Transcript Slide 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
Where We’re Headed
Overview of where RWA fits into NRCS
programs
Community Based Planning
Stakeholder and Partner Involvement
NRCS Strategic Plan 2005-2010
Overarching Strategies:
Cooperative Conservation
Market-Based Approach
Watershed Approach
Why a Watershed Approach?
Watersheds are universal well-defined areas
that provide a common basis for discussion of
water, related resources, and landscape
processes.
Watershed
Outlet
NRCS Planning Continuum
What is a
Rapid Watershed Assessment?
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-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
Definition of Terms
Rapid Watershed Assessment
Resource Profile
Summary Matrix
+
Resource Profile
A descriptive set of
data portraying the
significant natural
resource features of
the watershed.
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
Assessment Matrix
An evaluation of watershed resources to
determine the size, scope, and value of natural
resource needs.
Assessment Matrix
Matrix to summarize the following:
Current resource conditions and O&M 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
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.
Blackbird-Soldier HU Pilot RWA
Blackbird-Soldier HU
South
Dakota
Omaha Indian Reservation
HU 10230001
Covers NE and IA
NE = 810 mi2
Winnebago Indian
Reservation
Iowa
Dakota
Nebraska
HU 10230001
Nebraska
Thurston
14 sub-watersheds
Parts of 4 counties
Omaha and Winnebago
Reservations
Cuming
Burt
±±
Dodge
0
2.5
0 2.5 5
5
10
15
Washington
10
20
Miles
Miles
RWA’s 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
Current Status of Resource
Assessments in Nebraska
Completed
DC Administrative
Areas
Resource
Assessments
Completed
8 Digit
Resource
Assessments
Completed
RC & HUC
D Resource
Assessments
As of
of 11/27/2006
11/29/2006
11/27/2006
As
LOWER NIOBRARA
Keya Paha
Paha
Keya
Dawes
Dawes
Dawes
UPPER NIOBRARA WHITE
Sioux
Sioux
Sioux
Cherry
Sheridan
Sheridan
Sheridan
MIDDLE NIOBRARA
Cherry
Brown
Grant
Grant
Grant
Arthur
McPherson
Arthur
Arthur McPherson
McPherson
UPPER
Perkins
Perkins
REPUBLICAN
Natural Resource
Natural Resource
Resource
Natural
Conservation
Service
Conservation Service
Service
Conservation
Logan
Logan
Logan
Keith
Keith
Keith
Perkins
Completed
Completed
Completed
Thomas
Thomas
Thomas
Hooker
Hooker
TWIN PLATTE
Deuel
Deuel
Deuel
Rock
Holt
UPPER LOUP
Sandhills RC & D
Kimball
Cheyenne
Kimball
Kimball
Cheyenne
SOUTH
PLATTE
Cheyenne
Boyd
North Central RC & DRock
Holt
Brown
Brown UPPER
Holt
Rock ELKHORN
Cherry
Box
Butte
Box Butte
Box Butte
Panhandle RC & D
Scotts Bluff
Morrill
Scotts Bluff
Scotts Bluff
NORTH
PLATTE
Morrill
Morrill
Banner
Garden
Banner
Garden
Banner
Garden
Boyd
Boyd
Keya Paha
Lincoln
Lincoln
Lincoln
Blaine
Blaine
Blaine
Cedar
KnoxKnox
LEWIS & CLARK
Cedar
Knox
Dixon
Dixon
Cedar
Dakota
Dixon
Northeast RC & DDakotaDakota
PAPIO
Pierce
MISSOURI
Pierce
Wayne
Antelope
Pierce
Wayne
Blackbird-Soldier
Antelope
Thurston
Wayne
Thurston
RIVER
Antelope
Thurston
LOWER ELKHORN
Loup
Garfield Wheeler
Loup
Garfield
Wheeler
Loup Garfield Wheeler
Valley
Stanton Cuming
Stanton
Madison
Cuming
Madison Stanton
Cuming
Madison
LoessBurt
Hills Burt
RC &
Burt
Boone
Boone
Boone
Greeley
LOWER
Loup Basin
RC LOUP
& Greeley
D
Valley
Custer
Custer
Custer
Valley
Greeley
D
LOWER PLATTE NORTH
DodgeDodge Washington
Colfax
Colfax
Platte
Platte
Platte Colfax
Washington
Dodge
Washington
Nance
Nance
Nance
Douglas
Sherman
Prairie
Land
RC &Douglas
DDouglas
Sherman
Howard
Howard
Butler
Saunders
Sherman
Butler
Saunders
Howard
Polk
MerrickPolkPolk
Merrick
Merrick
Butler Saunders
