This document discusses the promise of the Clean Water Act to make waters fishable and swimmable. It also discusses sustainability paradigms and moving from a technological to ecological approach in areas like wastewater treatment. Natural systems and watershed approaches are highlighted as are constraints like inconsistent regulations. Case studies show the benefits of natural treatment systems and constructed wetlands in providing ecological functions and multiple community benefits.

1. The Sustainability Paradigm
Dance
Robert Gearheart, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor of Environmental Engineering
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California
rag2@humboldt.edu

2. After hanging around for 30 years
I am just beginning to see the light

3. The Promise of the Clean Water
Act
Senator Muskie 1971
• Concept of zero discharge-contaminants not water
• Fishable waters
• Swim able waters
• Reuse/recycle
• Help small communities (1977)
• Prohibits discharge of toxic pollutants in toxic amounts

4. Hydrological Scale
• Interstate/multi bioregions
• Watersheds in a single bioregions
• Large areas of silviculture and agriculture
• Large urban watersheds-devoid of natural drainage
• Small urban areas with elements of natural drainage
• Neighborhood drainage areas
• Individual domestic/commerical/industrial lots
• Various infiltrative and impervious surfaces types

5. Natural Systems
• Hydrological Processes
• Ecological Processes
• Microbial Processes
• Physical Processes
• Chemical Processes
• Biogeochemical Processes

6. Watershed Approach
The basic concept remains that
watershed analysis is a mechanism to
address inconsistencies between the
current scales of planning and the
direction to implement ecosystem
management.

7. What can governments do-or undo- to
provide incentives for planning and design of
industrial and urban watersheds that
incorporates the principles of ecological
engineering?
i.e.- In most cases it is impossible to re-
establish natural landscapes-perhaps identify
ecological functions to put into place to
replace and restore lost functions not just
preserving poorly functioning ecological
services-case in point-recent State Board
wetland policy.

8. The Test
Watershed analysis fails if it becomes an
end in itself. It succeeds if it orders and
enlightens all the diverse array of
activities that are done under the name
watershed management.

9. The Challenge
“ For several decades, we have grappled
with how land use activities on federal,
state, and private lands interact to
affect hydrologic and ecologic
processes.” USGS
“ Grappling leaves its impact” RAG

10. Alphabet Sustainability Soup
Low Impact Development LID
Ecological Footprint EFP
Low Impact Feasibility Evaluation LIFE TM
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED
Planned Obsolescence's Minimized MOP
Life Cycle Analysis LCA
Resource Utilization and Environmental Management RUEM
Water and Wastewater Treatment Appropriate for Reuse WAWTTAR

11. The Implementation Gaunlet
-an impediment to sustainability-
Local city and county zoning and public health rules
Regional Water Quality Control Board
California Fish and Game
California Coastal Commission
California Department of Forestry
State Water Resources Control Board
State Office of Planning and Research ( CEQA)
National Marine Fisheries
National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration
Corps of Engineers
Environmental Protection Agency
Non-government organizations, i.e., Riverwatch, Bay Keepers, EPIC

12. Sustainability
• Resource
• Technical
• Institutional
• Community

13. The Environmental Justice
Perspective
Equitable access. Sustainability suggests fair
and equitable access to water, water
dependent resources and related
infrastructure

14. PARADIGM SHIFT
PRESENT FUTURE
Technical
Technological Standard Performance Standard
Sophisticated Equipment Appropriate Equipment
Capitalization-Equip Sustainable-Natural
Complex Operations Simple Operations
Societal/Economic
Healthy IndividualHealthy Community
Centralization Decentralization
Technology Based Community Based
Societal Cost Community Opportunity
Subsidized Self Supporting
Resource/Environment
Resource Protection Resource Enhancement
Energy Intense Low Energy Needs
Discharge/Disposal Reuse/Reclamation
Technological Approaches Ecological Approaches

15. PRESENT FUTURE
Resource/Environment
Resource Protection Resource Enhancement
Energy Intense Low Energy Needs
Discharge/Disposal Reuse/Reclamation
Technological Approaches Ecological Approaches

