We develop and provide watershed characterization information to help inform local planning processes. This page provides links to examples of how land use planners and resource managers have used watershed characterization to develop watershed-based plans. We also outline the purpose and benefits of watershed characterization.
Watershed data helps inform local planning processes
Land use planning and permit decisions usually incorporate information gathered at the site but not the watershed as a whole. This means decisions are rarely informed by an understanding of ecosystem processes or watershed conditions. Over the long term this can result in cumulative impacts that significantly affect the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
The characterization results can be used to help:
- Achieve a more functional and resilient natural watershed ecosystem.
- Identify and resolve areas of conflict between proposed land use actions and protection of watershed resources.
- Identify the root cause of watershed issues and develop appropriate solutions.
Completed in December 2013, this project involved the development of a land use plan based on ecological values and functions of the Gorst Creek watershed. The project developed the regulatory framework to protect existing wild lands and ensure sustainable growth. A major goal of the project is to assist and leverage development by creating a streamlined permitting process to reduce permitting cost and time for developers and local governments.
Adopted September 15, 2015, the City of Duvall Watershed Plan identifies goals and polices that seek to direct future development in a way that protects and restores Duvall’s watershed processes. To implement the watershed goals and policies, the plan identifies actions the city can take to improve forest cover, water quality, wildlife habitat and soils.
This March 2015 project is an example of a multi-scale assessment that was developed to support the efforts of the lead salmon recovery entity for Water Resources Inventory Area (WRIA) 7. It was used to develop a addendum to their plan which focuses on strategies for protecting hydrologic processes.
The October 2007 Birch Bay study was a collaborative effort by local, state, and federal agencies to create a comprehensive set of watershed management recommendations using integrated watershed characterization tools. The primary participants in the study were: Whatcom County, Ecology, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, EPA and the Puget Sound Partnership. The Birch Bay study provides preliminary recommendations for land use planning and resource management that will maintain and preferably improve the quality and condition of local wetland, stream, nearshore, and terrestrial resources in the Birch Bay watershed.