Urban Waters Partnership
Workplan Template
Summary: This document serves as a partnership workplan template for Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) locations.
It is intended to provide a model for a partnership workplan approach to define goals, summarize priority projects and specify
milestones. You may modify the content and approach to optimize the plan for your partnership. Provided below are
workplan options depicted by a yearly reporting structure or a three-five-year reporting structure. Workplans are also be
organized by theme or topic that resemble the priorities of your partnership.
In the process of developing a workplan, key partners (federal, state and local government, NGOs, community, academia, etc.)
and the Urban Waters Ambassador should coordinate meetings to outline priorities and projects that best align with the
partnership's mission and goals. Once priorities and projects are agreed upon by key stakeholders, actions and initiatives
should be documented in this workplan template to ensure outcomes are achieved and projects are completed.
A finalized workplan serves as a valuable resource to align and coordinate future projects, investments and funding
opportunities. It serves as a resource to communicate back to partner agencies and the community the benefits of their
participation. It also serves as a resource for partnerships that may experience a leadership or Ambassador transition. Be sure
to send your workplan to your partnership lead and the EPA Headquarters Urban Waters team; EPA will post it on
urbanwaters.gov.
Urban Waters partnerships operate in constantly changing environments; therefore, workplans should be regularly reviewed
and updated if necessary.
Partnership workplan examples:
• Los Angeles River
• Middle Rio Grande
• Cano Martin Pena
Location ! [Insert partnership/watershed name]
Points of Contact: [Insert name of Ambassador, federal lead, etc.]
I. Background
The Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) is an effort seeking to "revitalize urban waters and the communities
that surround them, transforming overlooked assets into treasured centerpieces and drivers of urban revival."1
This collaboration will:
• align federal government programs and investments in these communities;
• expand partnerships;
• build local capacity; and
• find innovative ways to communicate the environmental and economic potential of safe and clean urban
waters.
1 Urban Waters Federal Partnership: Vision, Mission and Principles
if
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[Insert an overview/description of the location's watershed. For example, "Los Angeles River Watershed includes the
51-mile Los Angeles River; with its headwaters in the Angeles National Forest to discharge to the Pacific Ocean in
Long Beach, and over 870-square-mile watershed."]
This workplan has been developed by partners working for the {insert location name} as part of the UWFP. It is
intended to define goals, detail key partners, summarize priority projects and specify milestones.
II. Partners
Insert list of key partners:
Federal Agency Partners:
State Agency Partners:
Local Government Partners:
Nongovernmental Organizations/Community Organizations:
Private Sector:
Academia:
III. Overall Goals and Objectives
The {insert location} Urban Waters Partnership will work to protect, restore and revitalize urban water sources in
{insert city/region name}. The partnership will use the mission, vision and principles of the Urban Waters Federal
Partnership to:
• Promote clean waterways
• Reconnect citizens to their waterways
• Conserve water
• Promote access to clean and healthy water for everyone
• Promote economic revitalization and prosperity through existing networks of urban water resources
• Encourage community involvement and stewardship through active partnerships
• Engage and hear the needs of the communities
• Measure results and evaluate factors to future success
IV. Initiatives (upcoming projects)
Given that Urban Waters partnerships operate in a constantly changing environment, the focus of a workplan is
subject to shift from a project-based workplan toward a theme-based workplan. Options are provided below if a
partnership sets and tracks goals on an annual basis (Option 1), or on a three- to five-year basis (Option 2).
Option 1: (workplan tracked annually)
[See example below]
Initiative l
[Insert description/overview of project/vision]
Federal Partners:
Other Partners/Stakeholders:
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Year 1 - Workplan Activities:
a.
b.
c.
Year 1 - Expected Outputs:
[Insert tangible achievements or milestones. For example, this can include the number of workshops,
cleanup actions or youth programs held, or the number of green infrastructure systems installed.]
Year 1 - Expected Outcomes:
[Insert achievements related to environmental or community improvements. For example, this can
include faith community members engaged, city officials' cooperation to restore the watershed or
residents connecting to local urban waters.]
Year 2 - Workplan Activities:
a.
b.
c.
Year 2 - Expected Outputs:
Year 2 - Expected Outcomes:
Initiative 2
[Insert description/overview of project/vision]
Federal Partners:
Other Partners/Stakeholders:
Year 1 - Workplan Activities:
a.
b.
c.
Year 1 - Expected Outputs:
Year 1 - Expected Outcomes:
Year 2 - Workplan Activities:
a.
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c.
Year 2 - Expected Outputs:
Year 2 - Expected Outcomes:
Option 2: (3-5 year workplan)
[See example below]
Initiative 1
[Insert description/overview of project/vision]
Federal Partners:
Other Partners/Stakeholders:
Workplan Activities: (3-5 year plan):
a.
b.
c.
Expected Outputs: (annually or by the end of the 3-5 year plan):
[Insert tangible achievements or milestones. For example, this can include the number of workshops,
cleanup actions or youth programs held, or the number of green infrastructure systems installed.]
Expected Outcomes: (annually or by the end of the 3-5 year plan):
[Insert achievements related to environmental or community improvements. For example, this can
include faith community members engaged, city officials' cooperation to restore the watershed or
residents connecting to local urban waters.]
