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Protecting Our and Environmental

A Model for Incorporating Natural Resources Protection into Local Use Decisions

Brian K. Miller , , and natural planning issues, and the Conservation Assistant Director, stability are inseparable. In Partnership, composed of the Natural Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College fact, nonpoint source , Resources Conservation Service Program caused by polluted runoff from the land, (NRCS), and is the number one water quality problem Districts (SWCD), the Indiana Robert McCormick in the United States. Efforts to combat Department of Natural Resources Coordinator, this threat are focusing primarily on Planning with POWER (IDNR), and Cooperative Extension changing the individual behaviors of Service (CES) staff who assist local land users, but few programs address the Leslie Dorworth communities with Aquatic Ecology Specialist, Illinois- impact of land use policies, which are management education and watershed Indiana Sea Grant College Program created and enforced at the town, city, planning. and county levels. Ultimately, protection of the nation’s water and natural resources will depend upon educating Planning with POWER local land use officials about the links 765-494-3627 between land use and water quality, and www.planningwithpower.org providing them with ideas and tools to take action at the local level.

The Planning with POWER (Protecting Our Water and Environmental

Resources) Project is a statewide Photo courtesy of Bob McCormick, Purdue University educational program that links land use planning with watershed planning at the Planning with POWER is a model local level. Planning with POWER is program demonstrating that education of coordinated by Illinois-Indiana Sea local officials, supported by scientific Grant College Program (IISG) and the technology, can become a catalyst for Purdue Cooperative Extension Service natural resource protection at the local (CES). The project capitalizes on two level. This program empowers land use successful, ongoing statewide education decision-makers and citizens to identify and technical assistance projects: water and environmental resource risks Purdue’s Extension Land Use Team, their communities face and to develop made up of Extension educators who strategies and policies that will protect assist local communities on land use those resources while accommodating

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service • West Lafayette, IN 47907 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program • Purdue University 1 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program • Purdue University growth in their communities. New Plan commissions and local land use technologies and scientific data are used decision-makers can address water to identify a community’s water and resource protection in comprehensive other natural resource assets and to plans by: weigh land use change and policy options that will allow for growth but • Utilizing best management practices protect vital environmental resources. (BMPs) to prevent, reduce, and slow storm water runoff. Planning with POWER helps decision- • Encouraging use of detention and makers look holistically at all of a retention basins in subdivision design Plan commissions and local community’s environmental assets. to slow and hold storm water. land use decision-makers can Indicators of urbanization are used in a • Preserving and utilizing natural or address water resource zoning-based build-out analysis to created wetlands for increased protection. identify future environmental problem infiltration and storing excess storm areas and land use planning actions that water runoff. will reduce the potential for water • Slowing down the “expressway” of pollution and natural resources polluted runoff by utilizing grass degradation. swales, filter strips, or vegetated buffers in place of curbing and piped The Planning with POWER message is drainage whenever possible. simple. Through a three-tiered strategy • Ensuring regular maintenance such as of 1) natural resource-based planning, 2) sweeping streets, cleaning storm improving site design and using best drains, and removing sediment from management practices, and 3) detention/ retention ponds. remediation and maintenance, water and • Enforcing follow through on agreed other natural resources can be protected upon site design with contractors. while allowing for compatible economic • Enforcing proper on-site septic growth. regulations for design and installation • Encouraging proper maintenance and Once armed with this knowledge, local use of on-site septic systems by officials are better able to incorporate homeowners. natural resource protection into their • Encouraging development in areas everyday decisions. In addition, water serviced by treatment quality concerns become a part of local infrastructures. Open space is composed of debates on topics as different as road • Encouraging common on-site waste farm , managed green width and curbing, and disposal for a group of homes or space (parks, golf courses, neighborhood design, and open space development. etc.,) and wild lands. planning. Open space (land without permanent structures) is composed of farm lands, managed green space (parks, golf courses, etc.) and wild lands.

Plan commissions and local land use decision-makers can protect natural resources, and the lands that provide them by:

Photo courtesy of Brian Miller, Purdue University • Utilizing agricultural BMPs such as Here are some examples of decisions riparian buffers and targeting open local officials face and natural resource space as buffers between agricultural protection measures they might employ. land and .

2 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service • West Lafayette, IN 47907 • Targeting open space to protect Local officials can promote watershed critical habitat and travel management protection through: corridors Protecting key lands for recreation, environmental • Education that increases citizen benefits, and future timber awareness about protecting water and production. the environment. • Protecting prime farm land for future • Storm drain stenciling programs and agriculture, production, and disposal days. wildlife habitat. • Targeting open space in areas needed to collect and treat storm runoff. • Targeting open space to protect ground water and supplies.

