The Problem
More than 218 million Americans live within 10 miles of a river, lake, or estuary that is considered impaired. These waterways cannot fully support their biological communities or conform to the fishable/swimmable water quality goals of the Clean Water act.
Excess sediments, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and pathogenic microorganisms are the leading causes of these impairments.
Watershed groups recognize that good watershed plans must address the variety of problems seen in the watershed.
Complex Interactions
Watersheds are dynamic and complex systems where surface water and groundwater interactions affect ecological and economic activities.
Water resources affect and are affected by:
- the surrounding physical environment,
- weather and atmospheric deposition, and
- the activities of plants and animals living in or near the water — from microbes to humans.
Identifying Solutions
A comprehensive assessment of these water resource effects and interactions will assist watershed groups, planners, and managers — identifying important issues and providing information needed to develop integrated solutions, increase cost effectiveness, and maximize chances for measurable environmental results.
How C-SAW Can Help
C-SAW specialists can help eligible groups identify solutions and develop monitoring programs, protection plans, and restoration projects.
Eligible groups can receive cost estimates for assessments, advice on required resources and time estimates to complete a task, and assistance with actual watershed assessments and interpretation and utilization of data.
C-SAW offers assistance in watershed assessments and science related to:
- Gathering background or historical data
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS), GIS-derived data, and spatial-data analysis
- Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
- Stream flow
- Stream restoration
- Surface water and groundwater resources and interactions
- Sediment
- Ambient and event monitoring
- Biological and habitat assessment
- Microbiology
- Atmospheric deposition
- Agricultural and urban impact issues
- Abandoned mine discharge and treatment
- Threatened and endangered species
- Riparian restoration
- Wetlands
- Soils analysis
- Lake management
