Developing a Watershed Management Plan for Water Quality: An Introductory Guide Developing a Watershed Management Plan for Water Quality: An Introductory Guide Prepared by: Authors: Elaine Brown, Amy Peterson, Ruth Kline-Robach, Karol Smith, Lois Wolfson Contributors: Gary Rinkenberger, Vicki Anderson Editorial and Production Assistance: Linda B. Halsey Layout and Design: Connie Sweet, Connection Graphics Printing: Millbrook Printing February 2000 Acknowledgments This guide was jointly developed by the We wish to thank the following groups and individuals for their assistance: Michigan State University (MSU) Institute of Water Research, MSU Extension and the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Michigan Department of Environmental Michigan Nonpoint Source Grantees Quality (DEQ) Nonpoint Source Program, Marketing & Creative Services, MSU Division of University Relations through a federal grant from the U.S. Envi- Steve Pennington, MSU Department of Resource Development ronmental Protection Agency. Alex Morese, MSU Institute of Water Research Ben Zimont, DEQ Surface Water Quality Division Steve Holden, DEQ Surface Water Quality Division Eckhart Dersch, MSU Department of Resource Development Erich Ditschman, McNamee, Porter & Seeley, Inc. For copies of this guide, write: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Surface Water Quality Division Nonpoint Source Program Staff P.O. Box 30473 Lansing, MI 48909-7973 Phone: 517/373-2867 Fax: 517/373-9958 www.deq.state.mi.us/swq or Institute of Water Research Michigan State University 115 Manly Miles Building 1405 S. Harrison Road East Lansing, MI 48823 Phone: 517/353-3742 Fax: 517/353-1812 John Engler, Governor, State of Michigan www.iwr.msu.edu Russell J. Harding, Director Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Surface Water Quality Division February 2000 Cover and interior photos courtesy of Travel Michigan, Dietrich Floeter, Raymond J. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity institution Malace, Randall McCune, Vito Palmisano, The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will not discriminate against any individual Amy Peterson, Ralph Reznick, Ruth Kline- or group on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, disability Robach, Thomas A. Schneider, Karol Smith, or political beliefs. Questions or concerns should be directed to the DEQ Office of Personnel Services, Michael M. Smith, Lois Wolfson P.O. Box 30473, Lansing, MI 48909. Developing a Watershed Management Plan for Water Quality: An Introductory Guide Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................1 Chapter 1. Identifying and Networking with Local Agencies and Citizens ....................................................3 Chapter 2. Getting to Know Your Watershed ...........................................8 Chapter 3. Defining a Critical Area...........................................................14 Chapter 4. Surveying the Watershed to Inventory Your Critical Area ....16 Chapter 5. Prioritizing Pollutants, Sources and Causes ...........................20 Chapter 6. Determining Objectives for Your Watershed Goals ...............23 Chapter 7. Identifying Systems of Best Management Practices (BMPs) Needed ........................................................................24 Chapter 8. Identifying and Analyzing Existing Local Projects, Programs and Ordinances .......................................................28 Chapter 9. Informing and Involving the Public ........................................31 Chapter 10. Developing an Evaluation Process ..........................................36 Chapter 11. Assembling Your Watershed Plan ...........................................38 Appendix A. Resources ..................................................................................40 Appendix B. Typical Nonpoint Source Pollutants Impacting Michigan Waters.....................................................49 Appendix C. Glossary of Terms ....................................................................50 Bibliography ...................................................................................................52 Introduction Introduction This guide was written to help local units of government, nonprofit organizations, and citizens develop watershed management plans. It outlines a process for gathering people, information, and resources together to protect and improve Michigan’s water resources. A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common point. On a very broad scale, imagine a mountain, and think of the highest ridges on the mountain as the boundaries of the watershed. Rain, melting snow, and wind carry pollutants from the ridges and sides of the mountains into the water in the valley. The A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common body of water. rationale for watershed management is that if we properly manage land activities on the sides and in the valley of the mountain, we will pro- TIPS AND TOOLS: Throughout this guide, this icon denotes useful tips tect the water within that watershed. The con- and tools such as resources, contacts, and references to help you with cept is the same for Michigan’s watersheds: if your watershed management planning efforts. we manage activities on the land that drains Words highlighted in bold are defined in the glossary. to bodies of water, we will protect and improve the water resources of the state. Almost every activity on the land has the potential to affect the quality of water in a How were the steps for developing a watershed management community. Watershed planning brings plan derived? together the people within the watershed to address those activities, regardless of existing Since 1988, the DEQ Nonpoint Source Program has provided grants to doz- political boundaries. By working together, ens of local units of government and nonprofit entities to develop and imple- individuals within the watershed can design ment watershed management plans. The steps included in this document are a coordinated watershed management plan based on a planning process that has been used successfully by Nonpoint Source that builds upon the strengths of existing grant recipients (grantees) since 1995. The specific steps in the planning pro- programs and resources, and addresses the cess have been modified—and will continue to be improved—based on the water quality concerns in an integrated, cost- experience of the grantees. effective manner. Watershed planning and implementation are iterative processes; so while all This guide also helps individuals develop steps in the planning process are important, the order in which the steps are watershed management plans that can be completed will vary. Some steps occur simultaneously, and some are repeated. submitted to the Department of Environmen- For example, many projects conduct education and outreach activities while tal Quality (DEQ) for approval under the the plan is being developed, and continue them throughout the implementa- Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI). The CMI is tion process. Use the steps in this document as a general guide and adapt them a multi-million dollar environmental bond to fit your needs. initiative overwhelmingly approved by Michi- Each chapter includes a list of chapter products, which are components of the gan voters in 1998. The CMI designates $165 watershed plan. You will use these products as you assemble the overall water- million for water quality projects, including shed management plan in Chapter 11. implementing approved watershed manage- ment plans. The steps outlined in this guide This logo appears throughout the guide to denote items that will can be used to help meet the CMI watershed help you meet the requirement for “approved watershed manage- plan requirements. After the plan is approved ment plans” in the CMI Nonpoint Source administrative rules, by the DEQ, local units of government and under part 88 of Public Act 451. Once a watershed management nonprofit organizations may submit grant plan meets the requirements and is approved by the DEQ Surface Water applications for CMI funding to implement Quality Division, local units of government and non-profit groups may ap- portions of the plan. ply for CMI funds to implement portions of the plan. Introdcution 2 Does a watershed management EXAMPLE WATERSHED plan address just surface waters? An “Example Watershed” is used throughout this guide to highlight the steps that are necessary in the watershed planning process. The Ex- Because surface waters—including riv- ample Watershed information is shaded in green. ers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands— drain to and are recharged by groundwater, watershed plans sometimes include ground- water protection activities. This is particu- This icon indicates watershed projects in Michigan. larly common in areas with predominantly sandy soils, since pollutants on the land can readily infiltrate the groundwater. The box below lists the phone numbers for district DEQ offices. Appendix A In addition to addressing water quality, this lists additional contact information for DEQ staff and other organizations that planning process can also be used for other may be able to help you develop your watershed management plan. resource issues, such as a community’s desire to protect critical habitat for an endan- gered species. Often such “desired uses” help DEQ Nonpoint Source Program Contacts build community support for the water qual- Nonpoint