Some might wonder: What exactly is the National Water Trails System (NWTS)? That's a good question; NWTS describes the system as "a distinctive national network of exemplary water trails that are cooperatively supported and sustained." This website provides information about the NWTS for policy makers, water enthusiasts, and other interested parties. Casual visitors will want to start with the...

Another informative Web site from the Environmental Protection Agency is the Online Training in Watershed Management page. Here, citizens have access to a wealth of information and tools to help them understand and protect their water resources. Six "modules" are offered, each of which take between a half to two hours to complete. They are organized by theme including an Introduction, watershed...

These two sites should be useful for urban planners or anyone interested in the issues surrounding development and "sprawl." The first, a report from the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the US Department of Agriculture, covers the "forces driving development, its character and impacts on agriculture and rural communities, the means available to channel and control growth, and the pros and cons...

The Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) (first mentioned in the February 17, 1999, Scout Report for Science & Engineering) "provides leadership and scientific information for the US Geological Survey by addressing national and international environmental contaminant issues, and assessing effects of habitat alterations on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This includes large-river...

This incredibly comprehensive and well-organized site from the USGS offers visitors all sorts of information on water quality studies from all over the United States. By clicking on a map of the US, users are taken to a list of study areas, with over fifty to pick from. By clicking on an individual study, such as the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, the user is provided with a description of the...