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Better Assessment Science Integrating Point and Nonpoint Sources (BASINS) is a geographic-based watershed assessment tool developed by EPA's Office of Water to help states more efficiently target and evaluate water-bodies that are not meeting water quality standards. BASINS (EPA, 1996a(EPA, , 1998 brings together data on water quality and quantity, land uses, point source loadings, and other related spatial data with supporting nonpoint and water quality models at a quicker and more effective pace. EPA developed BASINS, to better integrate point and nonpoint source water quality assessments for the Nation's 2100+ watersheds. In its zeal to achieve this endpoint, EPA has initiated a simplistic approach that was expected to grow through scientific enhancements as TMDL developers become more familiar with modeling requirements. BASINS builds upon federal databases of water quality conditions and point source loadings for numerous parameters where quality assurance is suspect in some cases. Its design allows comprehensive assessments and modeling in typical Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) computations. While the TMDL utility is the primary reason BASINS was developed, other longerrange water quality assessments will become possible as the Agency expands the suite of assessment models and databases in future releases. The simplistic approach to modeling and user-friendly tools gives rise, however, to technical and philosophical concerns related to default data usage. Seamless generation of model input files and the failure of some utilities to work properly suggest to NCASI that serious problems may still exist and prompts the need for a more rigorous peer-review. Furthermore, sustainable training becomes paramount, as some older modelers will be unfamiliar with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and associated computer skills. Overall, however, BASINS was judged to be an excellent beginning tool to meet the complex environmental modeling needs in the 21st Century. (KEY TERMS: watersheds; modeling; GIS; TMDL; quality assurance.)

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For many people who work with them, TMDLs have become a dirty word. In fact, more people probably think "too many d*@! lawyers" when they hear the abbreviation than think "Total Maximum Daily Loads". There is more to the story, however. TMDLs are also about science and policy.Simply put, thinking in terms of TMDLs (see sidebar on page 252A, (1)) changes not only the questions that regulators, policy developers, managers, and scientists need to ask about water quality protection, but also the data requirements and conceptual frameworks needed to answer them. U.S. water resource protection has been transformed by TMDLs from a source-by-source approach to an approach dictated by ecological health and function, or at least some proxy of those things. Already, they are changing which water pollution sources are controlled and how they are controlled. The shifting focus is creating new challenges for scientists whose work is relevant to environmental management issues and whose best efforts and hard-earned wisdom need to be included in the public debate about what TMDLs are, why they are important, and why good minds should contribute to the TMDL process. Making TMDLs WorkFurther consideration of underlying science and policy issues is needed for the program to work better.