United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
A QUICK GUIDE to
Developing Watershed Plans to
Restore and Protect Our Waters
-x Handbook for Developing
'• Watershed Plans to Restore
-...-••* and Protect Our Waters
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Disclaimer
This document provides guidance to states, territories, authorized tribes, local governments, watershed
organizations, and the public regarding technical tools and sources of information for developing
watershed-based plans to improve and protect water quality. The document refers to statutory and
regulatory provisions that contain legally binding requirements. The document does not substitute for
those provisions or regulations, nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it does not impose legally binding
requirements on EPA, states, territories, authorized tribes, local governments, watershed organizations,
or the public and might not apply to a particular situation based upon the circumstances. EPA, state,
territory, local government, and authorized tribe decision makers retain the discretion to adopt
approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from this guidance. The use of nonmandatory words like
should, could, would, may, might, recommend, encourage, expect, and can in this guidance means solely that
something is suggested or recommended; it does not mean that the suggestion or recommendation is
legally required, that it imposes legally binding requirements, or that following the suggestion or
recommendation necessarily creates an expectation of EPA approval.
Interested parties are free to raise questions and objections about the appropriateness of the application
of the guidance to a situation, and EPA will consider whether the recommendations in this guidance are
appropriate in that situation. EPA might change this guidance in the future.
A Quick Guide to Watershed Management was prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc., under a contract with EPA.
This guide was developed with input from federal, state, and local watershed practitioners and outreach
experts.
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Nonpoint Source Control Branch (4503T)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 841-R-13-003
May 2013
-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
A Quick Guide to Developing
Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect
Our Waters
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds
Nonpoint Source Control Branch (4503T)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 841-R-13-003
May 2013
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans iii
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iv A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Contents
Disclaimer ii
Introduction 1
Watershed Planning as an Overarching Management Framework 1
Why a Quick Guide to Watershed Management? 1
Organization of the Quick Guide 1
Audience for the Quick Guide 2
SECTION I: THE BASICS 3
Understanding the Nine Minimum Elements of Watershed-Based Plans 5
Steps to Effective Watershed Management 6
Step 1. Build Partnerships 6
Identify Key Stakeholders 6
Identify Issues of Concern 7
Set Preliminary Goals 7
Develop Preliminary Indicators 7
Conduct Public Outreach 8
Step 2. Characterize the Watershed 8
Gather Existing Data and Create a Watershed Inventory 8
Identify Data Gaps and Collect Additional Data if Necessary 9
Analyze Data 9
Step 3. Set Goals and Identify Solutions 11
Set Overall Goals and Management Objectives 11
Develop Indicators/Targets 12
Determine Load Reductions Needed 13
Identify Management Practices to Achieve Goals 13
Step 4. Design an Implementation Program 14
Develop an Implementation Schedule 14
Milestones 14
Benchmarks to Measure Progress 15
Monitoring Program 15
Information/Education Component 16
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans v
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Evaluation Process 16
Identify Technical and Financial Assistance 17
Keys to Successful Implementation 17
Step 5: Implement the Watershed Plan 19
Prepare Work Plans 19
Implement Management Strategies 19
Conduct Monitoring 19
Analyze Your Data 20
Conduct Information/Education Activities 20
Share Results 20
Step 6. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments 21
Track Progress 22
Make Adjustments 22
SECTION II: WHAT'S NEW? 23
Data Access Tools 23
The Water Quality Portal 23
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool 24
Prioritizing Sites for Watershed Restoration and Protection 24
The Recovery Potential Screening Tool 24
Promoting Healthy Watersheds 25
EPA Region 5 Wetlands Supplement 25
Lessons Learned 26
Nonpoint Source Pollution Success Stories 26
Lessons Learned from Agricultural Conservation Projects 26
Funding Sources 27
Financial Assistance for Conservation Practices 27
Climate Change 27
Adapting to Climate Change 27
Evaluating Climate Risks and Adaptation Options for Water and Wastewater Utilities 28
Emerging Issues 28
Incorporating Social Indicators into Watershed Plans 28
Assessing the Value of Ecosystems 29
vi A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Using Green Infrastructure Practices to Achieve Sustainability 29
Training and Social Media Tools 30
Watershed Academy Webcasts and Online Training Modules 30
Watershed Central 30
APPENDIX 31
Regional, Tribal, and State Nonpoint Source Program Contacts 31
References 31
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viii A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Introduction
Watershed Planning as an Overarching Management Framework
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has for many years encouraged states and others to
develop watershed plans to help protect and restore our waters. Due to the complex and diffuse nature
of nonpoint source pollution, the substantial costs to address it, and frequent reliance on voluntary
action by individual landowners, successfully addressing nonpoint source pollution to achieve water
quality standards often requires years of support from a coalition of stakeholders, programs, and funding
sources. Watershed planning helps address water quality problems in a holistic manner by fully assessing
the potential contributing causes and sources of pollution, then prioritizing restoration and protection
strategies to address these problems.
Why a Quick Guide to Watershed Management?
In 2008 EPA published the Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect our Waters (the
Handbook) to provide users with a comprehensive resource to develop more effective watershed plans
as a means to improve and protect the nation's water quality. The Handbook also provides guidance on
how to incorporate the nine minimum elements from the Clean Water Act section 319 Nonpoint
Source Program's funding guidelines into the watershed plan development process. Since the Handbook
was issued, EPA and other entities have stepped up
watershed plan implementation, introduced new
initiatives, developed new tools, and provided Use the following icons to help locate
additional funding sources. specific information in the Quick Guide
Over the past 5 years, thousands of copies of the © indicates where one of the nine minimum
Handbook have been printed. The Handbook has elements is discussed.
been used by watershed practitioners, incorporated
into training courses, and even adopted as part of ^Indicates a case study that highlights the use
college curricula. The purpose of this Quick Guide, of the nine minimum elements in watershed
developed in response to feedback on the length and plans.
complexity of the Handbook, is to provide a
.. , . , r^L. ii JL, i ft Refers the reader to specific sections in the
streamlined, easy-to-read summary of the Handbook. r
The guide also incorporates key watershed-related Handbook for more detailed information.
topics not included in the Handbook. The Quick
Guide is not meant to replace the Handbook, but rather to provide a brief guide to watershed planning
and highlight new information that can be used for more effective decision-making leading to improved
management of our water resources.
Organization of the Quick Guide
The Quick Guide is divided into two sections:
• Section I: The Basics provides a streamlined summary of the Handbook. It includes the major
steps in the watershed planning process and a brief overview of the nine minimum elements to
be included in watershed plans under EPA's Clean Water Act section 319 Nonpoint Source
Program.
• Section II: What's New highlights recent EPA watershed-related initiatives and presents new
tools that practitioners can access to improve water quality across the country.
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If you are new to watershed management as a planning framework and the nine minimum elements,
start with Section I. If you are already familiar with the Handbook, you might want to start with Section
II to discover new tools and programs that you can incorporate into your watershed management
activities.
Audience for the Quick Guide
The Quick Guide is intended for novice as well as experienced practitioners working on watershed-
related issues at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels. The Quick Guide is also intended for managers
involved in other integrated resource planning efforts, such as water and wastewater utilities,
transportation departments, and local zoning offices. The Appendix includes a list of contacts from
EPA's Polluted Runoff Program (http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/where.cfm) website. You can follow
up with them to get more information on specific watershed planning requirements in your area.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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SECTION I: THE BASICS
This section presents a streamlined
summary of the watershed handbook,
Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to
Restore and Protect Our Waters, and walks
you through the basic watershed planning
and implementation process. In addition,
this section highlights where in the
planning process to incorporate the nine
minimum elements (see the box to the
right) required for watershed-based plans
that are developed and implemented with
section 319 funds.
Summary of the nine minimum elements to be included in
section 319-funded watershed plans for threatened or
impaired waters
a. Identify causes and sources of pollution
b. Estimate pollutant loading into the watershed and the
expected load reductions
c. Describe management measures that will achieve load
reductions and targeted critical areas
d. Estimate amounts of technical and financial assistance and
the relevant authorities needed to implement the plan
e. Develop an information/education component
f. Develop a project schedule
g. Describe the interim, measurable milestones
h. Identify indicators to measure progress
i. Develop a monitoring component
Watershed plans provide an analytic
framework for managing efforts to both
restore water quality in degraded areas
and to protect overall watershed health.
Watershed plans assist states and tribes in
addressing nonpoint source pollution by providing a comprehensive assessment of nonpoint source
pollution and a set of management measures to address them.
