Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans Chapter 2 to Restore and Protect Our waters Overview of watershed Planning Process 2.2.4 Watershed Planning Should Be Integrated with Other Planning Efforts It is likely that many federal, state, tribal, and local planning efforts are occurring simultaneously with your watershed planning effort. At Plans That You Might Want to a minimum, you should be aware of these programs; ideally, you Integrate Into Your Watershed should integrate these planning activities into your watershed planning Planning Activities effort through stakeholder participation, data sharing, and Source water assessments implementation of management measures. cHapter 3 provides a on plan summary of specific programs that have a planning component or Stormwater management plans conduct related activities that you might want to integrate with your Master plans watershed planning effort. You might also want to include staff from these programs as partners in the development of your watershed plan.' Facility plans This approach can help in gaining additional technical expertise · Wetland assessments leveraging resources, and sharing responsibilities for implementation 2.2.5 Watershed Planning Is a Collaborative and Participatory Process One of the key characteristics of the watershed planning process is that it is participatory. The Center atershed Protection conducted research that showed hat implementation of a watershed plan has the greatest chance of success when stakeholders are brought into the process at the very beginning of the watershed planning effort(CWP 1996). This finding is supported by the fact that implementation of the plan usually rests with members of the community, and if they are involved up front and see that their concerns are addressed, they will be more likely to participate in developing management options and supporting plan implementation. cHapter 3 discusses how to involve stakeholders to enhance the watershed planning process and implementation of the plan 2.3 Steps in the Watershed Planning and Implementation Process The parts of the watershed planning process can be illustrated in a number of ways, such as steps, phases, or portions of a circle. In general, all watershed planning efforts follow a similar path from identifying the problems to, ultimately implementing actions to achieve the established goals This handbook organizes the watershed planning process into the following major L Build rsh 2. Characterize the watershed to identify problems Set goals and identify solutions 4. Design an implementation program
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters Chapter 2 Overview of Watershed Planning Process Draft 2-5 • Source water assessments • TMDL implementation plans • Stormwater management plans • Master plans • Facility plans • Wetland assessments 2.2.4 Watershed Planning Should Be Integrated with Other Planning Efforts It is likely that many federal, state, tribal, and local planning efforts are occurring simultaneously with your watershed planning effort. At a minimum, you should be aware of these programs; ideally, you should integrate these planning activities into your watershed planning effort through stakeholder participation, data sharing, and implementation of management measures. KChapter 3 provides a summary of specific programs that have a planning component or conduct related activities that you might want to integrate with your watershed planning effort. You might also want to include staff from these programs as partners in the development of your watershed plan. This approach can help in gaining additional technical expertise, leveraging resources, and sharing responsibilities for implementation. 2.2.5 Watershed Planning Is a Collaborative and Participatory Process One of the key characteristics of the watershed planning process is that it is participatory. The Center for Watershed Protection conducted research that showed that implementation of a watershed plan has the greatest chance of success when stakeholders are brought into the process at the very beginning of the watershed planning effort (CWP 1996). This finding is supported by the fact that implementation of the plan usually rests with members of the community, and if they are involved up front and see that their concerns are addressed, they will be more likely to participate in developing management options and supporting plan implementation. KChapter 3 discusses how to involve stakeholders to enhance the watershed planning process and implementation of the plan. 2.3 Steps in the Watershed Planning and Implementation Process The parts of the watershed planning process can be illustrated in a number of ways, such as steps, phases, or portions of a circle. In general, all watershed planning efforts follow a similar path from identifying the problems to, ultimately, implementing actions to achieve the established goals. This handbook organizes the watershed planning process into the following major steps: 1. Build partnerships. 2. Characterize the watershed to identify problems. 3. Set goals and identify solutions. 4. Design an implementation program