16. PRESENT FUTURE
Societal/Economic
Healthy Individual Healthy Community
Centralization Decentralization
Technology Based Community Based
Societal Cost Community Opportunity
Subsidized Self Supporting
QuickTimeª and a
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17. PRESENT FUTURE
Technical
Technological Standard Performance Standard
Sophisticated Equipment Appropriate Equipment
Capitalization-Equip Sustainable-Natural
Complex Operations Simple Operations

18. Case Studies
• Willits -Mendocino County
• Arcata-Humboldt County
• Oaxaca Mexico-

19. Willits
• Small rural communities in Mendocino County-facility
planning process-Natural system
• Willits has been working with NCRWQB since 1996 to
develop a natural treatment system -ponds and
wetlands Board staff have rotated through project -
• Variance from dilution requirement (no science support)
required extensive modeling-
• Staff changed which changed the requirement
identified a wetland mitigation which was not possible-
previous staff had not identified the issue-Wetland
Policy-
• Cost 5 yrs and several million dollars-($5 M to over 10M)
community is economically depressed-loss of confidence

20. Oaxaca Mexico
UAJBO
Engineers Without Borders
Upflow Anaerobic Sludge
Blanket (UASB)
Oxidation Pond-deep cell
Free Surface Constructed
Wetland QuickTimeª and a
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Subsurface Irrigation

21. City of Arcata’s Marsh and
Wildlife Sanctuary

22. Community/govt. Cummulative Community
investments in Benefits/values from the
environmental overlays of uses and
services and restoration functions
Public Relations and
Community Marketing
Increased Propert Values
Open space/aesthetics
Adjacent to AMWS
Carbon
Sequestration
Wetland habita t
Environmental
Education
Passive Recreation
Park activities
Wastewater Treatment
and water reclamation
Degraded-misused-over used and
fringes and edges-a piece of real estate
under utilized riverine or estuarine or lake

23. Value of Constructed Wetland Treatment
System with Multiple Benefits - Arcata
Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary-2002
($/yr)
Alternative advance wastewater treatment 240,000
(nitrification/denitrification/filtration)
Recreation/Public Use (180,000 pe x 1 hr x #6.50/hr) 1,170,000
Environmental Education (10,000 pe x 2 hr x $28/hr) 560,000
Wetland Habitat (90 acres x $20,500/acre)(0.08)
147,000
Public Relation (52 weeks x $750week) 39,000
Carbon Sequestration
Total Annual Community Value of AMWS $ 2,156,000

24. So what is it about natural
treatment systems?
Is it
their biogeochemical effectiveness ?
•
Is it
their simplicity?
•
Is it
their elegance?
•
Is it
their biological complexity?
•
Is it
the diversity of disciplines involved?
•
Is it
because there is an element of
•
imagination and creative vision involved?
Are their aesthetic qualities expressed?
•
Others
•

25. Constraints, Uncertainties and
Threats
Divergent regulatory agendas-
Unfunded mandates-
Discharge permits moving targets-
Fines and moratoriums-
Conflicting science-
Political insecurities and short life cycles-
Regulatory discretionary decisions-
Permitting and approval quagmires -
Bounty hunting NGO’s-
Others-

26. Assessment
• Aquatic natural resources are diminishing and
beneficial uses reduced
• Technical approaches are resource consuming costly
and non-sustainable
• Communities participation is dwindling and non-
supportive
• State regulatory agencies are often inconsistent,
arbitrary and non-responsive to communities and
landowners-where is the technical assistance??
• “blind to the needs of the community and the reality of
the situation” quote from a Ferndale citizen

27. Recommendations
• Develop a more facilitative and assistance driven State Board and
Regional Board approach to dealing with permit tees within
the normal permit preparation and monitoring activities-wrench
versus hammer approach
• In concert with other resource agencies develop systematic watershed
approaches to permitted municipal, storm water, and industrial
discharges-Promises of the FCWA
• Minimize lengthy and contested Board/Agency interactions which
often affect the poor and specific ethnic groups-
• Develop a unit which deals specifically with small communities and
communities with significant environmental justice issues-
affording technical ,CEQA,legal, and permit expertise
• Within the Regional Boards develop a planning vision supported by
qualified staff that promote watershed
restoration/enhancement, natural systems/performance based
treatment, and community participation-

28. Monitoring Data Gaps
Natural systems need to be
monitored to demonstrate
effectiveness
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TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.