Sarpy Sarpy
Sarpy
Seward LOWER
Cass
CENTRAL
PLATTEHall Hamilton
Hamilton York
Dawson
Dawson
Cass
Buffalo
York Seward
Hall
Dawson
Buffalo
Hall
PLATTE Cass
UPPERYork
BIG BLUE
Seward
Buffalo
Lancaster
Hamilton
South
Central
RC
&
D
Lancaster
SOUTH
Frontier
Hayes
Chase
Otoe
Hayes
Lancaster
Chase
Otoe
Frontier
Chase
Otoe
Gosper Phelps Kearney Adams
MIDDLE
Hayes REPUBLICAN
Clay Fillmore Saline
GosperTRI-BASIN
Frontier
Adams
Clay
Gosper Phelps Kearney Adams
Fillmore Saline
Clay
Fillmore SalineLower Big
Kearney
JohnsonJohnson
Nemaha
Nemaha
Phelps
Johnson Nemaha
Southwest RC & D
Dundy
NEMAHA
Hitchcock Red Willow
GageBlue
Dundy
Harlan Franklin
Five
Rivers
RC
&
D
Hitchcock Red Willow Furnas
Webster
Dundy
Nuckolls
Gage
Franklin
Thayer
Jefferson
Hitchcock Red Willow Furnas LOWER REPUBLICAN
LITTLE
BLUE
Pawnee
Furnas
Gage
Harlan
Trail Blazer RC & D
Thayer Jefferson
Richardson
Pawnee
Richardson
Harlan Franklin Webster Nuckolls Thayer Jefferson
Pawnee Richardson
Webster Nuckolls
Medicine
How do Rapid Watershed
Assessments Relate to the
Area Wide Community Based
Planning Process?
Relationship Between the NRCS
Planning Process and RWA
Phase I - Collection and Analysis
1.
2.
3.
4.
RWA
Planning
Identify Problems
Determine Objectives
Inventory Resources
Analyze Resource Data
Phase II - Decision Support
5. Formulate Alternatives
6. Evaluate Alternatives
7. Make Decisions
Implementation
Follow-up/Adapt. Man.
Phase III - Application and Evaluation
8. Implement the Plan
9. Evaluate the Plan
NRCS Water Resources Programs
and Rapid Watershed Assessment
Moving from Rapid Watershed Assessments to
Community Based Planning
Community Based Planning
What is it?
COMMUNITY BASED
PLANNING
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
What is the desired product?
COMMUNITY BASED
PLANNING
A planning process that results in
the development of
A comprehensive
Management Plan
that is
Fully Implemented
COMMUNITY BASED
PLANNING
Key Components1. 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
Community
Part A.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Based
Process
Planning
PRE-PLANNING ACTIVITIES
Identify a Project Sponsor.
Explain the Community Based Planning Process and
it’s benefits.
Explain the roles each group or entity plays.
Identify the Project Coordinator.
Identify the planning area on a map.
Community
Part A.
6.
7.
8.
Based
Process
Planning
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.
Community
Part A.
Based
Process
Planning
PRE-PLANNING ACTIVITIES
9. Establish a Technical Advisory Team made up of
key resource people.
10. Brainstorm to identify key stakeholders in the
planning area.
11. Invite all interested stakeholders, agencies, and
organizations to initial public meeting.
Community
Based
Process
Planning
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
Community
Based
Process
Planning
Part B. PLANNING PROCESS STEPS
PHASE I I – Decision Support
5. Formulate Alternatives
6. Evaluate Alternatives
7. Make Decisions
Community
Based
Process
Planning
Part B. PLANNING PROCESS STEPS
PHASE III – Application and Evaluation
8. Implement the Plan
9. Evaluate the Effects of the Plan
10. Celebrate Successes
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.
Community Based Watershed Plans
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, RC&D’s, NDEQ, UNL
Extension, NRD’s, other state agencies,
private conservation groups) and what
resources they can bring to the table.
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”?
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?
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.
Are There Questions?
North Blackbird Creek