Chapter 2 Overview of watershed Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans Planning Process to Restore and Protect Our Waters 5. Implement the watershed plan 6. Measure progress and make adjustments Within each step, several activities are conducted before moving on to the next Progre step. Many of these activities are stments repeated in different steps. For example information/education(I/E)activities Implement occur in the first step when building partnerships but also occur throughout Watershed/ ent: fy the process, especially when 95 lons/Ir implementing the plan rogram Figure 2-1 shows some of the activities Improve and tools used in each step of the Plan watershed plan development and implementation process. The figure provides a road map for the watershed planning process, as well as a road map for this document. You might want to refer back to it from time to time to find out where you are in the process and where you need to go. Note that steps l through 4 feed into the development of the plan, but the watershed planning process continues with plan implementation. Once the plan is mplemented, annual work plans are prepared, monitoring activities are conducted to quantitatively measure progress toward meeting water quality goals, and plan adjustments based on evaluation information received(and other inputs, such as changes in resources or watershed conditions )are continually made 2. 4 Watershed Planning for Impaired Waters EPA recognizes the need to focus on developing and What Are Loads? implementing watershed plans for waters that are impaired in whole or in part by nonpoint sources. For these waterbodies it The term pollutant load refers to the amount of is imperative to select on-the-ground management measures pollutants entering a waterbody. Loads are usually and practices that will reduce pollutant loads and contribute in expressed in terms of a weight and a time frame, such measurable ways to the restoration of impaired waters to meet rater quality standard Much of this handbook focuses on how to identify pollutant loads and how to determine the load reductions needed to meet water quality goals
Chapter 2 Overview of Watershed Planning Process Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters 2-6 Draft The term pollutant load refers to the amount of pollutants entering a waterbody. Loads are usually expressed in terms of a weight and a time frame, such as pounds per day (lb/d). Much of this handbook focuses on how to identify pollutant loads and how to determine the load reductions needed to meet water quality goals. 5. Implement the watershed plan. 6. Measure progress and make adjustments. Within each step, several activities are conducted before moving on to the next step. Many of these activities are repeated in different steps. For example, information/education (I/E) activities occur in the first step when building partnerships but also occur throughout the process, especially when implementing the plan. Figure 2-1 shows some of the activities and tools used in each step of the watershed plan development and implementation process. The figure provides a road map for the watershed planning process, as well as a road map for this document. You might want to refer back to it from time to time to find out where you are in the process and where you need to go. Note that steps 1 through 4 feed into the development of the plan, but the watershed planning process continues with plan implementation. Once the plan is implemented, annual work plans are prepared, monitoring activities are conducted to quantitatively measure progress toward meeting water quality goals, and plan adjustments based on evaluation information received (and other inputs, such as changes in resources or watershed conditions) are continually made. 2.4 Watershed Planning for Impaired Waters EPA recognizes the need to focus on developing and implementing watershed plans for waters that are impaired in whole or in part by nonpoint sources. For these waterbodies it is imperative to select on-the-ground management measures and practices that will reduce pollutant loads and contribute in measurable ways to the restoration of impaired waters to meet water quality standards
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans Chapter 2 to Restore and Protect our Waters Overview of watershed Planning Process Steps in the Watershed Planning and Implementation Process 1. Build Partnershi Identify issues of concem Set preliminary goals · Develop indicators Conduct public outreach 2. Characterize the watershed Identify data gaps and collect additional data if needed Identify causes and sources of pollution that need to be controlled Estimate pollutant loads Characterization and alysis Tools 3. Finalize Goals and Identify Solutions ·G|S Set overall goals and management objectives · Statistical packages · Monitoring Determine load reductions needed Identify critical · Model selection tools Develop management measures to achieve goals Databases 4. Design an Implementation Program Develop implementation schedule Develop interim milestones to track implementation of management measures Develop criteria to measure progress toward meeting watershed goals Develop monitoring component Develop information/education component Develop evaluation process Identify technical and financial assistance needed to implement plan Assign responsibility for reviewing and revising the plan Watershed Plan 5. Implement Watershed Plan Implement management strategies Conduct monitoring Conduct information/education activities 6. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments Share results Prepare annual work plans Report back to stakeholders and others Make adjustments to program Figure 2-1. Steps in the watershed planning process
