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Suggested citation: Ford, L.A., and R.J. McCormick. 2015. Bureau of Management Program Strategy: Focus on Integration, 2015- 2020. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of , Washington Office, Washington, DC.

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BLM/WO/GI-15/015+7400 BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Water Resource Program Strategy: Focus on Integration 2015-2020

Authors:

Larisa A. Ford, , Water, and Air Program Lead BLM Washington Office, Washington, DC

Ron McCormick, Ecologist BLM Washington Office, Washington, DC

SEPTEMBER 2015 The BLM must address complex and critical water resource management matters, including important supply and demand situations in the face of a changing , that will affect its ability to authorize many activities during periods of drought, , and increased fire intensities, all in the context of greater surface and ground water use demands. BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 SOIL, WATER, and AIR PROGRAM

Mission Statement:

We maintain and improve foundational processes to ensure resilience of our watersheds and other and to promote ecosystem integrity by protecting, maintaining, and improving the quality of soil, water, and air on public lands in partnership with communities and stakeholders.

Vision Statement:

The Soil, Water, and Air Program seeks to improve the quality and effectiveness of decisions made by the Bureau of Land Management by:

(1) Integrating conservation and sustainable use principles in soil, water, and air activities and functions.

(2) Providing effective engagement with other programs, partners, and stakeholders.

(3) Striving to make soil, water, and air resources knowledge and expertise accessible throughout the BLM.

i BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 Table of Contents

Executive Summary ...... iii

1. Introduction ...... 1

2. Emphasis, Perspective, and Approach ...... 3 2.1 A Watershed Emphasis ...... 3 2.2 A Perspective ...... 4 2.3 An Ecosystem Services Approach ...... 5 2.4 Protecting and Quantity ...... 6

3. Collaborate to Protect and Restore Watersheds ...... 9 3.1 Bureau of Land Management ...... 9 3.2 Federal Partners ...... 9 3.3 Tribes ...... 12 3.4 State and Local Agencies ...... 12 3.5 Other BLM Programs and Initiatives ...... 12

4. Goals and Objectives ...... 15 4.1 Goal 1: Increase proactive measures taken to reduce the introduction of traditional pollutants to ...... 15 4.2 Goal 2: Incorporate collaborative, regional watershed resource assessments into BLM standard practices ...... 15 4.3 Goal 3: Improve the breadth, depth, and efficiency of water quality monitoring and the effectiveness of subsequent analyses ...... 16 4.4 Goal 4: Improve the availability of and access to water quality monitoring data ...... 16 4.5 Goal 5: Improve relationships with other agencies and stakeholders ...... 17 4.6 Goal 6: Enhance and maintain the BLM’s technical expertise relevant to water resources ...... 18

5. Summary ...... 21

ii BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 Executive Summary

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Soil, Water, and Air Program is establishing 5-year strategies for all three program elements to support BLM professionals in meeting conservation challenges posed by increasing societal demands for ecological resources on public lands. This strategy highlights the management challenges particular to water resources and describes the diverse roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and tribal governments, along with local agencies. This strategy outlines six overarching goals for the BLM Water Resource Program to achieve over the next 5 years. This strategy will enable the BLM to continue protecting water resources while complying with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act’s multiple-use and sustained-yield mandate for managing public lands.

The goals highlighted in this strategy include: (1) increase proactive measures taken to reduce the introduction of traditional pollutants to water resources; (2) incorporate collaborative, regional watershed resource assessments into BLM standard practices; (3) improve the breadth, depth, and efficiency of water quality monitoring and the effectiveness of subsequent analyses; (4) improve the availability of and access to water quality monitoring data; (5) improve relationships with other agencies and stakeholders; and (6) enhance and maintain the BLM’s technical expertise relevant to water resources.

A critical aspect of this strategy is the use of a landscape approach based on watershed boundaries. This places new emphasis on proactive measures to reduce discharges, enhance regional salinity reduction assessments, design and implement monitoring plans, and improve data management. Also, equally critical elements include increasing collaborative relationships with other agencies and stakeholders and strengthening the water expertise within the BLM. This strategy offers opportunities for continual learning to inform BLM water resource professionals as well as to support other resource management efforts.

iii The BLM is facing an increasing number of inquiries, challenges, and litigation from interest groups regarding:

(1) Effects of hydraulic fracturing and development on ground water and supplies.