Planning with POWER Plan commissions and local land use Project Partners decision-makers addressing runoff can:

Purdue Cooperative • Incorporate improved site designs. Extension Service • Minimize impervious surfaces. • Minimize the disruption of natural Photo courtesy of NEMO, University of Connecticut Illinois-Indiana Sea drainage and vegetation. Grant College Program • Use cluster development when feasible Local officials can encourage citizen Indiana Department of which reduces the total area of paved participation by: Environmental Management surfaces and increases open space. (IDEM) • Recommend improved design of • Helping groups organize local citizen sidewalks, roads, and parking lots that water quality monitoring programs. Indiana Land reduces total surface area. • Helping school teachers design student Resources Council • Use brick, crushed stone or pervious projects on local watershed (ILRC) pavement in low traffic areas. management and land use planning Indiana Department • Direct drainage to vegetated swales issues. of Natural Resources instead of traditional curbing and • Promoting “spin-off” research projects (IDNR) piping. targeting water quality and impacts of • Encourage designs which reduce local land use decisions. Natural Resources grading and filling and retain the Conservation Service natural features of the landscape. Collaborative Efforts (NRCS) Planning with POWER was developed Soil and Water Conservation to create an adaptable model for Districts (SWCD) combining Extension education and high technology to educate the critical target audience - local land use officials.

Through a number of collaborations with other agencies and organizations, Planning with POWER will be involved in a wide range of education, research, and technical assistance projects that continue to test and expand the model in Indiana.

Planning with POWER is coordinated Photo courtesy of NEMO, University of Connecticut by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program and Purdue Cooperative

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program • Purdue University 3 Extension Service. The Indiana (LTHIA), provides estimates of Department of Environmental changes in , recharge, Management has provided critical and nonpoint source pollution resulting funding needed to initiate this statewide from past or proposed land use (Planning with POWER) project. An changes. Additional advisory committee provides direction GIS models and mapping are being on the development of this project and developed by the department. includes representatives from the following organizations: Purdue University Cooperative Extension • Purdue Residential Onsite Wastewater Service; the Natural Resource Disposal (PROWD): An extensive set Conservation Service; IDNR, Division of publications and resources can Agricultural & Biological of ; the Soil and Water guide homeowners and communities in Engineering Conservation Districts; Illinois-Indiana selecting septic or alternative treatment Sea Grant College Program; Indiana options that are best suited to your soil Department of Environmental conditions and treatment and Management (IDEM); and Indiana Land environmental objectives. This Web Resources Council (ILRC). site provides onsite Planning with POWER Local delivery and assistance provided wastewater information to help protect is funded by: by the Planning with POWER project is the environment: a collaborative effort between the Purdue Purdue Cooperative Extension Extension Land Use Team and the Purdue Department of Forestry and Service Conservation Partnership composed of Natural Resources CES, NRCS, SWCDs, and IDNR. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Additional funding has been obtained College Program from NOAA Coastal Services Center to • Engaging Citizens as Stewards of Indiana Department of do Geographic Information Service (ECASE): Upper Wabash Environmental Management (GIS) build-out analysis work on three Basin. This project will result in (Sec. 319 Grant) communities in Indiana. These analyses predictive models of land use change will serve as teaching tools and examples on natural resources to assist NOAA Coastal for other communities wishing to communities in making land use Services Center employ this approach. planning decisions that are compatible with natural resource objectives. Technical Resources • Development and Evaluation of Purdue University scientists are Indicators for Urbanizing conducting research and developing Midwestern Watersheds. This products that communities can use when research examines seven watersheds in making planning decisions that protect central Indiana that are in transition natural resources. Some key projects from rural to urban. The data from that provide data and technical resources this research is instrumental in that can be used by communities that are assessing the impacts of land use “Planning with POWER” are detailed change on watersheds and in below: determining measures communities can take to reduce these impacts. Purdue Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

• Impacts of Land Use Change on Water Resources: An analysis tool, Long- Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment

4 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service • West Lafayette, IN 47907 The Planning with POWER project can help you to:

1. Evaluate where your community is in the planning process.

2. Identify the steps needed to incorpo- rate natural resource protection into your community’s long-term compre-

hensive plan. Photos courtesy of Bob McCormick, Purdue University and Corel Stock

3. Connect your community with the How Your Community Can Start appropriate technical and educational Planning with POWER resources needed to identify natural resources at risk in your community, To learn more about how resources evaluate management and policy provided by the Planning with POWER options that can protect those re- project can assist your community, sources, and select practices needed please contact: to balance natural resource objectives with economic objectives. Robert McCormick 765-494-3627 Fax: 765-496-6026 Email: [email protected]

Purdue University 1200 Forest Products Building West Lafayette, IN 47907-1200

www.planningwithpower.org

Photo courtesy of Bob McCormick, Purdue University

4. Evaluate your community’s progress toward natural resource-based planning and protection and identify additional steps that can be taken.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program • Purdue University 5 New 3/01

It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, David C. Petritz, Director, that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to the programs and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or disability. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action employer. This material may be available in alternative formats. http://www.agcom.purdue.edu/AgCom/Pubs/menu.htm 1-888-EXT-INFO

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is 1 of 30 National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to address coastal and Great Lakes needs. Funding is provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

6 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service • West Lafayette, IN 47907