EPA recognizes that not all watersheds are threatened or impaired
and that in many cases watershed stakeholders want to develop
and implement watershed plans to continue protecting high-quality
watersheds. The watershed planning and implementation steps are
similar for healthy and impaired watersheds, but the overall
watershed plan goals and management strategies will vary
depending on local and regional priorities, conservation programs,
and regulatory requirements or other approaches used to achieve
them.
P" NOTE: A waterbody is impaired if
it does not attain the water quality
criteria associated with its designated
use(s). Threatened waters are those
that meet standards but exhibit a
declining trend in water quality such
that they will likely exceed standards
in the near future.
In this section of the Quick Guide, you will learn about the framework to conduct a successful
watershed planning effort. The basis for this framework is the six steps of watershed planning,
which are discussed in detail in the Handbook (http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/handbook index.cfm).
An additional goal of the Handbook (and, subsequently, of this guide) is to show both how the nine
elements presented in the Clean Water Act section 319 grant guidelines serve as building blocks to
develop watershed plans and where these elements fit within the six steps of the watershed planning
process (Figure I). The nine elements are the components of the watershed planning process that EPA
believes are the most critical to preparing effective watershed plans and are generally required for
watershed projects funded under section 319. EPA finalized its updated section 319 Nonpoint Source
Program and Grant Guidelines for States and Territories in 2013, and it includes the nine elements discussed
in the Handbook and this Quick Guide (see www.epa.gov/nps/319).
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Element a
Element b
Element c
Element f
Element g
Element h
Element i
Sn Steps in Watershed Planning and Implementation Process
1,
• Identify key slatenolcters
• Identify issues of concern to be included in Bse watershed plan
• Sel preliminary goals
« Conduct puttie o/lreach
2. Characterize the Watershed
• Collect existing data and create a watershed inventory
• Analyze data
• Identify causes and sources of pollution thai need to be conirolled
• Identify data gaps and collect additional data if needed
• Quantify pollutant loads
Element d
3. F/natiw Goafs and Identify Solutions
• Set overall goals and managemtn! objectives
• Develop indcatoretegels
• Determine toad reductions needed
• Identify critical areas
• Develop management measures to achieve goals
4. Design an Implementation Program
• Develop implementation schedute
• Develop interim milestones to track implementation of management i
* Develop catena to measure progress towards meeting watershed 5
• Develop monitoring component
• Develop information/education component
• Develop evaluation process
• Identify technical and financial assistance needed tekmptement plan
• Assign responsibility for reviewing and revising the f
Characterization and
Analysis Tools
GIS
Statistical packages
Monitoring
Load calculations
> Model selection tools
> Models
* Databases
(environmental and
social tools}
..-^•^B^R,
5. Implement Watershed Plan
• knpfemerit management strategies
* Conduct monitoring
• Conduct iKformafon.'education activities
6. Heasitfe Progwss and Make Adjustments
• Revew, evaluate information
• Prepare annual workplans
• Report back to stakeholders and others
• Make adjustments to program
\
Element e
Figure 1. Crosswalk between the six steps of watershed planning and the section 319 nine minimum elements.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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$* NOTE: EPA's Watershed Central
(http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/
datait/watershedcentral/index.cfm).
including its wiki, can be used to assist
watershed practitioners in each of the
watershed planning and implementation
steps.
Understanding the Nine Minimum Elements of Watershed-Based Plans
EPA developed the nine minimum elements to help watershed
managers address some of the most common pitfalls seen in
watershed plans, particularly those for impaired waters.
Watershed plans often lack quantified estimates of current and
projected pollutant loads and the reductions needed to achieve
water quality standards and other watershed goals. These loading
estimates and estimates of load reductions from proposed
pollution control measures provide the analytic link between
actions on the ground and attainment of water quality standards. In the absence of such a framework, it
is difficult to develop and implement a watershed plan that can be expected to achieve water
quality standards or other environmental goals.
Although these minimum elements must be included in watershed plans
funded with section 319 funds for threatened or impaired waters,
including these elements in all watershed plans is strongly
recommended because they provide a quantitative
framework for the planning process that leads
to water quality improvements and
restoration to attain water quality
standards. These elements are not all-
encompassing, but they provide
the basic components
needed to produce a
watershed plan that can
lead to water quality
improvements.
The elements are labeled a through / to reflect how they are presented in the 319 guidelines. The first
three elements (a through c) are considered during the characterization and goal-setting phases to
address the primary sources of pollution in the watershed and to determine the management strategies
needed in specific areas to reduce the pollution to meet water quality goals. The remaining six elements
(d through /) are used to develop a specific plan of action with measureable targets and milestones, as
well as the necessary financial and technical resources needed to restore the waterbody.
Under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, states, territories, and authorized tribes are required to
develop lists of impaired waters—waters that are too polluted or degraded to meet their water quality
standards. The law requires that these jurisdictions establish priority rankings for waters on the lists and,
in most cases, develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for these waters. A TMDL is a calculation of
the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive from both point and nonpoint sources
and still meet water quality standards.
TMDLs provide an important starting point for water quality planning. Some TMDL development
reports also contain an implementation strategy or plan. The point source allocations in TMDLs provide
water quality targets for point sources such as wastewater treatment plants and stormwater treatment
systems that go into their regulatory permits. Nonpoint source allocations are usually managed
according to a TMDL implementation plan or watershed-based plan, which must include the nine
elements described in this guide and in the Clean Water Act section 319 funding guidelines.
SET GOALS*
IDCNTtFY
SOLUTION?
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Steps to Effective Watershed Management
This section uses six basic steps to describe how to develop and implement an effective watershed plan.
These steps provide a road map for you to follow to achieve your watershed goals.
Step I:
Build
partnerships
Step 2:
Characterize
your
watershed
Step 3:
Finalize goals
and identify
solutions
Step 4:
Design an
implementation
program
'
'
'
Step 5:
Implement
watershed
plan
Step 6:
Measure
progress and
make
adjustments
'
Notice that in the picture on the previous page the road includes a loop. That is because watershed
planning is an iterative process: As you collect new information, you should refine or modify your
approach and incorporate lessons learned into your planning and implementation program. The
remainder of Section I proceeds through each of the six steps and includes case studies and relevant
tools and resources you can access for more information.
Step 1. Build Partnerships
Step I: Build Partnerships
Identify key stakeholders
Identify issues of concern
Set preliminary goals
Develop indicators
Conduct public outreach
The first step in the watershed planning process is to
build partnerships. The very nature of working at a _
watershed level means you should work with local
stakeholders and other partners. New ideas and input
provided by partners not only provide a more solid
commitment to solutions but also help to pool resources
and skill sets. The stakeholders that you involve in the
watershed plan development process will help you
identify critical issues, set preliminary goals based on
areas of mutual concern, and develop an initial set of indicators that will be crucial in monitoring
progress. This step will also help you to develop an effective information/education component, which is
one of the nine minimum elements (discussed in Step 4). Stakeholder involvement also increases the
probability of long-term success through trust, commitment, and personal investment.
Identify Key Stakeholders
Stakeholders are those who make and implement decisions, those who are affected by the decisions
made, and those who can assist or impede implementation of the decisions. Key stakeholders also
include those who can contribute resources and assistance to the watershed planning effort and those
who are working on similar programs that can be integrated into a larger effort. It is important to
remember that stakeholders are more likely to get involved if you can show them a clear benefit to
their participating.
In general, there are at least five categories of participants to consider when identifying stakeholders:
• Those who will be responsible for implementing the watershed plan
• Those who will be affected by implementation of the watershed plan
• Those who can provide information on the issues and concerns in the watershed
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• Those who have knowledge of existing programs or plans that you might want to integrate into
your plan (e.g., soil and water conservation districts, irrigation districts)
• Those who can provide technical and financial assistance in developing and implementing the
plan (e.g., state and federal agencies, colleges and universities).
fj Refer to Worksheet 3 on page 3-7 of the Handbook for a checklist of skills and resources that stakeholders can
contribute to the planning process.
fj Refer to Getting in Step: Engaging Stakeholders in your Watershed for more information on the tools needed to
effectively engage stakeholders to restore and maintain healthy environmental conditions through community
support and cooperative action (http://cfpub.epa.Qov/npstbx/Qetinstep.html).
Identify Issues of Concern
It is important for stakeholders to assist in identifying issues of concern in the watershed. They often
have a historical perspective on problems in the watershed and a sense of whether conditions are
improving or deteriorating. These issues will help shape the overall goals of the watershed plan and
determine what information is needed to accurately define and address the concerns. This step will also
help determine the geographic scope of your watershed planning effort on the basis of where the
problems are located and areas that need to be protected.
fj Refer to the Healthy Watersheds website for more information and resources related to watershed protection.