(2) Water quality and water supply.

(3) Effects of multiple water uses on and other sensitive areas.

(4) Application of measures to offset avoidable impairment of water quality due to authorized uses.

(5) Challenges for water rights, nonuse transfers, and beneficial instream water uses. BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 1. Introduction

As part of managing the use thread among these policies is of its trust resources, the U.S. the need for accurate and timely Department of the Interior’s information regarding resource Bureau of Land Management location, amount, condition, (BLM) assesses and authorizes and trend. actions related to energy development, extraction, While the CWA defines a timber harvesting, grazing, regulatory framework for rights-of-way, dams, recreational protecting and improving the opportunities, and other activities nation’s water quality, the that may release pollutants or BLM’s water resource decisions toxins into surface or ground may, in certain circumstances, . The Federal Land Policy complement CWA requirements, and Management Act (FLPMA) particularly when they protect directs the BLM to manage its public lands, as broadly defined 245 million surface acres of public in FLPMA, from unnecessary lands and 700 million subsurface and undue degradation. NEPA acres of mineral estate on the basis offers a process for identifying of “multiple use” and “sustained water resources that should yield” principles. be considered during the environmental review process. Along with FLPMA, two other Under the NEPA process, the BLM federal statutes—the Clean Water is required to characterize any Act (CWA) and the National potential environmental effects Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)— from actions it authorizes and guide the BLM’s uses of water to offer design and permitting resources. Several provisions options to eliminate or effectively of FLPMA apply directly to this mitigate any expected adverse strategy, including: (1) that the environmental effects. BLM will manage the public lands in a manner that maintains water The BLM is facing increasingly quality and protects the ecosystem complex and critical water values derived from water resource issues, such as drought resources; (2) that the BLM’s land and climate change, that affect its use plans provide for compliance ability to authorize many activities with applicable and uses. For example, using standards, among other laws; water to develop new energy and (3) that the BLM incorporate projects may influence instream provisions allowing revocation flows that maintain ecosystem of a lease or suspension of a use provisioning services and support authorization for noncompliance fish . The challenge for with water quality standards or BLM managers is to decide which implementation plans. A common of the many competing activities

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can be authorized within a given activities and uses consistent landscape. with FLPMA’s “multiple use” and “sustained yield” principles and The BLM is also facing mounting FLPMA’s provisions to protect challenges, protests, and water resources and ecosystem litigation from special interest values; and (2) ensure the BLM groups regarding the effects of is in compliance with the CWA. hydraulic fracturing and energy Addressing these matters directly development on ground water and should increase confidence and drinking water supplies and water certainty in the BLM’s planning and quality. It is critical for the BLM NEPA processes, benefiting the to address these matters in order BLM, its government partners, and to: (1) appropriately authorize other stakeholders.

2 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 2. Emphasis, Perspective, and Approach

2.1 A Watershed Emphasis The United States and Puerto Rico, for example, have 2,267 defined A watershed boundary is subbasin watersheds (4th order, delineated using the simple 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Code). concept of which way a drop These watersheds cross county, of water moves when it hits the state, and national boundaries ground. However, a watershed and are often managed by a is much more than water moving diverse group of public and private downslope with gravity. In the entities. A landscape approach to 1860s, explorer and scientist watershed management must John Wesley Powell spoke of a include interagency collaboration. watershed as “that area of land, By increasing its collaborative a bounded hydrologic system, efforts, the BLM can more effectively within which all living things manage its trust resources by are inextricably linked by their leveraging the millions of dollars common water course and where, spent annually toward conjoint as humans settled, simple logic watershed management and demanded that they become part monitoring actions. of a community.” Watersheds are more than just a Watersheds can be as small as source of water. They represent a footprint or large enough to an integrated landscape where encompass most of a , what happens in the upper reaches such as the Amazon River that affects everything downstream. drains half the rivers of South The demands of downstream users America into the Atlantic . (both people and fish) limit what For perspective, the Amazon can be done upstream. Using River drains twice as much land a landscape perspective when area as the Nile and Mississippi assessing potential management Rivers combined and has more actions requires those who live, than 10 times the discharge work, and play in the watershed volume (again, combined). Thus, to look beyond their particular the term watershed does not piece of land or planned projects define a scale—that is, there is no and take into account the such thing as “watershed scale” surrounding matrix of lands that analyses—but it does describe a can or will be affected by their specific landscape and includes actions. Roads, dams, gravel pits, all the biotic and abiotic elements parking lots, ditches, within and the greater landscape and neighborhoods all alter the matrix beyond the bounds. volume, timing, and flow rate of

