What is a Watershed Plan?
A watershed plan is a document that serves as a blueprint for watershed management. A watershed plan identifies strategies to improve polluted waters and protect unpolluted waters. Watershed plans incorporate nine distinct elements identified (and required) by EPA:
- Identify the impairment and pollutant sources
- Estimate load reductions expected
- Describe of management measures to achieve load reductions
- Identify technical and financial assistance needed to implement management measures
- Develop education and outreach required to achieve management goals
- Develop an implementation schedule
- Describe interim measurable milestones
- Identify water quality improvement evaluation criteria
- Develop a water quality monitoring component
Watershed plans are used by watershed stakeholders to conduct on-the-ground and educational projects that are intended to result in water quality improvements, so that the water resource can be used and enjoyed by residents and future generations.
For more information visit:
EPA’s Guide to Watershed Planning.
CT DEEP’s Watershed Management webpage