Set Preliminary Goals
A fundamental step in the partnership-building process is to ask stakeholders to list their long-term
goals for the watershed. These goals will be refined throughout the planning process to represent
shared goals among the stakeholders. Concrete objectives with measureable targets and indicators to
measure progress will then be developed for each goal the stakeholder group selects.
H See Figure 4-4 on page 4-9 of the Handbook; it is a conceptual diagram of how watershed goals grow and evolve
during the watershed planning process.
Using Stakeholders to Identify Indicators
l&Case Study: Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Louisiana
The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (NEP) began an indicator development process by
forming a planning committee with federal, state, and university participants. The planning committee
decided to conduct an indicator development workshop with local stakeholders so that the stakeholders
could recommend a suite of indicators. During the workshop, the stakeholders separated into breakout
groups and were asked to identify indicators to address specific focus questions. Workshop participants
selected the following indicators to answer Question I: Are our waters healthy?
Indicator(s):
• Level of chlorophyll a in the estuary over time
• Size of dead zone (off coastal Louisiana) over time
• Number of petroleum spill reports in the estuary over time.
The NEP continues to use a similar process every 5 years to update its indicators. A full description of the
process and indicators developed can be found at http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/nep/indicators.cfm.
Develop Preliminary Indicators
Indicators are direct or indirect measurements of a component in a system. For example, an indirect
indicator to demonstrate the improved water clarity of a lake might be the depth at which you can see
your white sneakers as you wade into the lake. A direct indicator would be total suspended solids
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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samples taken quarterly at predetermined depths. Indicators provide a powerful means of
communicating to various audiences about the watershed status, and they are used throughout the
planning and implementation process. Stakeholders should be actively involved in selecting the
indicators, and they should be asked to identify for each goal how progress toward that goal will be
measured. Just as the preliminary goals will be refined throughout the watershed planning process, the
indicators selected will be refined to ensure they are quantifiable and include environmental, social, and
programmatic examples.
Conduct Public Outreach
Information/education activities should be initiated at the outset of the watershed planning effort to
familiarize potential partners and stakeholders with the issues, outline the watershed planning process,
and enlist their participation. Developing an information/education component is one of the nine
minimum elements; it is discussed further in Step 4 of the watershed planning process (refer to page 23).
fj Chapter 12 (PDF, 713 KB, 38 pp.) of the Handbook provides more detail on the information/education
component.
Step 2. Characterize the Watershed
Characterizing the watershed, its problems, and
pollutant sources provides the basis for developing
effective management strategies to meet water quality
goals. The characterization and analysis process helps to
focus management efforts on the most pressing needs
within the watershed. During this step the first of the
nine elements is addressed: The watershed plan should
include © a. An identification of the causes and sources or
groups of similar sources that will need to be controlled to
achieve the load reductions estimated in this watershed-
based plan (and to achieve any other watershed goals
identified in the watershed-based plan).
Step 2: Characterize Watershed
• Gather existing data
• Create a watershed inventory
• Identify data gaps
• Collect additional data if needed
• Analyze data
• Identify causes and sources of
impairments
• Estimate pollutant loads
Gather Existing Data and Create a Watershed Inventory
You will first identify existing information through reports and data sets. Data needed for watershed
planning include the following:
Physical and
Natural Features
Land Use and
Population
Characteristics
Waterbody
Conditions
Pollutant
Sources
Waterbody
Monitoring
Data
Watershed
boundaries,
hydrology,
topography, soils, etc.
Land use, land cover, 305(b) reports,
existing 303(d) reports,
management, etc. TMDLs, source water
assessments, etc.
Permitted point
sources, nonpoint
sources,
atmospheric
deposition, etc.
Water quality and
flow, biology,
geomorphology,
etc.
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Reports and data should be obtained from local governments (city and county planning offices,
environmental departments, soil and water conservation districts), state natural resource agencies, and
federal agencies (EPA, USFWS, USDA, NRCS, FAS, USGS). You will then create a watershed inventory
to organize the data into a common format (in a spreadsheet or database) for further analysis.
H For more information on types of data typically collected for watershed characterization and the data's potential
uses, see Table 5-1 (PDF, 1.42 Mb, 56 pp.) on page 5-8 of the Handbook.
Identify Data Gaps and Collect Additional Data if Necessary
There will always be more data to collect, but you need to keep the process moving forward and
determine whether you can reasonably characterize watershed conditions with existing information.
This process may involve:
• Conducting a data review of your watershed inventory to examine data quality and identify any
significant temporal or spatial data gaps
• Examining the data to determine whether you can link the impairments seen in the watershed to
the causes and sources of pollutants
• Considering whether you have gathered data of the right types and of adequate quality.
If you determine that you need to collect additional data, first develop a sampling plan. This will save you
time and resources down the road, and you might be able to use portions of the sampling plan to
construct the long-term monitoring program discussed in Step 4.
fj For more information on designing a sampling plan, see EPA's Guidance on Choosing a Sampling Design for
Environmental Data Collection (PDF, 1.02 MB, 178 pp.) and EPA's Quality Management Tools website at
http://www.epa.gov/QUALITY/cia docs.html.
Analyze Data
Once you have gathered existing and newly collected data and consolidated the data into a database or
spreadsheet, you will analyze the information to identify watershed pollutant sources and causes of any
impairments, as well as important areas to protect. In this phase of the watershed planning process, you
will identify the causes and sources of pollutants that need to be controlled. It is critical to have an
understanding of the watershed conditions and sources of pollutants to determine the appropriate
method for quantifying the pollutant loads.
H Refer to Chapters 7 and 8 (PDF, 781 KB, 22 pp.) of the Handbook for details on instream data, watershed data,
and an in-depth discussion of pollutant load estimation. Refer to Table 7-1 (PDF, 781 KB, 22 pp.) on page 7-3 of the
Handbook for examples of data analysis activities and the tools used in various steps of the watershed planning process.
Identify Causes and Sources That Need to Be Controlled
Together with the input from stakeholders and their local knowledge of the watershed, analyzing your
data should lead you to an understanding of where and when problems occur in your watershed and
what could be causing the problems. Without knowing
where the pollutants are coming from, you cannot ^ NOTE: The new EPA Recovery Potential
effectively control them and restore and protect your Screening tool described in Section II can be
watershed. Pollutant sources, along with associated usekd to assess tkhejrekc°ve;y potential °!sites
.. . iii i within a watershed based on a series of
pollutants, timing, and impact on the watershed, are critical factors Th|s too| can be used jn conjunction
to developing an effective management strategy. It is also with other data collected to assess the
important to identify critical areas (i.e., those that generate impaired sites that have the highest potential
the most pollution) to focus on and to give priority to to recover and meet watershed goals.
conservation practice implementation.
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In identifying the sources, you will begin to identify the critical areas to address with targeted
management strategies. The location of pollutant sources and the associated critical areas will feed into
selecting the management measures needed to control the sources. This is outlined in element c of the
nine minimum elements. ©Element c states: "A description of the nonpoint source management measures
that will need to be implemented to achieve load reductions and a description of the critical areas in which those
measures will be needed to implement this plan." The critical areas for each primary source can be
indicated on a map. In the next step you will quantify the magnitude of the pollutant loads.
Estimate Pollutant Loads
A quantified estimate of pollutant loads and the related sources of those loads are often missing from
watershed plans, and filling this gap is critical to effectively control sources, develop the load reductions
needed to meet watershed goals, and restore watershed health.
Various approaches can be used to conduct the loading analysis. The most appropriate method depends
on several factors, including water quality parameters, time scale of the analysis, source types, data
needs, and user experience. First check whether a previous study that required the development of
loading estimates, such as a TMDL or a Clean Lakes study, was conducted. Such studies can often be
used as a basis to provide loading estimates appropriate for developing the watershed plan.
TMDLs describe the allowable point and nonpoint source load reductions or allocations that will be
necessary to meet water quality standards. The TMDL sets maximum pollutant loads for the most
critical conditions to ensure that the applicable water quality standards will be attained at all times and
will also provide a loading scenario that addresses all seasonal conditions. The TMDL analysis also
describes the pollutant load from natural or background sources and establishes a margin of safety to
ensure the standards will be met. In some cases, there might be an opportunity to trade pollution
allocations or develop local ordinances or other programs to achieve equitable and effective pollutant
reductions from all sources. In any watershed analysis where both point and nonpoint sources are
present, it is important to determine the regulatory requirements for the point sources and the
feasibility of controlling the nonpoint sources using existing local, state, tribal, and federal programs. This
aspect of the TMDL (referred to as reasonable assurance) provides a degree of certainty for achieving
the needed pollutant reductions.
