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Frequent Questions |
I'm having problems using the website. Who can I contact for help?
Who should use this site?
What is a watershed approach?
What organization is in charge of developing watershed plans for my area?
What is a stakeholder?
What is a customized outline?
I have my customized outline - now what do I do?
How do I know if a watershed plan exists for my area? Where do I find information about existing plans?
What is a watershed?
How can this site help me develop a watershed plan?
What is a watershed plan?
I'm having problems using the website. Who can I contact for help?
Contact Stuart Lehman at lehman.stuart@epa.gov subject line "Watershed Plan Builder" if you have a question or comment about this website.
[Top of Page]Who should use this site?
This site is intended for people who are involved in watershed management activities. These activities include the development and implementation of watershed plans, the analysis of data, and the implementation of management practices. Many times watershed groups don¿t know how to get started with developing a watershed plan or they want to know what tools are available to assist with calculating pollutant loads or determining the best management practices to implement in the watershed.
[Top of Page]What is a watershed approach?
A watershed approach is a flexible framework for managing water resource quality and quantity within specified drainage areas, or watersheds. EPA and its partners are working together using a watershed approach to help restore and protect the nation's water resources through effective planning, development of user-friendly tools, and coordination with other agency programs.
[Top of Page]What organization is in charge of developing watershed plans for my area?
Anyone can develop a watershed plan. Usually, an organization or group with the resources to coordinate and implement a plan and who have access to the entire watershed will take on the project. This can be a federal, state or local group. To determine who is managing watershed plans in your area, you may want to start with the state environmental organization. They may be the ones in charge of the watershed plans or they may be able to direct you to the appropriate contacts.
[Top of Page]What is a stakeholder?
A stakeholder is an individual or organization that may influence, have an interest, or be affected by the outcome of a project. There are many benefits to involving as many stakeholders (or stakeholder groups) as possible as you develop and implement your watershed plan. See the "Building Partnerships" section of the Watershed Planning Process link for additional information about stakeholders and how to include them in your project.
[Top of Page]What is a customized outline?
The Watershed Plan Builder tool is designed to help get your started with developing your watershed plan by walking you through a series of questions about your watershed. The end product is a customized outline that includes recommended content to be included in the various sections of the watershed plan as well as related data links and contact information. You can then use this outline to begin working through the watershed planning process with your stakeholders to create a comprehensive watershed plan.
[Top of Page]I have my customized outline - now what do I do?
Once you have your customized outline you are ready to move forward with the development of your watershed plan. Check out the Watershed Planning Process link for more information about how to use your customized outline to develop your plan.
[Top of Page]How do I know if a watershed plan exists for my area? Where do I find information about existing plans?
Check with state or local environmental agencies. These groups may be able to tell you whether there is a watershed plan for your area or direct you to the appropriate contacts.
[Top of Page]What is a watershed?
A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, wetland, or, ultimately, the ocean.
[Top of Page]How can this site help me develop a watershed plan?
The Watershed Planning website contains many tools for helping you develop and implement your watershed plan. The Watershed Plan Builder Tool walks you through the initial information-gathering phase and creates a customized watershed plan outline that you can use to develop a watershed plan. The Watershed Planning Process section provides the context and steps required to develop a watershed plan. More information can be found in the Information Sources section of the website. Here you can find links to publications, tools and lists of funding sources related to developing and implementing watershed plans.
[Top of Page]What is a watershed plan?
A watershed plan is a document that results from the watershed planning process and provides assessment and management information for a geographically defined watershed, including the analyses, actions, participants, and resources related to development and implementation of the plan. These plans provide a road map to help you identify the problems, set goals, and implement solutions in your watershed. EPA has recommended the development of comprehensive watershed plans, particularly for impaired waterbodies.
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