WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Watershed management consists of those coordinated human activities aimed at controlling, enhancing, protecting, or restoring watershed functions for the chemical, physical and biological integrity of water resources.  Water resources integrity addresses both water quality and quantity issues. 

A watershed is an area in which the natural hydrological boundaries drain to a common location.  Watershed boundaries can be determined for surface and ground water and although linked they may not exhibit the same boundaries. 

Watersheds are often referred to as natures boundaries, an area of land within which all living things are inextricably linked.  They provide identifiable geographic areas and a logical basis for organizing policies and strategies to managing water resources.  The alignment of state water resource programs by watershed, along with partnering between all levels of water management players have been identified as a strategic issue.

Effective regulatory and voluntary programs require cooperation with local officials and private citizens because they play a key role in the health of a watershed through decisions that affect the type and location of human activity within a watershed.  Therefore, cooperation among all water management players is key to the success of watershed management.  Achieving environmental objectives regarding Ohio's surface and ground water requires addressing the strategic need for watershed management.   

Objectives:

  1. Align state water resource programs by watersheds.
    OWRC continue to facilitate watershed management
    State agencies establish goals and organize/administer programs affecting water resources on a watershed basis
  2. Partner with all levels of water management players ? local, state, regional, federal and international.
    State support of local watershed management
    Funding
    Integration of programs on a watershed basis
    Data portal
 
Objs. Action (Program / Initiative) Indicator / Measure Agencies
Lead* and Supporting 		Resources
1. complete with existing
2. develop/identify to complete
3. new needed
1. Develop indicators and evaluate costeffectiveness of watershed coordinator grants program. Indicators Developed      
Completed Report and Recommendations		 ODNR/DSWC* OEPA/DSW OSU 1
2. Facilitate discussions to develop mechanisms to fund watershed planning and implementation projects. Additional funding concepts and strategies to support watershed programs. ODNR/DSWC* OEPA/DSW OSU 1
1. Conduct analysis of obstacles to alignment of state policies and programs (including regulatory) with state endorsed watershed action plans. Completed report and recommendations on ways to improve alignment with endorsed watershed plans. ODNR/DSWC OEPA* OSU 2
1, 2 Develop approaches to providing coordinated local, state, and regional watershed technical support services to watershed groups/programs. Coordinated approach developed for technical support of local watershed projects/programs. ODNR/DSWC OEPA OSU/ILGARD 2
1, 2 Enhance the water resources directory to include:
1.    structured by watershed
2.    online and searchable
3.    relate to Appendix 8
4.    web directory of watershed plans		 Directory complete and online ODNR 1
2 Assist development of a state association of watershed groups. Active state association of watershed groups OSUEXTENSION 2
2 Develop evaluation and tracking tools to measure progress towards watershed goals (surface and groundwater). Tools developed for use on a watershed basis (e.g. Credible Data Level II Rules, Data Management System) OEPA/DSW 3
1, 2 Support water quality assessment reporting at 14digit HUC scale. Water quality assessment reporting at 14-digit HUC scale. OEPA/DSW 1
1, 2 Equip watershed groups with the skills to measure progress towards water quality goals. Level II Credible Data training developed and offered.      
Social indicators developed		 OEPA/DSW 3
2 Agencies support progress toward creation of a water data portal by continuing to provide updates to the water resource metadata web site to ensure the quality and usefulness of content. Water resource metadata web site maintained with current information ODNRDOW 2