Some loading analyses are focused on determining how much load is acceptable, whereas others are
focused on source loads that attribute loading to each category of sources in the watershed. There are
two general types of techniques for estimating pollutant loads: (I) techniques that use actual monitoring
data or literature values and (2) techniques that use models to predict the estimated pollutant loads.
Monitoring data or literature values are fairly simple approaches that provide a coarse estimate of the
pollutant loads entering a waterbody. These techniques are best suited to conditions where fairly
detailed monitoring and flow gauging are available and the major interest is in total loads from a
watershed.
Models provide another approach for estimating loads, providing source load estimates, and evaluating
various management alternatives. They can be used to forecast or estimate conditions that might occur
under various scenarios. In some cases, landscape and loading models are developed, and they can be
supplemented with a receiving water model as well. Although you might not be the person who will run
the model, you should have an understanding of what types of questions you want answered so that the
most appropriate model is used. Typical questions you might want a watershed model to address
include:
10 A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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• Will the management actions result in meeting water quality standards?
• Which sources are the main contributors to the pollutant load targeted for reduction (e.g., land
use or land cover types)?
• What are the loads associated with the individual sources (e.g., point sources versus nonpoint
sources)?
• Which combination of management actions will most effectively meet the identified loading
targets (e.g., stormwater management, wastewater treatment, best management practices
(BMPs) for croplands)?
• When does the impairment occur? Is it seasonal or flow-dependent?
• Will the loading or impairment get worse under future land use conditions?
• How can future growth be managed to minimize adverse impacts?
• How can the watershed plan ensure that downstream water quality is also protected?
The modeling approaches developed are ultimately designed to support decision-making. Essential to
decision-making is the application of the model to identify various alternatives. How you use the model
to support decision-making is as important as the various steps that go into building and testing the
model. Regardless of what model you use, the analysis should be field-checked before you use the
results.
fj A summary of various approaches used to estimate pollutant loads in watersheds is included in Table 8-1 on
page 8-3 of the Handbook.
Step 3. Set Goals and Identify Solutions
Now that you have characterized and quantified the
problems in the watershed, you need to refine the
preliminary goals and develop more detailed objectives,
measurable targets, and indicators. The pollutant loads
calculated in Step 2 will provide the basis for identifying
the reductions needed to meet watershed goals
(including meeting water quality standards) and
determine which management practices will be used in
the critical areas to achieve those reductions.
Step 3: Set Goals and Identify
Solutions
• Set overall goals and
management objectives
• Develop indicators/targets
• Determine load reductions
needed
• Identify critical areas
• Develop management measures
to achieve goals
Set Overall Goals and Management Objectives
You identified preliminary goals and associated environmental indicators with your stakeholders earlier
in the characterization process, but now you will refine those goals on the basis of your data analysis.
You will also establish more detailed objectives and targets that will guide the development of your
management strategies.
For example, a preliminary goal developed during the scoping phase, in Step I of the watershed planning
process, might have been to "restore aquatic habitat." Based on the information collected during data
analysis, in Step 2 of the watershed planning process, you might determine that the causes contributing
to poor aquatic habitat include upland sediment erosion and delivery, streambank erosion, and near-
stream land disturbance (e.g., livestock, construction). Linking the preliminary goal to the source and
impacts of pollution will help you define your management objectives. In this case, appropriate
management objectives could include (I) reducing sediment loads from upland sources and
(2) improving riparian vegetation and limiting livestock access to stabilize streambanks.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
11
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Develop Indicators/Targets
Next you will develop indicators and numeric targets to quantitatively measure whether you are
meeting your objectives. You identified indicators with your stakeholders earlier to determine the
current health of the watershed; now you will refine the indicators to measure implementation. When
developing your indicators and targets, also work to establish interim milestones that will measure the
implementation of activities in your watershed plan, including the costs associated with those activities.
Refer to the Milestones section of Step 4 of this Quick Guide for more information.
P5' NOTE: Section II provides updated
information on how to develop and use
social indicators to measure watershed
management progress.
It is important to use different types of indicators to reflect
where you are in the watershed management process and the
audience with which you are communicating. You'll first select
environmental indicators to measure the current conditions in
the watershed and help to identify the stressors and the
pollutant sources. Environmental indicators are a direct measure of the environmental conditions that
plan implementation seeks to achieve. As you develop your management objectives and actually
assemble your watershed plan, you will add performance indicators, such as social and programmatic
indicators, to help measure progress toward meeting your goals. An example of each type of indicator is
provided in Table I.
Table 1. Examples of performance indicators
Environmental
Programmatic
Social
Number (or percentage) of
river/stream miles that fully
meet all water quality
standards
Reduction in pollutant
loadings from nonpoint
sources
Number of public water systems
with source water protection plans
Number of management measures
implemented in a watershed (e.g.,
number of acres under nutrient
management, number of riparian
buffers created)
Increase in the number of
residents signing watershed
stewardship pledge
Rates of participation in
education programs
specifically directed toward
solving particular nonpoint
source pollution problems
Successful Use of Aerial Photography to Track Streambank Erosion
l&Case Study: Bog Brook Channel Stabilization Project, New Hampshire
Past removal of woody riparian shrubs along Bog Brook made the banks of the stream susceptible to erosion.
As erosion continued over time, the stream channel became wider and more unstable, exacerbating the
erosion problem and sending tons of sediment into the stream. Analysis of aerial photographs showed that the
stream channel had eroded laterally up to 35 feet between 1999 and 2003, consuming 4,000 square feet of
land. This translated to 120 tons of sediment—approximately the amount needed to fill nine dump trucks-
entering the stream each year, harming water quality and smothering fish habitat.
In an effort to halt the degradation of Bog Brook, the landowner adjacent to the eroding channel worked with
the town of Stratford and a consultant to secure a section 319 grant from the New Hampshire Department of
Environmental Services. The project called for a comprehensive stream morphology assessment, a design plan,
and reconstruction of a 275-foot stretch of the stream to a more natural condition. Project partners returned
the stream channel to a more natural state and planted vegetation at the site. As a result, the channel
stabilized and erosion subsided. In 2006, New Hampshire upgraded the stream from Impaired by other flow
regime alterations to Fully Supporting Aquatic Life Use in its 305(b) surface water quality report.
For more information see http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/success319/nh_bog.cfm.
12
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Determine Load Reductions Needed
Using the load estimates from Step 2, you must determine the extent to which the pollutant loads need
to be reduced to meet watershed goals. For waters for which EPA has approved or established TMDLs,
the plan should identify and incorporate the TMDLs. The estimate should account for reductions in
pollutant loads from point and nonpoint sources identified in the TMDL as necessary to attain the
applicable water quality standards. The load reduction estimates are based on the planned management
measures to be implemented in the critical areas. Elements b and c of the nine minimum elements are
directly linked: ©Element b states that the watershed plan should include "An estimate of the load
reductions expected for the management measures described in element (c) below." ©Element c states that
you should include "A description of the NFS management measures that will need to be implemented to
achieve the load reductions estimated in element (b) above, and an identification (using a map or a description)
of the critical areas in which those measures will be needed to implement this plan."
To estimate the load reductions expected once the management measures are implemented, you need
to understand the cause-and-effect relationship between pollutant loads and the waterbody response.
Establishing this link allows you to evaluate how much of a load reduction from watershed sources is
needed to meet waterbody targets. As with your approach for quantifying pollutant loads, selecting the
appropriate approach will depend on several factors, including availability, pollutants, waterbody type,
types of sources, time frame, and spatial scale. Most important, the approach must be compatible with
the method used to quantify loads and must be able to predict the necessary load reductions to meet
targets.
Numerous models are available to
determine which BMPs are more
appropriate for reducing pollutant loads
and to aid in selecting the locations most
likely to achieve the greatest load
reductions. All models have limitations
that you must document to ensure
decision-makers understand them before
using the data.
H Refer to Table 9-4 in the Watershed
Handbook for a summary of many of the
receiving water models available to support
linkage of sources and indicators for
watershed planning.
Process to Select Management Practices
I. Inventory existing management efforts in the watershed,
taking into account local priorities and institutional drivers.
2. Quantify the effectiveness of current management
measures.
3. Identify new management opportunities.
4. Identify critical areas in the watershed where additional
management efforts are needed.
5. Identify possible management practices.
6. Identify relative pollutant reduction efficiencies.
7. Develop screening criteria to identify opportunities and
constraints.
8. Rank alternatives and develop candidate management
opportunities.