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water—all aspects of ecosystem across BLM-managed watersheds, services. A landscape perspective the agency needs to promote the accounts for changes to the understanding of: efficiency of ecosystem processes and design plans accordingly, n The social, economic, and eliminating the socially and ecological context of any economically unacceptable proposed management action changes and mitigating the with respect to the landscape, remaining to a level accepted by including watersheds, to stakeholders. potentially affected stakeholders.

n Local and global societies extract The current status and water, timber, , and a anticipated trajectory of vast number of other ecosystem ecological resources and systems services from their surrounding of interest. landscapes. Even if the BLM does n The hierarchical segregation not use this terminology, society as of organisms, communities, a whole is absolutely dependent populations, and ecosystems, on the continued provision of as defined by and scaled to a goods and services from the proposed management action. ecological system. This concept n continues to gain recognition The resilience capacity of desired in social and scientific settings ecological resources and systems. as the emergent deleterious n The capacity of nondesired effects of mismanaging water ecological resources and systems resources become more apparent to resist management efforts. in the economy. The increased understanding and awareness of n Change agents currently active the value of ecosystem services and those anticipated to be has prompted the global water active for the duration of an community to take steps toward authorized action, including the managing landscapes (watersheds) monitoring period. to support socially acceptable and sustainable water uses. With Strategies to protect aquatic urban populations growing and ecosystems include reducing water water demands on the rise, the demand through conservation, BLM must act to ensure that the managing water within the bounds ecological benefits, demanded by of an ecological flow prescription, society and provided by resilient and planning for the allocation of intact ecosystems, remain available. ecosystem services during periods of drought, and protecting source watersheds. The Water Resource 2.2 A Landscape Perspective Program’s approach provides information concerning water To optimize the continued quality and quantity in the context provision of ecosystem services of specific watersheds, making

4 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 these data readily accessible to such as , wildfire, and decisionmakers when considering weather patterns, and control effects on landscapes and other the growth of and ecological resources. populations, including diseases. Most regulating services make a local environment appear stable, 2.3 An Ecosystem so people and societies can plan Services Approach for the future with the expectation that the will come and the The beneficial aspects of local to rivers will flow, but only in the global ecological systems have anticipated ways. been recognized for ages by individuals and communities, yet Cultural Services only recently has the ecosystem Cultural services are primarily services concept been expanded nonmaterial benefits that to describe these benefits contribute to the cultural valued by society as a whole. An development and evolution is any positive of people and society. Water benefit that the ecological system resources provide cultural provides to people and society. services by being the source of The benefits may be direct or inspiration for music and art, being indirect. In general, four major incorporated into architecture, categories of ecosystem services being used during cultural and have been identified: provisioning, spiritual events, and by being a regulating, cultural, and supporting source for recreational activities. services. Water resources provide many ecosystem services in each Supporting Services of the four categories.1 Supporting services are essential background natural processes, Provisioning Services such as photosynthesis, that are Provisioning services include any fundamental to the ecosystem type of benefit to people that can itself. The water cycle (Figure 1) be physically extracted from nature, is a primary driver of ecosystem such as , water, and firewood. processes, aiding other supporting A society benefits from access services such as nutrient cycling. to drinkable surface and ground water provided by ecosystem It is important that the BLM processes as water moves through recognizes and articulates how soil into rivers, , and . potential authorized uses can affect ecosystem services. In Regulating Services this way, plans can be altered to Regulating services include those avoid unmanageable changes, or basic ecosystem services that adapted to mitigate unavoidable moderate natural phenomena, changes, such as climate change.

