1

TEXAS WATERSHED PLANNINGShort Course

Goal of Short Course

Help Water Professionals:

1. develop scientifically defensible plan that

2. meets EPA’s 9 key elements & is

3. supported by the local community &

4. will lead to measurable results &

5. an overall improvement in water quality.

2

Course Organization Integrates:

Six Steps in Watershed Planning

Nine Key Elements

Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans – EPA, 2008

3

Day ElementTues A. Identification of causes & sources

Tues/Wed B. Estimate of needed load reductions

Wed C. Description of management measures

Thurs D. Estimate of technical & financial assistance

Tues E. Information/education component

Thurs F. Schedule for implementation

Thurs G. Description of interim, measurable milestones

Thurs H. Criteria to determine if load reductions are achieved

Thurs I. Monitoring component to evaluate effectiveness

EPA HandbookDay Chapter

Mon 1. Introduction

Mon 2. Overview of Watershed Planning Process

Mon 3. Build Partnerships

Tues 4. Define Scope of Watershed Planning Effort

Tues 5. Gather Existing Data & Create an Inventory

Tues 6. Identify Data Gaps & Collect Additional Data

Tues 7. Analyze Data to Characterize the Watershed

Tues/Wed 8. Estimate Pollutant Loads

Tues/Wed 9. Set Goals & Identify Load Reductions

Wed 10. Identify Possible Management Strategies

Thurs 11. Evaluate Options & Select Final Mgt Strategies

Tues – Fri 12. Design Implementation Program & Assemble Plan

Fri 13. Implement Watershed Plan & Measure Progress

4

Description of course materials

Notebook Agenda Presentations List of Participants Survey Bios Additional Resources

CD Presentations Handbook Example WPPs Stakeholder Resources Additional Resources

To receive your certificate, you will need to submit :

Pre-course Exam

Post-course Exam

Course Evaluation

5

Ground Rules

Put cell phones on meeting/silent mode

Take side conversations outside

To stay on schedule, we will start on time

Have fun!!!

Any Questions Before We Get Started???

WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT & CONDITIONS IN TEXAS

6

Set Goals and Water Quality Standards (WQS)

Conduct Monitoring

Meeting WQS? Yes

Apply Antidegradation

No303(d)

Develop Strategies (TMDLs, WPPs, etc.)

Implement Strategies

NPDES

Sec. 319

Sec. 401

Sec. 404

SRF

Framework for Managing Surface Water Quality

Who is involved?

7

Impaired Water Bodies

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010

Causes of Impairments

8

Strategies for addressing 303(d) Listed Water Bodies

Loading allocation: TMDL

Additional monitoring to define problem

Evaluation of standards (UAA)

TMDL equivalent (e.g. watershed protection plan)

NINE ELEMENTS OF A WATERSHED PROTECTION PLAN & EPA’s EXPECTATIONS

9

A Identification of causes & sources

B Estimate of needed load reductions

C Description of management measures

D Estimate of technical & financial assistance

E Information/education component

F Schedule for implementation

G Description of measurable milestones

H Criteria to determine if load reductions achieved

I Monitoring component to evaluate effectiveness

An identification of the causes and sources that need to be controlled to achieve load reductions

Element A serves as the cornerstone for the development of the remaining eight elements Good sampling data collected, field surveys and land-

use characterization are necessary to identify and quantify the sources of pollution.

The data serve as a baseline from which to determine whether water quality goals have been met.

10

Element A Example

Are sources and causes of pollution identified, mapped and described?

Are loads from identified sources quantified?

Are the sub-watershed areas defined? If so, are sources identified for each sub-watershed?

Are data sources, estimates and assumptions sufficient, cited and verifiable?

Are existing data gaps identified? Will data gaps delay implementation?

Will data gaps be addressed?

11

An estimate of the load reductions expected for the management measures described

Estimates should be provided at the same level as each pollutant source is described in Element A The total load reduction expected for row crops; eroded

streambanks, etc.

Models are available to determine appropriate BMPs for reducing pollutant loads

Allocation of time, resources and funding are necessary to achieve before moving to Element C.

Element B Example

12

Are expected load reductions analyzed to ensure water quality standards will be achieved?

Are expected load reductions linked to cause/source identified in Element A?

Is modeling used appropriate for the watershed characteristics and available data?

Is the basis of the load reduction effectiveness estimate(s) thoroughly explained?

Are estimates, assumptions, and other data used in the analysis cited and verifiable?

A description of the NPS management measures that will be implemented to achieve the load reductions estimated

An identification of the critical areas in which those measures will be needed to implement this plan

Element C is critical to achieving the load reductions needed in the waterbody to attain water quality standards

13

Element C Example

Does the plan list and describe BMPs that will address the causes/sources of pollution?

Are the expected BMPs and critical areas mapped in the watershed?

Is the rationale given for the selection of BMPs?

Are BMPs applicable to the pollutant causes and sources?

Are the data estimates and assumptions used to select and locate BMPs technically sound?