Identify Management Practices to Achieve Goals
In general, management practices are implemented immediately adjacent to the waterbody or upland to
address the sources of pollutant loads. As part of your screening process, you will want to identify
which management practices can be implemented in the critical areas that you identified as part of
Step 2.
In most parts of the country, land uses are changing, and you will need to understand how these changes
affect pollution loads and water quality. Some watershed pollution models allow you to factor in various
development and agricultural scenarios as well as changing climate. Watershed planning is an
opportunity to work with new partners to identify actions that reduce pollution, restore damaged
ecosystems, and protect valuable habitat.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
13
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You can then use screening criteria to screen potential practices, narrowing the options down to those
which are the most effective and acceptable. These criteria are based on factors such as pollutant
reduction efficiencies, legal requirements, and physical constraints. Once you have identified and
screened various management options, calculate the effectiveness of the management practices, compare
the costs and benefits, and select the final management strategies that will be the most effective in
achieving the load reductions needed to meet the goals for your watershed.
Step 4. Design an Implementation Program
By the end of Steps 1, 2, and 3, you should have
reached out to stakeholders and identified
watershed goals, characterized the sources of
pollutants in the watershed (element a), estimated
pollutant loads and the necessary reductions to
meet your goals (element b), and identified the
types and locations of management practices in the
watershed that will achieve the required load
reductions (element c). Now you must design an
implementation program that shows how you will
implement your watershed plan.
Develop an Implementation Schedule
The schedule component of a watershed plan
involves turning goals and objectives into specific
tasks. The schedule should include a timeline of
when each phase of the step will be implemented
and accomplished, as well as the agency/
organization responsible for implementing the
activity. In addition, your schedule should be
Step 4: Design Implementation
Program
• Develop an 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
broken down into increments that you can
reasonably track and review. For example, the time frame for implementing tasks can be divided into
quarters. It is important to include an estimate of when water quality standards will be achieved, even if
that date extends beyond the project period. This phase will fulfill element f of EPA's nine minimum
elements, which states that you should include a © "Schedule for implementing the nonpoint source
management measures identified in this plan that is reasonably expeditious."
fj Worksheet 12-1, in Appendix B of the Handbook (PDF, 320 KB, 28 pp.), is an example of an implementation
matrix.
Milestones
When designing your implementation schedule, you should establish interim milestones that will help
you measure the implementation of activities in your watershed plan. Developing interim measurable
milestones will address element g of EPA's nine elements. ©Element g requires "A description of interim
measureable milestones for determining whether nonpoint source management measures or other control actions
are being implemented." It usually helps to develop milestones using relevant time scales like the
following: short-term (I to 2 years), mid-term (2 to 5 years), and long-term (5 to 10 years or longer).
When developing schedules and interim milestones, be sure to account for weather and seasonal factors
when implementing BMPs or performing other field work.
14
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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First, outline the subtasks involved and the level of effort
and funding requirements associated with each to
establish a baseline for time estimates. Then provide
milestones that can be reasonably accomplished within
those short-term, mid-term, and long-term time frames.
§See Worksheet 12-3 (PDF, 320 KB, 28 pp.) of the Handbook
for example milestones.
Benchmarks to Measure Progress
As you implement your watershed plan, you will need
benchmarks to track progress through monitoring. These
interim targets can be direct measurements that reflect a
water quality condition (e.g., fecal coliform
concentrations, dissolved oxygen content, pounds of
nitrogen) or indirect indicators of load reduction
(e.g., number of beach closings, pounds of trash
removed, length of stream corridor revegetated).
Example Milestones
Short-Term (< 2 years)
Achieve 5 percent reduction in sediment load on
1,000 acres of agricultural land in the Cross
Creek subwatershed by implementing rotational
grazing practices.
Eliminate direct sources of organic waste,
nutrients, and fecal coliform bacteria to the
stream by installing 5,000 feet of fencing to
exclude direct access to cattle along Cross
Creek.
Mid-Term (< 5 years)
Reduce streambank erosion and sediment loading
rate by 15 percent by reestablishing vegetation
along 3,600 feet of Cross Creek.
Long-Term (5 years or longer)
Achieve the fecal coliform water quality standard
in the upper section of Cross Creek above
Highway 64.
You should also indicate how you'll determine whether
the watershed plan needs to be revised if interim targets
are not met. These revisions need to focus on changing
management practices, updating/reevaluating critical
source areas/loading analyses, and reassessing the time it takes for pollution concentrations to respond
to treatment; they should not focus on changing the plan's goals.
This phase of the watershed planning process will address element h of EPA's nine minimum elements.
©Element h states "A set of criteria that can be used to determine whether loading reductions are being
achieved over time and substantial progress is being made toward attaining water quality standards."
-1 of the Handbook demonstrates how you can use a suite of indicators to measure progress in reducing
pollutant loads depending on the issues of concern.
Monitoring Program
Your monitoring program will address element /, which states that you should include © "A monitoring
component to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation efforts over time, measured against the criteria
established under item h."
Monitoring programs can be designed to track progress in meeting load reduction goals and attaining
water quality standards and other goals. Measurable progress is critical to ensuring continued support of
watershed projects, and progress is best demonstrated with the use of monitoring data that accurately
reflect water quality conditions relevant to the identified problems. Monitoring programs should include
baseline (before), project-specific (during), and post-project (after) monitoring.
When developing a monitoring design to meet your objectives, it is important to understand how the
monitoring data will be used. Ask yourself questions like the following:
• What questions are we trying to answer?
• What techniques will be used?
• What statistical accuracy and precision are needed?
• Can we account for the effects of weather and other sources of variation?
• Will our monitoring design allow us to attribute changes in water quality to the implementation
program?
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
15
-------
Information/Education Component
Every watershed plan should include an information/education component that involves the watershed
community. Because many water quality problems result from individual actions and the solutions are
often voluntary practices, effective public involvement and participation promote the adoption of
management practices; help to ensure the sustainability of the watershed management plan; and, perhaps
most important, encourage changes in behavior that will help you achieve your overall watershed goals.
This phase of the watershed planning process will address element e, which calls for ©"An information
and education component used to enhance public understanding of the project and encourage their early and
continued participation in selecting, designing, and implementing the nonpoint source management measures
that will be implemented."
The objectives of the public outreach program should directly support your watershed management
goals and implementation of the watershed management plan. They should also include measurable
indicators for tracking progress. The information/education component of your watershed plan should
build on the outreach efforts you initiated in Step I as part of building partnerships. To develop an
effective information/education plan, you should use the following steps:
• Define information/education goals.
• Identify and analyze the target audiences.
• Create the messages for each audience.
• Package the message for the various audiences.
• Distribute the messages.
• Evaluate the information/education program.
H For more information please see Getting in Step: A Guide for Conducting Watershed Outreach Campaigns
(http://cfDub.eDa.Qov/nDstbx/files/cietnsteDciuide.Ddf), which explains the steps needed to develop and implement
an effective watershed outreach campaign and includes a set of practical worksheets to help you get on your way.
Evaluation Process
There are two primary reasons to evaluate your watershed program. First, you want to be able to
demonstrate that by implementing the management measures, you are achieving your watershed goals.
Second, you want to be able to continually improve your program in terms of efficiency and quality.
In general, you will evaluate three major components of your watershed implementation program—
inputs, outputs, and outcomes (Figure 2). Your evaluation framework should include indicators to
measure each component. A brief description of each component is included below:
• Inputs—the elements of the process used to implement your program (i.e., resources of time
and technical expertise, stakeholder participation)
• Outputs—the tasks conducted and the products developed (i.e., implementation activities such
as installing management practices)
• Outcomes—the results or outcomes realized from implementation efforts (i.e., environmental
improvements like water quality).
16 A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
-------
^_
^^^^^^ Planning •
c
o
to
4-1
V)
INPUTS OUTPUTS
invents -> Activiti- ~^Pa^
pation ^ Short
OUTCOMES
_^
What we What we do Whom we What re
Medium ^ Long-term
suits we get
invest reach Pr^^ti^oc arlnntoH
Audiences
Staff, $$ reached
Activities
held
Materials
developed
Knowledge gained
Attitude changes
Evidence the knowledge is used
Policies implemented
Water quality improvement
Resourc
3 changes
^^^^| Evaluation ;^B
-^
Figure 2. Using a logic model to evaluate your watershed program.
Identify Technical and Financial Assistance
A critical factor in turning your watershed plan into action is the ability to fund implementation. Funding
might be needed for multiple activities, such as management practice installation, information/education
activities, monitoring, and administrative support. In addition, you should document what types of
technical assistance are needed to implement the plan and what resources or authorities will be relied
on for implementation, in terms of both initial adoption and long-term operation and maintenance. The
identification and estimation of financial and technical assistance should take into account the following:
• Administration services, including salaries, regulatory fees, supplies, and in-kind services
• information/education efforts
• Installation, operation, and maintenance of management measures
• Monitoring, data analysis, and data management activities.
