ABSTRACT
Watershed management occurs on many scales and for a variety of purposes. The planning process provides the focus for developing a road map for addressing the goals, selecting the best management alternatives and implementation approaches, defining challenges/opportunities, and determining how to measure progress and success. The specific goals of a watershed management plan need to be defined, based on stakeholder participation, within the context of existing conditions in the watershed and taking the future into account. The goals should be establishing a desirable future condition that accommodates important economic, social, and recreational uses — and the plan provides the framework to achieve them. Watershed planning is nothing more than a systematic approach to formulating goals and objectives and laying the groundwork for accomplishing them
The process of planning is inherently long-term and outcome-oriented. Without a long-term plan, year-to-year decisions are often inconsistent and management is invariably inefficient. Effectively managing a watershed requires a systematic plan based on the best available assessment of the watershed’s natural, economic, and social features. The planning process must get the science right. Otherwise, the plan might focus on an unsolvable problem based on existing technology. Plans need to focus on achieving outcomes rather than becoming a collection of tools or strategies for further analysis. Unfortunately, watershed management plans are typically reactive to problems rather than proactive to prevent future degradation. They must find a balance so the plan can be used to prevent future problems while addressing the existing problems. A small investment in pollution prevention today will prevent much greater future losses in pollution-related damages. Proper planning prevents disjointed decision making and facilitates the organization of activities. This chapter provides guidance on how to establish a plan to achieve this.