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters Chapter 2 Overview of Watershed Planning Process Draft 2-7 Figure 2-1. Steps in the watershed planning process
Chapter 2 Overview of watershed Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans Planning Process to Restore and Protect Our Waters 2. 4. 1 What Are the Most Common Impairments country,a wide variety of waters are listed as impaired by a range of pollutants e Waterbodies can be impaired by one source or a combination of sources. Across Based on the most recent state 303(d) lists, there are approximately 34,000 impaired waters in the United States and more than 59,000 associated impairments Pathogens, metals, nutrients, and sediment are the most common pollutants included on state lists, and the top 10 listed impairments account for over 75 percent of the total listings in the nation(table 2-1). Since January 1, 1996, EPA has approved almost 15,000 TMDLS, accounting for approximately 25 percent of the nationwide listings Table 2-1. Top Ten 303(d)List Impairments in the United States(August 1, 2005 Number Percent Cumulative General Impairment Reported Metals 11,526 192192 Pathogens 7.896 13.2 32.4 Nutrients 93 41.7 84 50.1 Organic enrichmentnow dissolved oxyger 574 Fish consumption advisories 3,178 62.7 67.6 Other habitat alterations 2.389 71.6 Thermal modifications 3.7 75.2 General impairment might represent several associated pollutants or impairment listings For example, the metals category includes 30 specific pollutants or related listings(e.g, iron, lead, contaminated sediments) Source: EPAs National Section 303(d)List Fact Sheet httplloaspub.epa.gov/waters/nationalreptcontrol Most watershed plans will address some combination of these major pollutants pathogens, metals, nutrients, sediment, and thermal impacts. The next several chapters of the handbook highlight various types of data and analysis tools that you can use to support watershed plan development. Knowing the major impairments might help you to focus your data collection efforts and determine what types of Data were accessed on August 1, 2005, and are based on a review of the most recent state data available. The state lists included in the national summary range from 1998 to 2002. The national summary of 303(d) listings is availableathttp:/oaspub.epagov/waters/nationalreptcontrol 2-8
Chapter 2 Overview of Watershed Planning Process Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters 1 Data were accessed on August 1, 2005, and are based on a review of the most recent state data available. The state lists included in the national summary range from 1998 to 2002. The national summary of 303(d) listings is available at http://oaspub.epa.gov/waters/national_rept.control. 2-8 Draft 2.4.1 What Are the Most Common Impairments? Waterbodies can be impaired by one source or a combination of sources. Across the country, a wide variety of waters are listed as impaired by a range of pollutants. Based on the most recent state 303(d) lists, there are approximately 34,000 impaired waters in the United States and more than 59,000 associated impairments.1 Pathogens, metals, nutrients, and sediment are the most common pollutants included on state lists, and the top 10 listed impairments account for over 75 percent of the total listings in the nation (table 2-1). Since January 1, 1996, EPA has approved almost 15,000 TMDLs, accounting for approximately 25 percent of the nationwide listings. Table 2-1. Top Ten 303(d) List Impairments in the United States (August 1, 2005) General Impairmenta Number Reported Percent Reported Cumulative Percent Metals 11,526 19.2 19.2 Pathogens 7,896 13.2 32.4 Nutrients 5,585 9.3 41.7 Sediment/siltation 5,045 8.4 50.1 Organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen 4,406 7.3 57.4 Fish consumption advisories 3,178 5.3 62.7 pH 2,904 4.8 67.6 Other habitat alterations 2,389 4.0 71.6 Thermal modifications 2,200 3.7 75.2 Biological impairment 2,116 3.5 78.7 a “General impairment” might represent several associated pollutants or impairment listings. For example, the metals category includes 30 specific pollutants or related listings (e.g., iron, lead, contaminated sediments). Source: EPA’s National Section 303(d) List Fact Sheet (http://oaspub.epa.gov/waters/national_rept.control) Most watershed plans will address some combination of these major pollutants: pathogens, metals, nutrients, sediment, and thermal impacts. The next several chapters of the handbook highlight various types of data and analysis tools that you can use to support watershed plan development. 7Knowing the major impairments might help you to focus your data collection efforts and determine what types of analyses to conduct