Initiative 2
[Insert description/overview of project/vision]
Federal Partners:
Other Partners/Stakeholders:
Workplan Activities: (3-5 year plan):
a.
b.
c.
Expected Outputs: (annually or by the end of the 3-5 year plan)
Expected Outcomes: (annually or by the end of the 3-5 year plan)
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V. Other Partnership Activities
Activities listed here are not required to be directly correlated to an initiative.
Project:
[Insert description/overview of project/vision]
Federal Partners:
Partners/Stakeholders:
Milestones:
VI. Additional Initiatives/Projects Suggested by {location}
These are initiatives that have been identified or suggested and should further be explored to determine viability.
Workplan should be revised and updated on an annual or semi-annual basis.
***
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Option 1 Initiative Example
(from Cano Martin Pena Workplan):
© [Click here to see the full workplan.]
Initiative 1: USACE Cano Martin Pena Ecosystem Restoration Project (ERP)
"The Cano Martin Pena ERP will restore tidal connectivity between the San Jose Lagoon and the San Juan Bay by
removing over 800,000 cubic yards of sediments, debris and trash; reducing water residence time; improving
water quality; improving essential fish habitat conditions and mobility of fish throughout the San Juan Bay
Estuary; and boosting biodiversity."2
Federal Participants: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), White
House Task Force
Partners/Stakeholders: Enlace, G-8 Communities, San Juan Bay Estuary Program (SJBEP), Department of Natural
and Environmental Resources (DNER), Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), Resident
Commissioner's office, Fundacion Banco Popular
Year 1 Workplan Activities:
a. Feasibility Study Approval
Enlace is working with USACE, EPA and DNER on finalizing and getting approval of the Feasibility Study by
December 2015.
b. Appropriations for Pre-Construction and Engineering
Once the feasibility study is approved the next phase requires appropriating funds in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 that will
allow continuing with Pre-Construction and Design (PED). The estimated cost for the PED is $10.38 million (65%
federal/35% local cost share), to be spent in 18 months. Both the federal and nonfederal cost-share must be
secured by December 2015. The White House Task Force can collaborate in ensuring this activity is included in the
president's FY 2017 budget. The Puerto Rico Affairs Administration, the Resident Commissioner's office and
Fundacion Banco Popular are working on Congressional awareness and strategy for appropriations in FY 2016
budget.
c. Contract and Initiate Pre-Construction Engineering and Design
With PED funding secured, both Enlace and USACE must move quickly toward procuring and contracting services
for PED to initiate work by the end of Year 1.
Expected Outputs Year 1:
• Approved Feasibility Study
• PED appropriation (federal and local)
• PED contracting
Year 2 Workplan Activities:
a. Pre-construction Engineering and Design - Enlace and USACE are to continue with PED development
during Year 2. By the end of Year 2 PED should be completed or close to completion.
2 USACE. Final Independent External Peer Review Report Draft Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the
Cano Martin Pena Ecosystem Restoration Project. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 12 Dec. 2013. 18 Jul 2014.
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Option 2 Initiative Example
(from Los Angeles River Watershed Workplan):
e [Click here to see the full workplan.]
Initiative 14: L.A. River Natural Park and Regional Access
This project is comprised of three components that will establish a regional park on 16 acres of contiguous open
space along the L.A. River in Studio City, and connect the adjacent L.A. River Trail and a transportation hub that
will encourage non-motorized public access to the river and the park.
L.A. River Natural Park is the medium-to-long-term goal of a number of public agencies, elected officials and L.A.
River citizens groups who want to optimize the unique regional L.A. River public access, water quality
improvement, habitat restoration, scenic and educational value of this, the last 16 acres of unprotected open
space along the 22 miles of the L.A. River in the San Fernando Valley. The property is located in Studio City and
runs between Whitsett and roughly Coldwater Canyon, abuts the L.A. River on the southern side and has Valley
Spring Lane as a northern boundary. The L.A. River Natural Park will also serve to improve water quality through
reclamation and remediation of surface runoff from the surrounding neighborhoods by creating state-of-the-art
constructed wetlands to naturally filter and clean runoff. The immediate plan for the L.A. River Natural Park
requires opposition to planned zoning revisions and the development of high density housing on the site.
As a regional access point to the L.A. River, 1.5 miles of L.A. River Greenway Trail will be improved and connected
to improved greenways on either side of this stretch. In addition, a City of Los Angeles public garage 400 yards to
the east is envisioned as a regional bicycle hub and staging site for non-motorized access to the trail and other
passive recreational activities being planned at the park.
Involved Partners: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of L.A., Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Community
Conservation Solutions (CCS), SAVE LA River Open Space, Friends of the Los Angeles River
Milestones: Concept and design phase, ongoing public outreach; three grants recently awarded, seeking
remaining funding; permitting, construction 2014-2016.
• L.A. River Greenway Trail
o Community Workshop to Review Design - May 2014
o Design completed - June 2014
o Groundbreaking - September 2014
• L.A. River Natural Park
o Ongoing discussions with property owners
• L.A. River Parking Garage & Bicycle Hub
o Host discussion with relevant city departments and L.A. River groups to identify planning and
signage needs - March 2014
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