Watershed Approaches and Community Based Planning

1
Watershed Approaches and Community Based Planning
Presented by Dave Griffith Stakeholder
Involvement in Watershed Management Workshop
November 30, 2006 ARDC Mead with additional
slides from Craig Goodwin Chris Hamilton Dan
Lawson Verlon Barnes
2
Where Were Headed

• Overview of where RWA fits into NRCS programs
• Community Based Planning
• Stakeholder and Partner Involvement

3
NRCS Strategic Plan 2005-2010
Overarching Strategies

• Cooperative Conservation
• Market-Based Approach
• Watershed Approach

4
Why a Watershed Approach?
Watersheds are universal well-defined areas that
provide a common basis for discussion of water,
related resources, and landscape processes.
5
NRCS Planning Continuum
6
What is aRapid Watershed Assessment?
7
What are RWAs?
Rapid Watershed Assessments

• Are summaries of resource concerns and
  opportunities.
• Provide initial estimates of where conservation
  investments would best address resources
  concerns.
• Are the product of a process which evaluates
  resource conditions and needs on an 8-digit
  hydrologic unit basis.

8
8-Digit Hydrologic Units

• 69 HUs in Nebraska (38 primarily in Nebraska)
• Average HU size 1,637 mi² (1,047,000 acres)
• HUs are accounting areas, not necessarily
  watersheds

9
Definition of Terms

• Rapid Watershed Assessment
• Resource Profile
• Summary Matrix

10
Resource Profile

• A descriptive set of data portraying the
  significant natural resource features of the
  watershed.

11
Resource Profile

• Use of Geographic Information System (GIS)
• Conservation planning teams working in each
  watershed
• Meeting with landowners and conservation groups
• Inventorying agricultural areas
• Assessing current levels of resource management
• Identifying conservation recommendations
• Making qualitative estimates of the impacts of
  conservation on local resource concerns

12
Assessment Matrix

• An evaluation of watershed resources to determine
  the size, scope, and value of natural resource
  needs.

13
Assessment Matrix
Matrix to summarize the following

• Current resource conditions and OM costs
• Desired resource conditions
• Conservation practice and system recommendations
  and operation and maintenance costs
• Qualitative effects on primary resource concerns
• Potential funding sources for implementation

14
Level of Assessment

• Limited in detail due to the restricted data
  collection associated with the process
• Does not address cumulative effects
• Does not address infrastructure needs
• Tends to be qualitative, not quantitative in
  nature
• A more extensive planning process would be used
  to collect detailed information for Area Wide
  Community Based Planning.

15
Blackbird-Soldier HU Pilot RWA

• HU 10230001
• Covers NE and IA
• NE 810 mi2
• 14 sub-watersheds
• Parts of 4 counties
• Omaha and Winnebago Reservations

16
RWAs are

• One Component of Strategic Plan watershed
  approach
• Will be used as a platform for conservation
  program delivery
• Is being implemented as a pilot effort

17
Current Status of Resource Assessments in Nebraska
18
How do Rapid Watershed Assessments Relate to the
Area Wide Community Based Planning Process?
19
Relationship Between the NRCS Planning Process
and RWA
Phase I - Collection and Analysis 1. Identify
Problems 2. Determine Objectives 3. Inventory
Resources 4. Analyze Resource Data Phase II -
Decision Support 5. Formulate Alternatives 6.
Evaluate Alternatives 7. Make Decisions Phase
III - Application and Evaluation 8. Implement
the Plan 9. Evaluate the Plan
20
(No Transcript)
21
Community Based PlanningWhat is it?
Moving from Rapid Watershed Assessments to
Community Based Planning
22
Community Based Planning is a voluntary, locally
led planning process that integrates social,
economic, and environmental concerns over a
defined geographic area (such as a county, a
watershed, or a region).
COMMUNITY BASED PLANNING
23
COMMUNITY BASEDPLANNING
What is the desired product?
24
A planning process that results in the
development of A comprehensive Management
Planthat isFully Implemented
COMMUNITY BASED PLANNING
25
COMMUNITY BASED PLANNING

• Key Components-
• 1. A common Vision of desired conditions
• 2. Identification of Objectives to reach vision
• 3. Opportunities and concerns drive the process
• 4. Utilizes adaptive management
• 5. Utilizes facilitation
• 6. Communication and Education are important
• 7. Documentation and Evaluation of outcomes

26
Community Based Planning Process

• Part A. PRE-PLANNING ACTIVITIES
• Identify a Project Sponsor.
• Explain the Community Based Planning Process and
  its benefits.
• Explain the roles each group or entity plays.
• Identify the Project Coordinator.
• Identify the planning area on a map.

27
Community Based Planning Process

• Part A. PRE-PLANNING ACTIVITIES
• Gather any readily available maps or data.
• Brainstorm for other sources of information and
  data.
• Obtain a written commitment from the sponsor to
  move forward with the planning process.

28
Community Based Planning Process

• Part A. PRE-PLANNING ACTIVITIES
• Establish a Technical Advisory Team made up of
  key resource people.
• Brainstorm to identify key stakeholders in the
  planning area.
• Invite all interested stakeholders, agencies, and
  organizations to initial public meeting.

29
Community Based Planning Process

• Part B. PLANNING PROCESS STEPS
• PHASE I Collection and Analysis
• 1. Identify Opportunities and Concerns
• 2. Determine Objectives
• 3. Inventory Resources
• 4. Analyze Resource Data

30
Community Based Planning Process

• Part B. PLANNING PROCESS STEPS
• PHASE I I Decision Support
• 5. Formulate Alternatives
• 6. Evaluate Alternatives
• 7. Make Decisions

31
Community Based Planning Process

• Part B. PLANNING PROCESS STEPS
• PHASE III Application and Evaluation
• 8. Implement the Plan
• 9. Evaluate the Effects of the Plan
• 10. Celebrate Successes

32
BENEFITS OF USING COMMUNITY BASED PLANNING

• Community and stakeholders are much more informed
  about what is happening.
• Community and stakeholders have the opportunity
  to be actively involved in the decisions made.
• Projects completed are more successful.
• Implementation goes smoother because of community
  acceptance during the planning process.

33
Community Based Watershed Plans
34
Promoting Stakeholder Involvement Throughout the
Planning Process

• Work with stakeholders to identify the resource
  problems.
• Find out what they are able and willing to do to
  address the identified problems.
• Find out which partners are willing to
  participate (NRCS, RCDs, NDEQ, UNL Extension,
  NRDs, other state agencies, private conservation
  groups) and what resources they can bring to the
  table.

35
Things to Consider When Defining an Area

• What is the scope of the problem?
• What is the area to be protected or benefited
  (water body on 303d list, public water supply,
  etc)?
• Is there a local group formed already?
• Is the area small enough to have a sense of
  community?

36
Things to Consider When Defining Area (continued)

• What is the balance between available resources
  and conservation needs.
• Will what the group is willing to do adequately
  address the problem?

37
Recommendations

• Make sure you have adequate financial and
  technical assistance resources to ensure success.
• Keep Project sized appropriately to be able to
  show a difference with the available resources.
• Keep lines of communication open to all partners.

38
Are There Questions?
39
(No Transcript)
40
(No Transcript)