1 Press, “Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: A Toolkit for Understanding and Action” (Washington, DC: 2007). 5 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020

Figure 1. Diagram of the water cycle (www.pmm.nasa.gov)

2.4 Protecting Water and sustainable, secure water Quality and Quantity supplies.” Considering a Changing Climate The BLM strives to sustainably A changing climate very likely manage the ecosystem services will affect the water cycle and all that regulate water quantity and connected seasonal and decadal affect water quality on landscapes processes, including nutrient cycling under its jurisdiction. An increased rates and snowpack (Figure 2). The emphasis will be placed on BLM should consider these effects instituting measures to reduce when choosing management pollutant loading into public actions in order to successfully waters, improving monitoring protect water supplies for current methods, and increasing and future needs. Analysis of data availability. It will also long-term datasets indicates be important to establish that average air and ocean and improve partnerships temperatures are changing; snow with stakeholders in a and are melting at an increased watershed, as well as to rate and factor into rising sea provide technical expertise levels (along with increasing on water resource and rights water temperatures). matters to internal and external partners. The BLM anticipates Regionally, the amount and that the emphasis on protecting intensity of has water supplies for sustainable become more variable, and uses is the best way to meet the those trends are expected to Secretary of the Interior’s mission continue. Increased variability in area #5 from the “Strategic Plan precipitation rates, volume, and for Fiscal Years 2014-2018,” which timing will affect streamflows, soil is “Ensuring healthy watersheds moisture regimes, and ground

6 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 water recharge. Subsequent be influenced by wider water changes in vegetative cover and temperature ranges, adjacent land biogeochemical cycling rates use actions, and changes in runoff within a watershed, along with volume and patterns. The effects changing societal demands for of a changing climate will continue water supply, are anticipated. to influence BLM decisions that Nutrient, sediment, and pollutant affect water resources and the loading to streams and lakes will ecosystem services they provide.

Figure 2. Diagram showing examples of the effects of climate change (www.epa.gov)

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Water resources cross geographic and political boundaries and are important to numerous government entities, interest groups, and the general public.

8 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 3. Collaborate to Protect and Restore Watersheds

Federal, state, and tribal and objectives also may give effect governments, along with local to FLPMA’s instructions to protect agencies, have distinct roles and water quality and supplies. responsibilities under the legal frameworks governing water The BLM maintains partnerships resources. Water resources and coordinates efforts with other cross geographic and political state and federal agencies that boundaries and are important to have responsibilities, such as: numerous government entities, interest groups, and the general n Managing federal lands, public. Therefore, the BLM must natural resources, and tribal collaborate with all levels of trust resources. government, stakeholders in the n private and nonprofit sectors, Managing waterways and federal and members of the public to water storage projects. protect and use water resources n Permitting and oversight of on public lands. surface .

n Implementing and providing 3.1 Bureau of Land oversight of federal Management environmental legislation. n Researching science and The BLM manages the public agricultural science. lands under the principles of “multiple use” and “sustained n Assisting private agricultural yield” as described in FLPMA, producers. which directs the BLM to manage the public lands in a manner that will protect the quality of water 3.2 Federal Partners values, among others. Under FLPMA, the BLM must also ensure U.S. Environmental that BLM-authorized activities Protection Agency comply with the CWA and all (EPA): The EPA is the applicable federal, state, tribal, lead federal agency and local water quality laws and for the protection of human health regulations. One way in which the and the environment, using tools BLM manages water resources such as the CWA and the Clean is by establishing goals and Air Act. The BLM complies with objectives in plans that federal environmental laws in must, at a minimum, comply with its management of lands and regulatory standards; these goals resources just as any other entity

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and thus communicates with and for example, a coal-bed methane occasionally partners with EPA well. The BLM will often solicit offices and officials. An example concerns from another agency if of partnership with the EPA is a the potential effects appear to be locally based nonpoint source significant for the management control project for sediment and objectives of that agency. Stipulations nutrients; the project includes for the development may include multiple ownerships in a small provisions that are deemed critical watershed, including federal land to protect adjacent resources. managers, private landowners, and a state and fish agency. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE): U.S. The USACE is the lead Geological federal agency for permitting work Survey (USGS): in navigable waters and wetlands As the lead federal water data of the United States; therefore, collection agency, the USGS is it is important for the BLM and often a partner with the BLM in the those seeking permits to conduct establishment and operation of relevant activities on BLM land monitoring stations to work in coordination with the or stream gauging stations, where USACE. Relevant activities that quantity and quality of surface may require coordination with water are measured. the USACE include any work in navigable waters and wetlands or U.S. Service for fish habitat improvements. (USFS): The USFS is often a partner with Bureau of the BLM because Reclamation of the close proximity of many (BOR): The national and BOR is a partner with the BLM to BLM-administered land. An in its role as the lead agency in example of partnership with the Colorado River Basin Salinity the USFS is collaboration of a Control Program, in which the watershed assessment on both BLM reduces salt loading to the BLM- and USFS-managed land; Colorado River by plugging saline the watershed is experiencing high wells and performing nonpoint peak flows and high suspended source sediment and salinity solids loading, causing problems control efforts. The BOR is also for a community water system at often a partner in the management the bottom of the watershed. of dispersed at major federal reservoirs. National Park Service (NPS): The NPS also Bureau of Indian manages many tracts Affairs (BIA): The BIA of land adjacent to land and numerous tribal the BLM considers for permitting: councils are assisted by

