The Center for TMDL and Watershed Studies at Virginia Tech: Activities and Accomplishments

The Center for TMDL and Watershed Studies at Virginia Tech (the Center) is committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of watershed planning processes, including TMDLs, as well as expanding the professional expertise needed for their development, evaluation, and implementation. The Center conducts basic and applied watershed planning and watershed management research, and provides educational programming tailored to the specific needs of stakeholders, government personnel, and technical professionals. Personnel associated with the Center provide expertise on scientific, engineering, sociological, economic, and policy issues related to watershed management and the TMDL process. The Center's mission, products, and services reflect the service-oriented Land-Grant University missions of teaching, outreach, and research. The Center is actively involved in developing TMDLs and TMDL implementation plans in situations where the methodology and guidance to develop such deliverables are not well defined. To date, the Center has developed 25 TMDLs in Virginia, addressing both bacterial and biological impairments. The Center has developed and delivered TMDL workshops to a variety of audiences, prepared supporting TMDL-specific extension publications, and developed and delivered a graduate level course in TMDL development and implementation. In addition, the Center has partnered with the U.S.EPA to develop a web-based TMDL knowledgebase, the TMDL Clearinghouse.