Identifying the technical and financial assistance needed will address element d of EPA's nine elements:
©"Provide an estimate of the amounts of technical and financial assistance needed, associated costs, and/or the
sources and authorities that will be relied upon to implement this plan."
Keys to Successful Implementation
Although there is no single component that defines success, several factors, if implemented, will enhance
your chances of a successful watershed implementation plan:
• Measurable goals and objectives
• Dedicated staff to carry out administrative duties
• Consistent, long-term funding
• Involvement of stakeholders in planning efforts
• Dedicated individuals who are supported by local government agencies
• Local ownership of the watershed plan
• A method for monitoring and evaluating implementation strategies
• Open communication between organization members.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
17
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Highlighting Milestones for an Implementation Program
l&Case Study: Corsica River Watershed Restoration Action Strategy, Maryland
The goal of the Corsica River strategy is to promote a voluntary best management practice to improve the water
quality in the Corsica River. Section 319 funds were sought to implement a voluntary cover crop enrollment
program targeted for maximum water quality benefits in the Corsica River. The table below is an excerpt of the
implementation strategies and schedules to fulfill elements f, g, and h. The targets for this watershed were updated
in 2012, and more information is available at
httD://www.townofcentreville.org/UDloads/file/20l2-6vr-ReDort-Final-Version-Corsica-River-ReDort htm.pdf.
Management
strategies
Party
responsible
for meeting Schedule
management
objective
Measurable
indicators/
performance
Public
Monitoring and involvement,
party responsible outreach, or
for monitoring education
component
Innovations or
additional
leverage or
benefit
1. Market and
early planting
incentive,
commodity,
small grain,
cover crop.
Goal: 3000
demonstration
acres.
Queen Anne's Outreach: Fall
County Soil 2004
Conservation
District Implementation:
2005 to 2007.
Monitoring:
2005 to 2007.
Pounds of
nutrients reduced.
Number of
farmers and
number of acres
enrolled.
Quarterly reports
and tracking of
acreages enrolled.
Paired watershed
study: Maryland
Department of
Natural
Resources.
Ground wateriest
wells: University
of Maryland
Cooperative
Extension.
QASCD
aggressive
enrollment
initiative.
Presentation of
data results to
public, other
watersheds, and
MDDNRWRAS
website.
Prorated early
planting incentive:
$17/acre early
planting, $12/per
acre later
planting.
Provides financial
incentive to
farmers to plant
cover crops earlier
to achieve greater
nutrient uptake.
2. Agriculture Queen Anne's
nutrient and County Soil
sediment Conservation
reducing stream District
buffers.
Goal: 30
Demonstration
acres.
Outreach: Fall
2004.
Implementation:
2005 to 2007.
15 acres by
2005.
15 acres by
2006.
Monitoring:
2005 to 2007.
Number of acres
buffered.
Change in
concentration of
nutrient and
sediment levels in
surface waters.
Quarterly reports
tracking numbers
of acres enrolled.
Tracking of
buffered acres:
Queen Anne's
County Soil
Conservation
District: Paired
watershed study.
Pre and post
sampling for
nutrients and
sediment:
Maryland
Department of
Natural
Resources.
QASCD
aggressive
enrollment
initiative.
Presentation of
results to public,
other MD/Bay
watersheds, and
post on MDDNR
WRAS website.
A "gap" closer.
Demonstrates
buffer
development and
management
techniques.
Currently these
unbuffered areas
fall outside
traditional buffer
program criteria.
Source: http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/watershedcentral/planexamples/pdf/cr strategy 97.pdf.
For a complete list of available federal funding for watershed-related activities, visit the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (www.cfda.gov). Also visit www.epa.gov/watershedfunding to view the Catalog of
Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Step 5: Implement the Watershed Plan
Although much of the watershed planning process is Step 5: Implement the Watershed
focused on developing the plan, results will not happen Plan
until the plan is actually implemented. Implementation
activities should follow the road map developed in your Prepare work plans
plan. This means that individual projects should be * Implement management
coordinated by a plan-designated project manager or s ra eS'es
implementation team to ensure that BMPs are not just * Conduct monitoring
implemented but also fit the schedules, achieve specific • Conduct information/education
milestones, and are integrated with various monitoring activities
and outreach efforts. • Share results
Prepare Work Plans
You will use your overall watershed plan as the foundation for preparing work plans, which will outline
the activities in 2- to 3-year time frames. Think of your watershed plan as a strategic plan for long-term
success and annual work plans as the specific to-do lists to achieve that vision. Work plans can also be
useful templates for preparing grant applications to fund implementation activities. Depending on the
time frame associated with your funding source, your work plans might need to be prepared annually
with quarterly reporting.
Implement Management Strategies
Implementing the watershed management plan involves a variety of expertise and skills, including project
management, technical expertise, group facilitation, data analysis, communication, and public relations.
The management practices you identified in your plan will probably include a combination of structural
and nonstructural controls. Be sure to set and track the milestones to measure the rate of progress in
implementing the management strategies. Your tracking should include the progress made in BMP
implementation, maintenance activities, and (if applicable) point source treatment improvements and
monitoring of social indicators.
Conduct Monitoring
As part of the development of your watershed plan, you should have developed a monitoring
component to track and evaluate the effectiveness of your implementation efforts. There are many ways
to monitor water conditions. To monitor the constituents in water, sediments, and fish tissue—such as
levels of dissolved oxygen, suspended sediments, nutrients, metals, oils, and pesticides—monitoring
specialists perform chemical measurements. Physical measurements of general conditions such as
temperature, flow, water color, and the condition of streambanks and lakeshores are also important.
Biological measurements of the abundance and variety of aquatic plant and animal life and the ability of
test organisms to survive in sample water are also widely used to monitor water conditions. In addition
to government monitoring programs, trained volunteers have been able to provide important data for
watershed management.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans 19
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Project Effectiveness Monitoring
Study: Otter Creek Watershed, Wisconsin
Section 319 funding was sought to improve water quality conditions in the Otter Creek watershed.
Modeling and field inventories identified critical areas needing treatment to achieve the project goals of
improving dissolved oxygen levels and reducing bacterial levels. Best management practices (BMPs) were
implemented on area dairy farms; they include rainwater diversions, concrete loading areas, filter screens to
trap large solids in runoff, and grassed filter strips for treating runoff. The following monitoring activities are
conducted to track project effectiveness:
• Paired watershed and upstream/downstream monitoring studies covering eight monitoring sites are
used to evaluate the benefits of the BMPs. The monitoring sites are above and below a dairy with
barnyard and streambank stabilization BMPs.
• Habitat, fish, and macroinvertebrates are sampled each year during the summer.
• Water chemistry is tracked through analysis of 30 weekly samples collected each year from April to
October at the paired watershed and upstream/downstream sites.
• Runoff events are also sampled at the upstream/downstream sites and at the single downstream
station site at the outlet of Otter Creek.
Read more about this project at http://www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/Section319lll/pdf/319_all.pdf.
Analyze Your Data
Two types of analyses should be considered during the implementation phase: (I) routine summary
analysis that tracks progress, assesses the quality of data relative to measurement quality objectives
(i.e., whether the data are of adequate quality to answer the monitoring questions), and provides early
feedback on trends, changes, and problems in the watershed and (2) intensive analysis to determine
status, changes, trends, or other issues that measure the response to watershed plan implementation.
In general, intensive data analysis should be conducted at least annually in a multiyear watershed plan.
The types of data analyses you perform on the monitoring data depend on the overall goals and
objectives, the management approach, and the nature of the monitoring program; several types of
analyses might be appropriate depending on the monitoring questions. Where analysis and evaluation of
management practices are the focus of monitoring, it might be feasible to use relatively simpler analyses,
such as t-tests comparing indicator levels before and after implementation, levels above and below
implementation sites, or pollutant levels in areas where management options were implemented and
areas where they were not. Where adequate pre-implementation data are not available, trend analysis
can be used to look for gradual changes in response to your implementation program. In some cases,
more sophisticated statistical techniques such as analysis of covariance might be required to control for
the effects of variations in weather, streamflow, or other factors.
Conduct Information/Education Activities
Although it is important to let people know about the water quality problems in the watershed,
sometimes simply informing and educating people on the issues is not enough to encourage adoption of
practices over time. First, audiences should be made aware of the issue. Then they should be educated
on the problems facing the watershed. Finally, they should learn what actions they can take to help
address those problems.