10 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 the BLM in several ways, including the targeted private lands. In the the BLM’s technical support to the planning of conservation assistance Department of the Interior’s tribal and watershed rehabilitation for trust management responsibilities these targeted lands, there is (e.g., in the assessment, leasing, and often exchange of information development of energy resources). and sometimes cooperative implementation of projects U.S. Fish and Wildlife between the two agencies. Service (USFWS): The USFWS is the Agricultural lead federal agency Research for ensuring compliance with Service the Endangered Species Act. (ARS): The ARS is a major The USFWS frequently assists research arm of the U.S. the BLM in providing biological Department of consultations on planning and and has capabilities in NEPA documents. They also assist research on livestock grazing the BLM in the development and systems, hydrology review of and water quality, and soil plans and may partner on mutually science, including soil erosion beneficial vegetative or watershed and water movement through management projects where . The BLM has partnered USFWS refuge lands lie adjacent to with the ARS in many studies and BLM-administered lands. continues to cooperate with them on topics of mutual interest. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation Department of and Enforcement Transportation (DOT): (OSMRE): The OSMRE From time to time, the is the lead agency in preparing BLM may be asked to environmental impact statements work with the DOT and one of its (EISs) in compliance with NEPA for agencies. For example, the BLM certain coal mine expansions. The may be asked to work on a federal BLM is often a cooperating agency highway project requiring a in the development of the EIS. gravel source adjacent to BLM- managed land. Natural Resources Department of Conservation Defense (DOD): Service (NRCS): The NRCS With its many military delivers a wide variety of program installations, the DOD services, technical assistance, and is responsible for a significant federal cost sharing to private acreage of land. The BLM has landowners on western landscapes cooperative agreements with the in which the BLM is sometimes a DOD for some land management manager of lands above or below responsibilities at some of these

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installations. For example, the additional technical expertise. BLM may agree to operate Additionally, the BLM may work the livestock grazing leasing with various entities on a local level program or other specific resource to promote public awareness of management programs for a the importance of responsible particular military installation. use and practices on public lands to maintain and improve water resources. 3.3 Tribes The CWA assigns primary Indian tribes exercise inherent regulatory responsibility for sovereign powers over their national water quality to the EPA. members and . The While the EPA has established BLM works with tribes on a national water quality standards government-to-government basis to protect public health and to address any water-related welfare, most states, some tribes, matters affecting specific Indian and some local water regulatory tribes using BLM lands or agencies are responsible for tribes affected by activities on implementing, maintaining, and those lands. enforcing those water quality standards and complying with other CWA regulations within their 3.4 State and Local respective jurisdictions. These Agencies agencies have established their own water quality regulations, BLM state, district, and field offices which may be more, but not less, also participate in partnerships and stringent than the federal standards. maintain relationships on a state or local level with numerous agencies, entities, groups, and institutions 3.5 Other BLM Programs (e.g., universities) with water and Initiatives resource responsibilities or aquatic research interests. Partnerships Other BLM programs and with states can be with various directorates, such as the Riparian agencies of state government, and Programs and the such as departments of lands, National Landscape Conservation fish and game, System and Community programs, natural resources, Partnerships Directorate, etc. These partnerships and contribute routinely to the Soil, relationships vary by geographic Water, and Air Program’s goals location and management issues and objectives for water resources. and can be very effective in The Soil, Water, and Air Program achieving management objectives, is actively pursuing ways to leveraging funding, reducing integrate the goals of this strategy conflict, and obtaining access to into all BLM programs. Quarterly