14

An estimate of the amounts of technical and financial assistance needed, associated cost, and/or the sources and authorities that will be relied upon, to implement this plan.

Will provide the necessary basis for determining the appropriate technical and financial needs to support the implementation actions of the watershed plan

Element D

Example

15

Estimate of Technical Assistance Needed Are sources of technical assistance included?

Does the WPP describe the anticipated involvement of assisting agencies, watershed groups or volunteers?

Are additional technical assistance needs identified?

Estimate of Financial Assistance Needed Is a detailed cost estimate included?

Does the cost estimate include a reasonable estimate of all planning and implementation costs?

Are all potential funding sources listed? Is there an estimated contribution from each source?

Enhance public understanding of the project and encourage early & continued participation

Element E has three aspects: 1) generate sufficient information and support to allow

voluntary implementation by targeted land-users;

2) understanding and support to maintain BMPs after the project is completed, when loadings are determined to be achieved and water quality attained; and

3) generate a stakeholder system that garners sufficient local input in the development of the WPP from the inception to conclusion of the effort.

16

Element E Example

Does the WPP identify relevant stakeholders?

Does the WPP educate and keep the public informed?

Does the WPP include methods to engage stakeholders and landowners?

Was there active and diverse public participation in the development of the plan?

Do the education components emphasize the need to achieve water quality standards?

Does the education process prepare stakeholders for continued proper operation and maintenance of BMPs after project(s) is completed?

17

A schedule for implementing the NPS management measures identified in this plan that is reasonably expeditious.

A detailed schedule should be developed and documentation should be provided on how the watershed group will adhere to its schedule.

An estimate of when WQS will be achieved is important for inclusion, even if that date extends beyond the project period.

Element F Example

18

Does the schedule/timeline present projected dates for the development and implementation of the actions needed to meet the goals of the WPP?

Is the schedule appropriate based on the complexity of the impairment and the size of the watershed?

A description of interim, measurable milestones for determining whether NPS management measures or other control actions are being implemented.

Interim milestones will ensure BMPs are implemented on schedule, and in the most critical areas of the watershed, influencing water quality.

Milestones provide a mechanism for triggering adaptive management.

19

Element G Example

Are the identified milestones measurable and attainable?

Does the WPP identify incremental milestones with anticipated completion dates?

Does the WPP include progress evaluations and possible “course corrections” as needed?

Are the milestones appropriately linked with the proposed schedule in Element F?

20

Criteria that will be used to determine whether loading reductions are being achieved and progress is being made towards attaining water quality standards

Implementation should be linked with project expectations. Are timelines being met for implementation?

Are WQS or surrogate measures being met over time?

Is a decision process is in place to revise the work plan if progress has not been adequate?

Element H Example

21

Are criteria measureable and quantifiable?

Do the proposed criteria effectively measure progress towards the load reduction goal?

Are the types of data to be collected identified and appropriate models described?

Are target achievement dates identified?

Does the WPP include a review process to determine if anticipated reductions are being met?

Does the WPP include criteria to determine the need for revisions or mid-course corrections if adequate progress is not made towards the implementation schedule?

Is there a clear commitment to adaptive management in the WPP?

A monitoring component to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation efforts over time

The evaluation component of BMP implementation is necessary to have credible data and information for judging the effectiveness in achieving the load reductions through modeling and water quality sampling.

22

Element I Example

How monitoring fits into PlanDoes the WPP include a description of how

monitoring will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation efforts?

Will the monitoring plan effectively measure the evaluation criteria identified in Element H?

Does the WPP include a routine reporting element in which progress and methodology are presented?

23

Monitoring MethodsAre the parameters appropriate?

Is the number of sites adequate?

Is the frequency of sampling adequate?

Is the monitoring tied to a quality assurance plan?

Will the monitoring method effectively link the load reduction from implementation to improvements in the waterbody?

Building Partnerships

Characterize Watershed

Set Goals and Identify Solutions

Design Implementation Program

Implement Plan

Measure Progress and Adjust

24

1. Build partnerships

Identify key stakeholders

Identify issues of concern

Set preliminary goals

Develop indicators

Conduct public outreach

2. Characterize the watershed

Gather existing data & create a watershed inventory

Identify data gaps & collect additional data if needed

Analyze data

Identify causes & sources of pollution that need to be controlled

Estimate pollutant loads

25

3. Finalize goals & identify solutions

Set overall goals & management objectives

Develop indicators/targets

Determine load reductions needed

Identify critical areas

Develop management measures to achieve goals

4. Design implementation program

Develop implementation schedule

Interim milestones to track implementation of management measures

Develop criteria to measure progress toward meeting watershed goals

Develop monitoring component

26

4. Design implementation program, continued…

Develop information/education component

Develop evaluation process

Identify technical & financial assistance needed to implement plan

Assign responsibility for reviewing & revising plan

5. Implement the watershed plan

Implement management strategies

Conduct monitoring

Conduct information/education activities

27

6. Measure progress & make adjustments

Review & evaluate information

Share results

Prepare annual work plans

Report back to stakeholders & others

Make adjustments to program

Questions?