Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan Sample Clauses
Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. This all-inclusive plan leverages the existing requirements for watershed district plans and has the highest standards of the three plan options. These plans will address surface and groundwater, water quality and quantity, and land use; and implementation actions in the plan will consider the broad range of tools, including capital improvements, official controls, and other tools and programs necessary to achieve the goals of the plan. Each plan content requirement section in this document contains a statement as to how the requirement may vary by these plan types. The Water Quality Implementation Plan type must have goals to address the water quality priority issues. The remaining plan types must have goals to address all identified priority issues such as water quality, water quantity, groundwater, etc. Although not required, a recommendation in the planning process is to develop an overarching mission or vision statement, as well as higher-level guiding principles or purposes. The purpose of establishing a vision, mission, and/or guiding principles is to provide a sense of direction for the plan and participants in the planning process. Additionally, overall organization and format of the watershed-based plan is a local decision unless otherwise specified in these requirements as long as the plan content requirements are met. However, using planning terminology consistent with this document is recommended. An underlying theme within these requirements is the intent for watershed-based plans developed through One Watershed, One Plan to be succinct, with a thorough and science-based process used in development, and an emphasis in the resulting plan on the implementation schedule and implementation programs. For example, the information found in a Land and Water Resources Inventory is extremely valuable to the planning process and ultimate implementation of the actions in the plan; however, the majority of this information can be incorporated into the final plan document by reference.
Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. Use of a watershed approach begins with the development of a watershed management plan. EPA Nonpoint Source (CWA section 319) funds, which are administered by the states, can be used to support the development of watershed plans by local stakeholder groups. A watershed plan is a strategy that provides assessment and management information for a geographically defined watershed, including the analyses, action, participants and resources relating to developing and implementing the plan. A successful plan should have monitoring and evaluation components to document progress and support adaptive management processes to address new opportunities as well as emerging problems previously undocumented. The watershed activities described in this manual, although similar to watershed plans frequently developed with 319 funds, are focused on watersheds contaminated with hazardous or toxic mate- rials. Efforts to address toxic substances in the watershed might be a subset of a larger watershed management plan and should complement that plan. The Pinellas County case study at the end of this chapter demonstrates multiple agencies cooperating to prepare a watershed management plan. To build the capacity of state and local practitioners in developing integrated watershed plans, EPA has created several new tools and resources. The Draft Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters (EPA 841-B-05-005), available via ▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇/▇▇▇▇/▇▇▇/ watershed_handbook, is intended to help communities, watershed organizations, and agen- cies develop and implement watershed plans to meet water quality standards and protect water resources. The handbook helps practitioners quantify pollutant loads, determine estimates of load reductions required to meet water quality standards, develop effective management measures, track progress, and conduct community outreach. In January 2006, EPA hosted a two-hour Web- cast on the handbook, and the archived seminar can be downloaded at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇/ watershedwebcasts. A Watershed Plan Builder Tool is also available, which complements the handbook. This interactive, web-based tool is designed to help local watershed organizations develop integrated watershed plans to meet state and EPA requirements and promote water quality improvement. The tool walks practitioners through the key planning steps and produces a customized watershed plan that is tai- lored for a particular watershed and populated with relevant links to EPA, oth...