among agencies; (3) improved access to information for all stakeholders and (4) ongoing coordination across regions and nationally.

As a result, the Pacific Northwest Water Quality Coordination Project has conducted several projects to help our region's watershed groups to build their capacity relative to the identified needs.

• For the period 2001-2003, Region 10 has led an effort to meet a variety of capacity building needs by designing and providing support for a watershed leadership institute. Watershed leaders have been identified and brought together to learn not only the technical aspects of watershed management, but also become skilled in the interpersonal and political forces that can make or break a watershed planning process. Outcomes of this effort include activities in Washington State to develop a center for consensus and public policy as well as a joint affiliation between WA Association of Counties and Washington State University calling for local leadership training for elected officials and local government. EPA at the national level is also looking into this concept and is considering funding to establish it nationally.

Example of activities to build capacity among watershed groups
Background: The EPA and Cooperative Extension, with other partners, sponsored a series of Regional Watershed Roundtables culminating in a national Watershed Forum in the summer of 2001, attended by delegates from every region in the country. Four common needs developed as a result of the Forum: (1) access to funding; (2) increasing coordination

• During 2002-2003, EPA funded workshops in all states of Region 10. These workshops were well received by watershed group members that attended.
• May of 2002, Extension produced a satellite downlink program that shared successful decision making techniques as presented by the watershed groups themselves. The interactive program brought many watershed groups together for this learning opportunity.

Land Grant Universities
Alaska
Cooperative Extension Service
Contact Fred Sorensen:
907-786-6311
http://www.uaf.edu/ces/water/
University Publications:
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/publications/

Idaho
University of Idaho
Cooperative Extension System
Contact Bob Mahler: 208-885-7025
http://www.uidaho.edu/wq/wqhome.html
University Publications:
http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/Catalog/catalog.html

Oregon
Oregon State University
Extension Service
Contact Mike Gamroth: 541-737-3316
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
University Publications:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/

Washington
Washington State University
WSU Extension
Contact Bob Simmons:
360-427-9670 ext. 690
http://wawater.wsu.edu/
University Publications:
http://pubs.wsu.edu/

Northwest Indian College
Contact Dan Burns: 360-392-4328
dburns@nwic.edu or
http://www.nwic.edu/

Water Resource Research Institutes
Water and Environmental Research
Center (Alaska)
http://www.uaf.edu/water/

Idaho Water Resources
Research Institute
http://www.boise.uidaho.edu/

Institute for Water and Watersheds
(Oregon)
http://water.oregonstate.edu/

State of Washington
Water Research Center
http://www.swwrc.wsu.edu/

Environmental Protection Agency
EPA, Region 10
The Pacific Northwest
http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/

Office of Research and Development,
Corvallis Laboratory
http://www.epa.gov/wed/

For more information contact
Jan Seago at 206-553-0038 or
seago.jan@epa.gov

Our Goal and Approach
The goal of this Project is to provide leadership for water resources research, education and outreach to help people, industry and governments to prevent and solve current and emerging water quality and quantity problems. The approach to achieving this goal is for the Partners to develop a coordinated regional water quality effort based on, and strengthening, individual state programs.

Our Strengths
The Project promotes regional collaboration by acknowledging existing programs and successful efforts; assessing program gaps; identifying potential issues for cross-agency and private sector collaboration, and developing a clearinghouse of expertise and programs. In addition, the Project establishes or enhances partnerships with federal, state and local environmental and water resource management agencies, such as by placing a University Liaison within the offices of EPA Region 10.

• Region 10 has contracted for a study of the perceived capacity building needs of watershed stakeholders. A report is expected by the end of 2003.
• March of 2003, Region 10 held a "train the trainer" program called Tools to engage and build community support for salmon and water: Community Culture and a Sense of Place. Cooperative Extension and non-profit watershed groups attended. This training introduced an approach and methodology for identifying the common bonds between people's everyday concerns and environmental protection efforts.
• On a continuing basis, many Cooperative Extension programs have watershed volunteer training and management programs. In these programs, active community members learn the basics of watershed science and learn how to participate in their local watershed restoration and planning processes.

Find out more
The Pacific Northwest Water Quality Coordination Project is contributing to watershed protection through effective collaboration and innovation at the local and regional levels. To find out more about these Region 10 partnership efforts, contact Bevin Reid (206-553-1566 or reid.bevin@epa.gov) or Jan Seago (206-553-0038 or seago.jan@epa.gov).

The four land grant universities in the Pacific Northwest have aligned our water resource extension and research efforts with eight themes of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

1. Animal Waste Management
2. Drinking Water and Human Health
3. Environmental Restoration
4. Nutrient and Pesticide Management
5. Pollution Assessment and Prevention
6. Watershed Management
7. Water Conservation and Ag. Water Management
8. Water Policy and Economics

A cooperative program consisting of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
and
the Land Grant Colleges and Universities.

- a Regionally-Based National Network -