Tribal NPS Resources and Training

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For Tribal Grantees

Other Tribal Resources

Tribal NPS Program: Getting Started

Handbook for Developing and Managing Tribal Nonpoint Source Pollution Programs (pdf) (8.6 MB, February 2010)
This updated handbook provides guidance and practical templates for tribes interested in obtaining federal funds to manage nonpoint source pollution under section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act. It describes the 319 (h) grant process, and how to develop a nonpoint source assessment report and management program. This version includes new tribal examples, and a section focused on the watershed-based planning approach. The final section includes resources for tribes related to program goals.

Tribal Staff Sample Training Curriculum (pdf) (362.14 KB)
This document provides a list of tasks and training resources available to ensure you quickly become versed in the requirements and duties of a Tribal Nonpoint Source team member. In general, we recommend the training courses be completed in the first 2 years of work in the nonpoint source program.

EPA Region 9 Financial Assistance Eligibility Handbook for Tribal CWA Programs in the Pacific Southwest (November 2022)

This handbook is designed to assist Indian Tribes in EPA's Pacific Southwest (Region 9) with preparing applications for financial assistance eligibility for Clean Water Act Water Quality Planning and Protection Programs.

Tribal NPS Trainings

EPA hosts in-person and virtual trainings for Tribal NPS programs. Check with your EPA Regional Tribal NPS Coordinator for upcoming training opportunities.

2023 Tribal EPA & US EPA Region 9 Annual Conference: The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and US EPA Region 9 co-hosted the October 2023 conference. Video recordings of conference presentations are available on the Region 9 Conference YouTube channel. Here are direct links to Tribal nonpoint source program presentations:

2023 Tribal NPS Webinar Training Series: In 2023 EPA hosted a six-part webinar series covering a variety of programmatic and technical topics to support Tribal NPS management efforts. Each webinar included presentations from Tribal, EPA, and/or partner agencies, and provided an opportunity for participant discussion. Webinar recordings and presentation slides are available below.

Other NPS Resources

EPA Region 9 Tribal Water Section Grant Fact Sheets: Please visit this page for fact sheets on funding opportunities available to federally-recognized tribes in EPA's Pacific Southwest (Region 9) to improve water quality and water and wastewater infrastructure.

Watershed-Based Planning: The watershed approach is a holistic coordinating framework that can help guide Tribal NPS pollution management efforts to protect and restore waters. As a part of the Clean Water Act Section 319 program, the EPA encourages Tribes to consider the nine-element watershed planning framework when developing watershed plans. Please visit the Watershed Approach section of the EPA's National NPS Program website for more information. Contact your EPA Regional Tribal NPS Coordinator for additional examples of watershed-based plans in your EPA region. Example Tribal watershed-based plans:

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation: Soldier Creek Watershed-Based Plan (pdf) (7.39 MB, June 2024)

Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians: NW Angle Watershed Management Plan (pdf) (3.3 MB, 2018)

Northern Cheyenne Tribe: Lame Deer Creek Watershed Nine Element Plan (pdf) (38.73 MB, January 2024)

NPS Partnerships & Funding: Building partnerships and leveraging available resources to secure outside assistance are key to the success NPS pollution management efforts. Tribal NPS staff can form partnerships across tribal departments and with external agencies and organizations to collaboratively manage NPS pollution at the watershed scale. 

  • Tribal NPS Management: Leveraging Opportunities with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (May 2022). This resource guide, developed in coordination with Tribal NPS partners, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), highlights leveraging opportunities between EPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 program and resources available from NRCS and local conservation districts that can help support Tribes and Nations' water quality program goals. This guide serves as a starting point for Tribal staff interested in learning how to begin working with NRCS and conservation districts to help manage NPS pollution. Please click here for a recording of the June 8, 2022 webinar to learn more about Tribal NPS partnership opportunities with NRCS and NACD!

Trash Free Waters: EPA's Trash Free Waters program supports efforts to reduce the volume of trash entering waters by working with partners to implement collaborative solutions that target land-based sources. 

  • Region 8 Trash Free Water Tribal Program Handbook (January 2022). The Trash Free Waters team in EPA's Region 8 office (which covers Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming) has developed a handbook to assist Tribal governments, Indigenous communities, and other relevant stakeholders to develop and implement projects that reduce trash in waterways on Tribal lands. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to trash pollution, this handbook provides basic information on project design, implementation, and funding to serve as a starting point for those interested in taking action to reduce escaped trash in their community. This resource was developed specifically for Region 8 Tribes, but much of the information related to project development and funding opportunities may be helpful to tribal and other communities outside of Region 8 as well. 

Polluted Runoff: Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution

Contact Us about Nonpoint Source Pollution
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Last updated on November 6, 2024