12 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 issue forums are open to all BLM with technical expertise, training programs; integrated site visits are programs, and projects and is encouraged; and opportunities anticipating learning from other to pool resources for projects programs as the aquatic aspects and training are welcomed. The of the BLM’s land management Soil, Water, and Air Program is responsibilities are integrated. available to assist other programs

13 This strategy is designed to position the BLM’s Water Resource Program as a leader in protecting water resources, while the BLM continues to meet its multiple use and sustained yield principles for managing public lands, including authorizing activities needed to meet increasing demands for resources and recreational opportunities. BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 4. Goals and Objectives

This strategy is designed to In support of this goal, the BLM will: position the BLM’s Water Resource Program as a leader in protecting n Continue to develop policies to water resources, while the BLM reduce pollutant and sediment continues to meet its multiple use discharges from fluid and and sustained yield principles for solid mineral development managing public lands. and production.

n Increase the use of cost-effective The strategy includes six best management practices, overarching goals: technologies, and compliance standards across BLM programs. 4.1 Goal 1: Increase n Continue to work with proactive measures taken stakeholders when developing or to reduce the introduction revising resource management plans (RMPs) to create effective of traditional pollutants to water resource goals and water resources. objectives to maintain or improve water quality and The BLM will adopt proactive increase RMP effectiveness. approaches to manage water resources on a watershed basis, address challenges resulting 4.2 Goal 2: Incorporate from more stringent regulatory collaborative, regional standards, respond to increasing human population growth and watershed resource urbanization, and assess requests assessments into BLM for mineral resource development standard practices. of public lands. This will require the BLM to collaborate with BLM resource decisions will be all stakeholders to maintain or improved by incorporating a improve overall water quality and landscape approach to planning prevent violations of regulatory with an emphasis on collaborative standards. The BLM’s water watershed assessments. quality monitoring activities are intended to inform and support In support of this goal, the the ultimate objective of limiting BLM will: discharge of pollutants and sediments into waters. n Improve the understanding of hydrologic flow systems and the interaction of ground water with surface water.

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n Implement watershed In support of this goal, the BLM will: assessments that include anticipated effects of climate n Continue to work with the change; integrate rapid AIM implementation team to ecoregional assessment develop aquatic indicators and information when available; complete assessment, inventory, and use ecosystem services and monitoring criteria where valuations in all planning and appropriate. decisionmaking processes. n Conduct collaborative water n Complete the watershed quality assessment and assessment handbook. monitoring activities with state and federal agencies. n Use collaborative watershed workgroups to resolve problems. n Continue to prioritize and meet regulatory requirements. n Use watershed assessments and ecosystem-based management n Develop guidance to assist to address implementation of field offices with policy and Executive Order 13547 (National procedures for water quality Ocean Policy) where appropriate. matters, incorporating regular reporting requirements so that data are readily available 4.3 Goal 3: Improve the for analyses. breadth, depth, and n Assess baseline conditions efficiency of water quality prior to specific restoration monitoring and the and authorized use activities so effectiveness of effects (positive or negative) can be accurately reported subsequent analyses. and analyzed.

Water resource managers and regulatory agencies request 4.4 Goal 4: Improve increasingly complex analyses to assess current conditions the availability of and and increased supply access to water quality demands for water. These monitoring data. analyses can sometimes be duplicative and expensive. Water quality and quantity The BLM is developing monitoring data support and standard indicators that will inform BLM resource decisions. For address large watershed or example, prior to authorizing use landscape resource planning activities, the BLM uses monitoring needs through the National Aquatic data to establish baseline Monitoring Framework, a component conditions, evaluate trends, of the Assessment, Inventory and and assess potential effects on Monitoring (AIM) Strategy. water resources from authorized

