EPA Offers Live STEPL Training Event

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a live STEPL (Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Loads) training event on October 7, 2020, at 1 p.m. EST.

STEPL is an EPA model based on a customized Excel spreadsheet that supports planning level decision-making for watersheds. It is designed to help to determine annual average pollutant loadings from nonpoint sources and estimate best management practice (BMP) effectiveness at reducing pollutant loads. It was originally developed to assist State nonpoint source project managers in reporting load reductions to EPA, but it is also used by other federal, state, local partners, and consultants for watershed planning.

This training is designed as a basic overview of how to input data into and view results in STEPL. The training is tailored to those that are new to the model, but all levels of model competency are welcome and encouraged to attend. The format will be a live walk-through of STEPL using an example watershed scenario. This training is intended to complement other trainings provided by EPA that detail the conceptual calculations behind STEPL. All users or potential users of STEPL are welcome.

Users should be proficient in Excel to get the most out of this training and have a basic understanding of watershed hydrology, pollutant loading, and familiarity with environmental data such as land use and BMPs. There will be opportunities to ask questions via text chat at various points throughout the training and for those that are unable to attend we will post a recording of the webinar to EPAs STEPL webpage.