by the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency and includes information about the river flow/quality, biology, history, community and culture of the region.

Emory River Watershed Bibliography

This project was supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. It includes a compilation of data and bibliographical references focusing on biology, river flow and quality, and hydrology and watershed modeling.