WERF Awards New Contracts to Provide Guidance for Best Management Practices

Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) has two new projects under way to expand the Best Management Practices Database. The first project, Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) Performance: Population of a New National BMP Database (WERF4C14), is funded by the United Soybean Board. The project team from Wright Water Engineers and Geosyntec will populate WERF’s newly developed Agricultural BMP Database with agricultural BMP performance data and information using scientifically developed methods and protocols.

Building this central clearinghouse with data on the effectiveness of agricultural BMPs will greatly benefit agricultural producers and watershed managers by helping to consistently and scientifically evaluate observed field performance of these practices. The United Soybean Board joins WERF, the National Corn Growers Assn. and the Missouri Corn Growers Assn. to develop this new data resource tool.

The second project, also awarded to Wright Water Engineers, will develop a new module for the BMP Database for Stream Restoration projects. The primary goal of Stream Restoration: A Crucial New BMP Database Module (U5R14) is to develop an information clearinghouse to help guide watershed planners and designers with the most up-to-date design and performance information for this emerging technology. Both urban and agricultural communities are using stream restoration practices to reduce pollution and improve habitat in watersheds across the U.S. Having this type of clearinghouse is critical to assure that communities are implementing the most effective projects.

Source: Water Environment Research Foundation