Share Results
Continuous communication is essential to building the credibility of and support for the watershed
implementation process. As part of your information/education activities, you should be highlighting key
activities and results to the stakeholders and the larger community. This helps to keep them engaged
and to show them how their participation is making a difference.
20 A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Importance of Adaptive Management and the Dungeness River Management Team
&Case Study: Protecting and Restoring the Waters of the Dungeness Watershed,
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe
Monitoring in the Dungeness watershed consists of an integrated strategy of "implementation monitoring"
of progress and "effectiveness monitoring" of whether quantitative goals have been achieved. Monitoring
and adaptive management are coordinated through the Dungeness River Management Team (DRMT), which
has members that are governments with decision-making and implementing authorities. Regular reports and
communications occur between the DRMT, governmental entities, and the public at large. The DRMT has
three standing committees to oversee implementation and effectiveness monitoring and to develop adaptive
strategies. They are the Executive Committee (to prepare agendas and the annual work plan) and two
technical oversight committees—the Clean Water Work Group and the Dungeness River Restoration
Work Group. In addition, the DRMT appoints project committees as needed. The importance of adaptive
management as a key activity of the DRMT is illustrated below.
Plan &
Project
Imdementa
Public Involvement
Water Quality
Clean up strategy
Shellfish health
vVastewater / septic
upgrades
Marine waters
Salmon Recovery
- Habitat restoration
- Hatchery Reform
- Harvest Mgt.
- Nearshore protection/
restoration
Water Quantity
- Protect instream flows
- Irrigation mgt.
- Conservation
- Public water supply
Riparian Property
Stewardship
- Land protection strategy
- Purchase / easements
-Parks
-Flood management
Dungeness
River
Management
Tfiam
Groundwater
Aquifer protection
- Aquifer recharge
Hydraulic continuity
Forest
Management
- Wildlife
- Roads
- Sediment mgt.
- Timber harvest
- Recreation
Adaptiv
Management
Coordinate
Enforcement
Read more about this project at http://www.jamestowntribe.Org/programs/nrs/3 I 9cplan.pdf.
Step 6. Measure Progress and Make Adjustments
You will periodically review the implementation activities
outlined in your work plan, compare the results with your
interim milestones, provide feedback to stakeholders, and
determine whether you want to make any corrections. The
adaptive management approach is not linear but circular, to
allow you to integrate results back into your program. You
need to create decision points at which you will review
information and then decide whether to make changes in your program or stay the course.
Step 6: Measure Progress and
Make Adjustments
• Track progress
• Make adjustments
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
21
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Track Progress
As part of your plan implementation, you will track progress in several areas, such as meeting the
milestones you set for management practice implementation. You will also analyze monitoring data to
determine water quality improvements. It is helpful to set time frames for the review and assessment of
your watershed plan. Simple basic data analysis should be done routinely as part of the review process.
Your review should also address several key areas:
• The process being used to implement your program
• Progress on your work plan
• Implementation results
• Feedback from landowners and other stakeholders.
Make Adjustments
If you have determined that you are not meeting the implementation milestones or interim targets that
you set for load reductions and other goals, you need to make adjustments. Perhaps you have
determined that you need additional management measures or you need to apply the management
measures in another location. Be sure to ask the right questions before making any changes. In some
cases you might not have met your milestones because of weather conditions, or perhaps you lacked
the funding to implement some of the measures.
Adaptive Management: Pollution Reductions versus Implementation Progress
&Case Study: Lower Monocacy River Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS),
Frederick, Maryland
The Lower Monocacy River Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS) stressed the importance of
achieving both implementation progress and monitoring results. In the instance that the pollution reductions
are inadequate, based on the monitoring data, but the implementation progress is adequate, based on
project tracking and modeling, adaptive management is required. Alliance members reanalyze existing
watershed conditions, monitoring methods, and modeling methods to investigate possible explanations.
Questions to be considered include:
• Is it possible that conditions in the watershed have changed to counteract the nutrient reductions of
the installed restoration projects?
• Is it possible that the installed restoration projects are not performing as expected or have failed since
the last time they were monitored?
• Is it possible that the nutrient reductions for the project, as cited in literature, could be incorrect for
the area where the project was installed?
• Are other BMPs more effective at reducing nutrients and sediment than those implemented?
• If so, should those BMPs be prioritized for implementation or should their level of implementation be
increased?
Read more about this project at http://www.watershed-alliance.com/mcwa_pubsWRASsupplement.html.
H Sections 13.7.1 and 13.7.2 of the Handbook include questions that you should ask yourself before modifying your
watershed plan.
22 A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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SECTION II: WHAT'S NEW?
The watershed planning approach is increasingly being applied as an overarching framework for
•.p integrated resource planning to address emerging issues such as climate change and coastal resource
OJ development pressures. The values of ecosystem services and green infrastructure practices are
t/l becoming important drivers in targeting watershed work. EPA is continually developing new watershed
management tools and initiatives for managers to help them make more effective decisions with limited
resources through better access to data that can help produce more robust results. Section II highlights
many of these new tools and describes how they support a watershed management framework.
This section highlights recent watershed-related initiatives and presents new tools that practitioners can
access to strengthen the management of water quality across the country. These tools have been
organized into the following categories:
• Data Access Tools
• Prioritizing Sites for Watershed Restoration and Protection
• Lessons Learned
• Funding Sources
• Climate Change
• Emerging Issues
• Training and Social Media Tools.
Data Access Tools
The Water Quality Portal
The Water Quality Portal (WQP, http://www.waterqualitydata.us/) is a cooperative project sponsored
by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), EPA, and the National Water Quality Monitoring
Council (NWQMC). It integrates publicly available water quality data from the USGS National Water
Information System (NWIS) and the EPA STORET (STOrage and RETrieval) Data Warehouse. The EPA
water quality data originate from the STORET Data Warehouse, which is EPA's repository of water
quality monitoring data collected by water resource management groups across the country.
Organizations, including states, tribes, watershed groups, other federal agencies, volunteer groups, and
universities, submit data to the STORET Data Warehouse to make their data publicly accessible. For
more information about STORET, see http://www.epa.gov/storet. The USGS water quality data originate
from the NWIS Web Database, which contains current and historical water data from more than 1.5
million sites across the nation. It is used by state and local governments, public and private utilities,
private citizens, and other federal agencies involved with managing our water resources.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans 23
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Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool
The Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access
Tool (NPDAT, http://gispub2.epa.gov/npdat/) enables
users to view and download nitrogen and phosphorus
pollution data from a variety of databases. The
NPDAT consists of an introductory website,
geospatial viewer, data downloads, and data sets. The
tool aggregates data at a single location and uses
shared Web services, including the STORET and
NWIS Mini-Portal services and numerous mapping
services. It also leverages the common code base used
by EPA's Recovery Mapper, MyWATERS Mapper, and
Beaches Mapper Web mapping applications.
o
r+
5'
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Data Access Tool
The NPDAT can help support states in analyzing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution by providing, in a
readily accessible and easy-to-use format, key data on the following:
• The extent and magnitude of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution
• Water quality problems related to this pollution
• Potential pollution sources.
The RPS website features step-by-step instructions in
recovery potential screening that link to several
online tools and resources. A library of recovery
potential indicators offers technical information on
specific recovery-related factors (ecological, stressor,
and social), how they influence restorability, and how
to measure them. Use of RPS could lead to better
restoration investments that restore valuable waters
earlier, more consistently, more cost-effectively, and
in more places.
Prioritizing Sites for Watershed Restoration and Protection
The Recovery Potential Screening Tool
EPA has developed Recovery Potential Screening
(RPS; see www.epa.gov/recoverypotential) to assist
watershed managers in making strategic decisions.
Based on a combination of ecological, stressor, and
social context indicators, RPS provides a systematic
approach for comparing how well watersheds may
respond to restoration or protection. Users apply
this decision support tool to prioritize the better
prospects for successful restoration, reveal key
factors underlying the difficulty of improving
watersheds, and compare how healthy watersheds
may be vulnerable to different degrees or types of
threat.
0 20 40 60 80
Stressor Indicators Summary Score
An RPS plot displays how watersheds (dots) differ in
ecological (Y axis), stressor (X axis), and social (dot size)
indicator scores. Impaired watersheds in the upper left
most resemble healthy watersheds and are good
prospects for restoration; small blue dots are healthy
watersheds that may be at risk due to low social score
and higher stressor score.