16 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 activities. Other public and private 4.5 Goal 5: Improve organizations, including several relationships with other federal organizations, use water quality monitoring data to study agencies and stakeholders. long-term trends. In addition, Collaboration among BLM offices, federal and state regulators use other federal land management water quality monitoring data to agencies, the EPA, state and designate impaired water bodies. other water regulatory agencies, and stakeholders is essential for Robust and systematic processes the sustained use and long-term are lacking for storing, managing, protection of water resources. and sharing water quality and Collaboration can be challenging quantity data within the BLM because (1) each entity has unique, and among various agencies often competing, sometimes and stakeholder groups. Often, conflicting responsibilities; and significant time and resources are (2) stakeholders bring diverse expended to compile data from perspectives to water resource various sources when conducting management decision processes. assessments and analyses. Many of these efforts are redundant, The BLM’s land use planning as they are conducted for each and NEPA processes offer individual project within the same opportunities for collaboration geographic area. on specific decisions that affect water resources, particularly with In support of this goal, the BLM will: agencies that have environmental quality and protection oversight n Expand the use of portable responsibilities. Other instruments to address data opportunities for collaboration collection needs. include water monitoring data n Transition to the use of mobile, collection, water quality and electronic data capture quantity modeling efforts, technologies. selection of appropriate best management practices and erosion n Improve the efficiency of data control measures, and regional collection, reduce overall costs, water quality planning activities. and leverage resources through cooperative arrangements across In support of this goal, the BLM field offices and resource will strive to fulfill the following programs, with other agencies, objectives: and through collaborative partnerships. n Increase collaboration with other federal land managers, the EPA, n Evaluate viability of using a and appropriate state agencies. national database to warehouse data that can be accessed using n Increase collaboration in geospatial analysis technologies. addressing drought conditions.

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The BLM will become an active 4.6 Goal 6: Enhance partner in the EPA-led National and maintain the BLM’s Drought Resilience Partnership. technical expertise relevant n Engage partners in planning to water resources. and management efforts to support regional water BLM managers require access quality improvement. to sufficient expertise and information to make informed and n Engage youth and provide effective land use planning and outreach opportunities that resource decisions, assess resource emphasize water resource issues conditions, comply with changing and protection. regulatory requirements, and n Continue to participate develop effective relationships with in regional, interagency stakeholders. The BLM is facing an workgroups and partnerships increase in both the volume and to build working relationships, the technical demands of the work share information, and avoid required to meet applicable legal duplication of efforts. Such requirements, emerging stressors, efforts include the: and the goals of this strategy.

- Western States Water Council, In support of this goal, the which is a group of 18 states BLM will strive to fulfill the that promotes the exchange following objectives: of information, serves as a forum to discuss western n Increase the number of BLM regional water quality matters, water resource specialists, and shares resources for the including hydrologists, common benefit of members. ecologists, and aquatic biologists. Additional specialists, - Sustainable Water Resources such as water rights managers Roundtable, which promotes and riparian or wetland sustainability of the nation’s specialists, are needed to ensure water resources through the that the BLM has sufficient evaluation of information, expertise to address and development and use of resolve water resource matters indicators, targeting of associated with the increasing research, and engagement use and development of of people and partners to public lands. improve the management, conservation, and use of n Increase the effectiveness of water and related resources. water resource specialists and Members include federal, line managers by ensuring state, corporate, nonprofit, and access to relevant information academic sectors. and basic training.

18 BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 n Develop training courses to n Increase internal communication improve comprehension and and interaction with the awareness of management, Energy, Minerals, and Realty technical, and regulatory water Management Directorate and resource matters. Staff also the National Landscape will be encouraged to attend Conservation System training courses available and Community through other agencies to Partnerships Directorate, increase knowledge and build in collaboration with the personal working relationships. Fisheries and Riparian Programs, to address n Develop and issue water water resource matters. resource program guidance to ensure consistent approaches are used, and provide references for water contacts and line managers to address technical and process questions, including the water quality manual, water rights manual and handbook, and watershed assessment handbook.

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BLM WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM STRATEGY 2015–2020 5. Summary

The goals and objectives described in this 5-year strategy will enable the BLM Water Resource Program to meet challenges posed by the increasing demand for resource development and recreational opportunities on public lands. This strategy will enable the BLM to continue to protect water resources while carrying out FLPMA’s multiple use and sustained yield mandate for managing public lands. New emphasis on integrated approaches to address resource issues, provide quality data, and improve monitoring and reporting will be critical to its success. Collaborative relationships with other agencies and stakeholders, plus heightened water resource expertise within the BLM, will be equally important. The strategy also offers opportunities for continual learning that can inform the BLM’s water resource activities and increase awareness of water resource issues.

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