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our waters Overview of watershed Planning Process To provide a better understanding of the major pollutants contributing to waterbody impairments, the typical sources of What Is a TMDL? pollutants and the associated impacts on waterbodies and their If a waterbody is impaired, it is placed on the 303(d) designated uses are summarized in table 2-2. This summary list. For each impaired waterbody, a state or tribe must provides a starting point for you to think about the types of develop an accounting of loads that would result in the data you'll collect and analyses you'll conduct to characterize waterbody's meeting water quality standards. This is called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). watershed conditions A TMDL is the amount, or load, of a specific pollutant When collecting and analyzing your data, it s also important that a waterbody can assimilate and still meet the to keep in mind the entire watershed and the general problems water quality standards. The load"is allocated among and goals. For example, some of the watershed problems the current pollutant sources might not be those officially recognized as impairments on the background sources), a margin of safety,and 303(d)lists. Broader issues like wetland degradation and adequate water supply could also be priorities in your watershed The typical steps for developing a TMDL include the Although watershed plans should be holistic and include 1. Identify linkages between water quality problems information on the broad array of attributes, problems, and and pollutant sources protection strategies needed in a watershed, plans that include 2. Estimate total acceptable loading rate that achieves impaired waters should also contain quantified estimates of water quality standards current(and sometimes future) problem pollutant loads and 3. Allocate acceptable loading rates between sources 4. Package the TMDL for EPA approval reductions designed to achieve water quality standards and other watershed goals. Nonpoint source TMDls and watershed plans that address quantifiable loading estimates and load reduction strategies provide the analytic link between actions on the ground and attainment of water quality standards. To strengthen this link, the load reductions should be separated by source category to enable you to identify the specific actions and locations of management strategies as part of your implementation efforts. In the absence of such a framework, it's difficult to develop and implement a watershed plan that can be expected to achieve water quality standards or other environmental goals, or to determine the causes of failure when nonpoint source projects do not result in expected water quality improvements The watershed planning process described in this handbook emphasizes the restoration(and, in some cases, protection) of nonpoint source-affected waters through the development of an analytic framework that accommodates waters with or without approved TMDLs
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters Chapter 2 Overview of Watershed Planning Process Draft 2-9 If a waterbody is impaired, it is placed on the 303(d) list. For each impaired waterbody, a state or tribe must develop an accounting of loads that would result in the waterbody’s meeting water quality standards. This is called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). A TMDL is the amount, or load, of a specific pollutant that a waterbody can assimilate and still meet the water quality standards. The “load” is allocated among the current pollutant sources (point, nonpoint, and background sources), a margin of safety, and sometimes future growth. The typical steps for developing a TMDL include the following: 1. Identify linkages between water quality problems and pollutant sources 2. Estimate total acceptable loading rate that achieves water quality standards 3. Allocate acceptable loading rates between sources 4. Package the TMDL for EPA approval To provide a better understanding of the major pollutants contributing to waterbody impairments, the typical sources of pollutants and the associated impacts on waterbodies and their designated uses are summarized in table 2-2. This summary provides a starting point for you to think about the types of data you’ll collect and analyses you’ll conduct to characterize watershed conditions. When collecting and analyzing your data, it’s also important to keep in mind the entire watershed and the general problems and goals. For example, some of the watershed problems might not be those officially recognized as impairments on the 303(d) lists. Broader issues like wetland degradation and adequate water supply could also be priorities in your watershed. Although watershed plans should be holistic and include information on the broad array of attributes, problems, and protection strategies needed in a watershed, plans that include impaired waters should also contain quantified estimates of current (and sometimes future) problem pollutant loads and reductions designed to achieve water quality standards and other watershed goals. Nonpoint source TMDLs and watershed plans that address quantifiable loading estimates and load reduction strategies provide the analytic link between actions on the ground and attainment of water quality standards. To strengthen this link, the load reductions should be separated by source category to enable you to identify the specific actions and locations of management strategies as part of your implementation efforts. In the absence of such a framework, it’s difficult to develop and implement a watershed plan that can be expected to achieve water quality standards or other environmental goals, or to determine the causes of failure when nonpoint source projects do not result in expected water quality improvements. The watershed planning process described in this handbook emphasizes the restoration (and, in some cases, protection) of nonpoint source-affected waters through the development of an analytic framework that accommodates waters with or without approved TMDLs