24
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Lessons Learned
Nonpoint Source Pollution Success Stories
The Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories Website (www.epa.gov/nps/success) features stories
about primarily nonpoint source-impaired waterbodies where watershed-level restoration efforts have
led to documented water quality improvements. Projects highlighted on the site have received Clean
Water Act section 319 funding or other nonpoint source-focused funding. The waterbodies featured in
the stories are separated into three categories, depending on the type of water quality improvement
achieved: (I) partially or fully restored waterbodies, (2) waterbodies that show progress toward
achieving water quality goals, and (3) waterbodies for which ecological restoration has been the main
focus of improvement efforts. This website houses approximately 450 success stories.
The section 319 program was created to provide critical support for state and local nonpoint source
efforts. Under section 319, states, territories, and tribes receive grant money that supports a wide
variety of activities, including technical assistance, financial assistance, education, training, technology
transfer, demonstration projects, and monitoring to assess the success of specific nonpoint source
implementation projects.
Lessons Learned from Agricultural Conservation Projects
From 2004 to 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
(USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) jointly funded
I 3 watershed projects across the nation. The overall goal of
these projects, which were conducted under the name
Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP, www.nrcs.
usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/nra/ceap/).
was to determine the measurable effects of agricultural
conservation practices on spatial patterns and trends in water
quality at the watershed scale. A recent publication by the Soil
and Water Conservation Society titled How to Build Better
Agricultural Conservation Programs to Protect Water Quality: The
National Institute of Food and Agriculture-Conservation
Effects Assessment Project Experience synthesizes the results,
lessons learned, and recommendations from the 13 CEAP
projects. The publication presents overarching lessons learned
and provides detailed information about each CEAP project,
including watershed setting, water quality problem(s), land
treatment, water quality results, modeling, socioeconomics,
and outreach/education.
The lessons learned from this synthesis strengthen the knowledge base for evaluating the impacts of
conservation practices on water quality, improving management of agricultural landscapes for improved
water resource outcomes, and informing conservation policy. The publication is available on the
Soil and Water Conservation Society's website (www.swcs.org/en/publications/building better
agricultural_conservation_programs).
0>
o
How to Build Better Agricultural Conservation
Programs to Protect Water Qualltyt
The National Institute of Food and
Agriculture-Conservation Effects
Assessment Project Experience
Edited by Ownn* L Osmond, Don-aid W, Meal*.
Datii IX. Heug, and MajdakAtab!
26
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Funding Sources
= Financial Assistance for Conservation Practices
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Evaluating Climate Risks and Adaptation Options for Water and Wastewater
Utilities
EPA has developed the Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (GREAT, www.epa.gov/
climatereadyutilities). a PC-based tool to assist drinking water and wastewater utility owners and
operators in understanding potential climate change threats and in assessing the related risks at their
individual utilities. GREAT provides users with access to the most recent national assessment of climate
change impacts, as well as local historical climate data for use in considering how those changes will
affect utility operations and missions.
This tool will also allow utilities to evaluate adaptation options to address the impacts using both
traditional risk assessment and scenario-based decision-making. GREAT provides references of drinking
water and wastewater utility assets (e.g., water resources, treatment plants, pump stations) that could
be impacted by climate change; possible climate change-related threats (e.g., flooding, drought, water
quality); and adaptive measures that can be implemented to reduce the impacts of climate change. The
tool guides users through identifying threats based on regional differences in climate change projections
and designing adaptation plans based on the types of threats being considered. Following assessment,
GREAT provides a series of risk reduction and cost reports that allow the user to evaluate various
adaptation options as part of long-term planning.
Emerging Issues
Incorporating Social Indicators into Watershed Plans
EPA Region 5, the Great Lakes Region of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA)
National Water Quality Program, the EPA Region 5 state nonpoint source programs, and land grant
universities released an updated version of the Social Indicator Planning and Evaluation System for
Nonpoint Source Planning (SIPES, http://greatlakeswater.uwex.edu/sites/default/files/library/outreach-
and-education/sipeshandbook-medium-res.pdf) in 201 I. It provides a step-by-step approach for using
social indicators to help plan, implement, and evaluate nonpoint source management projects. SIPES is
intended to be used by resource managers working in state or regional nonpoint source management
programs. Social indicators provide consistent measures of social change within a watershed, and
managers can use them to estimate the impacts of their efforts on adopting practices and to provide a
link to the eventual improvement of water quality. SIPES is designed to complement the Handbook, and
it is specifically focused on evaluating water quality projects. In addition, the social information collected
can help address several of the nine minimum elements.
0>
o
NPS
Program
Activities
Conceptual model of social indicators and water quality.
Use of Water
Quality
Management
Practices
Improvement
and Protection of
Water Quality
28
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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Training and Social Media Tools
Watershed Academy Webcasts and Online Training Modules
The Watershed Academy is a focal point in EPA's Office of Water for providing training and information
on implementing watershed approaches. EPA offers Watershed Academy Webcasts (see
www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts) throughout the year featuring national experts across a broad range
of watershed topics. All webcasts are archived and available online at the above website after each
webcast. EPA's Watershed Academy Web (www.epa.gov/watertrain) offers more than 50 self-paced
training modules that provide a broad introduction to the watershed management field. The modules
include "Introduction to Watershed Planning" (www.epa.gov/watertrain). which serves as a companion
to the Handbook and this guide. This resource also offers a Watershed Management Training Certificate
for trainees who complete 15 modules and pass the module self-tests. More than 4,000 trainees have
received certificates to date.
Watershed Central
Watershed Central (www.epa.gov/watershedcentral/) is a web-based platform designed to assist users in
developing and implementing effective watershed management programs. The site includes guidance,
tools, case studies, and data sets to help users share information, analyze data, and identify opportunities
to initiate or strengthen their watershed efforts. A key feature of Watershed Central is its wiki.
Anyone can access the Watershed Central Wiki (https://wiki.epa.gov/watershed2/) on the Internet, and
anyone can view user-supplied information without registering or logging in. Users are prompted to log
in only if they want to add or modify wiki content (similar to Wikipedia). Another chief benefit of this
open-access tool is that the information is accessible to search
engines like Google.
EPA developed the Watershed Central Wiki in response to
comments from watershed practitioners who had expressed a need
for peer-to-peer exchange on watershed management issues. The
Watershed Central Wiki is a powerful tool that allows users to do
the following:
• Share best practices, case studies, and lessons learned
• See what other watershed organizations are up to and learn
from them
• Identify potential partners in a particular watershed area Users can review and share information
• Evaluate and comment on watershed management tools or from hundreds of watersheds across the
report on new tools country.
• View a map with water monitoring stations, high-resolution aerial photography, and more for a
watershed
• Provide a link to a watershed management plan for others to learn from
• Create a page about an organization, add a map, and share it among other group members.
Thank you for reading this guide and taking the time to learn more about watershed planning. For
more detailed information, please refer to the Handbook (http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/handbook)
and the "Introduction to Watershed Planning" online module (www.epa.gov/watertrain).
We wish you the best of luck as you move forward with your watershed planning effort!
30 A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans
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APPENDIX
Regional, Tribal, and State Nonpoint Source Program Contacts
For a list of EPA regional and tribal NPS coordinators, as well as a list of state NPS coordinators, visit
http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/where.cfm.
References
Benedict, Mark, and Edward McMahon. 2001. Green Infrastructure: Smart Conservation for the 2 Ist Century.
Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse Monograph Series.
Genskow, Ken, and Linda Prokopy (eds.). 2010. The Social Indicator Planning and Evaluation System (SIPES)
for Nonpoint Source Management: A Handbook for Projects in USEPA Region 5. Version 2.1. Great
Lakes Regional Water Program. Publication no. GLRWP-IO-SI02 (76 pages).
Osmond, D.L, D.W. Meals, D. LK. Hoag, and M. Arabi, eds. 2012. How to Build Better Agricultural
Conservation Programs to Protect Water Quality: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture-
Conservation Effects Assessment Project Experience. Ankeny, IA: Soil and Water Conservation
Society.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2013. Getting in Step: Engaging Stakeholders in Your
Watershed. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2003. Getting In Step: A Guide for Conducting Watershed
Outreach Campaigns. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA- B-03-002.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to
Restore and Protect Our Waters. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA-841 -
B-08-002.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2009. Synthesis of Adaptation Options for Coastal Areas.
Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Ready Estuaries Program. EPA
430-F-08-024.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 201 Oa. Green Infrastructure in Arid and Semi-Arid Climates.
Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA-833-B-IO-002.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 201 Ob. Green Infrastructure Case Studies. Washington,
DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA-84I-F-IO-004.
USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2013. "Introduction to Watershed Planning."
Watershed Academy online module. Available at: www.epa.gov/watertrain.
A Quick Guide to Developing Watershed Plans 31
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